2017 NFL Draft: Early Look At Where Patrick Mahomes Could Land

The NFL Draft is one of my favorite sporting events. It's seriously up there with the Super Bowl. It combines my two favorite sports which are college and NFL football. This year's draft has a little bit more Texas Tech intrigue than usual with Patrick Mahomes possibly being a day 1 pick. Sure, last year DeAndre Washington and Le'Raven Clark were drafted but we're talking about a potential first round pick this year. Below are what mock drafts are saying at the moment.

WalterFootball.com

25. Houston Texans: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

The Texans selecting a quarterback in the first round would've seemed unfathomable three months ago, but Brock Osweiler has been so horrible that he was benched in favor of Tom Savage, who isn't a good quarterback either. I can't imagine the Texans going into next year with Osweiler and Savage as their only quarterbacks. They'd need to find someone else, and that someone else could be Pat Mahomes.

Charlie Campbell reported that some teams have Mahomes slotted as a second-round prospect, but given that Mahomes is a quarterback, he's likely to be chosen earlier than most anticipate. The NFL Draft Advisory Committee apparently agrees, as they gave Mahomes a Round 1-2 grade. Thus, it only seems logical to slot Mahomes into this spot, because if the Texans like him, they won't be able to obtain him with their second-round selection.

DraftWire/USA Today

3rd Round, Chicago Bears: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

If the Bears don’t take a quarterback at No. 3, this guy should be their target on Day 2. He’s not the most NFL-ready passer in this draft, but he’s a smart and accurate, with the strongest arm in the class and a quick release. Even if it takes a year or two, Mahomes could end up being a franchise quarterback, and is well worth taking a swing on here.

CBSsports.com

#4 ranked QB (70th overall): Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

Projection: Round 2-3

KansasCity.com

27. Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

While ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. currently projects the Chiefs to pick Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis with the 27th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, he expects them to have some other options intriguing first-round options, particularly at quarterback. "They tried to get Paxton Lynch last year, and of course they passed on Dak Prescott with three fourth-round picks," Kiper said. "They took Kevin Hogan, who they let go … you know Andy Reid’s going to draft a quarterback; he always does." That said, one player Kiper likes for the Chiefs early in he draft is Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes II, who he projects as a second-round pick who could slide up into the late first.

Mahomes, listed at 6 feet 3 and 215 pounds, boasts good athleticism and a strong arm. In 2016, he completed 65 percent of his passes for 5,052 yards, 41 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in the Red Raiders’ wide-open offense.

Kiper, however, said Texas Tech’s style of play and the generally poor success rate of Air Raid quarterbacks in the NFL will hurt his cause.

YahooSports.com

34. San Francisco 49ers — Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes

FOXsports.com

33rd Overall, Cleveland Browns: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

For me, there’s no more intriguing quarterback prospect in this year’s draft class than Patrick Mahomes. Of course, if you know me, you know I have a deep love for DeShaun Watson, but that’s a post for another day.

If the Browns opt to pass on quarterbacks in the first round, there’s a decent chance they could take one in the second. Whatever quarterback the Browns draft, they will have a chance to start on opening day. I know Mahomes has a ton of work to do in getting up to speed with an NFL offense coming from Texas Tech, but the raw skills are there for this kid to be a stud at the next level.

His football instincts are off the charts. His arm strength is phenomenal. His athletic ability allows him to extend plays and create offense with his legs. There’s no doubt about it, Mahomes has big time NFL potential and I think he can realize it much more quickly under the tutelage of Hue Jackson.

So there you have it, there's a quick look at some early predictions. We have Mahomes going any where from round 1 to round 3. He has potential landing spots on the Texans, Browns, 49ers, Bears and Chiefs. Remember, it is still super early in the process but as April draws nearer things will start to shape up especially after the NFL Combine. Stay tuned to VTM for all your draft updates.