Todd McShay’s 3-round 2017 NFL mock draft has no quarterbacks in the 1st round

ESPN analyst Todd McShay had three quarterbacks taken in the first round of his fourth mock NFL Draft. When he released his latest prognostication for the league’s biggest offseason event, that number dropped to zero.

McShay’s newest draft isn’t a traditional mock. Instead, he played general manager for all 32 teams based on need, positional scarcity, and remaining draft assets.

If his predictions hold true, the Browns will be able to snap up the top-rated quarterback in the 2017 draft with the No. 1 pick — of the second round. McShay has Cleveland selecting North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky with their third pick of the draft, after adding defensive end Myles Garrett and tight end O.J. Howard in the first round.

Getting the hometown passer they covet with the 33rd selection in the draft would be a coup for the Browns. It would also set off an avalanche of passer picks. Clemson’s Deshaun Watson heads to the West Coast after the 49ers take him at 34. Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes lasts only four picks more before the Chargers snap him up at 38. Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer goes to the Jets with the very next pick.

While that rounds out the top tier of the draft’s quarterbacks, several more flawed, but intriguing, passing prospects are set to fly off the board in the third round. Players like Nathan Peterman, Joshua Dobbs, and Davis Webb don’t last to day three of the draft in ESPN’s latest mock.

Quarterback isn’t the only position to see a major shakeup in McShay’s latest predictions. Here’s some of the most notable team picks from the analyst’s latest round of “perfect picks.”

Cleveland gets the kind of haul that could spark a revival, selecting the draft’s best edge rusher, tight end, and quarterback without having to make any trades. Garrett and Howard are athletic freaks who will add versatility to a roster in desperate need of talent. Trubisky, a player the franchise is said to be considering with the No. 1 overall pick, could turn out to be a tremendous bargain in the second round.

Of course, hoping the UNC quarterback lasts that long may be a fool’s errand. The bulk of 2017’s mock drafts have the Third Team All-ACC passer drafted before the 13th pick.

The Niners also get their quarterback of the future in the second round. Deshaun Watson takes his national championship pedigree to California after being selected with the 34th pick. With the No. 2 selection, San Francisco stays local by adding Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas — a player 74 percent of mock drafts agree will be the second man off the board.

The 2017 NFL draft is so stacked defensively the Jaguars can’t help but add a defensive lineman here, despite glaring holes in the club’s offense. McShay has Jacksonville selecting Alabama’s Jonathan Allen at No. 4 before adding a pair of receiving weapons — Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram and Louisiana Tech receiver Carlos Henderson — in later rounds.

New town, new offense. The Chargers revamp their skill positions, putting Corey Davis alongside Tyrell Williams, Keenan Allen, and Dontrelle Inman. In a potentially more important move, they also add Mahomes in the second round to serve as Philip Rivers’ heir apparent.

Leonard Fournette arrives as the draft’s top tailback to take some of the playmaking stress from Cam Newton’s shoulders. The club also adds a pair of staid interior blockers — Texas A&M’s Jermaine Eluemenor and Ohio State’s Pat Elflein — so he can be successful in the NFL.

The Cardinals get Carson Palmer’s successor in Pitt’s Nathan Peterman, and add to their overall athleticism after drafting Miami tight end David Njoku and Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers the previous two rounds. The only question now is what position Peppers plays in the pros.

Philadelphia makes Christian McCaffrey the second running back off the board at No. 13. Of course, that wouldn’t a necessity had the team not run off LeSean McCoy and DeMarco Murray in years prior.

Joe Mixon’s history of assaulting a woman doesn’t stop him from being a second-round pick. Washington adds him to a crowded backfield that includes Rob Kelley and Matt Jones.

Washington cornerback Sidney Jones, once regarded as a potential first-round pick, slides to the third after tearing his Achilles’ during the last drill of the Huskies’ pro day.

The Raiders, who have been flirting with the idea of adding Marshawn Lynch, add Florida State record-setter Dalvin Cook, who is probably better than Lynch at this point. This would be a big addition for Oakland — the franchise has had just one tailback gain more than 800 rushing yards in a season since 2012.

According to McShay’s predictions, Houston will have a chance to draft any quarterback they’d like in the first round. Despite a current depth chart of Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden, they don’t take one until round three, and it’s Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs.

Seattle’s plan here is to rebuild from the trenches out. McShay has the Seahawks selecting four offensive/defensive linemen with their five picks, including Michigan State defensive tackle Malik McDowell and Youngstown State edge rusher Derek Rivers.

The Cowboys lost Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr in free agency this winter, but they address their secondary needs by adding Florida shutdown corner Quincy Wilson. They also select a developmental tight end from Ashland University — Adam Shaheen — in the second round to eventually replace Jason Witten, who may or may not be able to play forever.

Pittsburgh doesn’t need much help on offense — even though Ben Roethlisberger is getting old. Instead, they’ll focus on rebuilding the Steel Curtain with three straight defensive selections, headlined by Wisconsin’s T.J. Watt.

The Patriots don’t have a pick in the first two rounds of the draft, but somehow still walk away with two of the event’s best linebackers — Alabama’s Tim Williams and Ohio State’s Raekwon McMillan.