Dave John analyses the 2017 NFL draft

There were no shortage of surprises in round one of the 2017 NFL Draft, to go along with the now familiar hostile reception for Commissioner Roger Goodell plus the odd on-air profanity - our Gridiron expert David John runs the rule over eight eye-catching selections.

No.1 Myles Garrett - Defensive End, Texas A&M to Cleveland Browns

Cleveland start again after another horror show in 2016 but have meant business this off-season with some of their dealings and snagging the best athlete in the Draft is another step in the right direction. Garrett (pictured) has rare explosive speed to get to either quarterback or ball carrier combined with the strength to send linemen stumbling into the backfield. He looks an ideal fit for a young defense that can improve further and his ability to draw double teams will open up the playbook for those around him.

No.2 Mitchell Trubisky - Quarterback, North Carolina - Chicago Bears

We did not have to wait very long for the first shock of the night as the Bears moved up the board to take the strong-armed signal-caller. It is the sort of pick I will never quite understand as Chicago had splashed out big money earlier in the spring to sign free agent Mike Glennon at the position. The organisation have since decided the latter is not the solution looking to the longer term so Trubisky's debut on the field could be sooner rather than later. The trade to get him cost a handful of draft picks down the line so needs to work but the whole manouevre smacks of classic Chicago indecision.    

No.4 Leonard Fournette - Running Back, LSU to Jacksonville Jaguars

Running back is considered the most physically demanding position in the game and investing a high first-rounder on a rookie is always a bit of a gamble. Fournette already comes with a health warning having had injury issues in college but really looks the part at his best and has the potential to develop into the next Adrian Peterson. The Jaguars regressed badly on offense in 2016 and Fournette's physical style can help take some pressure off quarterback Blake Bortles. There is not much finesse to his game but he is worth a roll of the dice from a team that must at last begin to emerge as a contender.

No.8 Christian McCaffrey - Running Back, Stanford to Carolina Panthers

My favourite pick of the first day, McCaffrey is certainly bred for the job as his father Ed was an outstanding wide receiver for Denver back in the Super Bowl glory days of John Elway and company. McCaffrey version II enjoyed a stellar career at Stanford and will provide his new team with tremendous versatility both on the ground and catching the football out of the backfield. He possesses good vision at the line of scrimmage and an excellent burst of speed in open space and will be a valuable additional option for quarterback Cam Newton. He works supremely hard off the field as well so both team-mates and fans in Charlotte will love him.   

No.9 John Ross - Wide Receiver, Washington to Cincinnati Bengals

Already had a huge reputation ahead of the NFL Draft having broken Chris Johnson's record time for the 40-yard dash at the Combine with a blistering 4.22 seconds. He has the ability to leave defensive backs trailing in his wake with game-changing moves and represents a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. The fear stepping up to the top level of the game is that he becomes just a track star playing football and his relatively slight frame of 5-10 and 188lb is going to receive a considerable amount of punishment. The Bengals are not averse to taking a gamble though and Ross has been picked to develop into one half of a potentially dynamic tandem with AJ Green. 

No.10 Patrick Mahomes - Quarterback, Texas Tech to Kansas City Chiefs

It is little surprise to see an organisation as well run as the Chiefs not put some thought into a mid-to-long term plan and Mahomes is their choice to follow in the footsteps of Alex Smith. The latter remains in prime condition and has a couple of years left on his contract which will give the new man valuable time to adjust to life in the pros behind one of the savviest players at the position. Mahomes has far more play-making ability with his arm than Smith and remains rather raw but could be the key figure down the line to give the Chiefs that legitimate Super Bowl opportunity with some refinement to his on-field decision making.

No.11 Marshon Lattimore - Cornerback, Ohio State to New Orleans

The Saints averaged 29 points per game last season but still lost nine times as gaping holes in their defense were once more exposed. Lattimore was the best defensive back in the Draft and some odd decisions further up the board saw him drop to a team that has some extremely pressing needs in the secondary. He enters the pro ranks from an elite college programme and has the speed, ball-handling skills and potential to immediately upgrade a unit that has struggled for years in the pass-happy NFC South.

No.26 Takkarist McKinley - Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, UCLA to Atlanta Falcons

Endured a tough upbringing and promised the dying Grandmother who raised him he would make it to the NFL. Showed impressive raw emotion when interviewed on stage having been selected by the Falcons and the hope is he can channel all that in the right direction once he gets on to the football field. The Falcons may still be smarting from February's Super Bowl loss but have hopefully added a significant piece to boost their edge rush on the opposite side to the destructive Vic Beasley.