The Cleveland Browns are officially on the clock. The 2017 NFL Draft begins with tonight's first round and rounds two and three Friday. The draft concludes over the weekend. Experts say they are at least four Iowa Hawkeye football players that should hear their name called at some point during the draft. Others will sign free agent contracts afterward. But what Hawkeyes will go when? Here is what the 'experts' are saying.

Iowa v Minnesota
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George Kittle - Kittle is an example of a player's stock rising after the season is over. Perhaps underutilized at Iowa, Kittle's combine and pro day numbers have his stock on the rise. Experts rank him the 5th best tight end in a deep class and the 70th best player overall. Kittle will likely go in round 2 or 3.

Northwestern v Iowa
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Desmond King - King could have entered the NFL Draft after his junior year. He'd just won the Thorpe Award and was a sure-fire first round pick. What a difference a year can make. King still had a solid senior year at Iowa, but this year's corner class is talented and deep. Experts say that King can play corner and also safety at the next level. They say he plays the run better than most corners. King looks to be a 2nd or 3rd round choice.

Missouri State v Iowa
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Jaleel Johnson - At 6'3 and over 300 pounds, Johnson is going to make someone's defensive line a lot better. But where does he fit in? Johnson says that he wants to be turned loose more than he was at Iowa. Experts like his strength and speed but say he has a lot of learning left to do. Johnson likely will go in the 4th round.

Big Ten Championship
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CJ Beathard - The Iowa QB had an inconsistent and injury-plagued senior season. But he still benefited from playing in a pro-style offense at Iowa. Beathard definitely has the pedigree and experts like his arm strength and leadership skills. But he'll have to prove himself as a backup. Beathard is a 6th or 7th round selection.

 

[via Gazette]

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