The 2017 NFL draft officially kicks off Thursday with the first round of action, and there is no shortage of top-level talent capable of potentially pushing teams to the next level.While much of the focus is on the presumed elite prospects who will come off the board in the opening picks, there are plenty of unheralded players with a chance to make a sizable impact as a late first-round pick or even a Day 2 or Day 3 selection.Ahead of the draft's commencement, here is a rundown of the top prospects and sleepers available, along with a full first-round mock draft with special emphasis on sleepers who could be had in the latter portion of the round.Prospect RankingsTop SleepersMock DraftForrest LampIn a draft that is seemingly light on top-level offensive linemen, Western Kentucky's Forrest Lamp has emerged as a likely first-round pick.Lamp primarily played left tackle for the Hilltoppers, but he is considered a better fit at guard in the NFL due to the fact that he has short arms.That is among the main things preventing him from being viewed as a top-10 prospect, and it could lead to a team getting a major steal in the closing stages of the first round.Despite his deficiency, scouts are high on Lamp's ability and his potential to contribute at a high level in the NFL, according to NFL Draft Diamonds:Among those who see greatness in Lamp is former NFL guard and CBSSports.com analyst Aaron Taylor, per CBS Sports Network:Guards generally don't make for the sexiest first-round picks, but they are often among the best ones in terms of avoiding busts.There was a great deal of pressure on the Dallas Cowboys to make a splashy pick three years ago, but they went with Zack Martin, who has quickly developed into one of the NFL's premier guards.The Miami Dolphins would be wise to take a page out of Dallas' book at No. 22, especially since they have a significant need at guard. Jay Ajayi is becoming a top-flight NFL running back, and adding Lamp to the mix could allow Ajayi to be a contender for the rushing crown in 2017.Obi MelifonwuThe 2017 draft is one of the strongest for the safety position in recent memory, but there is still plenty of value to be had.UConn's Obi Melifonwu is proof of that, as the workout warrior is likely to be available late in the first round with the likes of Jamal Adams, Malik Hooker and Jabrill Peppers receiving more attention.Melifonwu has undoubtedly been on the rise, though, and it is due to the fact that he tested so well at the NFL Scouting Combine and his pro day.According to Barry Jackson of theMiami Herald, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. said his opinion of Melifonwu has changed significantly in recent months:Melifonwu might have been the biggest athletic freak at the combine, running a 4.40 40 and posting a ridiculous 44-inch vertical and 11-foot-9 broad jump. Both leaps ranked as the best of any prospect at the combine. Melifonwu has moved all the way up from the fourth-round grade I gave him during the season. He's a potential Day 1 pick now.While much of the interest in Melifonwu is due to the athleticism he displayed in workouts, he has strong numbers to back it up.As a senior in 2016, Melifonwu racked up 118 tackles for the Huskies to go along with a career-high four interceptions.Melifonwu is among the most sure-handed tacklers at his position, and he has ball skills to boot with eight interceptions during his time at Connecticut.All of that would seemingly point toward Melifonwu being an elite prospect, but he instead figures to be a value pick.The Cowboys have huge needs in their secondary, and if Melifonwu is still on the board when they pick at No. 28, they will be hard-pressed to pass him up.Tre'Davious WhiteA host of cornerbacks are in line to come off the board late in the first round and throughout the second round, and LSU's Tre'Davious White may prove to be the best among them.White enjoyed four productive years with the Tigers, including a senior campaign that saw him register 35 tackles and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.While the surface stats don't jump off the page, a deeper dive shows that White was largely dominant as a cover man in 2016, according to CFB Film Room:Despite that and coming from a college that traditionally produces great cornerback prospects, White isn't expected to go much higher than late in the first round.According to Pro Football Focus, Gordon McGuinness believes teams are making a mistake if they let him slide outside the top 10:The Green Bay Packers lost some key members of their secondary during their offseason, as they released cornerback Sam Shields while the versatile Micah Hyde signed with the Buffalo Bills.That leaves the Pack with a hole at cornerback that White could very well fill should they select him at No. 29.Green Bay's secondary was arguably its weakest link in 2016, but if White's coverage skills are able to translate to the NFL, it could turn into a strength for the Packers.
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