NFL Mock Draft 2021 1.0
Justin Fields returns home, Panthers make a push for potential franchise-changing QB
As the Super Bowl approaches and the season comes to a close, we near closer and closer to the NFL draft. While we wait for the Buccaneers and Chiefs to finish it off, there’s no harm in kicking off the first of what will be weekly mock drafts. While the Senior Bowl will take place throughout the week, the absence of a combine and private workouts will hinder teams’ ability to scout for the next great group of players for their respective franchises; however, our mock draft should give you an idea of who is best fit for the NFL. With that, let’s jump into our inaugural mock draft, considering what Connor (even numbered selections) and I (odd numbered selections) would do in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Jacksonville sends in the draft card within minutes and gets their quarterback of the future to pair with newly-acquired head coach Urban Meyer.
2. New York Jets - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
This ultimately came down to Zach Wilson or Justin Fields, who are currently my 2a and 2b at the quarterback position for me. While it is close, I think Wilson would be better suited in the newly implemented Kyle Shanahan offense that will be run through offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
3. Miami Dolphins (via Houston) - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Miami had an array of options in this position (including moving this pick along with other resources for Deshaun Watson), but I’m not going to project a trade and take the best offensive tackle in the class that falls in their lap.
4. Atlanta Falcons - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
Fields is coming home! Matt Ryan is pretty much a non-negotiable to be traded at this point, considering the salary implications. However, Justin Fields isn't ready to start anyways. Landing with the Falcons will give him a much-needed season to sit and learn the complex Arthur Smith offense until taking up the mantle in year two.
5. Cincinnati Bengals - Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
Cincinnati must address the offensive line this offseason to protect standout signal-caller Joe Burrow, and Slater’s quick drop back in pass protection gives Burrow the opportunity to have more than just a few moments in the pocket.
6. Philadelphia Eagles - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Whether or not Carson Wentz will have a rebound season is beyond me. But, what I do know is that it’ll make it mighty difficult for him if the Eagles fail to address the wide receiver position. Travis Fulgham and John Hightower just isn’t going to cut it. Jaylen Waddle might be the best overall weapon in this entire draft class, and Nick Sirianni would be ecstatic to add him to this offense.
7. Detroit Lions - DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
The Lions are a complete mess (to put it bluntly), and taking National Championship hero DeVonta Smith gives Detroit fans a reason to believe that their offense will score points next year. With Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr looking ahead to free agency, the Lions will be compelled to target the wideout position this offseason.
8. Carolina Panthers - Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
Trey Lance at number eight is a bit high for my liking, however I think it’s the right pick. Teddy Bridgewater is a fine quarterback. But David Tepper didn’t bring Matt Rhule in to settle for Teddy Bridgewater. After adding some lightning to the offense in the way of Robby Anderson, and shoring up the other side of the ball by drafting all defense last year, the Panthers will be expected to get the quarterback this offseason. If they believe Lance is the guy, they should take him here.
9. Denver Broncos - Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
A match made in heaven for Denver, with AJ Bouye’s age continuing to show on the field, the Broncos can take a physical man-to-man corner in Surtain, whose shown flashes of being one of the best CBs in college football.
10. Dallas Cowboys - Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
The Dallas Cowboys defense this season was abysmal. However, there is hope. Dan Quinn might not be the world-beating defensive coordinator that many thought he was, just some years ago. However, he does know defense, and he has a tried-and-true scheme that works for him. The problem is that the Cowboys don’t have the personnel to execute it. One of the most key positions in Quinn’s defense is the cornerback. Farley might be a little raw, but he has the highest upside of any defensive back in this draft.
11. New York Giants - Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
The Giants would be delighted to have a true MIKE linebacker fall into their hands as Parsons can do it all in coverage, and while veteran Blake Martinez has slightly improved upon his past struggles in Green Bay, Parsons has the potential to be an x-factor on the defensive side of the ball for New York.
12. San Francisco 49ers - Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
Despite picking in the top half of the draft, the San Francisco 49ers are a team with very few needs. However, likely to lose Solomon Thomas to free agency, an interior pass rusher is needed to play opposite Javon Kinlaw. Paye has the versatility to play outside, across from Nick Bosa, and kick inside to the 3-technique, and make plays from there. This is a kind of player that John Lynch loves. He’s a monster athlete who will post ridiculous testing numbers at the Michigan pro-day, and would be a lovely addition to the 49ers defense.
13. Los Angeles Chargers - Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
“Protect Justin Herbert” should be the number one goal the Chargers set for themselves this offseason, and if they want to compete with the ever-dominant Kansas City Chiefs offense, they must give Herbert a chance to maneuver the pocket next season against great pass rushers in the AFC West with the likes of Chris Jones and Von Miller.
14. Minnesota Vikings - Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
The Vikings won the lottery last year by landing Justin Jefferson in the latter half of the first round. He exploded out the gates for a historic rookie season. With Adam Thielen in the slot, Dalvin Cook in the backfield, and competent quarterback play in Kirk Cousins, the Vikings’ aren’t far off from having an elite offense. Well, I think Kyle Pitts is just the player to take them over the edge. He will show off the versatility, athleticism, and effort that Mike Zimmer loves in his players right away.
15. New England Patriots - Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Weapons, weapons, and more weapons for New England. The Patriots must address the wide receiver and tight end position this offseason, and taking the best wide receiver in college football just two years ago is a great starting point for a team that once turned almost any pass catcher into a productive target for their former quarterback. Chase is a do-it-all receiver that has the ideal size and catch radius for any quarterback, though sitting out this season may have caused a slight fall in this mock draft.
16. Arizona Cardinals - Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The Cardinals luck out by landing one of the most fun players in this draft, in Jaycee Horn. A physical cornerback with a mean streak, who doesn’t lack any of the athletic traits. Assuming Patrick Peterson stays, the two would form one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL.
17. Las Vegas Raiders - Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas
Recently, Las Vegas has had controversial draft choices within the last two years by reaching on an edge rusher with the fourth overall pick and selecting a box safety all within the top 30 in the 2019 draft, but Ossai gives the Raiders an explosive presence on the defensive end and Vegas won’t have to depend upon their offense scoring 30+ points per game to win them games.
18. Miami Dolphins - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
The Dolphins defense is nearly perfect. It was at or near the top of the league by almost every metric. However, one spot that could use some improvement is the inside linebacker position. Currently occupied by Elandon Roberts, an upgrade here is somewhat necessary. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is a new-age linebacker who can play all over the field and truly help take this defense to being Super Bowl-caliber.
19. Washington Football Team - Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
Washington finished this past season with a cinderella story with the likes of Alex Smith returning from a gruesome injury that sidelined him for nearly 700 days and Taylor Heinicke giving fans a show in the postseason, but if they want to become serious threats in the NFC, Football Team needs to target weapons this offseason as they were heavily reliant on putrid pass catchers last season. Bateman gives the future Washington quarterback a physical, big-bodied pass catcher with the ability to high point the football on 50-50 opportunities.
20. Chicago Bears - Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
The Bears looked lost at about the halfway point of last season. Their offense was in shambles, the offensive play caller was unknown as nobody wanted to take the blame, and their hot start had quickly dissipated. However, Matt Nagy and company figured it out. They made life easier on the quarterback by evolving into a bit of a west coast offense with David Montgomery as the feature back. Using a lot of Sean McVay’s concepts, the Bears offense became a threat through the short-passing game. However, an anchor at right tackle is needed. Samuel Cosmi might not have the highest ceiling, but what he can do is come in right away and help this Bears offense continue to find its identity.
21. Indianapolis Colts - Jaylen Mayfield, OT, Michigan
With Anthony Castonzo retiring due to lingering injuries, the Colts are in desperate need of tackle help to protect their next field general, and they would be greatly advised to do so since they failed to protect former franchise quarterback Andrew Luck which likely cost him his career. Expect Indianpoalis general manager Chris Ballard to learn from the franchise’s past mistakes and take Jaylen Mayfield who has displayed significant development in his hand usage over his college tenure.
22. Tennessee Titans - Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia
With Derrick Henry rushing for 2,000 yards, A.J. Brown and Corey Davis forming a top-tier wide receiver tandem, and Ryan Tannehill playing like a top-ten quarterback, the Tennessee Titans transformed into an elite offense last season. What held them back from being Super Bowl-bound was the defense, and specifically the lack of a pass rush. Jadeveon Clowney missed half the season due to injury, and while Harold Landry is a fine player, he’s failed to become the Pro-Bowl caliber player they thought he’d be when they drafted him out of Boston College. Azeez Ojulari might just be the spark. He is raw, however the burst, acceleration, and bend around the edge are undeniable. It might take a season or two for him to truly grow into the player he can become, but Ojulari has one of the highest ceiling’s in the entire draft.
23. New York Jets (via Seattle) - Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
The Jets managed to gain a small amount of momentum towards the end of the season, but it was all for not as they lost the opportunity to acquire a generational talent in Trevor Lawrence. Although, they can recoup their losses and take a prolific zone corner in Eric Stokes, who can be an aggressive player and is also savvy for the ball.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
The Pittsburgh Steelers seemed to have peaked and bottomed out all at once this past year. With Ben Roethlisberger’s career soon coming to a close, the Steelers have major questions to ask at the quarterback position. I find it unlikely that they get their answers with the number 24 overall pick. What they can address here is the lack of a run game, which severely limited their offense and made it one of the most predictable in the NFL. Travis Etienne is a lightning-in-a-bottle type of player who’ll make defensive coordinators sweat from week one.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LA Rams) - Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
First Jacksonville lands their future quarterback of the franchise in Trevor Lawrence, and now Alex Leatherwood, who has guard versatility and can shore up the Jaguars’ pass protection. Leatherwood still needs to refine his lower-body usage and footwork, but could turn into a star lineman for Jacksonville.
26. Cleveland Browns - Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
The Browns have become real players in the AFC. They embarrassed the Steelers in the wild card round, and put up as good of a fight against the Chiefs as anybody all season. However, they’re still a couple pieces away from really competing. One of those pieces is an off-ball linebacker. Another one of those pieces is a pass rusher off the edge. Why don’t they kill two birds with one stone and draft Zaven Collins? A true jack of all trades, Collins can play opposite Sione Takitaki at WILL linebacker on first and second downs, and come down to play with Myles Garrett on the edge, on third downs. Win-win.
27. Baltimore Ravens - Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC
When watching the Ravens last season, it was clear that they were missing an important piece to the offense (excluding pass catchers): interior offensive line. Between botched snaps and throwing off star quarterback Lamar Jackson at the line of scrimmage, Baltimore was compromised in the trenches and it forced Jackson to improvise too often, leading to game-changing interceptions such as the pick-six against Buffalo that ultimately sealed the game in favor of the Bills. Meet Alijah-Vera Tucker, a versatile lineman that is best fit to play within the interior of the offensive-line, and is quickly rising up draft boards. Vera-Tucker can modify his game to play within any scheme in the NFL, and his get-off at the line of scrimmage is remarkable, and only time will tell before he emerges as a star lineman on a team with a glaring offensive-line need.
28. New Orleans Saints - Chatarius Atwell, WR, Louisville
Chatarius “Tutu” Atwell is one of the most dynamic players in the entire draft, and most people don’t know it yet. Listed at 5’9” and 165 lbs, Atwell is severely undersized. However, he has the ability to play outside, in the slot, or at running back if needs-be. His deep speed and short area quickness are next level, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned into a Tyreek Hill-lite if implemented in the right system. The fit makes perfect sense, as Sean Payton will want to load up on weapons to make life easier on the future quarterback of the New Orleans Saints.
29. Green Bay Packers - Asante Samuel Jr, CB, Florida State
Asante Samuel Jr can provide Green Bay what they clearly missed in the NFC Championship this year, and that was competent cornerback play. Between Mike Evans and Chris Godwin torching the likes of Kevin King and Chandon Sullivan, it was horrifying for Packers fans to watch Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines, not having another opportunity at beating Tampa Bay late in the game. That’s where Samuel Jr. comes into play; a player with adequate skills when attacking the football, which is something that the Green Bay defense has been missing for the past two seasons and it partially cost them an NFC Championship game in the process.
30. Buffalo Bills - Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
Nick Bolton is a physical, downhill player, who wants to lay the wood down on everybody. He’s the perfect kind of player for Sean McDermott’s team. Slightly lacking in some physical traits, Bolton makes up for it with the aggression, style, and instincts that he plays with. The Bills defense got a taste of what it’ll be like to face Patrick Mahomes every year for the next decade. If they want to go to the Super Bowl, they’ll have to patch up some holes. While off-ball linebacker isn’t the most pressing need, you can never have too many guys running across the middle of the field in today’s NFL.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami
Tampa Bay is already a loaded roster, but likely losing Shaquil Barrett to free agency this offseason will most definitely hurt their ferocious front-seven. Adding Gregory Rousseau, who is a raw, but athletically-gifted player, can shore up the pass rush for years to come. While Rousseau may be a project, excellent NFL coaching can provide him with the tools to improve upon his first-step and arsenal of pass rush moves to transform him into one of the premier edge rushers around the league.
32. Kansas City Chiefs - Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
It’s funny to even comprehend the idea of adding more weapons to this Kansas City Chiefs offense. They already have the best wide receiver and tight end in football, and they addressed running back in the first round last year. However, Sammy Watkins is set to hit free agency, and while Mecole Hardman is a versatile complementary piece, the Chiefs will probably want to add another receiver who can consistently play outside. That is Terrace Marshall Jr., a smooth route runner with more than enough deep speed to fit into this offense.
The featured image is by Chris Graythen/Getty Images.