2021 NFL Draft: Early top prospects at each position
Linebacker: Micah Parsons, Penn State
Speed and athleticism in the name of the game in the modern NFL across all positions. Big and powerful linebackers are no longer at a premium, as teams continue to try to get faster and more explosive across the defense. Micah Parsons is an incredibly fast and athletic linebacker prospect who fits the modern game extremely well and has massive upside at the next level.
Parsons is not only a fast linebacker who covers a lot of ground, but he is also a smart and instinctual defender who always seems to be around the ball. Parsons is a strong run defender who also shines in both man and zone coverage. He is a dynamic defensive playmaker who will be tough to top as the number one linebacker in the 2021 NFL Draft class.
Other possible LB1 candidates: Dylan Moses-Alabama
Cornerback: Shaun Wade, Ohio State
Shaun Wade is a quick and athletic cornerback prospect who shines in all aspects of the game. He is a sticky man-to-man defender who also shows impressive instincts in zone. Wade is also a tough and physical defensive back who is not afraid to come up and offer support against the run.
Wade has primarily played as a slot defender in college but should be able to make a smooth transition to the outside in 2020. Make no mistake about it, Wade is a tremendous prospect who could quickly grow into a shutdown cornerback at the next level.
Other possible CB1 candidates: Patrick Surtain II-Alabama and Caleb Farley-Virginia Tech
Safety: Andre Cisco, Syracuse
This safety class has a lot of intriguing talent, but there is not a clear guy at the top. A lot of good prospects, but not any clearly elite talent. Based on what we currently know, I see Andre Cisco out of Syracuse as the top safety in the 2021 NFL Draft class.
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Cisco is a fantastic coverage safety who shows impressive range and ball skills on the back-end. He shines as a centerfielder at the back of the defense and is a natural playmaker in the secondary. Cisco is not the most reliable tackler in space, but he attacks the ball in the air extremely well and has a knack for creating turnovers. The top safety in this class could change many times throughout the process, but Cisco is my favorite guy so far.
Other possible S1 candidates: Paris Ford-Pittsburgh, Hamsah Nasirildeen-Florida State and Jevon Holland-Oregon