Looking at the top players at each position in the 2021 NFL Draft class.
It is difficult to look forward to the 2021 NFL Draft at this point. Not only do we not know who will be in the draft class, but we also do not even know if there will be college or NFL football this season. That being said, we have seen enough out of most of these prospects to get an idea of who will be the best in the class.
It’s obviously still early, but let’s get to know the best prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft class. Starting with the almighty quarterback position, let’s take a look at the single-best prospect at each position in the 2021 NFL Draft class.
Quarterback: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
By next April, Trevor Lawrence could easily be the best quarterback prospect in recent memory. He is an incredibly gifted passer who also shows tremendous mobility and athleticism at the position. Lawrence feels pressure incredibly well and has a knack for escaping the pocket and making plays on the run.
He has tremendous natural arm strength and arm talent, showing the ability to hit any throw on the field. Lawrence couples his live arm with fantastic accuracy to all levels and the ability to make throws with incredible anticipation.
The only real downside to Lawrence’s game is his decision-making ability. He undoubtedly has the arm to fit the ball into tight spaces, but Lawrence takes more risks than necessary. It is great to see him trust his arm and push the ball down the field with consistency, but Lawrence is going to have to learn to take the check down at times at the next level.
At the moment, Lawrence is the clear top prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft class. There are a couple of guys who could end up pushing him for that QB1 spot, but as of now, Lawrence is undoubtedly the guy.
Other possible QB1 candidates: Justin Fields-Ohio State and Trey Lance-North Dakota State
Running Back: Travis Etienne, Clemson
The running back position can be more difficult to predict than most this far out. I mean, who expected Clyde Edwards-Helaire to be the top running back off of the board in the 2020 NFL Draft at this time last year? That being said, Travis Etienne is easily the top guy at the moment.
Etienne is an incredibly explosive back who is a threat to take it to the house from anywhere on the field. He shows solid ball carrier vision and instincts with the ball in his hands and tremendous natural burst through the hole. He gets from 0-60 in an instant and is almost impossible to catch in the open field when he does kick it into high gear.
Etienne’s explosive speed and big-play ability consistently stand out, but he is also a tough and physical runner who creates well after contact. Etienne does a great job of converting his speed to power as a ball carrier and shows impressive natural contact balance at all times. The clear RB1 at this moment, Etienne could easily be a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Other possible RB1 candidates: Kenneth Gainwell-Memphis, Najee Harris-Alabama and Journey Brown-Penn State
Wide Receiver: Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
Ja’Marr Chase exploded onto the scene in a big way at LSU last season, hauling in 84 receptions for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns. Chase was the number one target in the explosive LSU offense and was a huge part of their undefeated, National Championship team.
Chase is a smooth route runner who finds his way into open space at all times. He changes directions quickly, has extremely sticky hands and converts from receiver to runner extremely quickly. He does is an explosive downfield threat who also shines in contested-catch situations. Make no mistake about it, Chase is a superstar wide receiver in the making who will likely be an extremely early pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Other possible WR1 candidates: Rondale Moore-Purdue, DeVonta Smith-Alabama, Jaylen Waddle-Alabama and Rashod Bateman-Minnesota
Offensive Tackle: Penei Sewell, Oregon
Penei Sewell is one of the best overall prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft class and the best offensive tackle prospect in recent memory. He is a special athlete at the position who attacks the second level incredibly well and mirrors opposing pass rushers at locks them down with ease.
Sewell is also an incredibly tough and physical offensive lineman who is extremely powerful at the point of attack. He gets off of the ball in an instant and consistently drives opposing defenders down the field. Sewell has strong hands, a powerful lower half and does a fantastic job of anchoring in pass protection. Simply put, this guy is elite and should easily be a top-three pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Other possible OT1 candidates: Honestly, nobody. Sewell is absolutely incredible and barring injury, he will be the top offensive tackle off of the board next April.
Interior Offensive Line: Wyatt Davis, Ohio State
Wyatt Davis is not quite as dominant on the interior as Sewell is at offensive tackle, but it is close. He is an incredibly tough and powerful player on the inside who absolutely dominates at the point of attack. Davis is always looking to dominate his opponents with overwhelming power and he does so a majority of the time.
While power is the primary part of Davis’ game, he is also quick and athletic for an interior offensive lineman. He shines as a second-level blocker and moves his feet well in pass protection. Simply put, Davis is an elite-level interior offensive lineman who has massive upside at the next level.
Other possible IOL1 candidates: Creed Humphrey-Oklahoma and Trey Smith-Tennessee
Tight End: Kyle Pitts, Florida
There are many interesting tight end prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft class, but Kyle Pitts out of Florida stands out as the top guy. He is a quick and explosive athlete on the inside who can stretch the field vertically and create after the catch. Pitts is not much of an asset as a blocker, but he is a potentially special talent as a receiver who could quickly grow into a matchup nightmare at the next level.
Other possible TE1 candidates: Pat Freiermuth-Penn State and Brevin Jordan-Miami (FL)
Interior Defensive Line: Marvin Wilson, Florida State
Marvin Wilson surprisingly returned to Florida State for his senior season and is now set up to be one of the top defensive prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft class. Wilson is a thick and powerful run defender who absolutely dominates at the point of attack. He has extremely quick and heavy hands and can take on double-teams and consistently plug up holes with ease.
Wilson is a strong run defender who can shine as a big body in the middle of the defensive line, but there is much more to his game. Wilson is also quick off of the ball and shows impressive hand usage as a pass rusher. He does a great job of getting thin through the hole and shows explosive burst through the line of scrimmage. Wilson has a ton of upside as a one-gap penetrator and could quickly become a dominant interior defender at the next level.
Other possible IDL1 candidates: Christian Barmore-Alabama and Jaylen Twyman-Pittsburgh
EDGE: Gregory Rousseau, Miami (FL)
It is still early, but I am not overly impressed by the group of edge rushers in the 2021 NFL Draft class at this point in time. As things stand now, Gregory Rousseau is considered by most to be the top player at the position and this writer agrees with that assessment.
Rousseau is quick off of the ball and explosive around the corner. He shows fantastic length at the position and bends around the edge with ease. Rousseau is still a raw talent who undoubtedly needs to grow as a run defender, but his pass rush upside at the next level is absolutely massive.
This EDGE class is underdeveloped and unproven, but there is undoubtedly a lot of upside across the board. Rousseau currently stands out as the top guy, but this could quickly change throughout the upcoming season.
Other possible EDGE1 candidates: Carlos Basham Jr.-Wake Forest, Aidan Hutchinson-Michigan, Joe Tryon-Washington and Jayson Oweh-Penn State
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.
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