Five players whose 2021 NFL Draft stock is unaffected by the Big Ten postponing the season.
It’s tough news for the college football and 2021 NFL Draft landscape today, as it’s been reported that the Big Ten conference has decided to postpone football in the fall, and look to potentially play in the spring of 2021. Bruce Feldman was on the news first.
This is a tough decision but ultimately what the Big Ten presidents felt would be safest for the student-athletes. It’s rough that seniors might not get a chance to play in their final season, and that many 2021 NFL Draft prospects will likely opt out of the opportunity to play in the spring unless the draft and 2021 NFL season are pushed back (it’s tough to imagine players playing nearly 30 games in a nine-month span).
This will drastically change the NFL Draft process, as evaluators will now have to work off of 2019 and do a whole lot more projecting. The Combine may end up being much more crucial than in previous seasons to determine who ends up going earlier in April. The 2021 NFL Draft may end up separating the elite scouting departments from the average ones.
A postponement also removes the possibility of watching prospects rise up boards with a strong final year. We won’t see a rise of the Joe Burrow or Quinnen Williams scale, at least from the Big Ten conference.
Some prospects, however, really don’t need that last year of tape to cement themselves as top players in the draft class. Let’s take a look at four players who, in this writer’s opinion, don’t need to play for them to go high in the 2021 NFL Draft next April.
Note: Because they already opted out, Rashod Bateman, Micah Parsons, and Rondale Moore weren’t counted for this exercise.
1. Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
One of the easier evaluations in the 2021 NFL Draft class, Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth is a player that doesn’t need a final season.
After a 2019 season that included 43 catches, 507 yards, and seven touchdowns, Freiermuth had an opportunity to declare early for the 2020 draft (a rare instance for a second-year player) and likely be the top one selected. Instead, Freiermuth opted to return for the 2020 season.
Now that the Big Ten season will either be canceled or postponed to the spring, Freiermuth can instead prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s already getting a ton of first-round hype and is in contention for the top tight end in the class with Florida’s Kyle Pitts.
Freiermuth is such a well-rounded player that it would be a shock to see him be available on day two of the draft. He’s a good blocker at the point of attack, especially with his technique of a wide base and strong hand placement.
As a receiver, Freiermuth has a great pair of mitts and the frame to box out defenders at the catch point. He’s a good enough athlete to warrant reps in the slot and on the perimeter and will create mismatches for an offense in the NFL.
2. Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
This is another obvious one. Quarterback is the position in most demand every year, and the 2021 NFL Draft will be no different. One of the three quarterbacks getting first-round hype right now is Ohio State signal-caller Justin Fields.
After sitting for a year at Georgia, Fields took an opportunity to transfer to one of the top teams in the nation, the Buckeyes. In his first year starting as a sophomore, Fields completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,273 yards and had a touchdown to interception ratio of 41 to three.
His efficiency and eye-popping numbers in Big Ten play currently have him projected to be a top-five pick in mock drafts. While it would indeed be nice to have Fields play for another season to show consistency, there’s little doubt he will be a top-five selection if he doesn’t take another snap for Ohio State.
On tape, Fields shows a plethora of traits. His accuracy to all three levels is impressive, and he uncorked some beautiful deep balls in 2019. Fields shows good poise in the pocket and has flashed the ability to read an entire field and work through his progressions. He also can make plays with his arm and legs outside of the pocket. Teams are taking a chance on that talent all day long.
3. Shaun Wade, DB, Ohio State
There will be a lot of Ohio State players on the list, and that’s just how it is. They continue to churn out top talent, and it’s no different for the 2021 NFL Draft. The Buckeyes have become “defensive back university” to a lot of analysts, and Shaun Wade will be the latest in line to go in the first round.
Wade also could have declared early for 2020, but decided to return to school to boost his stock. Most analysts agreed he would’ve been a late first-round player in 2020, and it’s likely he will go early this coming April, even without a season.
Wade brings a lot of versatility to the table as a prospect. He’s taken snaps as a safety, where he’s played the “robber”, roaming the middle of the field in a cover one look. Wade has also played in the slot and on the boundary, succeeding in every spot he plays.
His best position will likely be corner, where he shows off fluid hips to change direction and good recovery acceleration. Wade has the long speed to carry wide receivers vertically and is physical enough to challenge them at the catch point. He’s a first-round prospect without another season in the Big Ten.
4. Wyatt Davis, OL, Ohio State
Rounding out the list is another Ohio State Buckeye. Offensive line play is extremely important, and the Big Ten consistently churns out top talent on the offensive line for the NFL, especially Wisconsin and Iowa.
The Buckeyes aren’t known as much for top offensive line prospects like the Badgers and Hawkeyes, as they’ve only had a couple of first rounders in the last decade (Billy Price and Taylor Decker). But, things will change a bit this coming April, as they will have a top interior guy in the 2021 NFL Draft in Wyatt Davis.
Davis has NFL bloodlines, as he’s related to long time Packers lineman Willie Davis, who played on some great teams under Vince Lombardi. As a prospect, he looks as natural as anyone out on the field.
The first thing that stands out is his raw power. Davis is an elite finisher, no matter who he ends up working against, whether it be nose tackles or linebackers. He shows great balance and leverage to out-maneuver defenders at the point of attack. His movement skills are also very good, as he picks up stunts easily and can get out to blocks in space.
Yes, interior linemen aren’t as coveted in the first round, but Davis is a truly elite player who has shown enough on tape to be picked in the first round.