2021 NFL Draft: Early favorites to land the first pick and Trevor Lawrence
By Kyle Edmond
The 2020 NFL season is just two weeks old, but we’re already gaining a grasp for what teams might be early favorites for the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
There’s little to question when it comes to who should be the first pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. Time after time, Trevor Lawrence has proven that he will be one of the best quarterback prospects in recent draft memory, being included in groups with players like Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning.
Before the 2020 NFL season even began, there was a lot of speculation around what teams would be “Tanking for Trevor.” With such high potential, it is was widely believed that teams would attempt to lose to gain the first pick, something that has become almost an every-year occurrence to land the top player.
However, now that the season is two weeks deep and we have been given a taste of the talent across the league, as well as some injuries, some teams are emerging as the favorites for the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Early indications that the Jacksonville Jaguars were tanking were quickly muted by the play of Gardner Minshew in the first two weeks of the season. Opening with two solid performances against divisional opponents in the Colts and Texans, the Jags are looking much better than anyone expected.
The same can be said for the Chicago Bears, although their wins aren’t as impressive coming against the Lions and Giants. Regardless of who the wins are against, the Bears are in fact tied for the NFC North lead after two weeks.
While there have been surprises of success, there have been just as many disappointments early in the year. The Philadelphia Eagles have had a rough start with two losses despite lots of offseason expectations and they are joined by the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans as highly touted teams that are winless after two weeks.
So, with the year taking shape and injuries taking their toll, these are five teams to watch the rest of the season as they battle for the basement and the top pick to land Lawrence in the 2021 NFL Draft.