2021 NFL Draft: Offense leads the way in this 2021 NFL mock draft

After leaving Los Angeles “washed,” Phillip Rivers has managed to remain on the map and in Indianapolis and placed them at the top of the AFC South alongside the Tennessee Titans. Regardless, Rivers is in the twilight of his career at 39 years of age and will be hitting the open market alongside backup Jacoby Brisset. Although Indianapolis drafted Jacob Eason in the 2020 NFL Draft, Kyle Trask is a quarterback prospect who can directly fill the void to be left by Rivers.

Trask is a sturdily-built pocket passer who has shown the ability to make throws in the face of pressure. Although Trask is not going to amaze with his arm talent or his running ability, his timing and consistent delivery from the pocket make him highly-eligible as a ‘distributor’ at quarterback in the NFL, a perfect replacement for the outgoing Rivers.

As A.J. Brown has become the leading wideout for Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee, former fifth overall selection Corey Davis has continued to fall short of expectations. Davis will be coming off of the books this offseason and a return to the Titans seems highly unlikely. Rashod Bateman is a conventional X-receiver who has shown to be an effective route-runner. At six-foot-one, Bateman has all of the physical tools to go vertical but has operated more efficiently as a high-volume safety blanket for the Gophers passing offense.

Currently, Titans wide receivers A.J. Brown and Cameron Batson fill the size and quickness roles respectively, and Bateman can splice in reliable route-running to complete one of the most well-rounded offensive units in football.

After trading Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks before the opening of the 2020 season, New York now finds themselves with a duo of first-round selections in a bid to reform their offense. After taking their quarterback of the future, this mock draft explores the potential of partnering Lawrence with Clemson teammate and potential RB1 Travis Etienne.

Etienne likely has the most impressive resume of the 2021 NFL draft running back class and figures to be a dual-threat back matching his ground production through the air. Etienne has drawn repeated comparisons to Saint’s running back Alvin Kamara because of his short-space quickness, lateral agility, and raw burst in the open field that appears on every one of his receptions. Etienne still has room to grow in his field vision and running between the tackles, but as a rookie, he will be able to step onto the field as a receiving-threat from day one.

After expending the second overall selection on franchise quarterback Justin Fields, Jacksonville needs to find his blindside protection. Current left tackle Cam Robinson has been unable to justify a return for 2021, likely forcing Jacksonville to bring in a rookie solution. Samuel Cosmi is the physical tackle of the class at six-foot-seven and shows that brutal physicality in his run-blocking.

Although Cosmi has shown concerns in pass-protection regarding his balance and footwork, he has all of the tools to develop into a prime pass-protection tackle. With undrafted rookie James Robinson exploding onto the scene in 2020, and with the potential addition of running quarterback Justin Fields, a dominant edge-setter in the run game could be the best short-term option at left tackle.

As Cleveland has become relevant again, there are still immense concerns surrounding the legitimacy of their defensive unit. Outside of draft selections Myles Garret and Denzel Ward, there is a lack of raw talent on this side of the ball and requires the investment of draft capital. Dylan Moses is a conventional inside linebacker for the Crimson Tide, equipped with all of the physical tools of a 100 tackle per season player.

Moses has shown his best play attacking gaps in the run-game to create tackles for loss and has shown potential as a pass-rusher. Currently, Moses still has some room for physical development and can struggle against interior linemen moving to the second level but will grow with time in Cleveland.