2021 NFL Draft: Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson lead trade-filled mock draft.
The 2021 NFL Draft could look a lot different than everyone thought just a week ago.
The New York Jets are no longer the front-runners for the number one overall pick. That distinction now belongs to the Jacksonville Jaguars, losers of 13 straight (and counting).
The Jaguars had been the preseason front-runners to top the 2021 NFL Draft, a prophecy that now may come to fruition even though the Jags have been behind the Jets the majority of this season.
Jacksonville’s place atop the 2021 NFL Draft order completely alters the storyline of this draft, not only for them but certainly the Jets and the rest of the NFL quarterback carousel.
In this 2021 mock draft, we will explore a variety of veteran quarterback trade or player movement ideas to go along with fitting top prospects in with NFL teams.
For the time being, the Jaguars are on the clock…
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 1st overall:
The Jacksonville Jaguars have to be pinching themselves. Even just a week ago, the thought of the New York Jets winning a game in 2020 seemed remote and there is no question that Jaguars fans had prepared themselves for the possibility of Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, or someone else with the second overall pick.
They now lead the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes, and it completely reshapes their entire offseason plan.
Lawrence is easily the best quarterback prospect in this class and could be an instant difference-maker for a very young team even as we sit here and they have no GM and probably not their head coach of the future.
If the Jaguars can finish the season first in line for the 2021 NFL Draft, selling Lawrence will make their job opening a very easy pitch.
Lawrence has every tool in the toolbox. He is undoubtedly the best quarterback prospect to come along since Andrew Luck in 2012 and he’s probably even more well-rounded than Luck was coming out of Stanford.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 2nd pick
So, you lost the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft…
The New York Jets’ 2021 offseason plan just got a whole lot different, and the J-E-T-S faithful are probably still lamenting a little bit, and may be throughout the offseason.
What do the Jets do now? Do they stick with Sam Darnold? Do they go after another one of the top quarterbacks in this draft class?
The Jets will probably make a change at head coach (thank you, Captain Obvious) and along with that usually comes a quarterback change.
But what if they don’t? What if the Jets’ new head coach believes enough in the young Darnold to build an offense around him?
It’s not out of the question. The Jets will be able to make additions through free agency, and they have a nice bounty of draft picks to keep shaping the offense. The Jets used their top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on Mekhi Becton, who has been tremendous at left tackle for them.
In this scenario, they bring in Oregon tackle Penei Sewell, who could really come in and be a difference-maker at the right tackle spot, sliding over from the position he’s played at Oregon.
That’s not always a seamless transition for guys but we’ve seen Jedrick Wills move from right to left and other prospects make changes enough to know that it’s certainly not impossible.
From a team-building perspective, the Jets getting Sewell here would give them an elite young pair of bookend tackles and that would certainly help make life easier for Darnold or whoever their quarterback ends up being.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 3rd pick
TRADE: Lions trade pick 11, future 1st-round pick, 2020 3rd-round pick to Bengals for 3rd pick
So, spoiler alert — there is a Matthew Stafford trade coming in this mock draft.
The Lions are poised to bring in a new general manager and head coach in 2021, and there have been a number of rumors floating around that they could potentially float Stafford in a trade.
If that does happen, which would be the end of an era that started in 2009, the Lions would obviously need to start fresh at quarterback.
In this case, they move up for one of the most exciting prospects in the 2021 draft class — BYU’s Zach Wilson.
Wilson is certainly not without flaw, but there is not a throw in the world he cannot make no matter what kind of pressure he’s facing or arm angle he has to throw from, or if he has to get the ball downfield sprinting away from the pocket.
This guy is not totally a “backyard” style of football player, either. He’s efficient with the football and makes good decisions most of the time, throwing with accuracy and touch. With that said, Wilson can rifle the ball into tight windows and make plays with his legs.
He’s an offense creator and even though he’s raw in some respects, the upside here is huge.
The Lions move on from Stafford, the Bengals move down to acquire extra picks with Sewell off the board, and Zach Wilson’s time in Detroit begins.
With two quarterbacks off the board, the Panthers don’t necessarily need to reach for someone here with this selection.
Teddy Bridgewater has played pretty well for Carolina in his first year as their starter, and they don’t need to rush to move off of him if they don’t have the right guy available.
Carolina invested its entire 2020 NFL Draft class in the defensive side of the ball, bringing in guys who can establish the culture Matt Rhule wants for his team, and if the make Caleb Farley their top pick, it would mean they still have not picked a single offensive player since Rhule came aboard.
Farley opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, but in two seasons at Virginia Tech, he proved himself to be one of the top ballhawks in all of college football.
Built with the size of a safety at 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, Farley has a unique ability to match up both physically and athletically with any type of wide receiver at the pro level.
He had 16 passes defended and four interceptions in 2019 for the Hokies and showed off his tremendous ball skills and ability to read the quarterback.
As a former quarterback himself, Farley knows how to play with instincts and timing as well as use his physical ability to win matchups.
He has all of the CB1 traits and would be a great fit in Carolina’s young, talented defense.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 5th pick
The Atlanta Falcons are such a mystery.
An offense with so many top picks and so many players who are great — Matt Ryan, Todd Gurley, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and more — should not be picking in the top five of the NFL Draft.
Yet here we are.
The Falcons moved on from Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff as their head coach and GM respectively, and the search is on for the new brain trust of this team.
There have been rumblings from football fans and pundits that Matt Ryan could be a trade candidate, but his contract is going to make that borderline impossible to do. The best option for the Falcons might be to just draft and sign players to help the defense and try to compete with the offense they have already, anyway.
In this case, the Falcons get arguably the best defensive player in the entire class in Micah Parsons.
Although he’s not a traditional edge defender or off-ball linebacker, Parsons can do both roles really well and might have some of the best natural pass-rushing ability of anyone in this class.
He makes plays in space, out in coverage, and he attacks the football with bad intentions.
This guy flies around the field and almost makes it feel like your offense is going up against 12 players.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 6th pick
Objective number one for the Miami Dolphins in round one of the 2021 NFL Draft: Get Tua Tagovailoa more help.
In this case, the Dolphins are able to snag DeVonta Smith, who is making his debut as WR1 in my mock drafts.
Smith has been absolutely dominant in 2020 for the Crimson Tide, showing off his well-rounded skill set en route to potentially winning the Heisman Trophy.
The Dolphins certainly need to add to their offensive weaponry, and what better way to do that than by bringing in one of Tua Tagovailoa’s favorite targets from when he was slinging the rock at Alabama?
These two already know each other, already have chemistry and timing, and those are so valuable for a young quarterback.
Smith has proven over the course of this season what pretty much everyone already knew — he is a pro wide receiver dominating the college ranks who could have easily been a round one pick if he had come out after 2019.
Smith’s well-rounded game might make it seem like he doesn’t have standout, top-10 type traits, but he is not just a product of Alabama’s tremendous offense. He makes plays after the catch, runs great routes, can win with speed, and makes tough contested catches as well.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 7th pick
The Philadelphia Eagles are in such a weird spot right now.
Is Carson Wentz going to be on the move? More on that later…
What is going to happen to a number of the expensive veterans on this roster?
There are a lot of questions to be answered for the Eagles heading into the 2021 offseason, but if the Eagles have a chance at Ja’Marr Chase, they would probably jump at the chance to pair him up with Jalen Reagor as the team’s top receiver duo of the future.
Reagor is a big-time speed guy while Chase wins in a variety of ways. He is both a big-play receiver and possession type, capable of dominating at the catch point and winning physically against any type of cornerback at the line.
Even with a high volume of catches and targets in 2019, LSU’s historic offensive campaign, Chase was able to average more than 21 yards per reception. This speaks to his ability to physically dominate and the fact that there’s not really one particular way to shut him down.
Although they are different physical profiles, Ja’Marr Chase and De’Vonta Smith are both really strong WR1 types of players who don’t necessarily “look” the part.
Chase is almost built like a running back and is somewhat reminiscent of DJ Moore right now for the Carolina Panthers in the open field.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 8th pick
The Dallas Cowboys’ entire 2021 offseason will be focused on figuring out what is going to happen with Dak Prescott’s future.
He was playing on the franchise tag in 2020 and suffered a scary season-ending injury, so would the Cowboys tag him again in 2021? That seems doubtful, but not impossible.
The Cowboys want to get a long-term deal done with Prescott, and despite his injury, there are undoubtedly a lot of NFL teams that would line up to pay Prescott what he wants as a free agent if the Cowboys let it come to that.
What happens with that situation will completely dictate the rest of the Cowboys’ offseason.
With that said, this team needs to continue investing in the defense, particularly in the defensive backfield. Rookie Trevon Diggs has shown some promise but the Cowboys have a number of key free agents on the back end of their defense and that might be just as well.
Adding a potential star like Patrick Surtain II here in the first round would be a similar value to getting CeeDee Lamb in the middle of the 2020 NFL Draft. Surtain could easily wind up CB1 on most boards with the way he has played at Alabama and his NFL bloodlines.
Reuniting him with his former Alabama teammate Diggs could help this Cowboys defense take a big leap in 2021.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 9th pick
The Los Angeles Chargers struck gold in the 2020 NFL Draft with Justin Herbert.
Herbert was the QB3 off the board and it just so happens the 2020 class had no fewer than three QB1 types. Herbert’s decision to go back to Oregon didn’t come back to bite him, and the Chargers are reaping the benefits of it since Joe Burrow emerged as the overall top player in the class in his final season at LSU.
The Chargers’ focus going forward needs to be supporting Herbert, and that means — first and foremost — upgrading the offensive line.
Three key interior linemen (Mike Pouncey, Forrest Lamp, Dan Feeney) are all free agents for the Chargers in 2021. The tackle positions don’t feel overly settled at this point.
Rashawn Slater is a player who could step in and start for the Chargers really anywhere they would ask him to on the offensive line.
Is he worth a top 10 pick even after opting out of the 2020 season for Northwestern?
That will be for the Chargers to decide, but it’s worth noting that NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had him as the overall best offensive lineman in the class in his initial rankings, even ahead of Oregon’s Penei Sewell.
NFL teams obviously like Slater’s game a lot and the fact that he has starting experience at both tackle positions is a huge plus going forward, not to mention his tremendous performance against Chase Young and Ohio State last season.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 10th pick
TRADE: Bears trade 16th pick and 3rd-round pick to Giants for 10th pick
No team has been a more popular trade-up candidate in my mock draft scenarios than the Chicago Bears.
The Bears went all-in just a couple of offseasons ago with Mitch Trubisky as their presumptive QB of the future by trading multiple years of first-round picks for Khalil Mack. I’m not sure they are poised to make that kind of investment in an unproven quarterback again, but you never know.
The Bears did not pick up Trubisky’s fifth-year option and despite the fact that he has had a couple of nice games lately, it would likely require a Tannehill-like run in the postseason for the Bears to consider keeping Trubisky on the franchise tag or something to see if he could keep progressing in 2021.
In this scenario, they move up for Trey Lance, one of the most talented prospects in this class coming out of North Dakota State.
The hype on Lance has been huge dating back to last season when he had 42 total touchdowns and zero interceptions. He didn’t look as polished in his lone game of 2020 against Central Arkansas, but Lance’s tools are undeniably all there.
He has a naturally strong arm with plenty of zip on his passes, he has played in a pro-style offense, and he can make plays with his legs.
The projection for Lance early on in the NFL could be similar to that of Josh Allen in Buffalo.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 11th pick
After missing out on Penei Sewell early in this mock draft scenario, the Bengals traded down for some additional and valuable draft capital and still come away with a very good left tackle prospect.
Christian Darrisaw’s development in 2020 has been one of the most positive and impressive for college prospects in general.
He has always been a very strong run blocker but he took his game as a pass blocker to another level in 2020.
The Bengals, for obvious reasons, need to invest in their pass protection.
Joe Burrow was hit hard and often all year as a rookie, and considering how awesome he was last year at avoiding pressure and avoiding taking hits, it speaks volumes to how poor the Bengals’ offensive line play has truly been.
It wouldn’t be shocking to see the Bengals go hard after a free agent lineman or two as well as spending their top two picks on the line, perhaps going after someone like Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum in round two.
Darrisaw is a tremendous athlete with length, strength, and a finisher’s mentality who would be an instant upgrade at left tackle.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 12th pick
TRADE: Detroit Lions trade QB Matthew Stafford to San Francisco 49ers for 12th pick, additional picks
Big trade alert — Matt Stafford to the San Francisco 49ers in this mock draft.
The trade compensation could be debated all day long, but the reality is that the Lions are going to get a first-round pick for Stafford if they decide to trade him. There would be too much demand for him and with multiple years of team control on his contract, the Lions are almost doing another team a favor by trading him.
The 49ers are in a unique position where trading for Stafford would actually save them a few million against the 2021 salary cap if they also moved on from Jimmy Garoppolo.
More on Jimmy G. later.
Stafford’s inclusion in San Francisco immediately elevates that team back to NFC contender. Even though Stafford has dealt with his share of health issues, Garoppolo has simply become far too unreliable in recent years.
For the Lions, you get additional capital and after trading up for Zach Wilson earlier in this mock draft, you get Jaylen Waddle here in the early portion of round one.
Waddle carries some risk coming off of injury, but assuming he gets back to full strength sooner rather than later, this could wind up being a steal as Waddle is one of the biggest speed threats in the class and is such a natural in the open field.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 13th pick
The Denver Broncos have been snake-bitten by injuries in 2020 more than almost any other team in the NFL. The 49ers probably take the cake there, but the Broncos are a close second.
One of the areas this team has been particularly decimated all year is defensively.
With just a couple of games to play, the Broncos are down three of their top four cornerbacks and they have predictably struggled to defend the pass in recent weeks.
AJ Bouye was acquired via trade in 2020 and only played seven games for the Broncos in 2020, struggling with injuries before getting popped for six games with a PED violation. Two of those games will linger into 2021.
Bryce Callahan has struggled with a foot injury for three straight seasons, and the Broncos are young behind those guys.
Jaycee Horn is a fast, strong, aggressive cornerback prospect who could thrive in Vic Fangio’s defense.
Fangio requires physicality out of his defensive backs and he would get it out of Jaycee Horn, who could replace the veteran Bouye in the lineup with Michael Ojemudia on the outside and Bryce Callahan playing his traditional role in the slot.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 14th pick
The Vikings are in a really tough spot heading into 2021.
There is plenty of young talent to like on this team but the Vikings made a huge mistake earlier in 2020 by trading a second-round pick for Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue.
That move didn’t work out for the Vikings, who were unable to secure a long-term deal with Ngakoue before dealing him to the Baltimore Ravens as basically a sunk cost.
With Ngakoue’s departure means the Vikings have an obvious need in the pass rush department once again, and even with Ngakoue, they probably would have needed it anyway.
Michigan’s Kwity Paye has been as advertised in 2020, wreaking havoc as a pass rusher and making plays against the run.
Even though he only played in four games, Paye was pressuring the quarterback regularly and showing off his athletic ability off the edge.
Known for being extremely quick, Paye has a well-rounded game overall evidenced by his 66 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks in his last 16 games for the Wolverines.
There is no question Paye would be an upgrade for the Vikings’ defensive front which needs help both off the edge and on the interior.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 15th pick
TRADE: Patriots trade day three pick to 49ers for QB Jimmy Garoppolo
The Patriots reunite with Jimmy Garoppolo in this scenario, and I think there is an especially likely chance of that happening if Josh McDaniels doesn’t get hired for a different head-coaching job.
Even if he does, the Pats could look to the familiar face in Garoppolo to be their successor for Tom Brady, what they initially planned on him being years ago.
The Pats would be taking on a good-sized salary for Garoppolo, which is why I think they could get him on the cheap.
In addition to picking up Garoppolo, the Patriots go out and get themselves a dynamic playmaker at the tight end/receiver position in Kyle Pitts.
Pitts is a nightmare for defensive players to have to match up against. He is too big for defensive backs, way too quick for linebackers, and he has virtually no limit to his catch radius.
He is a playmaker in space and can blow by defenders with his combination of speed and strength.
The Patriots need to upgrade their weaponry in the passing game. Pitts has 17 touchdowns in his last 21 college games and has proven himself to be absolutely dominant at times.
Bringing him into the fold with a veteran quarterback, Pitts could be an offensive rookie of the year candidate. He is capable of taking in a high volume of targets just like Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 16th pick
This would be a pretty great scenario for the New York Giants.
The Giants have shown some nice fight in the first year of the Joe Judge era, and there was a point there where they were legitimately competing for the NFC East (or NFC “Least”) crown.
Moving down six spots, getting an additional nice draft pick, and picking up a player with the ceiling of a Gregory Rousseau? That is the very definition of a “win” in the NFL Draft.
Rousseau didn’t play in 2020 because he opted out of the season, and he has just one big year at Miami for scouts to go off of, but it was a truly huge season.
Rousseau had 54 total tackles for Miami in 2019 including 19.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks. He added a pair of forced fumbles.
Although his productivity would indicate otherwise, Rousseau is not the same level of prospect as a guy like Chase Young or one of the Bosa brothers, which is why he’s not in the top five of this mock draft.
Rousseau’s technique needs some work, and more than just a stellar edge player, Rousseau has proven his worth as a guy who can move around the defensive formation and make plays that way. He’s not a traditional edge bender.
Because of the sample size and work needing to be done to his overall game, it would not be a shock to see a talent like Rousseau fall this far or even further.
A team like the Giants could use an upside player like this for their pass rush.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 17th overall
The Raiders under Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock have not exactly gone according to any sort of consensus board with their selections.
They march to the beat of their own drum, and no one really knows what they’re going to do when they’re on the clock in the NFL Draft.
With that said, this particular selection could be considered a bit out of left field as a Gruden/Mayock pick would normally be.
Alijah Vera-Tucker has excelled this season playing left tackle and has excelled before playing left guard. The interior offensive line could soon need some work for the Raiders, and they may highly value his positional flexibility just in case.
Gabe Jackson was a rumored trade candidate leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft, and with Richie Incognito landing on IR this year, the Raiders will want to ensure that the offensive line doesn’t skip a beat.
The success of the line is paramount to the success of this offense, which flows through running back Josh Jacobs.
Adding a player like Vera-Tucker would give the Raiders an all-first round PAC-12 left side of the line.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 18th pick
TRADE: Ravens trade 18th pick to Saints for 29th pick and 2020 2nd-round pick
The New Orleans Saints have gotten a glimpse of what life without Drew Brees could look like in 2020.
Brees suffered an injury that paved the way for Taysom Hill to take the reins as the team’s starter, and he certainly didn’t steal Brees’ job.
Hill’s role in New Orleans is well-defined at this point. The team simply cannot rely on him to be their quarterback of the future, at least not realistically.
If Justin Fields has a fall like this in the 2021 NFL Draft, it might be a “best-case scenario” type of deal for the Saints.
Fields certainly has the physical traits to start immediately at the NFL level. He is an exceptional athlete with a great arm who can put up video game-like numbers when his game is on.
It’s only in recent weeks that we have seen what kind of struggles Fields has at times making the right decisions under pressure and reading the field.
The Saints have a pretty darn good situation for Fields to step into. If Brees plays another year, Fields could sit for a little bit and learn from one of the best to ever do it. Even if he doesn’t, Sean Payton knows how to prepare quarterbacks and he would be able to help develop Fields in the areas where he is currently struggling.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 19th pick
The Washington Football Team is doing exactly what I thought they might leading up to the 2020 season.
Ron Rivera has this team over-achieving a little bit, given the fact that their offense has been a bit of a shambles this season due to injuries or just lack of talented personnel in general.
Defensively, this Washington defense is tough, and with Rivera calling the shots, they are going to be in position to compete in most games.
What does Washington need right now?
Unfortunately, they have openings at the two most important positions on the team: Quarterback and left tackle.
They could certainly move up in a scenario like this for a player like Justin Fields, but with a defense as strong as this one, Washington feels more like a team that will pursue a veteran to me. Would that be someone like Matt Stafford? It could very well be. We know Washington is going to be aggressive and they finally have the defense in place to warrant aggression at the quarterback spot.
If Washington does go after a veteran QB, it seems likely they would use their top pick on a tackle prospect.
Samuel Cosmi has been very strong in pass protection for the Texas Longhorns and is a very good athlete for his size and length. Washington’s trade of Trent Williams during the 2020 NFL Draft signaled they were ready for a youth movement up front.
Getting a player like Cosmi here would be a nice haul, especially if a QB is already in place.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 20th overall
Vance Joseph’s defense has improved from 28th in 2019 to 13th in 2020 in points allowed, even though the Cardinals have a relatively weak group of cornerbacks.
Dre Kirkpatrick has managed to stay healthy and make an impact with three interceptions (tied for the team lead) along with seven pass breakups.
With Kirkpatrick and Patrick Peterson both over the age of 30, the Cardinals need to get younger at the cornerback position. Byron Murphy is a really good nickel corner and will continue to be relied on there, but Arizona needs to make some moves on the outside.
Joseph’s defense requires cornerbacks to excel in press-man, and that could lead to Eric Stokes being a perfect fit.
Stokes has been a tremendous man-up corner in 2020 for the Bulldogs, earning first-team All-American honors with 16 receptions allowed on nearly 240 coverage snaps.
His four interceptions this season are easily a career high and it looks like this is a player with all of the tools physically and athletically to excel early at the next level.
Depending on how his pre-draft testing goes, Stokes could be long gone by this pick.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 21st pick
Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins has played his way into the first-round conversation for the 2021 NFL Draft. There is no doubt he is a playmaker who can do a lot for a defense, racking up 236 total tackles over the last three seasons with 25 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, five interceptions, three forced fumbles, and a pair of defensive touchdowns.
Although his productivity and size would indicate he’s somewhat of a ‘tweener’ inside/outside linebacker type, his fit in the modern NFL is almost perfect.
Going to a system like the one Brian Flores runs in Miami?
There might not be a more “no brainer” kind of fit in the 2021 NFL Draft.
From his days in New England, we know how much Flores and the Patriots coaching tree values versatility, and Collins is a model of it. Whatever this pick winds up being for Miami, it might be safe to pencil Collins’ name in.
As well as Miami’s defense has played in 2020, they would probably love to add a multi-faceted talent like Collins whose three-down abilities could get him in the defensive rookie of the year conversation in a scheme like this.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 22nd pick
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in “win now” mode.
The move to sign Tom Brady in the 2020 offseason shifted any moves this team made from looking ahead to looking at what’s right in front of them.
The Bucs have, to no one’s surprise, become a legitimate contender in the NFC this season with Brady at the helm. Even though Brady’s style of play hasn’t meshed perfectly with Bruce Arians’ offense each week, the Bucs are an explosive unit on offense and a very physical and fast group on defense.
Coordinator Todd Bowles has put together a tremendous outfit in Tampa Bay and should get looks as a head coach candidate in 2021.
Even if Bowles is out, the Bucs have enough talent to run it back in 2021 and have success, but they need some help off the edge.
Texas EDGE Joseph Ossai has been one of the most consistent at his craft in college football, racking up 29 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks in his last 22 games along with four forced fumbles.
Ossai is a versatile linebacker prospect who can play both off-ball and off the edge. He gives a defensive coordinator flexibility on all three downs and is a player whose motor never slows down.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 23rd pick
TRADE: Eagles trade QB Carson Wentz to Colts for 23rd pick, additional picks
If a trade of Carson Wentz were to go down, it would undoubtedly be the story of the 2021 offseason.
Wentz was a top pick of the Eagles in 2016, an MVP candidate prior to injury in 2017, and since that time, injuries and inconsistency have led to him being benched for 2020 second-round pick Jalen Hurts.
It’s been such a wild ride for Wentz, and trading him is much more complicated than just putting it on paper and making it work. The Eagles are on the hook for enough money at this point that trading him would have to really be worth their while, and the Colts are a team that could probably afford to pay up.
Frank Reich was with the Eagles in 2016-17 when Wentz was at his best for the team, and could be the perfect match to revive Wentz’s career in Indianapolis. We aren’t the first and won’t be the last to make that connection.
For the Eagles, this move brings some desperately needed draft capital as this team will be tight with finances for a few years. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is one of the most versatile defensive players in college football and can play linebacker, nickel corner, dime ‘backer, and he can even come off the edge and rush the QB.
The Eagles have long-needed a playmaker like this at the second level of their defense.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 24th pick
The Cleveland Browns, sitting at 10-4 at the time of this writing, seem to have finally turned the proverbial corner under head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Stefanski and his staff have the Browns — even without Odell Beckham Jr. — in contention in the AFC. The Browns have been pretty balanced all year offensively and defensively and they have an absolute superstar off the edge in Myles Garrett.
Shockingly, Garrett is still just 25 years old.
With Garrett producing at such a high level despite being the focus of opposing teams, the Browns would be wise to take a shot on an upside pass rusher in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In this particular draft, there may not be a better upside shot than Azeez Ojulari, a breakout player at Georgia.
Ojulari certainly flashed for the Bulldogs in 2019 but he’s been a force in 2020 with 27 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles in nine games.
The Browns thought they were getting a dynamic duo when they brought in Olivier Vernon, but at this point, it’s clear that Vernon is just a solid player off the edge and not a true dynamic threat. Ojulari has traits of being a dynamic threat off the edge who could help Myles Garrett get more one-on-one matchups, a win for the Browns’ defense anytime that can happen.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 25th pick
With the top pick in this 2021 mock draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars took Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
With their second first-round pick, how about bringing in the running back he’s played with for the past three seasons?
The Jaguars may not be looking to draft a first-round running back after parting ways with Leonard Fournette this past year, but a player like Etienne could cause them to at least think about it, especially if he’s being paired with Lawrence.
Etienne is a complete back with home-run abilities as a speed threat and much better power and tackle-breaking abilities than he is given credit for. At this point in time, Etienne is a polished three-down back who excels in a three-down role, catching 81 passes and counting over the past couple of seasons.
It’s going to be so critical for the Jaguars to have balance on offense. Even with the breakout of rookie James Robinson, a player like Etienne who has dynamic speed and athleticism could help elevate a Jaguars’ offense that has some nice talent in the passing game, too.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 26th overall
The Jets are sticking with Sam Darnold in this mock draft scenario. How likely is that? That’s hard to say, but if they are not getting Trevor Lawrence, it is much more likely than it was a week ago.
Regardless of what they do at the quarterback position, the Jets need to upgrade their weapons on offense.
Frank Gore is not a viable RB1 at this point in his career, and even with Denzel Mims showing tremendous promise as a rookie, the Jets need more receivers who can get open regularly.
Rashod Bateman has drawn some lofty comparisons to Keenan Allen, one guy who is pretty much always open.
Bateman’s a bit better of a natural athlete than Keenan Allen, but is similar in that he runs savvy routes and has strong hands to be a high-volume target in the passing attack.
With Mims’ big-play ability and Bateman’s ability to get open at every level of the field, the Jets’ passing game could take a huge leap in 2021, even with Darnold as the presumptive QB1.
The Jets have a variety of other picks to continue building up the roster which is one of the least talented from top to bottom in the NFL right now.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 27th pick
When Nashville hosted the 2019 NFL Draft, the Titans came away with one of the best values in the class snatching defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons in the middle of round one.
Were it not for injury, Simmons would have easily been a top-10 pick and maybe the top defensive lineman off the board.
Now, the Titans have a chance to get arguably the top defensive lineman off the board in this draft class late in the first round in Daviyon Nixon, who could prove to be a steal at this pick.
Nixon was productive in 2019 for the Hawkeyes but all the attention defensively went to star prospect AJ Epenesa, who ended up being a second-round pick to the Buffalo Bills.
Nixon’s productivity has skyrocketed in 2020 and he’s become the most disruptive interior defensive lineman certainly in the Big Ten, perhaps in the entire country.
A pick-six against Penn State showed just how tremendous of an athlete Nixon is. He has speed, quickness, strength, and the ability to finish plays in the backfield.
Pairing him up with Jeffery Simmons in Tennessee would give opposing interior offensive linemen nightmares.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 28th overall
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a number of needs on the defensive side of the ball heading into the 2021 offseason.
With Ben Roethlisberger stating he plans to play through the 2021 season, quarterback will be a popular mock draft option here with this pick, but the Steelers might save that issue for later.
The defense has been really good since Minkah Fitzpatrick came over in a trade with the Dolphins, and as this unit has grown together, they have been one of the best teams in the NFL at forcing turnovers.
In fact, they are tops in the NFL in 2020 with 17 interceptions so far.
The Steelers’ tremendous pass rush makes their defensive backfield a really awesome place for players to go and make plays. Adding a player like Clemson’s converted wide receiver Derion Kendrick could be a lot of fun for Pittsburgh.
Kendrick’s ball skills as a former wide receiver really shine through when you watch him play, even though he can be inconsistent at times.
As he continues to develop his technique, this could turn out to be a great value type of pick. Kendrick has been a natural in his transition to corner and should only continue getting better.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 29th overall
The Baltimore Ravens have an established identity offensively, and that is as a run-oriented outfit that wants to dominate in the trenches.
One of the more underrated losses for this team in 2020 has been the loss of offensive guard Marhsal Yanda, a stalwart up front for the Ravens for many years whose contributions largely went unappreciated by the majority of NFL fandom.
Yanda will go down as one of the top interior offensive linemen of the last couple of decades.
The Ravens aren’t exactly scrambling to replace him, but they could definitely use some upgrades on the interior offensive line.
Lucky for them in this mock draft scenario, arguably the best interior line prospect in the entire class is sitting here with the 29th pick.
Wyatt Davis has been mauling people at Ohio State for the past couple of seasons and would get the chance in Baltimore to pave the way once again for former Buckeyes star JK Dobbins.
Davis is a punisher on the interior but he has excellent pass protecting chops as well. He should be an instant starter and someone the Ravens could plug and play here for the foreseeable future.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 30th pick
For the majority of the mock drafts that I have made, the Buffalo Bills have been an “insert cornerback prospect here” slot.
It would make plenty of sense for the Bills to go after a corner in this draft class to pair with Tre’Davious White, but the possibility of adding a player like Najee Harris is something that could be quite fun if the Bills feel like having a back with his skills is a fit for their philosophy offensively.
Brian Daboll is a hot head coach candidate in the 2021 circuit, but let’s say for the time being that he ends up staying in Buffalo. Daboll was the co-offensive coordinator at Alabama under Nick Saban in the 2017 season when Najee Harris was a freshman for the Crimson Tide.
Even though Alabama’s backfield is always stacked, Harris found his way onto the field for 67 total touches that year with three touchdowns. He has experience working with Daboll and at least for the time being, the Bills are a committee at running back between Devin Singletary and Zack Moss.
There’s nothing wrong with either one of those guys, but Najee Harris is pretty special and would help take this already talented Bills offense to another level.
Harris is a true bell cow type of running back who is exceptional as a receiver out of the backfield. He could fit right in and help the Bills challenge the Chiefs annually for the AFC crown.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 31st pick
With the way they avoided the position in 2020, it almost feels like the Green Bay Packers have backed themselves into the proverbial wall to take a wide receiver in 2021.
The Packers were one of very few NFL teams to pass on the vaunted 2020 draft class at receiver altogether, a decision that may not have been the wisest in hindsight with so many playmakers available in each round.
With that said, all is not lost for the Packers as Aaron Rodgers seems to be absolutely thriving in year two under Matt LaFleur and there are plenty of prospects at receiver available to them in the 2021 class.
This crop of prospects is obviously unique in its own way, but the Packers could look at the way Justin Jefferson has excelled so quickly in Gary Kubiak’s offense and find a similar way to utilize Terrace Marshall, Jefferson’s LSU teammate who would be going to a similar type of offense in Green Bay.
Marshall has been outstanding with both Ja’Marr Chase and Jefferson moved on from the Tigers program, averaging over 100 yards per game with 10 touchdowns in seven contests.
Marshall’s length, speed, and catch radius would be an awesome pairing with Davante Adams, who has firmly entrenched himself among the elite wide receivers in the NFL. As often as Adams gets open anyway, Marshall should be able to exploit some good matchups as a rookie in Green Bay.
2021 NFL Draft 1st round, 32nd overall
The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs just seem to be getting better with age.
Although the Chiefs are known for their incredible offense, the defense seems to have a habit of coming up big in huge moments for them even if the statistics don’t show they are one of the league’s top units in terms of yardage allowed.
The Chiefs’ defense is in the top 10 where it counts — points allowed and turnovers forced. They do their job and put the ball back into the hands of no. 15.
Nick Bolton is a local product who will absolutely be able to help keep this defense moving in the right direction.
The Chiefs’ defense is a much better sum of its parts than it is individual pieces, even with some stars like Chris Jones and Tyrann Mathieu in the mix.
Bolton is a rangy, aggressive, three-down linebacker prospect who has been awesome for Missouri the past few seasons.
Being able to play in coverage is a must for linebackers in today’s NFL. Bolton has 12 pass breakups over the past couple of seasons and has proven his worth in that regard. He also has 16.5 tackles for loss in his last 22 games, so he’s making plays all over the place.
No matter what this pick ends up being, it’s going to feel like the rich just getting even richer.