2021 NFL Draft: Deshaun Watson on the move in latest NFL mock draft

Deshaun Watson on the move, the 49ers make a move for their quarterback and some late surprising picks highlight the latest 2021 NFL Draft mock.

And then there were four. With Championship weekend upon us, it won’t be long before the NFL playing season is over and the sole focus will turn to the 2021 NFL Draft.

As always, it seems as though the 2021 NFL Draft will not be short on intrigue and storylines. While Trevor Lawrence seems to be a near-lock to go first overall to Urban Meyer’s Jacksonville Jaguars, everything after that remains very much up in the air.

Which quarterback will go second? Which teams will go after the 2021 NFL Draft quarterbacks? Will they trade up? Will some big-name NFL players be traded?

The first and biggest piece that may be on the move could be Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. While he hasn’t publicly requested a trade (even having a no-trade clause in his contract) it is clear that he is unhappy with the way things are going in Houston.

What would it cost to trade for a guy like Deshaun Watson? Three first-round picks? More? Who would be willing to give that up? The Miami Dolphins? New York Jets? San Francisco 49ers? Pittsburgh Steelers?

Well in this mock for the 2021 NFL Draft, Watson does find a new home. Also featuring another trade, this 2021 NFL Draft scenario will definitely spin the quarterback carousel.

No surprise here. All signs still point to Trevor Lawrence being the first pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. “Tank for Trevor” had been the mantra of the 2020 NFL season for the bottom-of-the-barrel teams, and the Jacksonville Jaguars won the battle.

Now with former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer leading the team, some may speculate that the Jags would consider taking Justin Fields atop the 2021 NFL Draft instead. But that seems highly unlikely. Fields never played under Meyer, and Meyer has expressed his admiration for Lawrence throughout his short-lived TV career.

While I, for one, don’t think this pick is the slam dunk that many others do, you can’t really go wrong with Lawrence. He has a prototypical NFL quarterback body, impressive athleticism and a live arm that can make nearly all NFL throws. He is smart and is capable of processing a defense in a flash.

Lawrence really excels as a runner. Particularly on designed runs, Lawrence has the size and speed to make him incredibly tough to tackle. He has a nose for the end zone and typically finishes his runs for touchdowns.

As a thrower, Lawrence generally places the ball where it needs to be. Whether it is zipping in a tight window throw or leading his receiver with touch on a deep ball down the field, Lawrence and his receivers always seemed to get the job done.

While Lawrence exhibited great success at Clemson, I do believe that had a lot to do with the system and players around him. His offense was filled with future NFLers and the Clemson offense made things pretty simple for Lawrence.

Lawrence operated an RPO-heavy offense at Clemson, really breaking down the passing game to reading a defender. If they crash to attack the run, he throws it in behind them. If they drop back into coverage, he hands it off. At the next level, Lawrence likely won’t be able to rely on these quick reads, screens and deep play-action bombs.

I do believe that if a team really caters their offense to Lawrence’s strengths (which a team who selects him first overall should) he should find success early and often in the NFL. He still could certainly end up as the best quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Jaguars have plenty of resources to build around him