2021 NFL Draft: Huge QB trades in pre-Super Bowl mock draft
2021 NFL Draft: 21st pick
The Indianapolis Colts are in a very interesting situation right now.
Philip Rivers has retired. Andrew Luck is not coming out of retirement. The Colts were not aggressive enough in pursuit of Matthew Stafford and there’s no telling if Stafford would have wanted to be there anyway.
The Colts are way down on the 2021 NFL Draft pecking order and way out of range for the top quarterback prospects in this class. They could look to the 2021 free agent crop, but who is out there they could get that would keep this roster moving forward and closer to the goal of winning a championship?
Colts owner Jim Irsay said that he believes the roster the Colts have is ready to contend in the AFC. That means Indianapolis can likely be expected to remain aggressive on the quarterback market, but they won’t be foolish.
Ultimately, I think there’s a decent chance they will end up with Carson Wentz, but what if that doesn’t happen? Why not Sam Darnold?
Darnold is talented enough that, if the Colts really have a championship-ready roster, he can help them compete right away. If this roster is as good as the Colts think it is, they are arguably the perfect situation for Darnold to st ep into as well.
The stars could be aligning for this. ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks the Jets could net a first-round pick for Darnold, but that seems quite steep. If it’s the going rate and a team is willing to pay it, it might wind up being a bargain for the Colts.
Darnold is still young and very talented, but he needs the right situation. Maybe the Colts are it.
player. RB. Alabama. Najee Harris. 21. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 30
What direction would the Jets go with this pick after acquiring Deshaun Watson earlier?
With Robert Saleh and Mike McDaniel coming over from the 49ers, the Jets are obviously going to have an emphasis on the zone running game the Shanahan offense has made famous for decades.
I think Najee Harris is an ideal fit for that offensive scheme as he is more of a smooth runner than a powerful bruiser.
Not only that, but Harris is a big-time receiver out of the backfield who can line up out wide if he’s asked to do so.
Getting Watson and Harris would give the Jets a young offensive skill position core that looks like this on paper:
QB: Deshaun Watson
RB: Najee Harris
WR: Denzel Mims
WR: Jamison Crowder
There is obviously plenty of work to be done there but at the very least, that top three is something they can build on.