2021 NFL mock draft: Dolphins get Deshaun Watson, other bold QB trades

NFL free agency is right around the corner and the 2021 NFL Draft will not be far behind. This offseason is expected to be wild and crazy, just like this 2021 NFL mock draft. To kick things off, let’s take a look at a Deshaun Watson trade scenario.

I know, I know. The Houston Texans are trying to dig their heels in and say that they are not going to trade their franchise quarterback. That being said, this franchise is still a disaster and Watson is unlikely to give up his demand to be traded. If they get the right trade offer, I imagine that the Texans will swallow their pride and trade their star quarterback.

While most of the league will be interested in trading for Watson, if the deal happens before the 2021 NFL Draft, it is difficult to see a team being able to top an offer from the Miami Dolphins. Miami is loaded with a ton of draft capital and they could also send the Texans Tua Tagovailoa, giving them a viable franchise quarterback to groom and build their team around. For the purposes of this NFL mock draft, the Texans and Dolphins agree to the following trade:

Three first-round picks (including No. 3 overall), a second-rounder and a quarterback who just went No. 5 overall last year is obviously a massive price to pay. That being said, guys like Watson simply do not come available often. If the Dolphins look at Watson as their missing piece, like they should, they need to aggressive and make sure that they can get him into the building.

This trade would obviously limit Miami’s ability to improve the roster around Watson, but nothing is more important than having a legitimate franchise quarterback and the Dolphins would still have a pair of second-round picks this year.

With the Watson trade in the books, we begin this 2021 NFL mock draft with a brand new team in the top three. How will the entire first round shake out? Follow along to find out.

2021 NFL mock draft: Round 1, 1st overall

While other teams may have to get aggressive to find an exciting young franchise quarterback this offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars can just sit back and take Trevor Lawrence. While there may be a team or two that likes Zach Wilson over Lawrence, Lawrence is easily the best quarterback prospect in this class and has a chance to be special at the next level.

Lawrence is a tremendous dual-threat quarterback who can sit in the pocket and sling it all over the field and also escape the pocket and make plays with his legs. Lawrence is the best quarterback prospect to enter the league in recent memory and should be in a great position to succeed under the direction of Urban Meyer in Jacksonville.