2021 NFL Mock Draft: The insatiable hunger of the quarterback market
By Ian Higgins
19. player. 58. Alijah Vera-Tucker. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. IOL. USC
After the performance and contract extension of Trevor Heinicke in Washington’s playoff game against the super bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, seeing Mac Jones go off the board the selection before may not be a draft-breaking moment for the organization. Showing need along the offensive line between lack of talent and upcoming free agents, the Washington football team can make the smart choice in this NFL mock draft.
Another versatile offensive lineman within the 2021 NFL Draft class, USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker has been a staple of the Trojan’s offensive line spending time at both guard and tackle. Projected as a guard at the NFL level, Tucker shows suitable physicality at the point of attack with quick feet which enabled him to operate as an effective pass-protector in space. Able to slide across the line as a plug-and-play option, Tucker is a smart choice for a flailing Washington pass-protection unit.
57. Notre Dame. 20. player. LB. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Scouting Report. College Stats
Despite questions surrounding the quarterback position and wide receivers in Chicago, the Bears decide to continue their commitment to the defensive side of the ball by taking the best player available within this NFL mock draft. Another rangy inside linebacker, Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah manages to make current Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith look like an interior thumper.
Playing as a free-roaming tackler within the Fighting Irish defensive front, Koramoah is a mismatch-neutralizer who can match running backs in space and effectively cover tight ends along the seam. In a game continuing to trend towards speed over size, the Chicago Bears hop on the trend and form one of the most athletically gifted inside linebacking pairings in the NFL today, capable of silencing the most diverse of receiving weapons.