2021 NFL Mock Draft: The insatiable hunger of the quarterback market
By Ian Higgins
Scouting Report. Oregon. Penei Sewell. 56. Pick Analysis. OT. 5. player
Falling down to the Cincinnati Bengals at number five, Oregon’s Penei Sewell lands in the lap of the team which likely demands his services most. After losing franchise quarterback Joe Burrow to a knee injury which may see him out of action for the 2021 season, the Cincinnati Bengals need to ensure the protection of their most prized asset with the most gifted offensive tackle of the 2021 NFL draft.
Avoiding having to pay a king’s ransom to move up in this NFL mock draft, Cincinnati will be aligning Sewell across from former draft selection Jonah Williams in an effort to create a sustainable tackle pairing that can offer Burrow pass-protection hopefully reminiscent of his LSU Tigers.
Also capable of sliding inside to guard with his dominant athleticism, running back Joe Mixon will be seeing an uptick in yards before contact thanks to his young offensive line. An elite offensive tackle is what Cincinnati needs to complete their offense under Burrow, and Sewell is the right player at the right spot in the 2021 NFL Draft.
College Stats. WR. Alabama. Scouting Report. Devonta Smith. 6. player. 54
Despite falling behind fellow prospect Ja’Marr Chase within this NFL mock draft, Alabama wideout and Heisman-winner Devonta Smith has solidified himself as potentially the best snap-to-snap playmaker of the 2021 NFL Draft with his ability to create separation and make plays with the ball in his hands.
Despite a lean 174-pound frame raising concerns about his long-term durability, a relatively vacant collegiate injury history dictates the potential to spearhead an offensive passing attack over the course of a long and prolific career.
The Philadelphia Eagles have continued to struggle to find a bonified number one wide receiver who can provide week-in-week-out production. Jalen Reagor has failed to live up to expectations thus far in his short career, and pleasant surprises Fulgham and Ward have supplemented the injury-based need for personnel sufficiently.
If Smith can carry a fraction of his college production to the next level and continue to develop, Philadelphia will find their answer outside the hashes.