NFL mock draft 2021: Four quarterbacks in the top five, Watson stays put

Despite not having an NFL Scouting Combine this year, 2021 NFL mock draft season is in full swing. We are just a couple of months away from the 2021 NFL Draft and the hype is beginning to build. Although things are certainly much different leading up to the draft this year, football fans everywhere are still anxious to see who their team adds this offseason.

This offseason seems to revolve even more than usual around the quarterback position. Always the center of attention, NFL quarterbacks are getting nearly all the buzz this offseason. Who will be traded? Could we add big names like Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson to the list that already includes Matthew Stafford and Carson Wentz?

Quarterback trades and free agent moves could have a huge impact on the 2021 NFL Draft and will change each NFL mock draft with every move. Which teams will be looking to get “their guy” for the future of their franchise at the quarterback position? Who will opt to make a splash for a proven veteran?

Only time will tell, but this offseason promises to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. Quarterback play is as important as ever and could cause teams to make big moves to grab a guy that they believe in.

First on the list of quarterback-needy teams in this NFL mock draft? Urban Meyer and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This is the one true no-brainer when in comes to any predictive 2021 NFL mock draft. It seems set in stone that Clemson superstar Trevor Lawrence is headed to Jacksonville with the first pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Trevor Lawrence has been the most highly coveted NFL quarterback prospect seemingly since setting foot in Clemson. He has always been the talk of the NCAA and his NFL Draft eligibility and declaration has been highly anticipated.

After winning their first game of the 2020 season, the Jaguars went full “Tank for Trevor” mode, losing out and earning the right to select the golden boy in the 2021 NFL Draft. A pick that is made in nearly every 2021 NFL mock draft.

While I am not the biggest Trevor Lawrence truther and don’t believe that this pick should be as obvious as most make it seem, there is good reason that Lawrence gets the hype that he does. First of all, he looks the part. At 6-foot-6 and 220 lbs, Trevor Lawrence has the near prototypical frame for an NFL quarterback.

Further, Lawrence is a very impressive runner, especially for a guy his size. He has great vision and speed to break big runs and is nearly impossible to stop near the goal line with 17 rushing touchdowns over his last two seasons.

As a thrower, Lawrence shows the potential to make every NFL throw. He has displayed great anticipation and has impressive arm strength to shoot the ball down the field, outside the numbers and into tight windows.

Where I think Lawrence struggles as a prospect is with ball security, accuracy consistency and the offense that he ran at Clemson. At times, Lawrence seemed to panic a bit when highly pressured and often lost the ball. He fumbled five times in 10 games this season, and also threw 17 interceptions over the course of his Clemson career. At times he would miss some simple throws, often overthrowing receivers.

At Clemson, Lawrence ran a more RPO-based, quick-hitting offense at Clemson. There were a lot of quick, simple reads and short and fast passes like quick slants and screens. In the NFL, Lawrence will likely have to operate a more diverse scheme. While I’m sure he will be able to take that step and develop as a reader of the defense and decision-maker, it is something that he will have to prove at the next level.

Personally, I think there is a real decision to made atop the 2021 NFL Draft, but I understand why Lawrence is such a polarizing prospect to so many. He has all the tools to be a top NFL quarterback, and will likely get to prove it with the Jacksonville Jaguars as the sure-fire number pick in nearly every 2021 NFL mock draft.