NFL mock draft 2021: Four quarterbacks in the top five, Watson stays put
Pick Analysis. Quarterback. North Dakota State. 87. Scouting Report. Trey Lance. 5. player
The run on quarterbacks continues! After seeing the other top 2021 NFL Draft quarterback prospects come off the board so early in this NFL mock draft, the Carolina Panthers decide to make a splash and ensure they get the next man up.
After not playing a true season in 2020, Trey Lance may be the forgotten man of this quarterback class. But scouts and GMs don’t forget and Lance has top-five upside. The Panthers have been rumored to be in on most of the QB trade conversations around the league, so it’s pretty clear that they are interested in an upgrade at the position.
With Trey Lance, they bring in a ton of talent and upside and can allow him to come in and compete with and learn from a guy like Teddy Bridgewater. Lance and Bridgewater are very different players, but if Matt Rhule and Joe Brady can get Lance to be the perfect blend, the Panthers could be in good shape moving forward.
Where Teddy Bridgewater is a more calculated, accurate pocket passer, Lance is a mobile, athletic, big-armed playmaker. If Lance can improve is ability to read a defense and become more consistent with his accuracy, he can become a top talent in the NFL.
Right now, Trey Lance really excels as a runner. In 2019, Lance ran for 1100 yards and 14 touchdowns. His effectiveness as a runner is evident on film, looking like a running back out there with the ball in his hands.
As a passer, Lance shows a ton of upside with his arm strength and playmaking ability. He has an absolute cannon and flicks the ball down the field with ease. He effortlessly zips the ball outside the numbers to the boundary and can fit the ball into some seriously tight windows.
Where Lance needs to improve is with his accuracy and touch. Although he took care of the ball, throwing no interceptions in his one season as a college starter, he won’t get away with some of the missed throws that he had at the next level. He often overthrew his receivers down the field and underthrew some shorter passes.
Lance could probably use a year or so to learn an NFL offense and develop as a pure passer, but his arm talent and running ability make him worthy of this high selection in this 2021 NFL mock draft. Under an offensive mind like Joe Brady, the sky is the limit for a talent like Trey Lance.