2021 NFL Draft: Quarterbacks fall and a major run on tackle in mock draft
By Ian Higgins
123. Scouting Report. Patrick Surtain II. player. 10. College Stats. CB. Alabama
After witnessing one of the worst defensive performances over the course of a regular season in recent memory, the Dallas Cowboys will need to take a page out of Matt Rhule’s playbook and commit all of their 2021 NFL Draft assets to reform the unit around a sustainable linebacking core of Jaylon Smtih and Leighton Vander Esch. After losing cornerback Byron Jones through free agency, Dallas will be spending their top selection on a franchise cornerback.
The most technically polished cornerback of the 2021 NFL Draft class, Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II makes it apparent he is the son of a former NFL cornerback with natural technique well incorporated into his play. Not dominantly athletic, Surtain uses his length to remain in position to make plays on the ball in his trail-man technique.
Alongside draft selection Trevon Diggs from the year previous, Dallas would have a young pairing of capable Alabama defensive backs that could offer the team a suitable combination of personnel for the remainder of their inexpensive rookie contracts.
OT. Penei Sewell. 11. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Oregon. 31
Sliding outside of the top ten thanks to the alternative strategy employed by the Cincinnati Bengals, the top offensive tackle of the 2021 NFL Draft falls into the hands of a general manager who has always had a keen eye for athletic offensive tackle prospects. Following talk of David Gettleman making a run at Louisville tackle Mekhi Becton in last year’s draft, the New York Giants find their blindside protection for Daniel Jones.
Having started a pair of former New England Patriots offensive tackles on bloated salaries, the Giants will be more than welcome to acquire a replacement with a significantly smaller impact on their cap space. Still locked into a deal seeing Nate Solder making nearly $10 million annually until 2023, New York can release the veteran at the end of 2021 saving nearly $6 million in cap space, and open the slot opposite Sewell for the 2022 season.
Physically dominant and mobile in space, Sewell will not only become an essential piece to the protection of Jones but also become a focal point in the New York Giants rushing attack which could become a Sewell-led zone scheme for Saquon Barkley.