2021 NFL Draft: Quarterbacks fall and a major run on tackle in mock draft
By Ian Higgins
Jaycee Horn. 32. Scouting Report. College Stats. CB. South Carolina. 16. player
After making the biggest splash thus far of the NFL offseason with their signing of All-pro defensive end J.J. Watt, the Arizona Cardinals have partially addressed their impending shortage of pass-rushers and can turn their focus to complementing star safety Budda Baker in the secondary.
Potentially losing Patrick Peterson this offseason, the Arizona Cardinals need to make long-term preparations for the inevitable with the final first-round cornerback of the 2021 NFL Draft. At six-foot-one, South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn is another trail-man-centric cornerback with the ability to shadow a matchup throughout the course of a game. A bit handsy along the route, Horn is a physical corner who makes the most of his length by making well-timed plays on the ball.
Hopefully paired alongside Peterson in a final bid for the postseason, Horn will become the future of the Cardinals secondary alongside Baker and provide a skill set comparable to their outgoing franchise legend.
17. 28. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. player. Scouting Report. College Stats. LB. Notre Dame
After spending over $50 million on linebackers Corey Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski this past offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in a sticky situation regarding the falling salary cap. After witnessing Littleton struggle to cover in space against mismatch targets, a less expensive option in the 2021 NFL Draft could solve the key issue to their defensive shortcomings.
Operating as a central cog in the operation of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense this past season, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is the definition of a modern-era linebacker with excellent range and the ability to make tackles in the open field. Most importantly, Owusu-Koramoah gave Notre Dame’s defense the freedom to operate out of base personnel on nearly half of their snaps because of his incredible abilities in coverage against even slot receivers.
A mismatch-neutralizer who can even cover shifty slot receivers who would typically leave linebackers in a blender, Owusu-Koramoah can file into the Raiders linebacking group and use his athletic individualism to assert himself as the number one weakside linebacker, enabling Gruden to cut Littleton loose before 2022 and save $5 million in cap space.