NFL mock draft 2021: Justin Fields, Trey Lance land in perfect situations

2021 NFL mock draft: Round 1, 7th overall

If one of the top four quarterbacks were to fall to this pick, I could see the Detroit Lions making the investment in the position. That being said, this team seems ready to move forward with Jared Goff under center. The Lions are unlikely to be seriously competitive anytime soon but stacking this roster with as much talent as possible will be the priority.

Jaylen Waddle stands out as one of the premier players available for the Lions at No. 7 and the team also has a massive need at the wide receiver position. This just feels like a great fit.

Waddle is an incredibly explosive playmaker who displays elite speed and playmaking ability at the wide receiver position. He is a dynamic deep threat who uses his tremendous speed to stretch the field vertically and is also an exciting weapon after the catch. Waddle is an extremely quick and elusive ball carrier who also shows great contact balance for a speed-based receiver.

While Waddle’s speed, quickness and acceleration are what consistently stand out on tape, he is a relatively well-rounded player who can impact the game in a variety of ways. Waddle is a crisp route runner who releases well off of the line of scrimmage and separates with ease against man coverage. He does a great job of consistently catching the ball away from his body and competes well in contested-catch situations.

Simply put, Waddle is an elite playmaker at the wide receiver position who has massive upside at the next level. The Lions may not be the most fun team to watch over the next couple of seasons but adding Waddle to the mix would certainly help in that department.