NFL Draft 2021: Blockbuster trades that would shake up the first round

New York jumps back into the first round to take an edge rusher with a very high ceiling

The New York Jets are in the process of a major overhaul of their roster. The team’s 20 draft picks over the next two seasons will be a majority of what Jets general manager Joe Douglas uses to turn the Jets into a competitive football team. However, it seems unlikely that the Jets will use all 20 picks. The Jets could package a couple of their selection in order to move up the 2021 NFL Draft or acquire talented players that fill a major need for the team.

Since the Jets have 10 selections in the 2021 NFL Draft, they are a candidate to move up especially if they see a prospect falling down the board that they covet. Even though Joe Douglas has made it clear he is prioritizing offensive players early in the draft, he should try to address the defense by adding a cornerback and/or another edge rusher early. A player who has risen up draft boards over the last few weeks who the Jets should try to add in the first round is Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh.

Teams are moving Oweh up their boards after his out of this world Pro Day. His athleticism puts him in a class of his own when he is compared to other defensive ends. According to Mark Gaughan of Buffalo News, Penn State reported that Oweh ran a 4.36 40-yard dash, even though Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy reported that he ran a 4.39 after talking to scouts. Oweh also had a 39.5-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 11 feet, 2 inches.

Even though Oweh didn’t have a single sack this past season, his freak athleticism is something Jets head coach Robert Saleh could be attracted to. He could see Oweh as a project that he develops and refines over time. That athleticism puts him upside near-elite territory if he can consistently get after the quarterback. If he begins to fall down the board, Saleh could pound the table for the Jets to get back into the first round to grab him. Giving up one of their two third-round picks to move up from pick 34 to pick 26 doesn’t feel like a lot considering the type of player New York would be trading for.

The Cleveland Browns should be viewed as one of the teams who could look to trade out of the first round. Even though Cleveland appears to only be a player or two away from being a legitimate contender in the AFC, they could look to trade back because the draft board will likely not fall favorably for them. Cleveland’s biggest needs are at defensive tackle and linebacker. They could also add another valuable player at cornerback, wide receiver, and edge rusher.

Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore makes the most sense for Cleveland at pick No. 26, especially after releasing Sheldon Richardson. The Browns are open to a reunion with Richardson, but they cannot count on him to return. If Barmore is no longer on the board, not many other prospects make sense with that pick.

They could take a linebacker like Zaven Collins, Jamin Davis, or Nick Bolton but that player would not get a lot of immediate playing time because Cleveland will primarily lineup in nickel packages next season. The grouping of Denzel Ward, Troy Hill, Greedy Williams, Ronnie Harrison Jr., John Johnson III, and Grant Delpit are expected to make up a majority of their back seven. Then Sheldrick Redwine or one of their linebackers would make up that seventh player. If that is the case, their group of linebackers Anthony Walker, Sione Takitaki, Jackob Phillips, Mack Wilson, and Malcolm Smith is fine enough to allow Cleveland to use their early selections elsewhere.

A cornerback like Flordia States’ Asante Samuel Jr., Georgia’s Eric Stokes, or Kentucky’s Kelvin Joseph could be in play as well. But it doesn’t make a lot of sense for Cleveland to invest a first-round pick in cornerback with Pro Bowler Dezel Ward, 2020 second-round pick Greedy Williams, and nickel specialist Troy Hill on the roster already.

Cleveland Browns

If Cleveland was to trade back to pick No. 34, the value would be right for them to select Washington defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike who many believe to be the second-best defensive tackle in this year’s class. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s pro player comparison for Onwuzurike is Sheldon Richardson. Though he primarily played nose tackle at Washington, Onwuzurike is more suited to play 4-3 defensive tackle and rush the quarterback from the inside like Richardson has done well over his career.

If he lands in Cleveland, Onwuzurike would compete with Malik Jackson, Andrew Billings, Sheldon Day, and 2020 third-round pick Jordan Eliott for one of the two starting defensive tackle spots. If he does well in camp, Onwuzurike could see a majority of snaps while the other veterans rotate.

An option for Cleveland to take with the No. 86 overall pick if acquired from the Jets is Tulane edge rusher Patrick Johnson. At the next level, Johnson expects to be a rotational speed rusher off the edge preferably in a 3-4 scheme. Even after adding Jadeveon Clowney and Takk McKinnley, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Cleveland to another edge rusher in the middle rounds of the NFL draft. Both Clowney and McKinnley are former first-round picks that have disappointed overall in the NFL. They could either excel playing opposite Myles Garrett or bust. Johnson is a safe player to have on the roster in case neither remains in Cleveland past this season.