1.Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, quarterback (Clemson):
Lawrence has essentially been locked in as the #1 pick in the 2021 draft for 3 years now. While there are more question marks surrounding his game in the present day than there was when he lead Clemson to a national title as a freshman in 2018 thanks to his poor performances in back-to-back College Football Playoffs, he's still an elite prospect that's well positioned to end the long-standing woes that the Jags have had at quarterback.
2.New York Jets: Zach Wilson, quarterback (BYU):
Trading Sam Darnold to the Panthers earlier this month has erased any of the mystery surrounding what direction the Jets are going in at #2. Wilson has ascended up draft boards following his unbelievable 2020 campaign (3,692 YDS, 33 TD, 3 INT, 73.5 CMP% in 12 games) and despite not facing the highest level of competition at BYU, his arm strength, ball placement and ability to extend plays with his legs is as good as anyone in this draft class-making him the ideal candidate to be the next cursed soul tasked with trying to turn around the Jets.
3.San Francisco 49ers: Mac Jones, quarterback (Alabama):
Reports out of the Bay Area over the last 72 hours have said that the 49ers are currently debating between Jones and Trey Lance here. If you look at the collection of QB's that Kyle Shanahan (Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan, Jimmy Garoppolo) has had success with over the years and ask yourself which of these prospects plays like them, you'll realize that this "debate" is one of the most unconvincing smokescreens in draft history.
4.Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Pitts, tight end (Florida):
Adding another offensive weapon is nowhere near the top of the Falcons list of needs, but putting the 6'6, 245 lb Pitts-who could prove to be one of the biggest matchup problems in the league if his route-running, contested catch ability and blistering speed (he a 4.41 40 at his pro day last month) translate to the NFL-next to Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley could give them the dynamic firepower to finish on the right side of more shootouts in 2021.
5.Cincinnati Bengals: Ja'Marr Chase, wide receiver (LSU):
If this was any team besides the Bengals, Penei Sewell would be the pick since he's a potential generational tackle prospect and Joe Burrow took an absolute beating in his rookie season which resulted in him sustaining a major knee injury last November (torn ACL and MCL, structural damage to PCL and meniscus). Since Mike Brown almost certainly considers signing Riley Reiff in free agency to be enough of an investment in the offensive line, reuniting Burrow with his college teammate-who to be fair is a do-it-all wideout that has good odds of blossoming into a hell of a pro-seems like it's the inevitable play.
6.Miami Dolphins: Penei Sewell, tackle (Oregon):
The Bengals desire to fix their o-line issues by giving Burrow another receiving weapon is seemingly setting Chris Grier up for another slam dunk move. 2020 1st rounder Austin Jackson is not equipped to be a left tackle at the pro level and adding a tackle that's as clean as Sewell would give the Dolphins the blind side anchor they desperately need while also allowing Jackson the opportunity to develop his game on the right side of the line.
7.Detroit Lions: DeVonta Smith, wide receiver (Alabama):
With Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. exiting in free agency, the Lions receiver room got a lot less talented basically overnight. Bringing in the reigning Heisman winner would help stop the bleeding by giving Jared Goff somebody he can feed at all levels of the field that boasts a track record of making game-breaking plays at critical moments.
8.Carolina Panthers: Rashawn Slater, tackle/guard (Northwestern):
Aside from being poisoned by the coaching of Adam Gase, offensive line play was the biggest problem that prevented Sam Darnold from reaching his potential. Adding someone with the fluidity, positional versatility and toughness of Slater could bring the Panthers one step closer to assuring those issues won't follow him to Charlotte.
9.Denver Broncos: Micah Parsons, inside linebacker (Penn State):
The character concerns surrounding Parsons have all seemingly evaporated in the weeks leading up to the draft, which has suddenly placed him among the leading contenders to be the first defensive player off the board. Parsons' explosive athleticism along with the precision and aggression in which he blitzes with should immediately make him a heavily featured piece in Vic Fangio's defense.
10.Dallas Cowboys: Patrick Surtain II, cornerback (Alabama):
An early run on quarterbacks allows Jerry Jones to make a tremendous value pick that also happens to address the Cowboys single greatest positional need. Surtain II is far and away the most disciplined, well-rounded corner in this class and the prospect of reuniting him with his college running mate Trevon Diggs-who was the 'Boys lone standout at corner last season-would undoubtedly delight the large contingent of Crimson Tide/Cowboys crossover fans.
11.New York Giants: Jayson Oweh, edge rusher (Penn State):
Is #11 too high to select an edge player in a draft class that has an abundance of intriguing yet flawed prospects, but not a single "can't miss" guy? Probably. Will Dave Gettleman take this into account when deciding what to do with this pick? No chance. Oweh's ridiculous pro day performance where his elite measurables (4.36 40, 39.5 in vertical jump, 11 ft, 2 in broad jump) further solidified his status as a rare athlete and ability to make an impact as a run defender seems like a recipe to land him atop the Giants positional board.
12.Philadelphia Eagles: Jaycee Horn, cornerback (South Carolina):
Considering the glut of defensive deficiencies the Eagles have, Howie Roseman will likely try to trade down to add more picks. If they do stick here, there are a variety of intriguing options to consider along the front 7, but Horn makes the most sense considering how badly they've gotten burned by repeatedly waiting until rounds 2-4 to draft corners (Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas, Avonte Maddox) in recent years. With 3 years of starting experience in the SEC and the ability to line up outside or in the slot and play man or zone coverage, Horn is as battle-tested as a corner can possibly be coming out of college while also possessing the combination of physicality, length and fluid footwork downfield that NFL teams covet.
13.Los Angeles Chargers: Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver (Alabama):
The receiver spot next to Keenan Allen was a revolving door of bodies (Mike Williams, Jalen Guyton, Tyron Johnson) for the Chargers last season that very rarely yielded positive results. A vertical threat with breakaway speed in Waddle would not only bolster the depth at the position, but give Justin Herbert a weapon that is perfectly tailored to his skill set.
14.Minnesota Vikings: Christian Darrisaw, tackle (Virginia Tech):
Drafting a proven pass-protector who plays with a palpable edge in Darrisaw should help lower the odds of Kirk Cousins-who was sacked a whopping 39 times in 2020 (5th most in the league)-from getting put into a body bag during his age 33 season.
15.New England Patriots: Justin Fields, quarterback (Ohio State):
Bill Belichick just went out and spent a zillion dollars in free agency for the first time ever, so there's no better time to entertain the possibility of pigs flying on draft day too. As much as Belichick's approach to devising a succession plan for Tom Brady has proven how little stock he puts into quarterback as a position, he's also obsessed with making "value" roster moves and a guy that was projected to be a top 3 pick not too long ago that has an abundance of valuable traits (arm strength, accuracy, mobility, toughness, strong performances against high-end competition ) and is currently undergoing a freefall down the board that has been among the most baffling in recent memory certainly qualifies as "value".
16.Arizona Cardinals: Greg Newsome II, cornerback (Northwestern):
In the wake of Patrick Peterson's departure and Byron Murphy's continued struggles in his inaugural 2 NFL seasons, signing Malcolm Butler-who is coming off his shakiest season as a pro in Tennessee-is not going to be enough to fix the blatant talent deficiency the Cardinals currently have in their locker room. While his injury history could give the Cards some pause, Newsome is a tough, physical outside corner who is just as game to come up to the box and help stop the run as he is to be on an island with the other team's best receiver that would bring some much-needed moxie to their DB room.
17.Las Vegas Raiders: Alijah Vera-Tucker, guard/tackle (USC):
The Raiders traded away 3 of their 5 starters upfront this offseason (Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson, Trent Brown) and with his ability to play anywhere but center and reputation as a mauler with terrific athleticism that could help open up some much-needed space for Josh Jacobs to operate in the running game, Vera-Tucker could end up being the piece that really solidifies their overhauled o-line.
18.Miami Dolphins: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, inside/outside linebacker (Notre Dame)
Instinctive, athletic and versatile enough to handle any run game, coverage or blitzing assignment he's tasked with, Owusu-Koramoah should be able to step in and fill the pivotal swiss army knife linebacker role that Kyle Van Noy vacated this offseason right away.
19.Washington Football Team: Trey Lance, quarterback (North Dakota State)
I'm not going to lie-I had Lance going to the Broncos until the Teddy Bridgewater trade happened yesterday afternoon and had to slot him here since it didn't really make a whole lot of sense to put him anywhere else in the 10-18 range. In this scenario that will not get a chance to play out barring an aggressive move up the board, Washington gets a chance to swoop in and address their long-term QB needs by taking a dual threat option that hails from a pro-style system whose red flags are exclusively experience and level of competition-based (Lance only started for 1 full season at the D1-A level) without having to worry about rushing him onto the field this season.
20.Chicago Bears: Teven Jenkins, tackle (Oklahoma State):
Even as the Bears o-line settled into a pretty good rhythm during the back half of 2020, they struggled to find a reliable right tackle. While not quite as polished as his peers going in the top half of the 1st round, Jenkins has a good chance of filling that void. The combination of high-end athleticism, strong hand use and a palpable mean streak makes Jenkins an ideal fit for the Bears run-first attack.
21.Indianapolis Colts: Kwity Paye, edge rusher (Michigan):
Chris Ballard has done a hell of a job building the Colts defense up in recent years, but their outside pass rush remains somewhat of a problem area-especially now that Justin Houston isn't likely to return in 2021. Among the logjam of 1st-2nd round edge rushers, Paye seems like the guy who's best suited to pop in Matt Eberflus' aggressive, hard-nosed scheme. While his college output won't turn many heads (11.5 sacks/23.5 TFL's in 28 total games and 19 starts), Paye has solid agility, a nasty power/hand quickness combo that allows him to shed blocks with ease and mostly importantly, steadily improved every year he was in Ann Arbor.
22.Tennessee Titans: Azeez Ojulari, edge rusher (Georgia):
After registering just 19 sacks last season (3rd worst in the league), the Titans are desperately in need of a jolt of athleticism on the edge. If he can expand his arsenal of pass-rushing moves, Ojulari has the tenacity, 1st step quickness and relentless motor to turn into a nightmarish speed rusher at the next level.
23.New York Jets: Javonte Williams, running back (North Carolina):
New Jets head coach Robert Saleh prides himself on having physical football players on his team and there is no running back in this class that is more of a Saleh guy than Williams. He is a PUNISHING runner who set an NCAA record for most broken tackles by an RB in 2020 (76 on only 157 carries) that could provide the Jets with a true workhorse back to help ease Zach Wilson's transition to the pros.
24.Pittsburgh Steelers: Caleb Farley, cornerback (Virginia Tech):
Running back is a popular choice here and it wouldn't be a shock if they did ultimately go in that direction considering how much they struggled on the ground last year, but I think it's much more feasible that they wait until later in the draft to fill that need. Their corner group was sneaky bad down the stretch and as an imposingly large (6'2, 197 lbs) speedster with outstanding ball skills who was previously projected to be a top 10 pick prior to revealing he had back surgery during the winter, Farley would fulfill all parts of the value/need/scheme fit combination that Kevin Colbert has emphasized throughout his tenure as GM.
25.Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevon Moehrig, safety (TCU):
An intelligent, fluid athlete in center field that boasts the ball skills of a cover corner and field awareness of an inside linebacker, Moehrig would slot in nicely next to rangey free agent pickup Rayshawn Jenkins and give the Jags safety group a legit chance bounce back after a miserable 2020.
26.Cleveland Browns: Christian Barmore, defensive tackle (Alabama):
Defensive tackle is easily the biggest need the Browns have to address in this draft and the depth is so uncharacteristically thin at this spot that they can't afford to pass on Barmore if he's available. He's a certified wrecking ball with a Wilfork-ian motor and gift for blowing up plays well behind the line of scrimmage when he's on his game that could end being up the disruptive interior force the Browns front 7 needs to elevate from pretty good to great.
27.Baltimore Ravens: Elijah Moore, wide receiver (Ole Miss):
A bigger bodied outside receiver like Rashod Bateman or Kadarious Toney to complement pure speedster Marquise Brown could be in play here, but Moore's toughness, sure hands and route-running prowess from the slot makes him so-well suited for the Ravens predominantly short-to-intermediate passing attack that he's going to be hard for them to pass on.
28.New Orleans Saints: Rashod Bateman, wide receiver (Minnesota):
Transitioning out of the Drew Brees era means the Saints are going to have to start investing more in the receiver position. With his smooth route running and ideal size (6'2, 210) for an outside receiver, Bateman would be the perfect complement to Michael Thomas who could have crazy high upside if Jameis Winston wins the starting QB job.
29.Green Bay Packers: Landon Dickerson, center (Alabama):
Offensive line play was the top reason the Packers 2nd half comeback bid against the Bucs in the NFC Championship Game fell short and losing stalwart starting center Corey Linsley in free agency has only further accelerated those crippling issues on the interior. While this pick isn't without considerable risk given Dickerson's extensive injury history (including an ACL tear in December's SEC Championship Game-which was the 2nd of his career), his balanced blocking skills and volume of reps against top-tier competition will make an attractive replacement for Linsley who could come in and start right away.
30.Buffalo Bills: Asante Samuel Jr., cornerback (Florida State):
Corner depth is one of the only areas where the Bills really need to improve and with his prolific ball skills and crisp backpedal, Samuel Jr. has a pro-ready skill set that should allow him to at least contribute as a third corner as a rookie.
31.Baltimore Ravens: Samuel Cosmi, tackle (Texas):
Using the selection the Ravens acquired from the Chiefs in exchange for their rock solid right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to find his replacement would be very poetic. Despite lacking the power to be able to consistently fight off top-tier edge rushers, Cosmi has the reliably strong technique and lateral agility to move downfield to throw blocks in the running game to be viewed as a viable long-term option at RT.
32.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jaelan Phillips, edge rusher (Miami):
When you win the Super Bowl and are somehow able to re-sign every top contributor from that title winning team, you can afford to gamble with your 1st round pick. As murky as Phillips' injury history (he's missed time with ankle and wrist ailments and skipped the 2019 season after suffering a severe concussion the prior year) and desire to play football long-term are, he was a highly productive player when he was on the field (23.5 TFL's and 12.5 sacks in only 20 career games split between UCLA and Miami) who has one of the best motors and track records as a run defender in this edge class.
2nd Round
33.Jacksonville Jaguars: Gregory Rousseau, edge rusher (Miami)
34.New York Jets: Eric Stokes, cornerback (Georgia)
35.Atlanta Falcons: Zaven Collins, inside/outside linebacker (Tulsa)
36.Miami Dolphins: Joe Tryon, edge rusher (Washington)
37.Philadelphia Eagles: Rondale Moore, wide receiver (Purdue)
38.Cincinnati Bengals: Dillon Radunz, tackle (North Dakota State)
39.Carolina Panthers: Jamin Davis, inside linebacker (Kentucky)
40.Denver Broncos: Carlos Basham Jr., edge rusher (Wake Forest)
41.Detroit Lions: Levi Onwuzurike, defensive tackle (Washington)
42.New York Giants: Pat Friermuth, tight end (Penn State)
43.San Francisco 49ers: Terrace Marshall Jr., wide receiver (LSU)
44.Dallas Cowboys: Alex Leatherwood, tackle (Alabama)
45.Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinn Meinerz, guard/center (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
46.New England Patriots: Nick Bolton, inside linebacker (Missouri)
47.Los Angeles Chargers: Jalen Mayfield, tackle (Michigan)
48.Las Vegas Raiders: Jamar Johnson, safety (Indiana)
49.Arizona Cardinals: Travis Etienne, running back (Clemson)
50.Miami Dolphins: Elijah Molden, safety/cornerback (Washington)
51.Washington Football Team: Jackson Carman, tackle (Clemson)
52.Chicago Bears: Ronnie Perkins, edge rusher (Oklahoma)
53.Tennessee Titans: Kadarious Toney, wide receiver (Florida)
54.Indianapolis Colts: Kellen Mond, quarterback (Texas A&M)
55.Pittsburgh Steelers: Najee Harris, running back (Alabama)
56.Seattle Seahawks: Liam Eichenberg, tackle (Norte Dame)
57.Los Angeles Rams: Jevon Holland, safety/cornerback (Oregon)
58.Kansas City Chiefs: Creed Humphrey, center (Oklahoma)
59.Cleveland Browns: Payton Turner, edge rusher (Houston)
60.New Orleans Saints: Kyle Trask, quarterback (Florida)
61.Buffalo Bills: Dyami Brown, wide receiver (North Carolina)
62.Green Bay Packers: Jabril Cox, inside linebacker (LSU)
63.Kansas City Chiefs: Kelvin Joseph, cornerback (Kentucky)
64.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Walker Little, tackle (Stanford)
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