This past Friday, what amounted to a three-way trade between the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, and Philadelphia Eagles changed the landscape of the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. This sent the NFL Draft community immediately into frenzy, but as analysts, experts, and the masses scrambled to hurriedly update their most recent mock drafts or release new ones, I stayed on schedule, working instead toward the release of my planned Data updates, which are available now:
With those updates completed and published a day ahead of schedule, I did elect to use the extra time to turn out this impromptu Mock Draft 2.0 — and have some fun with it. That said, these first-round projections are based on the current draft order and my impression of team needs as of March 31 and, in the spirit of last week’s major developments, reflect potential trade scenarios. Enjoy!
1 | Jacksonville Jaguars — Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Trevor Lawrence is locked in at first overall — like he has been for the past two years.
2 | New York Jets — Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
Zach Wilson punches his ticket to New York following an impressive pro day.
3 | San Francisco 49ers — Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
Like it or not, Mac Jones is currently the speculative favorite to be drafted by the 49ers and the target of their trade up.
4 | Atlanta Falcons — Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Kyle Pitts is a rare athlete and is firmly in the mix to be the first non-QB off the board.
5 | Cincinnati Bengals — Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
One of the most prolific connections in college football history returns as Ja’Marr Chase reunites with Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.
6 | Carolina Panthers — Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
* Projected trade up with Miami Dolphins *
With Justin Fields and Trey Lance making it out of the Top-5, the Panthers pounce to take their pick.
7 | New England Patriots — Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
* Projected trade up with Detroit Lions *
The Patriots get aggressive, flying up the board to take Trey Lance as their quarterback of the future.
8 | Miami Dolphins — DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
* Projected trade down with Carolina Panthers *
The Dolphins continue to wheel and deal, and still come out with a Top-3 receiver in DeVonta Smith.
9 | Denver Broncos — Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The Broncos aren’t fortunate enough to get a QB to fall to them in this scenario, so Jaycee Horn heads to Denver as the first defensive player off the board.
10 | Los Angeles Chargers — Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
* Projected trade up with Dallas Cowboys *
The Chargers strike a deal with Dallas to enlist Penei Sewell to protect former teammate Justin Herbert.
11 | New York Giants — Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami
Jaelan Phillips checked every box at his pro day, but medicals remain a concern.
12 | Philadelphia Eagles — Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
The Eagles come out a winner in their trade with Miami, dropping six spots and still landing Jaylen Waddle.
13 | Dallas Cowboys — Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
* Projected trade down with Los Angeles Chargers *
The Cowboys gamble and it pays off with one of their Top-10 targets, Patrick Surtain II, sneaking through.
14 | Minnesota Vikings — Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
Rashawn Slater still being on the board is a dream scenario for the Vikings.
15 | Detroit Lions — Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
* Projected trade down with New England Patriots *
The Lions miss out on a Top-3 receiver by trading back, but come away with a package of picks from New England and a wrecking machine in Micah Parsons.
16 | Chicago Bears — Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
* Projected trade up with Arizona Cardinals *
The Bears make a move for Christian Darrisaw to help fortify their offensive line.
17 | Las Vegas Raiders — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, S, Notre Dame
In JOK, the Raiders get a valuable chess piece for their defense.
18 | Miami Dolphins — Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
Zaven Collins feels like a fit for the Miami defense — or any defense with roots in New England.
19 | Washington Football Team — Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky
Jamin Davis is now on everyone’s radar and would be well-positioned behind Washington’s fearsome front.
20 | Arizona Cardinals — Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern
* Projected trade down with Chicago Bears *
The Cardinals signed Malcolm Butler to a one-year deal, but Greg Newsome II is a long-term solution at corner.
21 | Indianapolis Colts — Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
Alijah Vera-Tucker can play guard or tackle, giving the Colts flexibility in how they choose to reconfigure the left side of their offensive line.
22 | Tennessee Titans — Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State
The Titans need a right tackle and burly blocker Teven Jenkins remains the fit.
23 | New York Jets — Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
Kwity Paye has the build, the motor, and the ability to play defense for Robert Saleh.
24 | Pittsburgh Steelers — Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Moving away from the committee approach, the Pittsburgh offense would feature Najee Harris as a true three-down back.
25 | Jacksonville Jaguars — Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
Kadarius Toney is a possibility as the Jaguars look to surround Trevor Lawrence with weapons.
26 | Cleveland Browns — Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia
The idea of lining up Azeez Ojulari opposite Myles Garrett should intrigue the Browns.
27 | Baltimore Ravens — Landon Dickerson, OC, Alabama
The rugged Landon Dickerson is a fit for the Ravens in terms of need, value, and historical draft context.
28 | New Orleans Saints — Levi Onwuzurike, DT, Washington
Levi Onwuzurike should be in the conversation here with the Saints losing a starter and depth from their defensive line.
29 | Green Bay Packers — Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
The Packers have to at least consider a WR here and Terrace Marshall Jr. fits their current profile.
30 | Buffalo Bills — Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky
There may be more questions than answers with Kelvin Joseph at this point, but the talent is undeniable. The Bills feel like a potential landing spot.
31 | Kansas City Chiefs — Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
Offensive tackle remains an immediate need for the Chiefs and Liam Eichenberg is pro-ready.
32 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
I still just love the fit of Rondale Moore with Tom Brady, Bruce Arians, and the Bucs’ offense.
Jason Pruett
DRAFTPLEX