As the wildest NFL offseason in recent memory — if not ever — continues to unfold, the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft is shaping up to be just as unpredictable.
With this draft class lacking the typical buffet of budding superstar quarterbacks and blue-chip positional prospects at the very top, this was initially viewed to be a ‘down’ year. But instead, it looks to be one of the deepest drafts in quite a while, as teams can expect to find starting-caliber talent three to four rounds deep and intriguing developmental talent well beyond the seven rounds of official selections.
Of course, it all starts with the first round. And approximately one month ahead of the commissioner coming to the podium to open the proceedings, we’re no closer to a consensus on how night one of the draft is going to play out than we were in January — which just adds to the excitement and enjoyment of doing this year after year.
With that being said, I am pleased to present my 2022 NFL Mock Draft 1.0. These first-round projections are based on the current draft order and my impression of team needs as of March 26, and do not reflect any potential trade scenarios. Enjoy!
1 | Jacksonville Jaguars — Aidan Hutchison, EDGE, Michigan For the second straight draft, the Jaguars find themselves picking first. With last year’s selection of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the choice comes down to a top pass rusher or a top offensive tackle. Aidan Hutchinson is a safe prospect and a safe bet to be the first player off the board.
2 | Detroit Lions — Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia The Lions could press for a quarterback here, but they would be better served taking the best defender on their board. If it’s not Hutchinson, it could be Travon Walker, whose rise has been one of the most interesting storylines to watch this draft season. If he lives up to his pro projection, he could be a dominant force for Detroit for many years to come.
3 | Houston Texans — Evan Neal, OT, Alabama After effectively hitting the reset button each of the past two offseasons, the Texans finally have premium draft capital again and expect to build around quarterback Davis Mills, who showed promise in his rookie campaign. With that in mind, it would be no surprise if offensive tackle Evan Neal was on short list of options and ultimately the selection here.
4 | New York Jets — Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon Once projected to be the headliner of this draft class before he was even eligible to declare, Kayvon Thibodeaux has seen his stock cool to a degree throughout the process. But, there’s no denying the talent and potential to be an impact pass rusher from day one. The Jets would be hard-pressed to pass if he were to be available when they go on the clock at #4.
5 | New York Giants — Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State The Giants’ offense has been a disaster the past couple of seasons, with poor offensive line play contributing to the disappointment. Despite their veteran signings in free agency, a forward-thinking solution is needed to fortify the offense front. Charles Cross has been less heralded than the other edge blockers throughout the process, but would be an instant starter at right tackle.
6 | Carolina Panthers — Malik Willis, QB, Liberty The Sam Darnold experiment hasn’t been declared ‘over’ by the Panthers, but it would appear to be trending in that direction with the attention they’ve been giving to the top quarterback prospects in this draft. Malik Willis has arguably been the most impressive and expects to be the first signal caller to hear his name called on draft night.
7 | New York Giants (via CHI) — Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Back on the clock, the Giants turn their attention to defense with cornerback James Bradberry rumored to be on his way out. Should that turn out to be the case, Sauce Gardner heads to New York as the new CB1 and becomes the centerpiece of the secondary under new defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale.
8 | Atlanta Falcons — Drake London, WR, USC With glaring holes at receiver and pass rusher, the Falcons are one of the most ill-equipped teams at the moment on either side of the passing game. In this case, the need for another playmaker to help new quarterback Marcus Mariota wins out, as Atlanta selects tall target Drake London to pair with Kyle Pitts.
9 | Seattle Seahawks (via DEN) — Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State This would be a surprise slide for Ikem Ekwonu, who expects to be in contention for the first overall pick, but the board doesn’t always fall the way it’s supposed to on draft night. That being said, the Seahawks’ representative should be sprinting to turn in the card if this scenario should play out given their longstanding offensive line woes.
10 | New York Jets (via SEA) — Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame With their second Top-10 selection, the Jets could look at a pass catcher or potentially a corner, but strong consideration would expect to be given to drafting unicorn safety Kyle Hamilton. Considered by many to be the top overall prospect in this draft class, there’s a chance he’s the best player remaining on New York’s board at this juncture.
11 | Washington Commanders — Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah The newly-christened Commanders were thought to be a contender to draft a quarterback, but the trade for Carson Wentz makes the possibility less likely. However, they could have interest in Devin Lloyd as their defensive signal caller after trotting out a string of stop-gap veterans recently. Drafting a first-round linebacker two years in a row probably isn’t ideal resource allocation, but Washington has shown that they will double down on defensive talent in consecutive drafts.
12 | Minnesota Vikings — Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU Derek Stingley Jr. exploded onto the scene with his stellar play as a freshman and was projected to be one of the highest-drafted cornerbacks in recent memory once he was eligible. But, it’s been a long, winding road over the past two years that expects to come to an end later in the first round than initially anticipated. With vacancies in the secondary, the Vikings are among the potential investors who could bank on him returning to form.
13 | Houston Texans (via CLE) — Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia With the AFC expecting to be more competitive than ever in the coming years, the Texans’ path back to contention will need to run through their division — which means defending against two of the most potent rushing offenses in the NFL in the Titans and the Colts. Adding the one-of-a-kind Jordan Davis could help tip the scales in the Texans’ favor.
14 | Baltimore Ravens — Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE, Florida State With their effort to land free agent and former Raven Za’Darius Smith falling through, the Ravens expect to take another stab at improving their pass rush. Provided they don’t add another name veteran ahead of the draft, Jermaine Johnson II would be an excellent fit on the edge opposite Odafe Oweh.
15 | Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA) — Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State The Eagles haven’t had the best of luck drafting wide receivers in recent years, with only last year’s first-rounder DeVonta Smith emerging as a viable offensive weapon from among their high picks. They’ll hope to have similar luck with the selection of Ohio State stud Garrett Wilson.
16 | Philadelphia Eagles (via IND) — George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue Staying on the clock with the second of their three first-round selections, adding the relentless George Karlaftis to their stable of edge rushers would give the Eagles an immediate contributor and building block for the future of their defensive front.
17 | Los Angeles Chargers — Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College The Chargers appear to be on the verge of contending in the AFC and certainly made the investments in their defense this offseason to do so. However, one area where they’re coming into the draft reasonably thin is the offensive line. Zion Johnson could be a name to watch as they look to put complementary players into position alongside left tackle Rashawn Slater and center Corey Linsley.
18 | New Orleans Saints — Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa The Saints expect to be in the market to draft a quarterback, but at this stage it’s still difficult to tell if they prefer any one prospect over the others. But, what is clear is that the departure of Terron Armstead leaves a sizeable void at left tackle. Trevor Penning has performed his way into first-round consideration and would bring aggression and attitude to the Big Easy.
19 | Philadelphia Eagles — Daxton Hill, DB, Michigan Linebacker might be the most pressing need remaining — but Philadelphia simply doesn’t draft the position in the first round. Alternatively, the Eagles aren’t locked into any safety for the long-term, which could see them look at the position early. Daxton Hill, who might be the most versatile secondary prospect in this class, could be a potential target.
20 | Pittsburgh Steelers — Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Like Carolina, the Steelers have had their eyes on all of the top quarterbacks in this class, even after bringing free agent Mitch Trubisky into the fold. Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett have both been connected to the Steelers early and often, and seem to be the two most likely choices. With Willis off the board here, it’s almost poetic that Pickett gets the nod and gets to remain in Pittsburgh.
21 | New England Patriots — Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington The Patriots released Stephon Gilmore during the season and allowed J.C. Jackson to leave in free agency. Their recourse thus far has been limited to luring Malcolm Butler out of retirement. Drafting a cornerback early would seem to be on the table, with the ultra-competitive Trent McDuffie being a prime candidate to assume CB1 duties in Foxboro.
22 | Green Bay Packers (via LV) — Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State For years, the Packers’ passing game has leaned on Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams and a cast of late-round characters. Now that Adams has been traded away to the Raiders, the Packers’ need to reload the receiving corps is even more painfully obvious. An early selection of — or perhaps a double-dip starting with — Chris Olave would be a big step in the right direction.
23 | Arizona Cardinals — Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia With Chandler Jones charting a path northwest to Las Vegas, edge rusher is likely the more urgent front-seven need and certainly the case can be made for offensive line help as well. But, the Cardinals could also look at adding an active interior disruptor in Devonte Wyatt to replace the released Jordan Phillips.
24 | Dallas Cowboys — Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M This offseason, the Cowboys effectively created more holes for themselves to address coming into the draft, but one that has been lingering since before season’s end has been a long-term answer at left guard. To that end, the Cowboys have been and are reported to continue doing their due diligence on Kenyon Green, who is an NFL-ready interior blocker and would be a step-in starter for Dallas.
25 | Buffalo Bills — Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson The Bills appear to be on the cusp of joining the NFL’s elite and a strong roster is certainly an indication of that. After bringing in front-seven reinforcements in free agency, their draft focus could be on the defensive backfield, putting a well-rounded, physical cornerback like Andrew Booth Jr. in play.
26 | Tennessee Titans — Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas The Titans are a team that I think could be a dark horse candidate to draft a first-round quarterback. That said, with a firm grasp on the AFC South, their early approach is more likely to involve adding more firepower to compete now. Treylon Burks is a big, athletic target who could be deployed in a variety of ways by Tennessee.
27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Tom Brady had a cup of coffee with retirement, but is now back to captain the ship in Tampa. And with his return, much of the uncertainty with the Bucs’ offensive personnel was washed away. The defensive line, though, is a different story. Travis Jones has been a riser at every stage of the draft process and could be a strong consideration here late in the first round.
28 | Green Bay Packers — Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia I wouldn’t rule out the Packers drafting an offensive lineman with their second first-round selection, but perhaps they throw caution to the wind and, like wide receiver, draft another position early that they historically don’t. With the exception of his size, Nakobe Dean has everything you look for in a linebacker and would be a premium value selection here for Green Bay.
29 | Kansas City Chiefs (via SF thru MIA) — Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama With back-to-back selections in the first round now, I expect the Chiefs to leverage one to trade up or to draft an injured top prospect at a bargain — with Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams and Michigan edge David Ojabo being the obvious candidates. Seeing that Tyreek Hill was traded away, Williams makes sense as the new high-speed target for Andy Reid’s offense once he’s back to 100%.
30 | Kansas City Chiefs — Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota The Chiefs have taken different approaches to bring consistency to their pass rush, but are a few years removed from their last attempt to address the edge with a first-round prospect. Boye Mafe has impressed throughout the process and could be in the mix as as night one of the draft comes to a close.
31 | Cincinnati Bengals — Tyler Linderbaum, OC, Iowa The Bengals came up just short of completing an incredible two-year turnaround with a Lombardi Trophy. Heading into the offseason, they knew they would need to drastically improve the offensive line to earn another opportunity at a Super Bowl and have done an admirable job shoring up their front in free agency. They could view stud center Tyler Linderbaum as the last piece of that puzzle.
32 | Detroit Lions — Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati As noted earlier, the Lions could go quarterback at #2, but #32 and #34 overall might be more likely, with the final pick in the first round being the more favored draft position thanks to the prized fifth-year option. In this scenario, the Lions have Matt Corral, Desmond Ridder, and Sam Howell still on the board. I’ll pencil in Ridder, a proven leader from a blue-collar program, which could appeal to the Detroit front office.
Thursday night wasn’t all that kind to my final first-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft, but there are two full days of picks left to go and there is still fun to be had seeing where these prospects will be selected and finding out where they will play football next.
With that being said, I am pleased to present my 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Day 2 Edition. These Round 2 and Round 3 projections are based on the draft order as it currently stands and my impression of remaining team needs, and do not reflect any potential trade scenarios.
To clear the smoke. To call the names. To chase the dream.
The 2021 NFL Draft is here.
I am pleased present my final first-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft. These projections are based on the current draft order and my impression of team needs heading into the draft, with consideration given to potential trade scenarios.
Enjoy the draft!
1 | Jacksonville Jaguars — Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson The Jaguars can finally make it official that Trevor Lawrence is their next quarterback and the new face of their franchise.
2 | New York Jets — Zach Wilson, QB, BYU The Jets hit the reset button once again this offseason. Entering yet another new era, they hope that upstart quarterback Zach Wilson can continue his rise and lead the franchise to success.
3 | San Francisco 49ers — Mac Jones, QB, Alabama The 49ers traded up for a quarterback. I believe this pick should be Justin Fields. I think this pick could be Trey Lance. I expect this pick to be Mac Jones. I will mock this pick to be Mac Jones because I don’t know what to do with him otherwise. So it goes.
4 | Atlanta Falcons — Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida The Falcons have an opportunity to secure a successor to Matt Ryan and they’ve certainly done their homework on both Justin Fields and Trey Lance. If they pass on a passer, this pick expects to be the prototype for the tight end of the future, Kyle Pitts.
5 | Cincinnati Bengals — Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU The Bengals have a choice between wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and offensive tackle Penei Sewell here. I know they want to protect Joe Burrow, but I think they ultimately choose Chase, his former teammate and the alpha of this receiver class, and circle back to the offensive line on Day 2.
6 | Miami Dolphins — Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama The Dolphins need a dynamic weapon to open up their offense — maybe two. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is as electric as they come. His prior experience playing with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa just happens to be a bonus.
7 | New England Patriots — Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State * Projected trade up with Detroit Lions * The Patriots are primed to trade up for a quarterback. Most of the pre-draft smoke has them wanting to jump up for Justin Fields, but I’m going to go with the upset and project a trade up for Trey Lance. Meanwhile, the Lions have a shortage of picks and a roster that needs work, so they might be open to trading down for draft capital.
8 | Carolina Panthers — Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon The Panthers are reportedly interested in quarterback Justin Fields, which might be real or might prove to be gamesmanship. I’m going to call their bluff and project that they are going to try their hand with Sam Darnold. In that case, if he is still on the board, they should be ready to draft stud left tackle Penei Sewell here.
9 | Denver Broncos — Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State The Broncos have Drew Lock and just traded for veteran Teddy Bridgewater, so would they still be interested in drafting a quarterback? It remains to be seen, but if Justin Fields is still on the board when they come up on the clock, it’s certainly a consideration. If this scenario plays out, I think Teddy is the bridge, Fields is the future, and Lock is on the block.
10 | Dallas Cowboys — Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama The Cowboys have a glaring need at cornerback, but if offensive lineman Rashawn Slater is still on the board, he would also expect to be in the mix. I can see either Patrick Surtain II or Jaycee Horn as the pick here, but I’m going to give the nod to Surtain in the event that another team has eyes on Horn and takes him in front of Dallas.
11 | New York Giants — DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama The Giants have a host of needs they could address with this pick, with offensive lineman Rashawn Slater, linebacker Micah Parsons, and edge defenders Kwity Paye and Azeez Ojulari among the options. But, I think adding wide receiver DeVonta Smith to their cache of weaponry might intrigue them as they continue trying to figure out exactly what they have in quarterback Daniel Jones.
12 | Philadelphia Eagles — Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina The Eagles might regret trading back after all of the top-tier pass catchers come off the board before they pick, but I believe they are in more desperate need of a cornerback. I think they would be relieved to still come away with Jaycee Horn here, but don’t rule out the possibility of them trading up ahead of the Cowboys to steal either Horn or Patrick Surtain II.
13 | Los Angeles Chargers — Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern The Chargers would expect to have interest in both of the top offensive tackles — Rashawn Slater and Penei Sewell, the former teammate of quarterback Justin Herbert at Oregon. A trade up might be in order for them to land either, but if they were to stay put, Slater is the more likely candidate to be available here.
14 | Minnesota Vikings — Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan The Vikings are obviously in play to draft an offensive lineman here, most likely Alijah Vera-Tucker or Christian Darrisaw — unless they explore a trade up. They might also attempt to trade down to get an extra pick or two. As it stands, I could see them just as easily taking the first edge rusher off the board, potentially Kwity Paye.
15 | Detroit Lions — Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State * Projected trade down with New England Patriots * The Lions are a prime candidate to trade down in the first round, especially if a team like the Patriots is willing to pay the quarterback tax to move up. If they were to sit tight at #7, a wide receiver or offensive tackle are likely considerations. As is linebacker Micah Parsons, who could still be available here in their projected landing spot.
16 | Arizona Cardinals — Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa The Cardinals are a little bit of a wildcard depending on their interest in a wide receiver, as it has been suggested that they are considering a trade up. I could also see them being open to trading back and taking one from the second tier. If they stand in and pick, physically imposing linebacker Zaven Collins could be the target to fill out their front seven.
17 | Las Vegas Raiders — Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State The Raiders always make it interesting on draft night, but they also raised a lot of eyebrows this offseason by effectively dismantling what had been one of the better offensive lines in the league. With a definite void now at right tackle, I would expect them to strongly lean towards massive mauler Teven Jenkins with this pick. If linebacker Micah Parsons were to still be available, I think he would also be in play.
18 | Miami Dolphins — Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC The Dolphins could consider offensive tackle Penei Sewell at #6 if the Bengals pass on him in favor of wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, but I had Miami pass on him as well to get an offensive weapon in Jaylen Waddle. In turn, I think they could look at adding to their offensive line here with Alijah Vera-Tucker, who would slot in at guard alongside his former college teammate, second-year tackle Austin Jackson, who has promise but struggled as a rookie.
19 | Washington Football Team — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame Washington is another team firmly in the conversation to draft an offensive tackle, but I think they could also be interested in an impact second-level defender. Hybrid linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah compares favorably to the smaller, faster linebackers head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio have deployed in the past.
20 | Chicago Bears — Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss The Bears could realistically target a wide receiver, a cornerback, or an offensive tackle here — if they don’t go all in to trade up for a quarterback. In lieu of a big move, I think they might still try to splash a little bit with a wide receiver. Elijah Moore is undersized, but there’s no question he is a fast, explosive playmaker who would add some juice to their offense.
21 | Indianapolis Colts — Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech The Colts could be a mover on draft night if they don’t see the value at offensive tackle or edge rusher being here for them. In this scenario, however, they are fortunate to have potential trade-up target Christian Darrisaw somehow make it through the minefield of tackle-needy teams ahead of them.
22 | Tennessee Titans — Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota The Titans lost a lot of firepower from their passing offense this offseason and have not done much to reload, thus I would expect them to strongly consider a wide receiver here. Rashod Bateman is perhaps the most natural fit in this range to complement A.J. Brown.
23 | New York Jets — Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky The Jets expect to continue renovating their defense through the draft, specifically the secondary. But, I think cornerback will stretch into Day 2. Meanwhile, they have to be leery of what they have at linebacker for this season and beyond. A riser at the position, Jamin Davis could be a compelling option to work in alongside C.J. Mosley and Jarrad Davis before eventually taking over as the leader of the unit.
24 | Pittsburgh Steelers — Najee Harris, RB, Alabama The Steelers have needs at cornerback and offensive tackle specifically, but may be looking at the third, fourth, or fifth options at either or both positions depending on how the board falls. Meanwhile, they are likely in position to take the first running back, which also happens to be a substantial need. Najee Harris is the call for me, but Travis Etienne would also make sense here.
25 | Jacksonville Jaguars — Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU The Jaguars expect to focus their draft on putting pieces around Trevor Lawrence, which could have them looking in multiple directions offensively here. Alternatively, if they are aiming to raise their overall talent level, safety Trevon Moehrig should be a consideration. He is arguably the top player remaining on the board, let alone at his position, and would project to be a rookie starter for their defense.
26 | Cleveland Browns — Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia The Browns are coming into this draft in the enviable, and for them unusual, position of not having to fill a pressing need. That said, there is some degree of uncertainty at cornerback due to injury, as well as opportunity for competition. Given that context, I think cornerback Eric Stokes may be a consideration over Caleb Farley and Greg Newsome II, both of whom might grade out slightly higher but come with durability questions.
27 | Baltimore Ravens — Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia The Ravens expect to be in the market for multiple positions late in the the first round, but fortunately they now have two picks to address those needs. In this scenario, the first position they tackle is edge rusher, opting for Azeez Ojulari, who is at or near the top of the group talent-wise, but may slip depending on how teams interpret his medical evaluation.
28 | New Orleans Saints — Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern The Saints are thin at wide receiver and defensive tackle especially, but cornerback is perhaps their most urgent need. With Greg Newsome II still on the board, I think they have to consider taking the immediate help for their pass defense, and tabling the other two positions until later. They could also be open to trading down with a team looking to jump back into the first round.
29 | Green Bay Packers — Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama The Packers may consider drafting for value this late in the first round, which would rule out positions where they do have an immediate need, such as wide receiver, linebacker, and cornerback, where the top of the board has been thinned out. To that point, the player presenting the best value without injury concerns might be high-ceiling defensive lineman Christian Barmore, who could be a key piece of their rotation early.
30 | Buffalo Bills — Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson The Bills have been the source of a lot of smoke this week, with reports suggesting that they are not only interested in drafting running back Travis Etienne, but exploring a trade up in the first round to secure his services. I’ll buy into it in so far as I can see the Bills and 3 or 4 other teams potentially targeting Etienne in this range. In this case, however, a trade up is not required.
31 | Baltimore Ravens — Landon Dickerson, OC, Alabama The Ravens will look to address a position here they didn’t earlier at #27. While I think there will be interest in a wide receiver, they might feel comfortable gambling on plug-and-play center Landon Dickerson, who is considered a first-round talent, but has an injury history that can’t be ignored.
32 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami The Buccaneers will come into this season looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions with their title team virtually intact. As it stands, the rich get richer, as they end up with edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who has the talent to go in the top half of the first round, but comes with significant medical red flags that could see him slide to here. Suffice to say, the Buccaneers can afford the risk.
Projections are based on the official draft order as of April 13 and my impression of team needs heading into the draft, and do not reflect any potential trade scenarios.
First-round selections with analysis are presented below, followed by the complete seven-round mock draft and selections by team.
1 | Jacksonville Jaguars — Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson Trevor Lawrence is the pick. This we know. If the Jaguars are officially on the clock for more than two minutes on draft night, they are trolling us all.
2 | New York Jets — Zach Wilson, QB, BYU Zach Wilson has been the favorite here for a while now. Shipping former starter Sam Darnold to Carolina effectively sets it in stone — although there is still a slim chance of a shocker on draft night.
3 | San Francisco 49ers — Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State Count me among those who are not as convinced at this point that Mac Jones is the definitive target of the 49ers’ trade up. I might even suggest that their presence at his pro day was to make sure he wasn’t their guy. That said, I don’t consider them attending a second pro day for Justin Fields to necessarily be a tell, but he could certainly win them over — if he hasn’t already.
4 | Atlanta Falcons — Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida This could be the spot for the fourth quarterback to come off the board — whether it is to Atlanta or a team that makes them an offer they can’t refuse. Since I’m not projecting trades and I’m not quite yet sold on the idea of the Falcons turning the page at quarterback, they stand in and take Kyle Pitts as they try to arm Matt Ryan for the final run of his career.
5 | Cincinnati Bengals — Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU Offensive tackle remains a clear need and the Bengals would have their pick of protectors here, but with Ja’Marr Chase re-emerging as the alpha of this receiver class, Cincinnati might be tempted to team him back up with Joe Burrow first and then circle back to tackle on Day 2.
6 | Miami Dolphins — DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama The Dolphins traded down to #12 then traded back up to #6, most likely to ensure they wouldn’t miss out on a top-tier pass catcher. As it stands, their choice here would come down to Alabama receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. In this scenario, the pick is Smith, who would give them a savvy separator with sticky hands.
7 | Detroit Lions — Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State Poor Jared Goff — hasn’t played a down for Detroit and already on borrowed time, right? While the Lions are making the pick here, this might also be a spot for a team further down the board to trade up in a play for one of the remaining quarterbacks. That said, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Lions take Trey Lance to be their quarterback of the future while they ride out Goff’s contract and rebuild.
8 | Carolina Panthers — Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon Acquiring Sam Darnold from the Jets and then reportedly exercising his fifth-year option would expect to remove the Panthers from the quarterback market in this draft — at least in the first round. If that is indeed the case, then they are firmly in play to take the first offensive tackle off the board here. Right now, I’m slotting in Penei Sewell as that selection.
9 | Denver Broncos — Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern The Broncos are one of the teams rumored to be considering a move up the board for a quarterback. Mac Jones is available here, but I don’t think he’s going to be their preference. In lieu of a trade, Rashawn Slater sliding in at right tackle could be of interest to them depending on how they feel about Ja’Wuan James moving forward.
10 | Dallas Cowboys — Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama Patrick Surtain II to the Cowboys is perhaps the most seamless player-team-value-need fit beyond the top two picks. This scenario didn’t present any reason to move away from that projection.
11 | New York Giants — Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan The Giants could be accused of overdrafting in the first round in recent years, but Kwity Paye would seem to be a sensible selection in terms of need and value. While he still needs seasoning as a pass rusher, the traits and potential are very bankable.
12 | Philadelphia Eagles — Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama I would expect the Eagles to take a long, hard look at drafting cornerback Jaycee Horn here, especially after the questionable selections at wide receiver they’ve made over the past couple of years. But, Jaylen Waddle is a game-changing weapon who could help compensate for the limitations of new QB1 Jalen Hurts.
13 | Los Angeles Chargers — Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT, USC Alijah Vera-Tucker generally projects to be an NFL guard, but the Chargers may look at him at tackle first. Regardless of whether he lines up on the offensive edge or slides inside, he’ll be an immediate starter.
14 | Minnesota Vikings — Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech I could see Mike Zimmer pounding the table for a pass rusher or cornerback Jaycee Horn, but the Vikings currently have a substantial hole to fill at left tackle. Christian Darrisaw isn’t a perfect prospect, but his physical gifts combined with proper coaching could see him reach a very high ceiling.
15 | New England Patriots — Mac Jones, QB, Alabama As it has been well established here, there, and everywhere, Mac Jones to the Patriots — one way or the other — makes sense from multiple angles. But, I doubt he gets here (especially if he ends up being the pick for San Francisco). That said, with no trades involved in this mock, I would consider this his draft floor and am treating this pick as such.
16 | Arizona Cardinals — Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina In this scenario, the Cardinals benefit from the teams directly in front of them passing on Jaycee Horn. Desperately needing a stud cornerback, they would be on the phone making the pick before the commissioner finished reading Mac Jones’ draft card.
17 | Las Vegas Raiders — Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State With Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock running the show, the phrase “Raiders gonna Raider” has been uttered more than once in recent years of draft night. That said, I don’t think anyone would question the selection of impact defender Micah Parsons.
18 | Miami Dolphins — Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa Most of the Dolphins’ linebackers are only signed through 2021 and they also need to replenish their pass rush after parting ways with both Kyle Van Noy and Shaq Lawson. Drafting Zaven Collins would help address both issues.
19 | Washington Football Team — Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky The rocket is securely strapped to Jamin Davis, who now has legitimate first-round buzz after putting a stellar season on tape and crushing his pro day. With a need at linebacker and a head coach and defensive coordinator who know a little about the position, Washington would expect to be one of teams interested in his services.
20 | Chicago Bears — Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State Despite appearances, the Bears would probably like to be in play for a first-round quarterback. With that not happening here, wide receiver, offensive tackle, and cornerback expect to be the targets. Pencil in Teven Jenkins as the pick, with the Bears looking to address pass catcher and pass defender in later rounds.
21 | Indianapolis Colts — Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama The Colts expect to be zeroing in on either an offensive tackle or edge defender. That said, they’re hurting more for a plug-and-play protector than another young pass rusher. Much like Alijah Vera-Tucker, Alex Leatherwood is commonly projected as an NFL guard, but the Colts may think tackle with him being highly effective there in college.
22 | Tennessee Titans — Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama The Titans sorely need a right tackle, but the board didn’t fall in their favor with this run. They could still look at Liam Eichenberg here to fill that role, but the prospect of pairing Christian Barmore with Jeffery Simmons up front is a pretty compelling alternative.
23 | New York Jets — Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami If not for his medical history, Jaelan Phillips could realistically be a Top-10 selection in this draft. He has that much talent and ability — and plays a premium position. If he pans out as a pro, the Jets could be getting a steal here.
24 | Pittsburgh Steelers — Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech Injury concerns ultimately caught up with the draft stock of Caleb Farley, sending him tumbling down the board. But, after a reportedly positive medical re-check, he might be climbing back up. The Steelers could be among the teams willing to gamble that his durability won’t be an issue moving forward.
25 | Jacksonville Jaguars — Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU This continues to be one of the more difficult picks for me to project. The Jaguars could go in a number of different directions here, but taking Trevon Moehrig would give them arguably the top prospect for the deep safety role.
26 | Cleveland Browns — Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia The Browns signed Takk McKinley and are in talks with Jadeveon Clowney, but thus far neither has lived up to the promise of their lofty draft position. Azeez Ojulari would be an option here to groom behind either or both veterans — or make them expendable.
27 | Baltimore Ravens — Landon Dickerson, OC, Alabama Landon Dickerson to the Ravens is one of the more fun fits of the first round — filling a major need and adding another name to the pipeline flowing from ‘Bama to Baltimore.
28 | New Orleans Saints — Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida For a team historically loaded with weapons, the receiver depth chart is awfully thin for the Saints at the moment. Kadarius Toney would give them an explosive playmaker to use down the field and in space.
29 | Green Bay Packers — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame I’ll be the first to admit that this is far too low for Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, but need and fit will probably impact his actual draft range the most out of any first-round prospect. The Packers wouldn’t seem like a natural landing spot, but the value is too good here and new defensive coordinator Joe Barry just might have a plan for JOK’s unique skillset.
30 | Buffalo Bills — Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern With the Bills moving on from Josh Norman and seemingly lukewarm on Levi Wallace, Greg Newsome II has an opportunity to come in right away and earn the starting job opposite Tre’Davious White.
31 | Kansas City Chiefs — Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas Offensive tackle expects to be the priority for the Chiefs here. While I’ve slotted Liam Eichenberg to them previously, it’s been a toss-up between him and Samuel Cosmi. In this scenario, I went with Cosmi, who might not be as polished, but is more athletic and projects to have the higher upside.
32 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue Despite being small in stature, there aren’t many players who operate with the speed and quickness of Rondale Moore. It would be incredibly fun to see him land in Tampa Bay to work with Bruce Arians and Tom Brady.
2021 NFL DRAFT SUPER MOCK
Round 1
1) Jacksonville Jaguars — Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson 2) New York Jets — Zach Wilson, QB, BYU 3) San Francisco 49ers (from HOU via MIA) — Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State 4) Atlanta Falcons — Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida 5) Cincinnati Bengals — Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU 6) Miami Dolphins (from PHI) — DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama 7) Detroit Lions — Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State 8) Carolina Panthers — Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon 9) Denver Broncos — Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern 10) Dallas Cowboys — Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama 11) New York Giants — Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan 12) Philadelphia Eagles (from SF via MIA) — Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama 13) Los Angeles Chargers — Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT, USC 14) Minnesota Vikings — Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech 15) New England Patriots — Mac Jones, QB, Alabama 16) Arizona Cardinals — Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina 17) Las Vegas Raiders — Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State 18) Miami Dolphins — Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa 19) Washington Football Team — Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky 20) Chicago Bears — Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State 21) Indianapolis Colts — Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama 22) Tennessee Titans — Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama 23) New York Jets (from SEA) — Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami 24) Pittsburgh Steelers — Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech 25) Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR) — Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU 26) Cleveland Browns — Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia 27) Baltimore Ravens — Landon Dickerson, OC, Alabama 28) New Orleans Saints — Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida 29) Green Bay Packers — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame 30) Buffalo Bills — Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern 31) Kansas City Chiefs — Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas 32) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
Round 2
33) Jacksonville Jaguars — Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State 34) New York Jets — Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse 35) Atlanta Falcons — Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Florida State 36) Miami Dolphins (from HOU) — Najee Harris, RB, Alabama 37) Philadelphia Eagles — Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia 38) Cincinnati Bengals — Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State 39) Carolina Panthers — Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU 40) Denver Broncos — Davis Mills, QB, Stanford 41) Detroit Lions — Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss 42) New York Giants — Aaron Banks, OG, Notre Dame 43) San Francisco 49ers — Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia 44) Dallas Cowboys — Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State 45) Jacksonville Jaguars (from MIN) — Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas 46) New England Patriots — Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota 47) Los Angeles Chargers — Elijah Molden, CB, Washington 48) Las Vegas Raiders — Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame 49) Arizona Cardinals — Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson 50) Miami Dolphins — Creed Humphrey, OC, Oklahoma 51) Washington Football Team — Kyle Trask, QB, Florida 52) Chicago Bears — Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF 53) Tennessee Titans — Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington 54) Indianapolis Colts — Gregory Rousseau, DL, Miami 55) Pittsburgh Steelers — Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina 56) Seattle Seahawks — James Hudson III, OT, Cincinnati 57) Los Angeles Rams — Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri 58) Baltimore Ravens — Payton Turner, EDGE, Houston 59) Cleveland Browns — Tutu Atwell, WR, Louisville 60) New Orleans Saints — Levi Onwuzurike, DL, Washington 61) Buffalo Bills — Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State 62) Green Bay Packers — Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC 63) Kansas City Chiefs — Quinn Meinerz, OC, Wisconsin-Whitewater 64) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Carlos Basham Jr., EDGE, Wake Forest
Round 3
65) Jacksonville Jaguars — Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson 66) New York Jets — Jabril Cox, LB, LSU 67) Houston Texans — Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M 68) Atlanta Falcons — Jevon Holland, S, Oregon 69) Cincinnati Bengals — Ronnie Perkins, EDGE, Oklahoma 70) Philadelphia Eagles — Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina 71) Denver Broncos — Richie Grant, S, UCF 72) Detroit Lions — Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky 73) Carolina Panthers — Kendrick Green, OG, Illinois 74) Washington Football Team (from SF) — Walker Little, OT, Stanford 75) Dallas Cowboys — Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson 76) New York Giants — Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan 77) Los Angeles Chargers — Nico Collins, WR, Michigan 78) Minnesota Vikings — Milton Williams, DL, Louisiana Tech 79) Las Vegas Raiders (from ARZ) — Ben Cleveland, OG, Georgia 80) Las Vegas Raiders — Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State 81) Miami Dolphins — Dayo Odeyingbo, DL, Vanderbilt 82) Washington Football Team — Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina 83) Chicago Bears — Divine Deablo, S, Virginia Tech 84) Philadelphia Eagles (from IND) — Stone Forsythe, OT, Florida 85) Tennessee Titans — Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan 86) New York Jets (from SEA) — Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame 87) Pittsburgh Steelers — Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa 88) Los Angeles Rams — Josh Myers, OC, Ohio State 89) Cleveland Browns — Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State 90) Minnesota Vikings (from BAL) — D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan 91) Cleveland Browns (from NO) — Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State 92) Green Bay Packers — Daviyon Nixon, DL, Iowa 93) Buffalo Bills — Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis 94) Kansas City Chiefs — Rashad Weaver, EDGE, Pitt 95) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas 96) New England Patriots (compensatory) — Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford 97) Los Angeles Chargers (compensatory) — Trey Smith, OG, Tennessee 98) New Orleans Saints (compensatory) — Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn 99) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory) — Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana 100) Tennessee Titans (compensatory) — Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami 101) Detroit Lions (from LAR; compensatory) — Josh Palmer, WR, Tennessee 102) San Francisco 49ers (compensatory) — Deonte Brown, OG, Alabama 103) Los Angeles Rams (compensatory) — Marvin Wilson, DL, Florida State 104) Baltimore Ravens (compensatory) — D’Ante Smith, OT, East Carolina 105) New Orleans Saints (compensatory) — Zech McPhearson, CB, Texas Tech
Round 4
106) Jacksonville Jaguars — Brady Christensen, OT, BYU 107) New York Jets — Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State 108) Atlanta Falcons — Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio State 109) Houston Texans — Seth Williams, WR, Auburn 110) Cleveland Browns (from PHI) — Alim McNeill, DL, North Carolina State 111) Cincinnati Bengals — Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina 112) Detroit Lions — Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue 113) Carolina Panthers — Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse 114) Denver Broncos — Chris Rumph II, EDGE, Duke 115) Dallas Cowboys — Tommy Togiai, DL, Ohio State 116) New York Giants — Jay Tufele, DL, USC 117) San Francisco 49ers — Marlon Tuipulotu, DL, USC 118) Los Angeles Chargers — Osa Odighizuwa, DL, UCLA 119) Minnesota Vikings — Royce Newman, OG, Ole Miss 120) New England Patriots — Robert Hainsey, OG, Notre Dame 121) Las Vegas Raiders — Ar’Darius Washington, S, TCU 122) New England Patriots (from ARZ via HOU) — Demetric Felton, RB, UCLA 123) Philadelphia Eagles (from MIA) — Patrick Jones II, EDGE, Pitt 124) Washington Football Team — Tre’ McKitty, TE, Georgia 125) Minnesota Vikings (from CHI) — Hunter Long, TE, Boston College 126) Tennessee Titans — Cade Johnson, WR, South Dakota State 127) Indianapolis Colts — Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama 128) Pittsburgh Steelers — Buddy Johnson, LB, Texas A&M 129) Seattle Seahawks — Tyler Shelvin, DL, LSU 130) Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR) — Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State 131) Baltimore Ravens — Cornell Powell, WR, Clemson 132) Cleveland Browns — Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota 133) New Orleans Saints — Garret Wallow, LB, TCU 134) Minnesota Vikings (from BUF) — Tyree Gillespie, S, Missouri 135) Green Bay Packers — Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan 136) Kansas City Chiefs — Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State 137) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Josh Ball, OT, Marshall 138) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory) — Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami 139) New England Patriots (compensatory) — Talanoa Hufanga, S, USC 140) Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory) — Drew Dalman, OC, Stanford 141) Los Angeles Rams (compensatory) — Jordan Smith, EDGE, UAB 142) Green Bay Packers (compensatory) — Michal Menet, OC, Penn State 143) Minnesota Vikings (compensatory) — Adetokunbo Ogundeji, EDGE, Notre Dame 144) Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory) — Tony Fields II, LB, West Virginia
Round 5
145) Jacksonville Jaguars — Jermar Jefferson, RB, Oregon State 146) New York Jets — Frank Darby, WR, Arizona State 147) Houston Texans — Shakur Brown, CB, Michigan State 148) Atlanta Falcons — Brenden Jaimes, OT, Nebraska 149) Cincinnati Bengals — Isaiah McDuffie, LB, Boston College 150) Philadelphia Eagles — Thomas Graham Jr., CB, Oregon 151) Carolina Panthers — Khalil Herbert, RB, Virginia Tech 152) Denver Broncos — Monty Rice, LB, Georgia 153) Detroit Lions — Jaylon Moore, OT, Western Michigan 154) New York Jets (from NYG) — Tommy Doyle, OT, Miami-Ohio 155) San Francisco 49ers — Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State 156) Miami Dolphins (from DAL via PHI) — Khyiris Tonga, DL, BYU 157) Minnesota Vikings — Nick Niemann, LB, Iowa 158) Houston Texans (from NE) — Chauncey Golston, EDGE, Iowa 159) Los Angeles Chargers — Cameron Sample, EDGE, Tulane 160) Arizona Cardinals — Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina 161) Buffalo Bills (from LV) — Ben Mason, FB, Michigan 162) Las Vegas Raiders (from MIA) — Bobby Brown III, DL, Texas A&M 163) Washington Football Team — Janarius Robinson, EDGE, Florida State 164) Chicago Bears — Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford 165) Indianapolis Colts — Keith Taylor, CB, Washington 166) Tennessee Titans — Rodarius Williams, CB, Oklahoma State 167) Las Vegas Raiders (from SEA) — Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa 168) Minnesota Vikings (from PIT via BAL) — Jamie Newman, QB, Wake Forest 169) Cleveland Browns (from LAR) — Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Oklahoma 170) Jacksonville Jaguars (from CLE) — Jared Hocker, OG, Texas A&M 171) Baltimore Ravens — Darrick Forrest Jr., S, Cincinnati 172) San Francisco 49ers (from NO) — Rashad Byrd, LB, Georgia Southern 173) Green Bay Packers — Dan Moore Jr., OT, Texas A&M 174) Buffalo Bills — Trill Williams, S, Syracuse 175) Kansas City Chiefs — Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State 176) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jamien Sherwood, S, Auburn 177) New England Patriots (compensatory) — Charles Snowden, EDGE, Virginia 178) Green Bay Packers (compensatory) — Ernest Jones, LB, South Carolina 179) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory) — Brandon Stephens, CB, SMU 180) San Francisco 49ers (compensatory) — Justin Hilliard, LB, Ohio State 181) Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory) — Marco Wilson, CB, Florida 182) Atlanta Falcons (compensatory) — David Moore, OG, Grambling State 183) Atlanta Falcons (compensatory) — Hamilcar Rashed Jr., EDGE, Oregon State 184) Baltimore Ravens (compensatory) — Daelin Hayes, EDGE, Notre Dame
Round 6
185) Los Angeles Chargers (from JAX via TEN) — Camryn Bynum, CB, California 186) New York Jets — Elijah Mitchell, RB, Louisiana 187) Atlanta Falcons — Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa 188) New England Patriots (from HOU) — Alaric Jackson, OT, Iowa 189) Philadelphia Eagles — Kenny Yeboah, TE, Ole Miss 190) Cincinnati Bengals — James Wiggins, S, Cincinnati 191) Denver Broncos — Javian Hawkins, RB, Louisville 192) Dallas Cowboys (from DET) — Dazz Newsome, WR, North Carolina 193) Carolina Panthers — Jonathan Marshall, DL, Arkansas 194) San Francisco 49ers — Wyatt Hubert, EDGE, Kansas State 195) Houston Texans (from DAL via NE) — Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forest 196) New York Giants — Shaka Toney, EDGE, Penn State 197) New England Patriots — Tedarrell Slaton, DL, Florida 198) Los Angeles Chargers — Jose Borregales, K, Miami 199) Minnesota Vikings — Evan McPherson, K, Florida 200) Las Vegas Raiders — Paddy Fisher, LB, Northwestern 201) New York Giants (from ARZ) — Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo 202) Cincinnati Bengals (from MIA via HOU) — Chris Wilcox, CB, BYU 203) Houston Texans (from WFT via LV and MIA) — DJ Daniel, CB, Georgia 204) Chicago Bears — Ta’Quon Graham, DL, Texas 205) Tennessee Titans — Brandon Smith, WR, Iowa 206) Indianapolis Colts — Joshuah Bledsoe, S, Missouri 207) Kansas City Chiefs (from PIT via MIA) — Robert Jones, OG, Middle Tennessee State 208) Chicago Bears (from SEA via MIA) — Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas 209) Los Angeles Rams — Tay Gowan, CB, UCF 210) Baltimore Ravens — K.J. Britt, LB, Auburn 211) Cleveland Browns — Kary Vincent Jr., CB, LSU 212) Houston Texans (from NO) — Adrian Ealy, OT, Oklahoma 213) Buffalo Bills — Drake Jackson, OC, Pitt 214) Green Bay Packers — Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas 215) Tennessee Titans (from KC) — Sadarius Hutcherson, OG, South Carolina 216) Pittsburgh Steelers (from TB) — Tarron Jackson, EDGE, Coastal Carolina 217) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (compensatory) — Kayode Awosika, OG, Buffalo 218) New Orleans Saints (compensatory) — Deommodore Lenoir, CB, Oregon 219) Atlanta Falcons (compensatory) — Anthony Hines III, LB, Texas A&M 220) Green Bay Packers (compensatory) — Malcolm Koonce, EDGE, Buffalo 221) Chicago Bears (compensatory) — Trevon Grimes, WR, Florida 222) Carolina Panthers (compensatory) — John Bates, TE, Boise State 223) Arizona Cardinals (from MIN; compensatory) — Jacob Harris, TE, UCF 224) Philadelphia Eagles (compensatory) — Victor Dimukeje, EDGE, Duke 225) Philadelphia Eagles (compensatory) — Trey Hill, OC, Georgia 226) New York Jets (from CAR; compensatory) — Dax Milne, WR, BYU 227) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory) — Jonathan Cooper, EDGE, Ohio State 228) Chicago Bears (compensatory) — Patrick Johnson, EDGE, Tulane
Round 7
229) New Orleans Saints (from JAX) — Chris Evans, RB, Michigan 230) San Francisco 49ers (from NYJ) — Marquez Stevenson, WR, Houston 231) Miami Dolphins (from HOU) — Avery Williams, CB, Boise State 232) Tennessee Titans (from ATL via MIA) — JaCoby Stevens, S, LSU 233) Houston Texans (from CIN) — Jaylen Twyman, DL, Pitt 234) Philadelphia Eagles — Michael Strachan, WR, Charleston 235) Cincinnati Bengals (from DET via SEA) — Darius Stills, DL, West Virginia 236) Buffalo Bills (from CAR) — Matt Bushman, TE, BYU 237) Denver Broncos — Quinton Bohanna, DL, Kentucky 238) Dallas Cowboys — Curtis Robinson, LB, Stanford 239) Denver Broncos (from NYG) — Tre Brown, CB, Oklahoma 240) Philadelphia Eagles (from SF) — Caden Sterns, S, Texas 241) Los Angeles Chargers — Larry Rountree III, RB, Missouri 242) New England Patriots — Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina 243) Arizona Cardinals — Christian Uphoff, S, Illinois State 244) Washington Football Team (from LV) — Jake Funk, RB, Maryland 245) Pittsburgh Steelers (from MIA) — Jack Heflin, DL, Iowa 246) Washington Football Team — Mark Gilbert, CB, Duke 247) Arizona Cardinals (from CHI via LV) — Larnel Coleman, OT, UMass 248) Indianapolis Colts — Austin Watkins Jr., WR, UAB 249) Jacksonville Jaguars (from TEN) — Amen Ogbongbemiga, LB, Oklahoma State 250) Seattle Seahawks — Jonathan Adams Jr., WR, Arkansas State 251) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from PIT) — Feleipe Franks, QB, Arkansas 252) Los Angeles Rams — Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville 253) Denver Broncos (from CLE) — William Bradley-King, EDGE, Baylor 254) Pittsburgh Steelers (from BAL) — Damar Hamlin, S, Pitt 255) New Orleans Saints — Larry Borom, OT, Missouri 256) Green Bay Packers — Kene Nwangwu, RB, Iowa State 257) Cleveland Browns (from BUF) — Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame 258) Miami Dolphins (from KC) — Max Duffy, P, Kentucky 259) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Joshua Kaindoh, EDGE, Florida State
SELECTIONS BY TEAM
Arizona Cardinals 1.16 — Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina 2.49 — Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson 5.160 — Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina 6.223 — Jacob Harris, TE, UCF 7.243 — Christian Uphoff, S, Illinois State 7.247 — Larnel Coleman, OT, UMass
Atlanta Falcons 1.4 — Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida 2.35 — Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Florida State 3.68 — Jevon Holland, S, Oregon 4.108 — Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio State 5.148 — Brenden Jaimes, OT, Nebraska 5.182 — David Moore, OG, Grambling State 5.183 — Hamilcar Rashed Jr., EDGE, Oregon State 6.187 — Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa 6.219 — Anthony Hines III, LB, Texas A&M
Buffalo Bills 1.30 — Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern 2.61 — Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State 3.93 — Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis 5.161 — Ben Mason, FB, Michigan 5.174 — Trill Williams, S, Syracuse 6.213 — Drake Jackson, OC, Pitt 7.236 — Matt Bushman, TE, BYU
Carolina Panthers 1.8 — Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon 2.39 — Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU 3.73 — Kendrick Green, OG, Illinois 4.113 — Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse 5.151 — Khalil Herbert, RB, Virginia Tech 6.193 — Jonathan Marshall, DL, Arkansas 6.222 — John Bates, TE, Boise State
Chicago Bears 1.20 — Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State 2.52 — Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF 3.83 — Divine Deablo, S, Virginia Tech 5.164 — Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford 6.204 — Ta’Quon Graham, DL, Texas 6.208 — Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas 6.221 — Trevon Grimes, WR, Florida 6.228 — Patrick Johnson, EDGE, Tulane
Cincinnati Bengals 1.5 — Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU 2.38 — Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State 3.69 — Ronnie Perkins, EDGE, Oklahoma 4.111 — Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina 5.149 — Isaiah McDuffie, LB, Boston College 6.190 — James Wiggins, S, Cincinnati 6.202 — Chris Wilcox, CB, BYU 7.235 — Darius Stills, DL, West Virginia
Cleveland Browns 1.26 — Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia 2.59 — Tutu Atwell, WR, Louisville 3.89 — Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State 3.91 — Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State 4.110 — Alim McNeill, DL, North Carolina State 4.132 — Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota 5.169 — Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Oklahoma 6.211 — Kary Vincent Jr., CB, LSU 7.257 — Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame
Dallas Cowboys 1.10 — Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama 2.44 — Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State 3.75 — Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson 3.99 — Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana 4.115 — Tommy Togiai, DL, Ohio State 4.138 — Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami 5.179 — Brandon Stephens, CB, SMU 6.192 — Dazz Newsome, WR, North Carolina 6.227 — Jonathan Cooper, EDGE, Ohio State 7.238 — Curtis Robinson, LB, Stanford
Denver Broncos 1.9 — Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern 2.40 — Davis Mills, QB, Stanford 3.71 — Richie Grant, S, UCF 4.114 — Chris Rumph II, EDGE, Duke 5.152 — Monty Rice, LB, Georgia 6.191 — Javian Hawkins, RB, Louisville 7.237 — Quinton Bohanna, DL, Kentucky 7.239 — Tre Brown, CB, Oklahoma 7.253 — William Bradley-King, EDGE, Baylor
Detroit Lions 1.7 — Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State 2.41 — Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss 3.72 — Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky 3.101 — Josh Palmer, WR, Tennessee 4.112 — Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue 5.153 — Jaylon Moore, OT, Western Michigan
Green Bay Packers 1.29 — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame 2.62 — Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC 3.92 — Daviyon Nixon, DL, Iowa 4.135 — Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan 4.142 — Michal Menet, OC, Penn State 5.173 — Dan Moore Jr., OT, Texas A&M 5.178 — Ernest Jones, LB, South Carolina 6.214 — Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas 6.220 — Malcolm Koonce, EDGE, Buffalo 7.256 — Kene Nwangwu, RB, Iowa State
Indianapolis Colts 1.21 — Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama 2.54 — Gregory Rousseau, DL, Miami 4.127 — Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama 5.165 — Keith Taylor, CB, Washington 6.206 — Joshuah Bledsoe, S, Missouri 7.248 — Austin Watkins Jr., WR, UAB
Jacksonville Jaguars 1.1 — Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson 1.25 — Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU 2.33 — Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State 2.45 — Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas 3.65 — Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson 4.106 — Brady Christensen, OT, BYU 4.130 — Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State 5.145 — Jermar Jefferson, RB, Oregon State 5.170 — Jared Hocker, OG, Texas A&M 7.249 — Amen Ogbongbemiga, LB, Oklahoma State
Kansas City Chiefs 1.31 — Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas 2.63 — Quinn Meinerz, OC, Wisconsin-Whitewater 3.94 — Rashad Weaver, EDGE, Pitt 4.136 — Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State 4.144 — Tony Fields II, LB, West Virginia 5.175 — Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State 5.181 — Marco Wilson, CB, Florida 6.207 — Robert Jones, OG, Middle Tennessee State
Las Vegas Raiders 1.17 — Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State 2.48 — Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame 3.79 — Ben Cleveland, OG, Georgia 3.80 — Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State 4.121 — Ar’Darius Washington, S, TCU 5.162 — Bobby Brown III, DL, Texas A&M 5.167 — Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa 6.200 — Paddy Fisher, LB, Northwestern
Los Angeles Chargers 1.13 — Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT, USC 2.47 — Elijah Molden, CB, Washington 3.77 — Nico Collins, WR, Michigan 3.97 — Trey Smith, OG, Tennessee 4.118 — Osa Odighizuwa, DL, UCLA 5.159 — Cameron Sample, EDGE, Tulane 6.185 — Camryn Bynum, CB, California 6.198 — Jose Borregales, K, Miami 7.241 — Larry Rountree III, RB, Missouri
Los Angeles Rams 2.57 — Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri 3.88 — Josh Myers, OC, Ohio State 3.103 — Marvin Wilson, DL, Florida State 4.141 — Jordan Smith, EDGE, UAB 6.209 — Tay Gowan, CB, UCF 7.252 — Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville
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.
