2021 NFL Mock Draft: Jaguars luck into Trevor Lawrence, Eagles give Hurts Ja’Marr Chase
By Randy Gurzi
Pick Analysis. DT. USC. player. 28. Scouting Report. Jay Tufele. 17
Back-to-back USC players come off the board as an interior offensive lineman in Alijah Vera-Tucker is followed by an interior defensive lineman in Jay Tufele, who lands with the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 17. What makes Tufele a great prospect at the pro level is his ability to play both the one and three-technique, which will give the Raiders plenty of options.
He’s able to win with the bull rush but is also an explosive player who can get after the quarterback. He’s a three-down talent and can line up next to Maurice Hurst to really solidify the interior of the Raiders line. They signed Maliek Collins this past year for that role and he hasn/t really stood out, which means it would be a surprise to see him return, making a selection such as Tufele even more likely.
57. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Christian Darrisaw. player. OT. West Virginia. 18
Suddenly, Mitch Trubisky might be good? Since returning to the lineup, he’s looked competent and has the Chicago Bears offense playing well. Of course, we all have seen this before and Trubisky continues to be consistently inconsistent, so expecting him to turn a corner probably won’t end well.
Having said that, the Bears aren’t in a great position right now to draft his replacement. At No. 18, we have already seen five quarterbacks taken and that’s already dipping into players who aren’t definite first-round talents.
So instead, Chicago addresses another issue as they bolster their offensive line by taking Christian Darrisaw. Whoever ends up under center will at least be a little more comfortable thanks to this move.