2021 NFL Mock Draft: Bears, Falcons, 49ers all join QB rat race
IDL. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Christian Barmore. 29. player. 48.
Especially with the likely return of Tom Brady for the 2021 season, it’s hard to find a spot on offense where the Buccaneers really could use some help — unless they wanted to upgrade at running back. But that would, in fact, be irresponsible on their part, not just because of the value of the position but also because their defensive line is going to be a key area of focus this offseason.
Assuming they can retain Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul, the Bucs need to get a player like Christian Barmore on the interior. With the potential to lose Ndamukong Suh, pairing Barmore with a returning Vita Vea could be huge. The Alabama defensive tackle remains raw but he has an elite skill set that any NFL team should be eager to develop with how disruptive he can be on the interior in every facet.
Buffalo Bills. Eric Stokes. 30. player. 16. . CB
Tre’Davious White has established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL over the past few seasons but the sneaky truth about the Buffalo Bills defensive back group is that no one has emerged as a true No. 2 opposite of White. That’s something that this team must address as they look to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive moving forward, which is why they take Eric Stokes near the end of the first round.
The Georgia product isn’t an elite athlete with top-end speed but his ability to mirror and match with footwork at his best make him a quality player on the outside. He needs to become more disciplined with his feet and hands to avoid lapses but, with the improvement he’s shown with experience, there’s reason to believe that he has yet to reach his ceiling and could be a wonderful player for the Bills to pair with White.