2021 NFL Mock Draft: Bears, Falcons, 49ers all join QB rat race
LB. Las Vegas Raiders. Zaven Collins. 17. player. 28.
One of the big hopes for the Raiders this past offseason was that the signings of Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski would solve the longstanding issue at linebacker. That didn’t fully happen, unfortunately, even if they did take a step forward in that regard. Subsequently, they need to be targeting another playmaker who can line up in the middle of the defense and Zaven Collins is the perfect player for that.
While at Tulsa, Collins moved all around the defense and excelled in every role. He’s good at crashing down into rushing lanes while also tracking sideline-to-sideline and providing good coverage play as well. Moreover, he is a good rusher when he’s deployed as a blitzer from various spots. That’s a player Las Vegas doesn’t have on the roster and who could substantially help the Raiders defense be ready to make a playoff push.
59. . WR. Miami Dolphins. Jaylen Waddle. 18. player
For all of the good things that the Miami Dolphins have done thus far in their substantial rebuild, one of the weaknesses that is still present is the lack of quality depth at wide receiver. DeVante Parker has finally started to live up to his potential but Preston Williams has struggled to stay healthy and the others in the group are role players. For Tua to have the opportunity to prove himself, he needs more to work with.
Pairing Tagovailoa with his former teammate at Alabama, Jaylen Waddle, would be a nice step in that direction. Armed with elite playmaking both as a vertical threat and with the ability to run after the catch, Waddle is a big play waiting to happen while also having the frame to win in traffic. While his ankle injury in the 2020 college season does raise a bit of concern, getting him at No. 18 could be a steal for Miami.