2021 NFL Mock Draft: Trey Lance to Panthers, Packers nab big OT over 3 full rounds

Coming in at No. 5 in this 2021 NFL Mock Draft is the Cincinnati Bengals, who just had the top pick in the 2020 draft. With that selection, they landed their new face of the franchise, Joe Burrow. The LSU product came in after what was widely considered the best season in NCAA history. Not only did he put up some historic numbers, but he also led his team to an NCAA Championship.

Once he was in the NFL, Burrow continued to shine as a quarterback. He looked the part of a professional signal-caller and was on pace for one of the better rookie seasons ever for a quarterback. Then, he suffered a terrible knee injury which ended his season prematurely. The Bengals did continue to grow as a team and even had a huge upset over the Pittsburgh Steelers without some of their biggest stars. That gives them plenty of hope heading into the 2021 NFL Season, but they need to make sure they keep Burrow safe in the pocket.

That’s the hope here as they take the No. 1 offensive tackle in the class, Penei Sewell out of Oregon. Sewell opted out of the 2020 season due to coronavirus concerns but is still considered the best offensive tackle by most pundits. Sewell is solid with his technique, power, and athleticism and while Burrow was hurt on a player where he took off and ran with the ball, correcting their offensive line issues will help keep him from having to take off as he did so often during his rookie campaign.

Cincinnati has been struggling for quite a while but the addition of Burrow has given them some new hope. Now, they just need to make sure to protect him going forward.