The Carolina Panthers switch out their quarterback and the Cowboys land a star cornerback in this three-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft
Unfortunately, we aren’t going to get to see this incoming class of athletes put their skills to the test at the annual NFL Scouting Combine. The event preceding the 2021 NFL Draft was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns — which is understandable but still sad since it’s always fun to watch these players show off during what feels like the longest drought that is the NFL offseason.
There will still be Pro Days and individual workouts which will help scouts make their decisions but the majority of the scouting will now be done from the game film.
In the end, that could be a good thing since combine numbers tend to over-inflate some player’s stock. Or it could push them in the wrong direction.
Here, we look ahead to the upcoming draft and try and use what we saw on Saturdays to determine where the top players go with this three-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft.
Trevor Lawrence lands with the Jacksonville Jaguars and at this point, this might be the least surprising prediction of the offseason. Lawrence has been the consensus No. 1 pick in this draft since the 2019 season.
A star at Clemson, he will give Jacksonville head coach Urban Meyer exactly what he needs — a face of the franchise.
There’s no throw Lawrence can’t make and he’s arguably the most pro-ready quarterback since Andrew Luck back in 2012. He’s the exact type of player the Jags need to turn things around for good. Finally.
There are still rumors that the New York Jets could swing a trade for Deshaun Watson. The current Houston Texans signal-caller is upset with the only pro team he has ever played for and it’s understandable why.
Houston has failed to put the right talent around Watson and they also traded away DeAndre Hopkins — the only player on offense who was close to Watson’s caliber.
While it would make sense for the Jets to trade for Watson, there’s also an argument that they shouldn’t give up the stockpile of picks it would take to acquire him. That would include this pick, which they could use to land another starting quarterback instead, which is what they do with the selection of Justin Fields from Ohio State.
Should the Jets pass on a chance at Watson and take Fields, they wouldn’t be getting some consolation prize. Fields is a legit dual-threat who can make all the throws and is dangerous with his legs. His ceiling is high enough that he would likely be the No. 1 pick in the draft had it not been for Trevor Lawrence who is just an elite prospect.
New York has not had a starter they can trust for a long time and while Sam Darnold has shown flashes, it’s probably best for both sides to move on this season and start fresh with a rookie such as Fields.
(Pick via Houston Texans): Tua Tagovailoa had his share of growing pains as a rookie for the Miami Dolphins but the good news is, he stayed healthy for the most part. The Alabama product saw his collegiate career come to an end due to a hip injury that required surgery. That surgery also slowed down his development as he started the season on the bench behind Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Moving to Tagovailoa at the bye week made sense but it also was hard to watch since Fitzpatrick was playing so well. Now, Tua looks ready to take the next step and may do so without the veteran around since Fitzpatrick is a free agent. He will surely miss the mentorship but it could help him blossom as a starter.
This pick in our mock draft is also aimed at helping Tua develop as the Dolphins take LSU wideout Ja’Marr Chase. While the LSU star opted out of the 2020 season, he did more than enough in his two years with the Tigers to be the first wideout taken in the draft.
Chase had 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2019 while averaging 21.2 yards per catch. He has sure hands and will check off every measurable box. On top of that, there are no routes he can’t run. Adding Chase gives Miami an elite pass-catcher which is one of the best ways to help a young quarterback gain confidence.
Arthur Smith is taking over as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons after having plenty of success as the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans. Once known simply for their defensive prowess, the Titans flourished this past season under Smith — and it wasn’t just due to Derrick Henry having a monster season. Smith also got the most out of quarterback Ryan Tannehill and saw both A.J. Brown and Corey Davis grow into top-flight wide receivers. All that work led to his first head coaching job, and he does have a lot of talent to work with in Atlanta.
The problem is, many of their best players are getting up there in age. For that reason, there has been plenty of speculation that the Falcons could move some of their best players as they begin a rebuild. The top candidates to move on would be wide receiver Julio Jones and quarterback Matt Ryan. Both could still fetch something and a team that’s only a quarterback away could make a play for Ryan. For Atlanta, making this move would only make sense if they had a replacement ready to go, which they would if they landed Zach Wilson out of BYU.
Wilson was a surprising player this past season as he ascended from a quarterback to watch to one of the best in the nation. He was excellent with his anticipation throws and at times looked to be the best passer in the nation. Some might call him a one-year wonder but he has a lot of experience and showed growth each and every season for the Cougars.
Saying goodbye to Ryan won’t be easy, since he was such an integral part of their last rebuild — and is responsible for a lot of their success on offense in recent years. However, it’s not often that a team such as Atlanta drafts this high and they can’t pass up a player with the tools Wilson has.
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.
The Philadelphia Eagles have already made some big splashes since the end of the 2020 season. After watching their team fall apart under head coach Doug Pederson, the front office decided to pull the plug on his tenure. This was a bit of a surprise given the fact that Pederson won a Super Bowl for them in 2017 — the only Super Bowl win in franchise history.
With him gone, they hired Nick Sirianni — a 39-year-old who spent the past three seasons serving as the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. Sirianni worked under Frank Reich, the coach who was formerly an Eagles offensive coordinator back in 2016 and 2017. Reich was there when Carson Wentz was playing at an elite level and the hiring of Sirianni made it seem as though they were hoping to help Wentz rediscover his magic. That idea ended up being wrong as Philly then traded Wentz to Indianapolis, reuniting him with Reich.
As for the Eagles, they seem ready to roll with Jalen Hurts in 2021. Whether or not you agree with that move, it seems to be the way they’re leaning and if so, they need to surround the young quarterback with as much talent as possible. They begin that process here by taking Devonta Smith, the Heisman Trophy winner from a season ago. Smith is one of the more explosive receivers in this class and just put together one of the best campaigns in recent memory.
Adding him will mark the second season in a row they used a first-round pick on a wideout but with Jalen Reagor not yet asserting himself as a No. 1 wideout, the Eagles need to be proactive and continue to add players who can make plays in the passing game. And that’s exactly what they get with this selection.
Another receiver is selected here as Jaylen Waddle lands with the Detroit Lions — another club that’s welcoming a new head coach. The Lions grew tired of Jim Caldwell and fired him after two-straight 9-7 records and an overall mark of 36-28. During his four seasons with Detroit, Caldwell had just one losing campaign, which was in 2015 when they went 7-9.
The Lions then replaced him with Matt Patricia, the former defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. Patricia — just like many other Bill Belichick disciples — came to the team trying to preach accountability and discipline. He tried to use the Belichick model without having the pedigree of Belichick and in the end, it led to an abysmal three seasons where he went 13-29-1 and never even won seven games in a single season. And as we noted earlier, seven games was the worst mark Caldwell had.
With Patricia out, the Lions are turning to Dan Campbell who had a weird introductory press conference. He also now has to turn to Jared Goff, who the Lions added in a trade for Matt Stafford and a bevy of draft picks. Detroit could also lose some of their best players with Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones being free agents.
Waddle coming in wouldn’t stop them from retaining Golladay but instead, would help him avoid constant double-teams. Of course, if they did lose their No. 1 wideout, the addition of Waddle could be even more important as he could step into that role for the Lions.
This is one where I go back and forth. The Carolina Panthers struggled in 2020 and a big reason for that was the loss of Christian McCaffrey. With him out of the lineup for most of the season, Teddy Bridgewater wasn’t able to be what he’s best at — a game manager. The former first-round pick isn’t a bad quarterback, by any means, but the idea when signing him was that the Panthers would be a run-first team with him simply managing the offense and avoiding mistakes. They would rely on this efficient offense and a talented defense to stay competitive.
This clearly didn’t work in 2020 but could it in 2021 if they get better on defense and Run CMC gets healthy? Possibly, and if they feel this way, they might stick with TBH20 for another season. Or, they could take advantage of someone such as Trey Lance falling to them at No. 8.
In this mock draft, they go with the latter and take Lance rather than trying to bulk up their defense. The North Dakota State University quarterback put together an impressive resume and although he and his team only got to play one game this past season due to COVID-19 restrictions, he’s still a worthy first-round pick.
There are even those who debate whether or not he should go ahead of Zach Wilson, which is a testament to the talent Lance has. That’s why the Panthers are unable to resist passing on him here as they take their best quarterback since Cam Newton.
Patrick Surtain II has a name that might sound familiar. That’s because his father was a former Pro Bowl defensive back who was a second-round pick of the Miami Dolphins back in 1998.
That’s just one of the things about the Alabama product that Travis Wakeman of Predominantly Orange loves. Wakeman appreciates the size and speed Surtain brings to the position and he considers him one of the corners the Denver Broncos should consider in Round 1 — saying that Surtain would fill a massive need.
"“The Broncos have a glaring need at the position and a guy like Surtain could come in and be a great weapon to use against a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, where he has the ability to line up against Tyreek Hill or Travis Kelce. A versatile chess piece such as that is one that defensive coordinators salivate over. Think back to when the New England Patriots used to go to Talib to shut down the opposition’s top tight end.” — Wakeman, Predominantly Orange"
The first corner off the board in this mock, Surtain only has one other true contender for the CB1 role in Caleb Farley. Surtain, however, has more experience at the position and went up against some of the best receivers in the nation while playing for the Crimson Tide.
Denver spent many of their picks on offense in 2020 and now they start to address the other side of the ball and hit a home run here.
This past season was a frustrating one for Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys. The former Super Bowl-winning head coach took a year off in 2019 and put a staff together that he thought could get him back to the top of the NFL. Then, he landed a job with a team that had many of the pieces to be a success — on offense. The Cowboys were supposed to be one of the more exciting teams in the NFL when it came to moving the ball, and they had hoped that McCarthy and returning offensive coordinator Kellen Moore could do enough to outscore opposing teams.
What they didn’t realize was just how bad their defense was. They struggled to outscore teams since the opponents could just score at will and things got worse when Dak Prescott broke his ankle. Dallas finished with a record of 6-10 but still somehow had a shot at the NFC East title still. The fact that they were so close means they could be right back in the mix in 2021 as long as they re-sign Prescott and add some help on the defensive side of the ball.
Predicting what the odd Jones family will do with Dak is impossible since they seem to be the only people who don’t realize what he truly means to this team. But for the draft, that might be a bit easier. They’re likely going to take the best defensive player on the board, as long as it’s not a reach. With Caleb Farley still on the board here, they take the Virginia Tech cornerback here and won’t regret it one bit.
Farley is a former wide receiver who looks as though he was built for that position. That’s a plus for him when it comes to battling wideouts for the ball. He won’t get bullied by bigger receivers and has the hands to take the ball away from them. On top of that, he’s still learning the position and is already talented enough to be selected in the top-10.
There’s no denying the New York Giants need to get better on offense if they want to compete in the NFC East. Well, that is if the East gets better. The Giants were right in the mix somehow and even had a shot at winning the division with a record of 6-10. All they needed was the Eagles to knock off Washington in Week 17 and they would have won the division and hosted the Bucs in the Wild Card Round.
When Philly essentially threw the game, players and fans in New York were outraged. While that’s understandable, they probably should have won more than six games before trying to claim any titles. In the end, they kept from being bounced in the postseason and wound up with better draft positioning. And landing at No. 11 helps them as we return to the idea of them improving on offense.
New York takes Florida tight end Kyle Pitts here and he’s the type of game-changer this offense needs. True, the Giants need a No. 1 wide receiver, but Pitts can be the top target much in the same way George Kittle and Travis Kelce have done for the 49ers and Chiefs respectively. Hey, those two teams even faced off in a Super Bowl recently, so having an elite tight end as the most targeted pass-catcher can be a formula for success as long as that player is transcendent — and Pitts is that.
In his junior season, Pitts took the nation by storm. He had 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in just eight games. He could be a huge building block for the Giants and will help Daniel Jones progress as a quarterback.
The San Francisco 49ers were in the Super Bowl following the 2019 season in large part due to their defensive play. Of course, their defensive line was the catalyst with Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, DeForest Buckner, and Arik Armstead leading the way. This past season, things looked different with Ford playing in just one game while Bosa missed all but two. Buckner was also gone as they traded him to the Colts but landed Javon Kinlaw with the first-round pick from Indy. With them all out, Kerry Hyder (a veteran journeyman) led the team in sacks with 8.5.
Looking ahead to 2021, Ford will be 30-years old and Bosa is coming off a torn ACL. For that reason, they look to get more talent on the line (while also getting younger) by taking Kwity Paye from Michigan. Paye is a freakish athlete who looks as though he was chiseled from stone and made into a prototypical defensive end. He’s shown what he can do for the Wolverines but it still feels as though his potential has hardly been tapped and he could be an even better pro than he was a collegiate player.
In San Francisco, he finds himself in a great position. Not only will he face minimal double-teams thanks to the presence of Bosa and Armstead, but he won’t have the pressure on his shoulders to carry a defense. He also won’t be asked to start right away but can work his way into the lineup, which will also help with his development.
This past season might not have ended the way the Los Angeles Chargers would have liked when it comes to wins and losses but they did see plenty of positive growth on the field. Of course, this was all in regards to the play of rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, who was simply fantastic in his first season with the team.
Herbert started in Week 2 when a team doctor accidentally punctured Tyrod Taylor’s lung when trying to administer a pain killer. Taylor never regained his starting job thanks to the performance of Herbert, who set some records as a rookie including the most touchdown passes of 31, which beats the 27 from Baker Mayfield which was set in 2018. Herbert was also very efficient, completing 66.6 percent of his passes for 4,336 yards with only 10 picks and he added five more touchdowns with his legs.
He was 6-9 as the starter but hopes are high in Los Angeles, especially after signing former Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley as their head coach. Staley should help the defense improve and Herbert will keep the offense rolling as long as he has the supporting cast he needs. In an effort to provide that, L.A. takes Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater here. Slater is listed at 6-foot-4 and 315-pounds and is a very good athlete, especially for someone his size. He can handle the speed and power rush plus he can play multiple spots on the line. Los Angeles will likely try him as a tackle, which will help keep Herbert standing upright.
Things went poorly for the Minnesota Vikings this season, finishing 7-9 and on the outside of the playoffs. This was a far cry from what they expected after winning 10 games the season prior. Sure, they lost some solid players such as wide receiver Stefon Diggs, defensive end Everson Griffen, and defensive backs Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, and Mackensie Alexander, but they felt good about their replacements.
At wideout, rookie Justin Jefferson was a star for them which negated the loss of Diggs and on defense, they were ready to trust former first-round pick Mike Hughes at corner and traded for Yannick Ngakoue to play defensive end. That wasn’t enough though as the defense struggled, in large part due to the injury suffered by Danielle Hunter. Minnesota even ended up trading Ngakoue away, getting draft capital since they knew they weren’t going to re-sign him.
As for this mock draft, they could go with a defensive lineman or cornerback but with Kwity Paye gone — as well as the top corners — they target another need, offensive line. USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker was an offensive tackle for the Trojans but should kick inside in the NFL. For Minnesota, this would be ideal since they need another starting guard and AVT should be able to step in and start right away.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 300-pounds, Vera-Tucker is very mobile for his size and would be a great addition to the Vikings running game. Getting him in open space to block for Dalvin Cook could end up being special. On top of that, he has enough strength to deal with the bull rush as well, making him a complete prospect.
Bill Belichick tasted something he hadn’t in many, many years this past season — defeat. For 20 years, the Patriots have been winners and had made the playoffs every year since 2008. Even during that campaign, which was the one where Tom Brady tore his ACL, they won double-digits but just happened to miss the postseason. Then in 2020, Belichick had to coach without Brady and things weren’t the same.
New England turned to Cam Newton as their starter and it didn’t work out as intended. Newton had his moments where he looked good for the Pats but his style of play just didn’t mesh well with Josh McDaniels’ offense. Newton still has high praise for his coaches in New England but will be heading elsewhere in 2021. It might be tempting to grab a replacement here but Belichick seems to prefer to go against the grain in landing his quarterback. Not only that, but a top-10 talent is on the board in Micah Parsons and this team isn’t passing up that kind of steal.
Parsons, who opted-out of the 2020 season, is a rare breed at linebacker. A position that might not seem to move the needle much, Parsons challenged that take by providing a playmaker at every level. He was good when playing the run and held his own in pass coverage. While there are plenty of linebackers who can boast the same, Parsons was also great when it came to rushing the passer. His ability to do just about everything makes him a valuable chess piece that Belichick — who has a background as a defensive coordinator — will love having at his disposal.
2020 was a season to forget for the Patriots but it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see them back in the mix this coming season. Especially if they add an elite defender such as Parsons and find someone who is a better fit under center in free agency.
In the second year under Kliff Kingsbury, the Arizona Cardinals made some strides as a team. They finished with a record of 8-8 but it could have been better. At the midway point of the season, they were in the mix for the NFC West but flamed out some down the stretch. There will be those who want to blame Kingsbury and point to his collegiate background, but the truth is, this is a young team that happens to be playing in a very difficult division.
What really matters is they saw growth from his first season as the coach and also saw 2019 No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray make some strides as well. Murray still missed some throws that he shouldn’t but overall, he was a dynamic weapon that could hurt teams with his arm and his legs. Of course, the biggest reason for his progression was the addition of DeAndre Hopkins, who was added in a trade from Houston. Having an elite No. 1 receiver was a benefit for Murray and now, they use this pick to get him even more help as they select Najee Harris from Alabama.
Harris could have headed to the NFL last season after running for 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns and likely would have been a day two pick. However, he decided to return for one more season and ended up having the best year of his career. The senior running back went for 1,466 yards with 26 touchdowns and added 43 receptions for 425 yards and another four touchdowns.
With Kenyan Drake headed for free agency, the Cardinals get younger at the position and give Murray and Hopkins another player on offense who can help share the load.
There are suddenly rumors that the Las Vegas Raiders could be putting a package together for Russell Wilson and if they did, this pick would obviously switch hands — as would many others. Of course, there are other teams that would like to land Wilson should he truly be available, so there’s no telling what could happen there.
As for the Raiders, it’s probably safe to say they will be looking to beef up the interior of their defensive line in the 2021 NFL Draft. And that’s exactly what we predict here with them taking Christian Barmore out of Alabama.
Barmore is a player who could be all over the place when it comes to draft projections. He’s a talented player but he never really broke out until this season. Originally committed to Temple, Barmore wound up choosing Alabama when they came calling but he didn’t crack the starting lineup until this season.
Even when he did, there were questions about his ceiling but then in the College Football Playoffs, the light bulb came on. Barmore put all his physical traits together and was dominant in their title run which catapults him into the top-20.
At 6-foot-5 and 310-pounds, he can line up next to Maurice Hurst and give the Raiders two solid defensive tackles that can generate pressure in the middle of the pocket.
Their first pick went toward the offensive side of the ball as the Dolphins added LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in this 2021 NFL Mock Draft. Chase will help their young quarterback improve as a passer but this team is probably never going to be an offensive-first type of franchise. That doesn’t mean they can’t be really good on offense, but head coach Brian Flores is a former defensive coach who will always try and improve on that side of the ball.
That’s his goal here as he adds Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah out of Notre Dame with their own pick in the opening round. Owusu-Koramoah is listed at just 6-foot-1 and 216-pounds which makes him undersized for a linebacker and that could lead to the idea of experimenting with him at safety much like what happened with Jabril Peppers. The former Michigan star is now a strong safety for the New York Giants after being traded by the Cleveland Browns and is coming into his own. Still, Peppers might have been even better if he was allowed to stay at linebacker, especially considering the league’s tendency to lean toward the pass more so than the run.
With the NFL being more pass-happy, a linebacker who comes in under 220-pounds could find success in the league and not be a liability in run defense. In the Miami defense, Owusu-Koramoah could line up as an outside linebacker in the 4-3 base defense and then switch to a hybrid safety role on third-downs. Playing in such a role would allow him to utilize his superior athleticism and instincts.
Adding him to a defense that already has players such as Byron Jones and Xavien Howard would make them tough to move the ball against.
So apparently the Washington Football Team is ready to announce that they will have a new name. They’re just not ready to announce what the name is. That means we still get another season with the generic name that we all have grown to love (what just me?) and the uniform that has no logo. However, if we are being honest, that uniform is pretty slick. The number on the helmet actually looks super clean and the only way to make it better might be to have the jersey numbers match the one on the helmet. Unfortunately, that could change when they finally unveil the new name but we will just have to learn to live with it should that happen.
As for what they’re going to do in this mock, Washington adds a new signal-caller in Mac Jones from Alabama. Jones took over when Tua was injured back in 2019 and never looked back. He kept the Tide rolling and then in 2020, he came into his own as a leader. Jones not only won a National Championship (which was his second as he was a back-up in 2017) but he also won the Manning Award, Davey O’Brien Award, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. None of this was surprising when you see the numbers he put up — 77.4 percent completions with 4,500 yards and a 41-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Jones might not have been a consensus first-round pick entering the offseason but there are plenty of draft pundits starting to come around. More importantly, it seems as though NFL general managers are high on his talent and believe he can get the job done at the next level.
In Washington, he will also have a good support system with Alex Smith there as a veteran mentor. He might not be able to push Smith out of a job right away but the competition could be good for him and he has a consummate professional to learn from.
Last season, the Chicago Bears tried to move on from Mitch Trubisky, but that proved to be a difficult task. The former first-round pick wasn’t lighting the league on fire by any means but he was leading the Bears to victory as they started out 2-0. Then Nick Foles came in during the third game and while they improved to 5-1 at one point, things started to go south. Chicago lost the next six games, four of which had Foles under center.
The former Super Bowl MVP was injured during that losing streak and Trubisky came back only to start leading them to wins again. The Bears finished 3-1 down the stretch and their 8-8 record got them into the playoffs. They didn’t win any postseason games but it was a reminder that they can compete with competent quarterback play. With all that being said, this is a team that could make a move to leapfrog other quarterback-needy teams and get that situation figured out. In this mock, however, we aren’t predicting trades so instead, we take West Virginia offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw.
Darrisaw won’t fix their quarterback situation but he could help. Having him block for Nick Foles — or another quarterback should they make a move — could at least keep their signal-caller healthy. Of course, the Bears will also need to make some other moves to stay competitive since they also have some big free-agent decisions to make, such as what to do with Allen Robinson. The wideout is still a No. 1 receiver but it might not be easy to convince him to stay. It could be even more difficult to try and move the ball on offense if he were to leave, meaning they might be forced to franchise tag him.
That’s for another discussion though, and this pick does at least give their quarterback more time to make his reads.
The Indianapolis Colts went from wondering about their quarterback situation with Jacoby Brissett under center, to having back-to-back new franchise gunslingers join from another franchise. Brissett did a good job filling in when Andrew Luck surprisingly retired but he was more of a stop-gap than a full-time solution.
Then in 2020, they were able to land Philip Rivers in free agency and while he was an upgrade over Brissett, he was also more of a band-aid since he was nearing the end of his career. That end was closer than some realized as Rivers retired following his one season with the Colts.
Now, they will be turning to a younger quarterback who could be their franchise leader for years to come. Indianapolis added Carson Wentz in a trade with the Eagles and despite his decline in recent years in Philly, there are reasons to be excited about his prospects. One reason is the fact that he’s had plenty of success in the NFL, including a 2017 campaign where he was on an MVP pace before tearing his ACL. Another reason is that he’s reuniting with Frank Reich who was his offensive coordinator during that 2017 season.
The only question now is if they can surround him with the right pieces to win. Looking to do that, they use the No. 21 pick in this mock on Samuel Cosmi from Texas. It’s been a long time since a Texas offensive tackle made it into the first round but Cosmi will be more than just a player who puts the Texas O-line back on the map. He’s a legit starter at the NFL level and fills a hole for the Colts who just lost Anthony Castonzo to retirement.
Malcolm Butler will be 31-years old before the season begins and Desmon King may prove to be a short-term rental since he’s headed for free agency. That means the Tennessee Titans could be on the lookout for a new cornerback and they end up with a good one here in Jaycee Horn.
The South Carolina prospect checks off every box as he’s fast, physical, and has the ideal size for the position. He also has earned some great praise, including some from Senior Bowl executive Jim Nagy who loves everything about Horn’s game.
"“To me, Jaycee Horn out of South Carolina, another bigger, longer body guy, is better than them both,” Nagy said via Robbie Weinstein of 247 Sports. “The reason I like Jaycee so much is, one, when you talk about press man and off-man, Jaycee probably does both things better than the other two — in terms of having versatility and how you can use him. Two, I just love the confidence, the swag and the aggressiveness that he plays with. That’s what truly separates him from those other two. Both Surtain and Farley are great, but I’m taking Horn if I’m trying to be a DB room.”"
Tennessee’s offense really started to come on strong last season but they need to get their defense back to the form they showed in 2019. Adding Horn is a huge step in the right direction.
(Pick via Los Angeles Rams): It’s been a while since the New York Jets were considered a true contending team and in order to get back to that, they’re going to need to add a lot of talent. They did that already at No. 2 in this mock draft, when they took Justin Fields out of Ohio State.
Fields is a guy who can put the offense on his back and keep them competitive. However, he’s going to need some help around him at just about every position. For that reason, it’s tempting to go with an offensive player here, but the truth is, their defense is also in need of a talent infusion.
They have some pieces but they don’t have a true edge rusher and with this pick acquired from the Los Angeles Rams, they find themselves in a spot where they can pick someone who looked to be the top pass rusher in this class at one point.
Gregory Rousseau from Miami is still on the board after being passed over by some other talented defensive ends. It’s not fair to hold opting out of the season against someone but the fact is, Rousseau has been considered a raw talent and scouts were ecstatic to see what he could do in his final season with the Hurricanes.
With that not happening, there might be some reservation when it comes to drafting him. In the end, that winds up being good for the Jets — and for Rousseau since he would be coached by Robert Saleh who knows how to get the most out of his defensive linemen.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a name that’s synonymous with tough defense. Once known as the ‘Steel Curtain’, Pittsburgh’s defenders have had a reputation for playing tough and making opposing offenses work for every inch of ground they gave.
Even now, they remain a good unit, finishing third in yards surrendered during the 2020 season according to Pro Football Reference. That doesn’t mean they were perfect because there was one position that could use some help — cornerback.
Pittsburgh currently has Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, and Mike Hilton at the position and that unit is decent but not great. Plus, Haden is inching closer to the end of his career meaning they can use a young understudy. Enter Ifeatu Melifonwu from Syracuse.
Considered a zone-coverage guy during his time with the Orange, Melifonwu did a lot to erase that stigma during the Senior Bowl. He showed off his ability in man coverage, which is something that will help his stock tremendously.
The younger brother of former Connecticut star — and a second-round pick — Obi Melifonwu, Ifeatu has great athletic bloodlines. He might not be as popular as his brother was when he was coming into the league, but he’s poised to be selected higher and should have a much more productive NFL career.
(Pick via Los Angeles Rams): For the second season in a row, the Jacksonville Jaguars have two picks in the first round. In 2020, they used both on the defensive side of the ball, and in this 2021 NFL Mock Draft, they go with offense for each selection. First, it was Trevor Lawrence and now they get an offensive tackle in Jalen Mayfield from Michigan.
Kyle Crabbs from The Draft Network is high on Mayfield’s talent, but even more fond of the ceiling he has, saying he will only get better with more reps.
"“Jalen Mayfield projects as a high-quality starting offensive lineman at the NFL level. He’s got ample size and athleticism to play in space in pass protection and with just two years of starting experience under his belt, Mayfield is only going to continue to get better with more repetitions. Mayfield showed impressive improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 after facing a murderer’s row of pass rushes in his first season as a starter in 2019, having to block top-50 picks Yetur Gross-Matos and Chase Young while also having to handle other prominent pass rushers such as Anfernee Jennings, Jayson Oweh, Shaka Toney, Terrell Lewis, Khalid Kareem, Julian Okwara, and others.” — Crabbs, The Draft Network"
Lawrence can be the guy to lead the Jags out of the cellar, but he can’t do it alone. That’s why landing a solid blocker such as Mayfield will be so important for him and the team going forward.
There are three big needs on defense for the Cleveland Browns — linebacker, cornerback, and defensive end. Of the three, linebacker is the most pressing but general manager Andrew Berry has shown in his short time with the team that he’s not going to invest much in that position.
Cornerback is second on the list but with the way this mock fell, they’re not really in a position to take a corner. After Ifeatu Melifonwu went off the board, Cleveland is left with Eric Stokes and Asante Samiuel, Jr. to chose from. Both can play and should have good careers but their value isn’t as high as Azeez Ojulari, the Georgia edge rusher who we grab here.
Defensive end might be third on that list, but it’s still a pressing need especially considering Olivier Vernon tore his Achilles in Week 17 and is highly unlikely to return this coming season. As for Ojulari, he’s built similar to Vernon — he just needs to add more weight to his frame. He’s also been steadily improving as a pass rusher and just posted the best season of his career.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2020, Ojulari recorded 12.5 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks, and forced four fumbles. Lining him up opposite Myles Garrett would give the Browns two players who are more than capable of making opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable and that would actually help the other defenders as well.
At 27, the Baltimore Ravens are now on the clock and it seems pretty easy to predict what they should do here. Baltimore has been struggling to get their passing game going on a consistent basis, so we grab Rashod Bateman from Minnesota for them.
Bateman and the Ravens are a perfect fit for one another and that’s exactly what Nicholas McGee of With the First Pick said when he named Baltimore one of the five teams that Bateman would fit best with.
"He enters the draft with more nuance to his route-running and his overall game than Boykin has had at any point in his career, while his ability to operate on the boundary and the slot would give the Ravens a more dynamic option in the latter capacity than they have had in 2020. Willie Snead – a free agent in 2021 – has taken on a significant amount of the workload from the slot this season, and Bateman’s skill set would offer a potential upgrade at that spot and on the outside.” — McGee, With the First Pick"
For whatever reason, the wide receiver has been a tough position for the Ravens to fill for several years now. They have Marquise Brown who can beat teams deep but they need that complete wideout who can deliver the routine plays, and that’s what they get with Bateman.
This offseason will surely be an interesting one for the New Orleans Saints. They entered this portion of the year with a massive deficit in the salary cap, with a commitment of somewhere around $100 million over the cap being tied up into their current salaries. Of course, the fact that the cap is going down this year hurts, but they were already going to be in the red after trying to go all-in for a run at the Super Bowl last season.
They re-worked the deal for Drew Brees to kick the can down the road a bit but there’s still a lot of work to do in order to get into compliance. They also don’t know for sure whether Brees will return or if they are going to have to turn to Taysom Hill, or possibly Jameis Winston if he re-signs, as the starter.
What we do know is Mickey Loomis is a cap wizard, so he’s going to figure something out like he always does. He will then turn his attention to the draft, which is what we’re doing here as we take a wide receiver who has been playing at a high level in the same state New Orleans plays in. Terrace Marshall, Jr. was outshined by Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase in 2019 but when Chase opted out and Jefferson left for the NFL, Marshall got his chance to shine.
He proved that he’s more than capable of taking over games by himself and finds himself being selected in the opening round of this draft. Marshall’s addition would give the Saints an elite group when paired with Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders — assuming Sanders isn’t a cap casualty.
At No. 29, the Green Bay Packers take Teven Jenkins from Oklahoma State as they look to beef up their offensive line. As good as they have been lately, their offense couldn’t come up in the clutch against Tampa Bay and while adding more skill position players would help, they could also stand to improve on the offensive line.
Jenkins’ addition could help the whole line as he plays with a contagious mean streak, which is one of the first things that jumps out on tape when watching him, as pointed out by Cory Kinnan from With the First Pick.
"“Jenkins may be the biggest bully in this entire 2021 NFL Draft class. Turn on the Texas game and watch Jenkins absolutely manhandle that Longhorns’ defensive front for 60 minutes from his post. From peeling back and leveling a man, to driving potential top-50 pick Joseph Ossai ten yards down the field and into the sideline, Jenkins plays with a level of grit that is hard to match.” — Kinnan, With The First Pick"
The offensive line might not jump out as the biggest need for the Packers, but with both Billy Turner and David Bakhtiari turning 30 this coming season, it could be time to start bringing in some younger players. Of course, they’ll still need to add some help at receiver but that could come later in the draft — or even in free agency.
There was a time when Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses was expected to be the second linebacker taken after Micah Parsons. He’s a smart and efficient player who seems to always be in the right spot. He’s also very good at wrapping up the ball carrier and avoiding the missed tackles. For those reasons, and more, Moses was thought to be a top-20 pick for much of the season.
Then, he started to slide back. Part of the reason is the de-emphasis on linebackers in a pass-happy NFL where teams are looking for players who are more of hybrids. Another reason is the ascension of other linebackers such as Jeremiah Owusu-Karamoah — who went above him in this mock — as well as Zevn Collins from Tulsa and Nick Bolton from Missouri. Some mocks now have those two ahead of Moses with him falling out of the first round. As for this mock, Moses still makes it into the first round and he finds himself on a great team.
The Buffalo Bills made huge strides this past season and ended up in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Quarterback Josh Allen was the catalyst for their success as he and Stefon Diggs proved to be great together. However, their defense started to slide some, which is something head coach Sean McDermott will want to correct.
He aims to do that here with the selection of Moses, who would replace Matt Milano as he enters free agency. There’s still plenty of talent for Buffalo on defense but they just need to upgrade a few spots and they can make some serious noise, especially if Allen keeps improving.
The Kansas City Chiefs had a shot at being back-to-back champions but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had other plans. Kansas City was held to just nine points as they faced the Bucs in their own stadium and felt the wrath of their pass rush. With the way their front line was manhandled by Tampa, it would seem as though this would be a great spot to land an offensive lineman. However, there could be another need in Kansas City, that might not seem as pressing.
Right now, the Chiefs have to figure out what to do at wide receiver with Sammy Watkins hitting free agency. He never lived up to his high-dollar contract, so re-signing him seems like a long-shot. That means they need to find a replacement to go along with Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman. Kansas City often goes three deep and while Demarcus Robinson has had some good moments, his drops are concerning as well.
This leads to the selection of Kadarius Toney from Florida at No. 31. Toney would be a great fit with the Chiefs since he’s able to move all over the field and while he’s not a prototypical No. 1, they have more than enough targets that he won’t feel the pressure that he might with another team. His addition would also make the Chiefs’ offense even scarier, which is saying something.
Kansas City can already score on any given play and Toney is one more explosive play waiting to happen. An ascending prospect who started to come on strong in 2020, Toney finds his way into the back end of the first round and lands with the perfect team.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl for a multitude of reasons and while Tom Brady gets most of the credit, he might not have been the main reason they beat the Kansas City Chiefs. Sure, Brady is the GOAT and had a remarkable season that helped the entire offense in Tampa Bay get better. He’s also the biggest reason players such as Chris Godwin are talking about taking a hometown discount to keep the team together. Having said all that, Brady wasn’t the one who made life miserable for Patrick Mahomes in the big game.
That honor falls on the Buccaneers front-seven, who forced Mahomes to run around for roughly 500 yards behind the line of scrimmage as he tried to get away from pass rushers. They’re also the reason he was having to try circus throws that included throwing the ball while falling sideways like Buddy the Elf during his infamous snowball fight in Central Park that finally earned him the respect of his little brother.
As true as that is, the Bucs cannot go into 2021 without getting some youth in the pass-rushing department. Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul are getting a bit long in the tooth and Ndamukong Suh will be a free agent and he’s also now in his mid-30s. With all that being true, Tamp agets younger with the addition of Joseph Ossai out of Texas.
Ossai has length to spare but still needs to grow into his frame some. He’s currently under 250 pounds and still needs to learn how to utilize all the tools he has at his disposal, but this is where it would be helpful for him to join a team with veteran leaders who can serve as mentors while also allowing him time to develop as a player.
33. Jacksonville Jaguars: Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
Jacksonville now adds some defensive help with the addition of Eric Stokes out of Georgia. Pairing him with C.J. Henderson gives them two quality corners.
34. New York Jets: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
This is why the Jets were able to take an edge rusher with their second pick in Round 1. Rondale Moore is a first-round talent that they grab at the top of Round 2.
35. Atlanta Falcons: Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
Another player with day one talent, Zaven Collins lands with the Falcons here. Collins is a linebacker who can do it all from rushing the passer to playing in coverage.
36. Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans): Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
The best way to help a young quarterback is to get him some weapons to take the pressure off of him. That’s what Miami does with the selection of Clemson running back Travis Etienne.
37. Philadelphia Eagles: Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF
Wide receiver was one need and stopping opposing wide receivers is another. Aaron Robinson is an ascending player who could start early for the Eagles.
38. Cincinnati Bengals: Nico Collins, WR, Michigan
A.J. Green is likely on the way out in free agency and while Tee Higgins is very, very good, the Bengals will need more pass-catchers. Adding Nico Collins to a team with Higgins and Tyler Boyd keeps them competitive here.
39. Carolina Panthers: Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
Taylor Moton might command too much in free agency, but even if they keep him, Liam Eichenberg is a talented offensive lineman who can lock down the other side of the line.
40. Denver Broncos: Jalean Phillips, EDGE, Miami
With Von Miller all but gone, the Broncos add Jalean Phillips from Miami.
41. Detroit Lions: Alex Leatherwood, OL, Alabama
Whether he stays at tackle or moves inside to guard, Alex Leatherwood is a day one starter and has a championship pedigree.
42. New York Giants: Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State
This one is more of a projection pick. New York needs a pass rusher and Jayson Oweh is a developmental player who can become special — as long as they coach him up.
43. San Francisco 49ers: Wyatt Davis, IOL, Ohio State
Kyle Shanahan loves the running game and Wyatt Davis is a player who can help open up some holes.
44. Dallas Cowboys: Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State
Tyron Smith has likely played his last down with Dallas since the injuries are catching up. Landing Dillon Radunz here won’t give them a player of equal talent, but he’s already better than who they started at both tackle positions for the majority of the 2020 season.
45. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Minnesota Vikings): Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
Justin Fields gets a big target here as the Jags land Pat Freiermuth from Penn State. Nothing like a 6-foot-5, 260-pound tight end with excellent hands to help a rookie progress.
46. New England Patriots: Daviyon Nixon, IDL, Iowa
The Patriots again add defense and their fans will probably be losing their minds by now that they haven’t addressed the offense.
47. Los Angeles Chargers: Creed Humphrey, IOL, Oklahoma
Mike Pouncey retired so the Chargers need a new center. Enter Creed Humphrey who is the best in this class.
48. Las Vegas Raiders: Landon Dickerson, IOL, Alabama
The Raiders have a pretty decent offensive line but their starting left guard from 2020, Richie Incognito, will be 38 this year. Landon Dickerson could be a better option for them going forward.
49. Arizona Cardinals: Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington
Chandler Jones is a great pass rusher but missed the majority of 2020. Arizona adds Joe Tryon to play across from him with this selection.
50. Miami Dolphins: Trey Smith, IOL, Tennessee
This could be a steal. Trey Smith is a huge offensive lineman who might have been a first-round pick had it not been for medical concerns.
51. Washington Football Team: Tutu Atwell, WR, Louisville
Terry McLaurin needs a No. 2 receiver across from him and that’s what Washington lands with the 51st pick as they take Tutu Atwell from Louisville.
52. Chicago Bears: Jay Tufele, IDL, USC
The Bears add some more beef to their defensive line with USC’s Jay Tufele. He can play outside on their three-man line and then move inside to tackle during passing downs and should be a starter very quickly.
53. Tennessee Titans: Levi Onwuzurike, IDL, Washington
The Titans continue to add to their defense in an effort to build that unit back up. Levi Onwuzurike gets knocked by some evaluators for being under 290-pounds but this kid can play.
54. Indianapolis Colts: Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State
Baron Browning isn’t someone who jumps off the tape but he’s a solid tackler who fits what the Colts like to do.
55. Pittsburgh Steelers: Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina
Running the football is what the Steelers do best historically. With Ben Roethlisberger getting closer to 40, they need to do more of that and Javonet Williams can help.
56. Seattle Seahawks: Josh Myers, IOL, Ohio State
Mike Iupati just retired and even if he didn’t, the Seahawks still should be looking to improve the offensive line. At this point, it’s the only way to keep Russell Wilson.
57. Los Angeles Rams: James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati
Matt Stafford could have a great second act in Los Angeles but the Rams need to keep him from being injured. That leads to the selection of James Hudson from Cincinnati.
58. Baltimore Ravens: Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU
Arguably the best safety in this class, Trevon Moehrig finds a great home with the Ravens. He takes over for the spot Earl Thomas was previously in and probably won’t punch his teammates.
59. Cleveland Browns: Asante Samuel, JR., CB, Florida State
They needed a cornerback and they landed a good one. Cleveland gets Asante Samuel, Jr. late in the second and the son of the former Pro Bowler with the same name looks poised for a long and successful career of his own.
60. New Orleans Saints: Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern
Greg Newsome II has been making the rounds during virtual interviews and is climbing boards with the draft approaching. He lands with the Saints, who will love having him opposite Marshon Lattimore.
61. Buffalo Bills: Carlos Basham, Jr., EDGE, Wake Forest
Buffalo’s defense gets another solid player here with Carlos Basham. His ceiling isn’t incredibly high but his floor is. He should be a good player, even if he never becomes great.
62. Green Bay Packers: D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan
Aaron Rodgers is doing backflips in his living room with this pick. D’Wayne Eskridge is on the smaller side at 5-foot-9 and 190, but this kid can get deep. He averaged 23.3 yards per catch last season and that’s the type of explosion this offense can use.
63. Kansas City Chiefs: Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
Some have Nick Bolton higher than this but he still slides to 63. If this pick comes to fruition, the fans would love to welcome him to the great state of Kansas after playing at Missouri.
64. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson
Blocking for one of the best college quarterbacks ever? Check.
Blocking for the best NFL quarterback ever? Check.
Jackson Carman goes from one GOAT to another as will stop blocking for Trevor Lawrence and start doing so for Tom Brady.
65. Jacksonville Jaguars: Richie Grant, S, UCF
The Jags got a fifth-round pick for Ronnie Harrison and replace him here with Richie Grant. It’s not the best way to do business, but they must not have been sold on Harrison.
66. New York Jets: Jevon Holland, S, Oregon
Safeties are finally coming off the board now. There aren’t a lot of safeties in this class to choose from but Jevon Holland could be a solid option, especially if the Jets lose Marcus Maye in free agency.
67. Houston Texans: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC
Houston needs a lot of help, especially if they do lose Deshaun Watson via trade and Will Fuller in free agency. Here, they land Amon-Ra St. Brown as their next player to upset.
68. Atlanta Falcons: Dayo Odeyingbo, EDGE, Vanderbilt
Atlanta didn’t get much out of Takk McKinley as a first-round pick a few years back. Now they try and find an edge rusher in the third.
69. Cincinnati Bengals: Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina
Chazz Surratt is another one of those linebackers who is always around the ball.
70. Philadelphia Eagles: Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami
Zach Ertz will be 31 this year, so the Eagles look for someone who can eventually replace Dallas Goedert who will replace Ertz. It’s kind of like musical chairs only way different.
71. Denver Broncos: Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State
At 6-foot-3 and 242-pounds, Pete Werner was built to play football. The Broncos land him here as they continue to stockpile defenders.
72. Detroit Lions: Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
Tyson Campbell was once considered a first-round prospect but seems to have slid. That’s fine by the Lions who get a capable cornerback here who has plenty of experience against elite SEC receivers.
73. Carolina Panthers: Tommy Togiai, IDL, Ohio State
Kawaan Short was released by Carolina and now they add Tommy Togiai to help rebuild their depth.
74. Washington Football Team (via San Francisco 49ers): Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa
Spencer Brown is a big, big man. The Washington Football Team adds him as they hope to beef up the offensive line.
75. Dallas Cowboys: Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State
Hamsah Nasirildeen fits exactly what the Cowboys need. But they hate safeties so they will probably skip on him. Still, it’s impossible not to pick him here even if we know deep down inside they will mess this up and take a late-round defensive tackle prospect again.
76. New York Giants: Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan
The Giants actually have a pretty decent defense and it gets better with the selection of Cameron McGrone. There’s not much separation between all these day two linebackers, but McGrone looks to be the real deal.
77. Los Angeles Chargers: Payton Turner, EDGE, Houston
Payton Turner may not have the best pedigree but when the lights come on, he shows out. With Melvin Ingram likely gone, Turner could slide right into his old role.
78. Minnesota Vikings: Marlon Tuipulotu, IDL, USC
Minnesota wasn’t as strong on the interior of the defensive line last season as we’re used to seeing. Marlon Tuipulotu could help fix that.
79. Arizona Cardinals: Jabril Cox, LB, LSU
A transfer student who was a late-bloomer, Jabril Cox has really come into his own as of late. Arizona might not have a huge need at linebacker but he’s going to be hard to keep off the field.
80. Las Vegas Raiders: Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
Shaun Wade had a rough season after moving to the boundary but he can still play. He’s good in the slot and can play at safety. His draft stock sunk but he will be a solid player.
81. Miami Dolphins: Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami
Quincy Roche transferred from Temple to Miami in hopes of shining for the Hurricanes after dominating for Temple. That didn’t happen but he still was a solid player and now gets to stay in Miami.
82. Washington Football Team: Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
It seemed as though Paulson Adebo had more hype heading into the 2020 NFL Draft. Then he returned for one more season. Then he opted out after the Coronavirus outbreak which meant he didn’t get to show he can clean up some of his game and ends up sliding a bit.
83. Chicago Bears: Hamilcar Rashed Jr., EDGE, Oregon State
The Bears have two good edge rushers but Robert Quinn is no spring chicken. Hamilcar Rashed could be a great option to spell him and eventually take over.
84. Philadelphia Eagles (via Indianapolis Colts): Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
Syracuse has some solid defensive backs in this class and Andre Cisco could prove to be one of the better safeties if he can put it all together.
85. Tennessee Titans: Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss
Corey Davis might be gone, so enter Elijah Moore. He would pair with another former Ole Miss wideout, A.J. Brown, to keep the Titans’ passing game strong.
86. New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks): Elijah Molden, CB, Washington
He’s a bit undersized but Elijah Molden can go toe-to-toe with any wideout. The Jets land a good one here.
87. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dyami Brown, WR, Pittsburgh
Dyami Brown is a dynamic deep threat and the Steelers could use him to replace JuJu Smith-Schuster if he does leave in free agency.
88. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): Osa Odighizuwa, IDL, UCLA
Detroit adds Osa Odighizuwa here and he’s a great addition. Listed at 6-2 and 279-pounds, he’s a bit small for a defensive tackle but can generate pressure with his speed.
89. Cleveland Browns: Alim McNeill, DT, NC State
Seldon Richardson could be a salary cap casualty and Larry Ogunjobi didn’t do enough to earn a new contract. Cleveland responds by adding Alim McNeill from NC State who won’t be as good as Richardson but if they do get Andrew Billings back, it will be a solid interior line.
90. Minnesota Vikings (via Baltimore Ravens): Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina
Israel Mukuamu was the “other” cornerback opposite Jaycee Horn. He’s physical and a solid tackler but might need to move to safety.
91. Cleveland Browns (via New Orleans Saints) Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson
Cleveland needs wide receivers who can beat man coverage. Amari Rodgers can do that as he proved during his 77 reception, 1,020-yard season in 2020.
92. Green Bay Packers: Keith Taylor, Jr., CB, Washington
Kevin King is all but gone so the Pakcers get another Washington cornerback to take his place.
93. Buffalo Bills: Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio State
Trey Sermon blew up down the stretch for Ohio State, including a 331-yard performance against Northwestern and a 193-yard game against Clemson to follow. It’s enough to get him a shot with the Bills who add one more to their committee.
94. Kansas City Chiefs: Deonte Brown, IOL, Alabama
Kansas City gets an offensive lineman here (finally) to try and add some depth in case they have as many injuries to contend with as they did in 2020.
95. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame
O.J. Howard will be returning from a rough injury and Rob Gronkowski is always a risk to be hurt. Tampa Bay adds another tight end here with Tommy Tremble out of Notre Dame.