The 2021 NFL Draft is upon us and we are tracking every pick of the first round with instant grades and analysis for every selection.
The NFL Draft is forever a crapshoot. However, the 2021 NFL Draft feels more that way than any before. Whether it’s the COVID-19 affected season leading to a lack of evaluation of prospects, no NFL Combine taking place which has led to inflated pro day numbers, or the immense number of quarterbacks that are available in the first round, things feel like they could get absolutely bonkers.
Of course, that won’t be the case at the top of the 2021 NFL Draft. Trevor Lawrence will be the first overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars. After that at No. 2, we think we can project what the New York Jets will do. That’s when the madness can truly begin.
Who will the San Francisco 49ers take at No. 3: Mac Jones or Trey Lance? Which teams are prepared to make bold trades up the board, perhaps into the top 10? This is going to be calamity and fans should soak up every minute of it.
And we’re here to help you do that. We’re going to be tracking every first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Not only that, we’ll hand out instant grades to every selection while offering some brief analysis.
Let’s get into that and see which teams succeed and which teams flop when on the clock in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Instant grades for every first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft
This was preordained from the moment that Trevor Lawrence stepped on a high school football field — well, maybe not to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Lawrence is an all-world prospect that checks every box you could ask from a quarterback making the leap from college to the pros. This was can’t-miss and they didn’t miss. Grade: A+
Because we’ve known Zach Wilson was going to the New York Jets for so long, we’ve all assumed that it’s the right choice. I’m not here for that. There’s no question that the team needs a quarterback and the upside of the BYU product is tremendous. Having said that, there is also plenty of downside as he’s a risk and isn’t the second-best quarterback prospect in the class. Grade: B
Well, there you have it. The Mac Jones smokescreen may have had some truth to it at some point. But it’s Trey Lance and that’s one of the best picks they could’ve made. Lance undoubtedly has downside but his upside and raw talent are phenomenal. He’s got an elite arm combined with high-end athleticism. He just needs to learn for a bit and San Francisco could help him do that. (He’s still not better than Justin Fields, though.) Grade: A-
Ideally, the Falcons would’ve traded out of this pick and moved somewhere else. But everything we’ve heard is that they kind of overreached with that in talks. Even still, Kyle Pitts is the best pick to make right here. He’s a matchup nightmare and with Julio Jones possibly being on the trade block, this makes a ton of sense. Grade: A
I love Ja’Marr Chase. He’s the best wide receiver in the 2021 NFL Draft class, bar none. He is going to be a huge weapon as he pairs with his former LSU quarterback, Joe Burrow. But the fact that the Bengals didn’t take Penei Sewell here is a miscarriage of justice. Burrow needs to be upright to throw to any weapons and Chase isn’t catching anything if that isn’t fixed. Grade: C+
Again, this probably should’ve been Penei Sewell. However, it’s less egregious than with the Bengals. As for the Dolphins, there is also a bigger need for a player like Jaylen Waddle in the offense. Miami needs a game-breaker with speed and the ability to attack after the catch. Waddle pairs with his former college quarterback too and is a huge asset now for Tua. Grade: A
Penei Sewell is an absolute monster and has the potential to be one of the best offensive tackles in the league. At just 20 years old right now, he is already ready to play and help shore up the offensive line. For the Lions, they need to upgrade their infrastructure as they start an extensive rebuild. Sewell can be a huge part of that. Grade: A+
This was certainly a shocker. However, the Panthers undoubtedly have a need at cornerback long term and they took one of the best players at the position. However, they took a player who isn’t as good as Patrick Surtain II and who is a reach, in my book. This will be a productive pick but I’m not huge on the value of it. Grade: B-
Cowboys fans crying at this pick. When the Broncos addressed their secondary heavily in free agency, it seemingly took cornerback off the board. Apparently not. Denver gets a young stud in the secondary who will help them for the long haul. This roster doesn’t have a ton of needs, so this pick makes a ton of sense. Grade: A
(Eagles trade No. 12 and 84 to Cowboys for No. 10) – There was reported interest from the Giants in DeVonta Smith and, with the Cowboys losing out on Surtain, this trade made sense for both. Jalen Hurts needs a viable target-hog in the offense and Smith is obviously that type of player. This is a solid pick, without question. Grade: A
(Bears trade No. 20, 2021 fifth-round pick, 2022 first-round, 2022 fourth-round pick to Eagles for No. 11) – With Justin Fields falling, the Bears got aggressive and made their move and you have to be happy with that, even if they gave up a lot. Fields remained my second-ranked quarterback in the class and no team needed him more than Chicago given their situation. This is a home-run swing and a home-run hit for the Bears. Grade: A+
Micah Parsons is a freak athlete and an extremely talented player. The Dallas Cowboys also need defensive help. This isn’t what they needed. Parsons has hardly any experience in coverage and needs quite a bit of polishing to reach his ceiling. Plus, they’re already paying a linebacker (Jaylon Smith) a ton of money. This was a whiff. Grade: C
In a perfect world, the Chargers would’ve been in range to get Penei Sewell. But Rashawn Slater is the right pick for them. Their line has been a concern for a long time and he’ll help protect their investment in Justin Herbert after his huge rookie year. It’s not sexy but it’s a great move for the Bolts. Grade: A+
(Jets trade No. 23, 66 and 86 to Vikings for No. 14 and 143) – After investing in Zach Wilson with the No. 2 pick, you have to protect the asset. That’s why they got aggressive and made the move for Alijah Vera-Tucker. This is a versatile and capable offensive lineman who will help a ton moving forward. Grade: A
Of course this happened. The New England Patriots get a player who I believe is a legitimate first-round quarterback to fill the hole in Foxborough under center. He gets to learn under Cam Newton (maybe) for a year. And he’s in an offense made for him to succeed. This is perfect for the Patriots. Grade: A+
This seemed like it was going to be the pick from everything we were hearing over the past week. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, even if Collins is a good player. Arizona clearly values versatile linebackers but they haven’t had them work out for some time. This just feels like a whiff when there were much bigger needs they needed to address. Grade: C
This was a pick I predicted because it just made sense. The Raiders needed offensive line help desperately and the regime has taken players from Alabama and Clemson without regard to value. That put Leatherwood in range for the. It’s a massive reach from Las Vegas though. But that’s kind of what they do now. Grade: D
Love this pick more than I can explain. Brian Flores needed a pass-rusher to come in and be a game-changer off the edge. To me, Phillips is the most pro-ready prospect to do that in the edge class. Plus, he stays close to where he went to school. This is just a phenomenal pick for the Dolphins as they continue to make the leap. Grade: A+
Washington needed a linebacker in a very big way to help complete their defense, especially if a long-term quarterback wasn’t the option. This was not how to go about it, though. Davis is a big reach in my book. He’s a great athlete but he is raw as a player and this felt like a reach. Grade: C-
I’ll go ahead and say that I did not see this one coming. However, the Giants continue to make Daniel Jones have no more excuses left. Toney is a speedy slot weapon that can attack all levels. He pairs great with Kenny Golladay and the weapons in New York are looking quite enticing. It’s just if Jones and the defense can take advantage. Grade: B
Though the Colts need offensive tackle to replace Anthony Castonzo, this is a great pick. The value here was 100 percent perfect for Indianapolis and it feels a position of need. Paye needs to develop a bit as a pass-rusher but his athleticism is top-notch and he should develop nicely in Indianapolis. Grade: A
So the Titans needed secondary help and this could be the steal of the draft. Caleb Farley is a top-10 prospect who could be a star in the league. His concern is the back surgeries he’s had over his career already. But if it works out, this is a huge hit for Tennessee at No. 22. Grade: A
Offensive line has been almost a perpetual need for the Vikings over the past few years. This is great for the franchise as they’re able to move down and still get one of the best tackles in the class to fix that. Darrisaw is a freak athlete who is just scratching his potential. If he can get coached up, he can be a 10-year starter at tackle. Grade: A
This always seemed the way the Steelers were leaning with this pick and it does make sense. They need to give their rushing attack a real jolt and Harris is more than capable of doing that. Of course, it should’ve been an offensive lineman here. So you can only like the pick but so much. Grade: B-
Welcome to the Clemson Tigers of Duval County. After taking Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick, they now get the explosive running back who was one of his biggest weapons. While I’m not huge on first-round running backs, this could be huge for the Jaguars offense as he’s a terrific pass-catcher who can open up the offense in a big way. Grade: B
After a strong offseason, the Browns had the luxury of picking whoever they believed was the best player on the board. They took Greg Newsome II and it’s not hard to see why. Putting him in with Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams and newcomer Troy Hill will give Cleveland a strong core at the position where they really struggled last season. Grade: A
Lamar Jackson very much needed another weapon in the passing game and Rashod Bateman was clearly the best on the board. He completely adds a new element to the passing offense, one that should ultimately help open up the field for everyone and make their young quarterback a more potent weapon. Grade: A+
Well, this is another one I didn’t see coming. Turner maybe could’ve snuck into the second round in my book but should’ve been a third-round pick. And here go the Saints taking him at No. 28. I don’t understand it, to be frank. Grade: D-
The Packers obviously need help at cornerback as they had to bring Kevin King back in free agency, which is always a sign that you need some assistance. But given the Aaron Rodgers drama, it’s wild that they still refuse to take a wide receiver in the first round. Like, this franchise might actually hate Rodgers. Grade: B+
After lighting the world on fire in 2019, Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season. But he also tested poorly and is completely unrefined. But he could be a great fit in Buffalo where they have time to let him develop and ultimately allow him to reach his potential, which is obvious when you look at him. Grade: B-
Oweh is one of the most fascinating prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft. His potential is through the roof as his athleticism is, simply put, freakish for a player his size. The problem is that he’s exceptionally raw as a pass-rusher. But Baltimore can take a big swing on him in hopes that they can tap into the player he can become eventually. Grade: A-
When you win a Super Bowl and then get basically the entire band back together, you’re probably doing something right. It also means you have a huge advantage when you come on the clock to take just about whoever you really want. Joe Tryon has a ton of upside and could step in for JPP once he leaves. Grade: A