2021 Rookie Mock Draft
Pre-NFL Draft, 1st Round Predictions
Happy NFL Draft Week! Couldn’t leave y’all hanging without a D|League mock draft and these are much more interesting before we know where these prospects end up being drafted in the NFL. Enjoy!
1.01, Jeff — Najee Harris — RB, Alabama
Scouting Report: Old-school runner with bulldozer power, sure hands, and nimble feet.
Why This Pick: With plenty of ammo in the late 1st and early 2nd rounds to target other positions, Jeff keeps it simple and takes the current 1.01 ranked player in Najee, who is also likely to be the first RB off the board in the NFL draft.
1.02, Kurtis — Travis Etienne — RB, Clemson
Scouting Report: Huge playmaker with rare burst and field-tilting speed.
Why This Pick: Kurtis has turned his roster around in a hurry and could easily go WR here. But one can never have too many running backs especially considering he has a bit of a volatile situation with Carson, Fournette, and Robinson.
1.03, Mikey — Javonte Williams — RB, North Carolina
Scouting Report: Physical tackle-breaker with smooth feet, natural contact balance, and capable hands as a receiver.
Why This Pick: With what seems to be a clear drop-off at the position after Williams, Mikey goes RB here since he has two more 1st Round Picks to target WR later.
1.04, Bunger —Ja’Marr Chase — WR, LSU
Scouting Report: Savvy route runner with a bully mentality, dominant at the catch point and with the ball in his hands.
Why This Pick: Bunger has done well filling up his roster with young WR talent but could still use one with dominant, superstar potential. Cue Ja’Marr Chase’s music.
1.05, Marlo — Kyle Pitts — TE, Florida
Scouting Report: Athletic, mismatch nightmare with a huge catch radius, refined footwork, and excellent body control.
Why This Pick: Marlo is likely still traumatized from drafting OJ “Best TE Prospect in Years” Howard back in 2017, but this time not only is Kyle Pitts a better prospect than Howard, his game is perfectly suited for fantasy football.
1.06, J Tong — Rashod Bateman — WR, Minnesota
Scouting Report: Big and crafty with smooth footwork, he’s a technician off the line and fearless over the middle.
Why This Pick: J Tong has had mixed results thus far with his collection of young WR’s. That shouldn’t be an issue with Rashod Bateman, one of the safest picks in this draft.
1.07, Zane — Trevor Lawrence — QB, Clemson
Scouting Report: Smooth and athletic with pinpoint accuracy and a natural feel for the game.
Why This Pick: Zane is in dire need of a QB and while a solid prospect should still be available at 1.15 for him, it feels like it makes too much sense to just grab the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck here.
1.08, Tani — Devonta Smith — WR, Alabama
Scouting Report: Smooth athlete who glides across the field and, despite his slender frame, is aggressive at the catch point with elite body control and strong hands.
Why This Pick: Grabbing the first WR to win the Heisman in 29 years at 1.08 sure feels like a steal. Few prospects his size have succeeded in the NFL but again…he’s the first WR to win the Heisman in 29 years. (Also, Devonta is often mocked to the Eagles at Pick 12.)
1.09, Mikey — Jaylen Waddle — WR, Alabama
Scouting Report: Big-play receiver with twitchy athleticism and explosive burst.
Why This Pick: With a RB secured at 1.03, it’s time to bolster his WR talent and Waddle has one of the highest ceilings in the draft.
1.10, Binh — Justin Fields — QB, Ohio State
Scouting Report: Elite dual-threat athleticism who throws with both elite accuracy and velocity.
Why This Pick: Binh doesn’t necessarily need a QB but he shocks the D League here, shooting for the moon with Fields’ elite fantasy upside thanks to his dual-threat abilities.
1.11, Mikey — Rondale Moore — WR, Purdue
Scouting Report: Explosive athlete with incredibly quick feet; big play waiting to happen.
Why This Pick: Mikey doubles up with another dynamic WR that could really supercharge his WR corps.
1.12, Kevin — Kenneth Gainwell — RB, Memphis
Scouting Report: Dynamic, elusive back with versatility in the passing game.
Why This Pick: As usual, Kevin doesn’t have any dire needs, so I’ll just mock him the current best player available on the board.
1.13, Orlando — Terrace Marshall — WR, LSU
Scouting Report: Long, smooth pass-catcher with the speed to get behind a defense and the body to excel in the red zone.
Why This Pick: It’s possible Lando makes another win-now trade with this pick like he did last year when he snagged Adam Thielen but for now I’ll just mock one of the top WR prospects left on the board.
1.14, Jeff — Zach Wilson — QB, BYU
Scouting Report: Aggressive passer who throws with excellent touch and ball placement even when on the run and off-platform.
Why This Pick: Tannehill’s ascendence reduces Jeff’s need for a QB but grabbing the likely 2nd overall NFL pick could still be a wise move to give Jeff both a backup (that he currently doesn’t have) and a QB of the future.
1.15, Zane — Amon-Ra St. Brown — WR, USC
Scouting Report: Savvy route-runner with excellent body control and toughness at the catch point.
Why This Pick: With the last pick of the 1st Round, Zane takes one of the most NFL-ready prospects in the draft.
