2021 NFL Mock Draft 4.0: The Top NFL Prospects Available for Round 1
With the 2021 NFL Draft Order set, we take a look at the Top 2021 NFL Draft Prospects and where they’ll land in Round 1.
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The 2021 NFL Mock Draft is still a month and some change away, and teams are getting closer to finalizing their Draft Boards. The closer we get to the Draft, the more info comes out on all 32 team's preferences of Prospects. This is further magnified once the NFL Free Agency period comes into effect and teams fill their needs through that avenue before the Draft.
With all that in mind, let's take a look at where the Top Prospects Available for the 2021 NFL Draft, will go.
Before we begin, be sure to check out my other NFL content below-
NFL Draft Coverage:
NFL All-Time Lists:
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team
NFC North: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Career College Stats: 66.6 Cmp%, 10,098 Passing Yards, 90 TD, 17 INT, 164.3 Passer Rating, 114.9 Adjusted NFL Converted Passer Rating
At this point, Lawrence to the Jags is a certainty. Urban Meyer hasn’t done a good job of hiding the fact that he wants Lawrence to be his Franchise Quarterback. Lawrence is the best Quarterback Prospect to come out of the Draft since Cam Newton back in 2011 in my evaluation. He has all the physical tools, maturity, and skills you look for and he had a great Pro-Day for scouts last week.
2. New York Jets: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Career College Stats: 107 Catches, 2,093 Receiving Yards, 23 Receiving TD
This may be a surprise to some, but I honestly don’t see the Jets taking a Quarterback here. It’s still too early to give up on Sam Darnold and the Jets gave up 4 draft picks to select him with the 3rd overall pick back in 2018. He hasn’t had any talent around him and the Jets are just starting to build a solid young Offensive Line. Now it’s time to get him some weapons on the outside of the Receiving corps. Chase is an athletic Receiver that runs beautiful routes and can create separation to get open.
3. Miami Dolphins: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Career College Awards: 2019 Consensus All-American, 2019 John Outland Trophy
If it were up to me, I would take Justin Fields here. That’s not going to happen though as the Dolphins seem content on having Tua as their Quarterback of the future. That’s a mistake in my opinion. Tua is a bust. He hasn’t been able to stay healthy at any point in his football-playing career.
However, being that he is made of glass, the Dolphins need to do their best to limit the number of hits he takes. Penei Sewell is the best Offensive Line Prospect to come out of the Draft since Quenton Nelson in 2018. Sewell is a massive 6'7 but is very athletic and lean for an Offensive Lineman. He moves well on his feet and is very quick off his blocks.
4. Atlanta Falcons: Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami (FL)
Career College Stats: 59 Total Tackles, 19.5 Tackles for Loss, 15.5 Sacks, 2 Forced Fumbles
Yet another team that will pass on a Quarterback. Rousseau was a one-year wonder in 2019, which is his only full College Football Season on tape to go by on his pre-draft evaluation. He’s a risky prospect because of that, but he did show flashes of being a future star Pass Rusher in the NFL during his monstrous 2019 College Football Season. The Falcons need a Pass Rusher and it wouldn’t be surprising for them to take one here.
5. Cincinnati Bengals: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
Keeping Joe Burrow upright has to be a priority. It doesn't matter how many more Mock Draft updates I do. The Bengals will always be picking an Offensive Lineman here. The Bengals Offensive Line has deteriorated over the years and a prospect like Rashawn Slater could help fill their desperate need for O-Line help.
6. Philadelphia Eagles: Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Career College Stats: 235 Catches, 3,965 Receiving Yards, 46 Receiving TD
It’s clear that Jalen Hurts is now the quarterback of the future after the Eagles finally got rid of their Overrated and overpaid former incumbent Starter, Carson Wentz. Wentz was a prima donna and horrible leader. The Eagles are headed in the right direction and made the right choice to rebuild. They have one of the worst receiving cores in the league. Devonta Smith is coming off a monster Heisman Trophy-winning 2020 College Football Season and is high on most NFL Draft Boards. He wouldn’t be my choice because he’s too thin and relies too heavily on speed to get himself open.
7. Detroit Lions: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
Career College Stats: 191 Total Tackles, 18 Tackles for Loss, 6.5 Sacks, 6 Forced Fumbles
After the trade of Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff, the Lions seem to be off the market for a Franchise Quarterback. So instead they’ll take the best player available here regardless of needs. Micah Parsons does it all. He stands out and pops out your T.V. screen. Parsons is a monster in the run game and can also get to the Quarterback.
8. Carolina Panthers: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
Career College Stats: 67.6 Cmp%, 7,652 Pass Yards, 56 TD, 15 INT, 162.9 Passer Rating, 111.4 Adjusted NFL Converted Passer Rating
Teddy Bridgewater’s name is ironically fitting because he will inevitably be a “bridge” Starting Quarterback for the incoming rookie next Season. That Rookie Quarterback could very well be Zach Wilson. Wilson was a one-year wonder this past season for BYU. He’s an overrated prospect that I believe will be a bust. Justin Fields is a much better prospect, but the Panthers have to address the Quarterback position for the future and will most likely take the overhyped Wilson if he's available here.
9. Denver Broncos: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
Career College Stats: 68.4 Cmp%, 5,701 Passing Yards, 67 TD, 9 INT, 1788 Passer Rating, 127.6 Adjusted NFL Converted Passer Rating
Just two years after taking Drew Lock, the Broncos don’t seem to be in love with their young Quarterback and seem very open to finding his replacement. Oddly enough, Justin Fields is sliding down NFL Draft Boards, but when you have guys like Todd McShay saying Zach Wilson is a better Prospect, I guess that’s what happens. That’s a good thing for Fields if he slides. He’ll go to a better team and a team like the Broncos would be a great fit. The Broncos have a good defense, they just need a versatile Quarterback like Fields, who can make plays on the run, and make all the pro throws.
10. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Career College Stats: 56 Total Tackles, 1 Tackle For Loss, 6 INT, 1 Defensive TD
The Cowboys get their pick of the litter here at Cornerback as there is yet one to come off the Board. This could be Patrick Surtain II. However, Farley seems like he would be the pick here. He has more upside and is a much better one on one defender than Surtain II.
11. New York Giants: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Career College Stats: 106 Catches, 1,999 Receiving Yards, 17 Receiving TD
Honestly and realistically I would be open to the Giants taking or trading up for Justin Fields if he slides. I like Daniel Jones but he fumbles too much for my liking. If he doesn’t clean that up in his 3rd Season, it could be his last with the Giants. It also doesn’t help that Jones doesn’t have consistent or healthy Wideouts to throw to. Jaylen Waddle is the 2nd best Wide Receiver Prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s a great route runner, has a great catch radius, and can get Yards After the Catch (YAC). He’s just what the Giants need.
12. San Francisco 49ers: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
Career College Stats: 67.0 Cmp%, 2,798 Passing Yards, 28 TD, 0 INT, 180.7 Passer Rating, 130.8 Adjusted NFL Converted Passer Rating
Jimmy G has been injury prone and the 49ers can’t rely on him. When he’s on the field, the 49ers are a great team. The 49ers have won 73 percent of their games that Jimmy G has started. The Problem? Well, he’s only played 30 Games in 4 Seasons. His contract is about to expire and the Niners have to think about getting some insurance. Trey Lance fits the kind of Quarterback that Kyle Shanahan likes. He’s mobile, accurate, and takes care of the Football.
13. Los Angeles Chargers: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT, USC
Justin Herbert was a pleasant surprise for the Chargers, and if it weren’t for their former horrible Head Coach, they may have even made a run for the Playoffs. The Chargers could make a run for the Playoffs in 2021. They need to address the Tackle position. Tucker can come in and compete for a starting job from day one and provide a young stable Pass protector with some upside on either side of the Line.
14. Minnesota Vikings: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Career College Stats: 100 Catches, 1,492 Receiving Yards, 18 Receiving TD
Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr. aren’t explosive pass Catchers like Kyle Pitts. Rudolph has peaked and Irv Smith Jr. is a former 2nd rounder with little upside. They’re both good backup options to help with pass blocking and occasional short gains. Pitts adds a new dimension. He has much more upside and would open up the passing game for Kirk Cousins and the Vikings after they traded away Stefon Diggs.
15. New England Patriots: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
Career College Stats: 147 Catches, 2,395 Receiving Yards, 19 Receiving TD
The Patriots and Bill Belichick are sick right now after seeing Tom Brady win the Super-Bowl in his first season away from the Franchise. On top of that, the Patriots had their first losing season in two decades, without Brady. One of the glaring weaknesses that Brady masked for the Patriots, was their mediocre Receiving core. The Pats need a deep threat that can catch the ball in tight spaces. Rashod Bateman has great hands and size. He excels at getting jump-balls and is a deep threat that the Patriots need.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Career College Stats: 116 Total Tackles, 6.0 Tackles for Loss, 4 INT, 1 Defensive TD, 4 Forced Fumbles
The Cardinals need insurance at the Corner position with Patrick Peterson set to be a Free Agent in March. Surtain II is a hard-hitting, max-effort player that is great in Zone Coverage. He’s great schematically but isn’t a great one on one/man-to-man defender.
17. Oakland Raiders: Hamilcar Rashed Jr., DE/OLB, Oregon State
Career College Stats: 144 Total Tackles, 37.0 Tackles for Loss, 16.5 Sacks, 3 Forced Fumbles
The Raiders have a history of going against the grain and picking players that surprise people. This could be that pick. They did it with Clelin Ferrell in 2019. They could do it again here with Rashed Jr. This would be a great pick in my opinion as Rashed Jr. has tons of upside and is a monster edge rusher. He’s reminiscent of Jadeveon Clowney without the injury concerns. He’s just what the Raiders need, and him alongside a Ferrell, will wreak havoc on opposing Offensive Lines.
18. Miami Dolphins: Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Career College Stats: 3,843 Rushing Yards, 46 Rushing TD, 80 Catches, 781 Receiving Yards, 11 Receiving TD
With their second first-rounder, the Dolphins will continue to go offense here. They need a Running Back and while Etienne is the best one available, I have a feeling Harris will be the first one to come off the board. Harris is a strong power back that can also catch passes and has steady hands. He’ll be a great security blanket for Tua.
19. Washington Football Team: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
Career College Stats: 74.3 Cmp%, 6,126 Passing Yards, 56 TD, 7 INT, 197.6 Passer Rating, 138.2 Adjusted NFL Converted Passer Rating
The Dwayne Haskins experiment was a disaster that honestly wasn’t all too surprising. It’s hardly surprising to foresee a prospect like Haskins become a bust when his post-draft 2019 comments were “the league done messed up”. Yeah ok. More like Washington “done messed up” by taking you with the 15th overall pick.
Alex Smith is a great comeback story. No doubt. He’s damaged goods though and it’s time for Ron Rivera to pick his “guy” and not the Quarterbacks on the roster that he inherited. Mac Jones has risen up draft boards and if I’m being totally honest, it’s hardly a surprise. Before the season started I had Jones as a possible projected 1st Rounder when everyone else had him as a 6th rounder. Well looks like everyone has joined the party, and Washington is getting a steal here. If you want to know my full analysis on Jones, refer to my QB Rankings for the 2021 NFL Draft that I wrote back in September of 2020.
20. Chicago Bears: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
Career College Awards: 2020 Consensus All-American, 2020 John Outland Trophy
Unless the Bears trade up for a Quarterback, this pick will most likely be an Offensive Lineman. Ryan Pace has nine lives but he can’t afford to take another huge gamble on a Quarterback by trading up in the Draft for one, so the Bears will most likely address their QB needs through trade or Free agency. Here, they take the best Offensive Lineman prospect available to sure up their swiss cheese O-Line.
21. Indianapolis Colts: Patrick Jones II, DE, Pittsburgh
Career College Stats: 112 Total Tackles, 32.0 Tackles for Loss, 21.5 Sacks, 5 Forced Fumbles
This guy makes plays all over the field. He jars the ball loose gets to the QB, and tracks down the ball carrier. He’s exactly what this Colts team needs and he’s the best edge rusher available at this point in the Draft.
22. Tennessee Titans: Carlos Basham Jr., DE, Wake Forest
Career College Stats: 173 Total Tackles, 35.5 Tackles for Loss, 19.5 Sacks, 7 Forced Fumbles, 3 Fumble Recoveries
Basham is one of those prospects that always leaves you wanting more. He shows flashes, but the effort ultimately isn’t always there. That’s worrisome, which is why he could slide on draft night. However, a playoff team like the Titans could afford to take a gamble here this late in round 1.
23. New York Jets: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Career College Stats: 4,952 Rushing Yards, 70 Rushing TD, 102 Catches, 1,155 Receiving Yards, 8 Receiving TD
The Jets get Darnold another offensive weapon. Etienne is a great pass-catching Running Back, who is quick, and fast in between his runs and cuts. He’s the best prospect available at his position and the Jets are lucky he’s still on the board. Too many times, Darnold is running for his life because none of his receivers are getting open and the pass blocking starts to break down. Etienne could help ease those issues as he’d serve Darnold with a great check-down option.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan
This pick has to be an Offensive Lineman. The Steelers cannot afford to neglect their biggest need. Jalen Mayfield is a solid run blocker that needs to improve his pass blocking. He’d make a good Right Tackle and is someone the Steelers will consider taking if he’s available here.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars: Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama
Career College Stats: 63 Total Tackles, 15.5 Tackles for Loss, 10.0 Sacks, 3 Forced Fumbles
The Jaguars go D-Line here, and for good reason. They need to upgrade their DT position to create more sack opportunities for their edge rushers. Barmore is the perfect man for the job. He covers the holes well in the run game and commands double teams in the passing game to open up opportunities for his teammates. His value won’t always be in his stats, but he’d be a welcome addition for a team like the Jags who have a pair of promising young edge rushers in Smoot and Allen.
26. Cleveland Browns: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Career College Stats: 101 Total Tackles, 7.0 Tackles for Loss, 3.0 Sacks, 2 INT, 2 Forced Fumbles
The Browns finally made their first playoff appearance in over a decade, but it was hardly impressive. The Browns were one of the worst 11–5 teams of recent memory. They finished with a point differential of -11. That’s not good at all. Part of their problem is at the number 2 Corner slot. They need an upgrade over Terrance Mitchell and the Browns can’t afford to wait around for Greedy Williams. This team's window is now and taking a prospect like Horn here will go a long way into improving their pass defense.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
Career College Stats: 136 Total Tackles, 2.0 Tackles for Loss, 13 INT, 1 Defensive TD, 2 Forced Fumbles, 1 Fumble Recovery
Safety is a glaring need for the Ravens. Every Mock Draft has Trevon Moehrig at the top of the Board when it comes to Safeties. That’s a reach in my opinion as the best Safety in this class is Andre Cisco. He’s the best athlete and has the best hands at his position. He makes game-changing plays and it’s a mystery as to why he’s fallen down Draft Boards. The Ravens will gladly take him here.
28. New Orleans Saints: Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
Career College Stats: 106 Catches, 1,594 Receiving Yards, 23 Receiving TD
Marshall is a tall, speedy, athletic, and strong Receiver that would compliment Star Wideout Michael Thomas well. Not to mention, the Saints also have Emmanuel Sanders, who isn’t what he once was, but would be a solid number 3 Receiver. Marshall commands double teams because of his size and speed. He would open up the Saints passing games immensely with just his mere presence on the field.
29. Green Bay Packers: Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
Career College Stats: 120 Catches, 1,590 Receiving Yards, 12 Receiving TD
The Packers don’t usually draft Wide Receiver’s in the 1st round of the NFL Draft. However, they could break that trend and get Davante Adams a complementary threat on the other side of the field. Rondale Moore is the best Wide Receiver available here, but Toney has created a buzz in the scouting community, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him be the pick here.
30. Buffalo Bills: Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami (FL)
Career College Stats: 105 Catches, 1,358 Receiving Yards, 13 Receiving TD
Jordan has improved as a pass blocker and is the whole package as far as Tight Ends go. It wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up being the best Tight End in this class. The Bills have a great Receiving core led by Stefon Diggs. Add a great pass-catching, and pass blocking Tight End to the mix, and this offense becomes more exciting, times two. Josh Allen has a rocket arm but has also made improvements in the accuracy department. He likes to make throws on the run when things break down. When that happens, having a security blanket like Jordan for your young Quarterback will do wonders for this team.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan
Career College Stats: 97 Total Tackles, 23.5 Tackles for Loss, 11.5 Sacks, 1 Forced Fumble
We all know the Chiefs could stand to upgrade their Offensive Line that was abused in Super-Bowl 55 and had Patrick Mahomes running for his life. Unfortunately, there isn’t anyone worth taking here if you're the Chiefs unless you want to reach for Samuel Cosmi.
Instead, the Chiefs will look to add some more talent on the Edge. Kwity Paye had a solid 2020 College Football Season and cemented his status as a first-round talent. Many 2021 Mock Drafts have him going in the Top 15, so the Cheifs are seemingly getting great value here.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jay Tufele, DT, USC
Career College Stats: 64 Total Tackles, 10.0 Tackles for Loss, 6.5 Sacks, 1 INT, 1 Fumble Recovery, 1 Defensive TD
The Buccaneers have one of the best Defensive Lines in the NFL, but the fact of the matter is Lavonte David and Ndamukong Suh are both set to hit the Free Agent market, so the Buccaneers need to draft themselves some insurance. Jay Tufele is a solid prospect. He’s not the greatest athlete but he’s productive and a great football player with a high I.Q. He’s great at stopping the run and can cause double teams to open up opportunities for his teammates to get to the Quarterback in the passing game.
Citations/Credits:
All College Football stats are courtesy of https://www.sports-reference.com/
NFL Draft Order Courtesy of http://www.tankathon.com/nfl
All Photos are property of their respective owners and were edited with Photoshop Express and Photo Grid
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All links provided in this post are for informational purposes and serve as a referendum correlated to the topic(s) of this article
Thanks For Reading!
Jeffrey Genao is a Writer and Contributor for Top Level Sports. You can read more of his Content at Top Level Sports.
