2021 NFL Mock Draft: Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields Battle For Top Spot
The 2020 NFL Draft is behind us, so now it's time for all the crazy draft nerds to turn their attention towards 2021. With that in mind, here's our first way-too-early 2021 NFL mock draft.
2021 NFL Mock Draft
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Lawrence has been the projected top pick in the 2021 draft for two years. He's a 6-foot-6, 220-pound prototypical signal-caller with a howitzer for an arm and enough speed to escape the pocket. Oh and he's led Clemson to two national title games, winning one. He's the kind of quarterback NFL execs dream about.
2. Washington Redskins: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
With Trent Williams gone, the Redskins need a franchise left tackle. They get the best lineman in the country in the 6-foot-6, 330-pound Sewell, who was darn near perfect in 2019.
3. Cincinnati Bengals: Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU
A.J. Green is getting older and Chase would have been the best receiver in a star-studded class if he could have come out in 2020. A perfect fit as he reunites with fellow LSU product Joe Burrow.
4. Miami Dolphins: Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami
The Dolphins stay local and get an electric edge rusher who racked up 15.5 sacks as a redshirt freshman in 2019. Rousseau is 6-foot-7 and 257 pounds of athletic, pass rushing push. And he'll only get bigger and better.
5. Carolina Panthers: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
If the Panthers are at No. 5 next year they can't pass on Fields, even after inking Teddy Bridgewater to a three-year deal this offseason. He's an incredible, dual-threat talent who put up big numbers in his first season as a starter in 2019.
6. New York Jets: Patrick Surtain II, CB Alabama
The Jets failed to adequately address their needs at cornerback in the 2020 draft, so they do that here, snagging the Crimson Tide's next great corner.
7. New York Giants: Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
The Giants haven't improved the skill positions around Daniel Jones. Here they get him a legit No. 1 receiver.
8. Detroit Lions: Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
The Lions took Jeff Okudah with the third pick in 2020, so they get another Buckeye to partner with him in the secondary in Wade.
9. Las Vegas Raiders: Micah Parsons, LB Penn State
An athletic freak, Parsons will likely be the top linebacker in the 2021 class. He had 109 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and five sacks as a sophomore in 2019. The Raiders still need their main man in the middle, and Parsons would fill that hole.
10. Miami Dolphins (via Houston): Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
With Tua Tagovailoa on board, the Dolphins get him a target. Waddle is a good route-runner who can be explosive in the vertical passing game.
11. Arizona Cardinals: Paulson Adebo, CB Stanford
Despite having first-round hype, Adebo opted to return to school. He's an outstanding technical corner who should bounce back from a subpar 2019 season and continue to build the defensive foundation Kliff Kingsbury and Co. started with their pick of Isaiah Simmons this year.
12. Los Angeles Chargers: Walker Little, OT, Stanford
The Chargers still haven't addressed their glaring need at left tackle. They finally do it with Little, who should be a top pick if he recovers from knee surgery.
13. Denver Broncos: Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
Offensive tackle remains a big need for the Broncos. Here, they get a mountain of a blindside protector in Cosmi who is 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds. More help for Drew Lock is never a bad thing.
14. Atlanta Falcons: Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington
The Falcons need to find a way to rush the passer and didn't get an upgrade off the edge in the 2020 draft. At 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds, Tryon had eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2019.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LA Rams): DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
The Jaguars took Lawrence at No. 1, now they get him a top target who had 14 touchdown receptions and averaged 18.5 yards per catch in 2019.
16. Cleveland Browns: Trey Smith, OL, Tennessee
The Browns need to continue beefing up their offensive line. Smith plays left guard for the Volunteers but has played tackle, and that versatility would be invaluable for the future.
17. Chicago Bears: Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia
Newman transferred to Georgia from Wake Forest after the 2019 season to help boost his stock. He has the physical tools to be a first-round pick if he can improve his accuracy in 2020, and the Bears clearly aren't all the way in on Mitchell Trubisky after dragging their feet to pick up his fifth-year option and trading for Nick Foles.
18. Minnesota Vikings: Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State
Wilson would have likely been a first-rounder in 2020 had a hand injury not prematurely ended his junior season. A former top recruit, the 6-foot-5, 310-pound Wilson is a powerful disrupter on the interior.
19. Tennessee Titans: Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State
Even if Ryan Tannehill is effective in 2020, it's time for the Titans to start planning for their future. Purdy is undersized (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) but is also highly accurate and doesn't make mistakes with the football.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cade Mays, G/T, Tennessee
Mays has a ton of versatility and can play guard or tackle. He transferred from Georgia and will help Trey Smith beef up Tennessee's offensive line in 2020. Pittsburgh has a cadre of talented but aging linemen and could use an influx of youth.
21. Indianapolis Colts: Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
The Colts had needs at corner but didn't address them until late in the 2020 draft. They right that ship here, getting a big (6-foot-2, 185 pounds), athletic corner who has been battle-tested in the SEC.
22. Green Bay Packers: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
The Packers have a number of big wideouts who struggle to find separation and make plays. They solve that here with Moore, an undersized playmaker who can be used in a number of ways.
23. Dallas Cowboys: Richard LeCounte, S, Georgia
The Cowboys failed to fill their biggest need during the 2020 draft by not selecting a single safety. They get arguably the best in the 2021 draft, as LeCounte falls to them here.
24. Seattle Seahawks: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
The Seahawks finally address their offensive line woes by landing Leatherwood, who could have been a first-rounder in 2020.
25. Buffalo Bills: Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina
Mukuamu is a ridiculously tall corner back at 6-foot-4 and the second-team All-SEC pick had four interceptions and nine pass breakups in 2019.
26. New England Patriots: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
The Patriots still haven't addressed their long-term plans at quarterback, so we have them doing that here. Lance has all the physical tools you could want in a young quarterback and a championship pedigree. He led the Bison to a national title in 2019 while throwing for 28 touchdowns and no interceptions.
27. Philadelphia Eagles: Creed Humphrey, G/C, Oklahoma
With Jason Kelce aging, Humphrey could be Philadelphia's long-term answer at center. The second-team All-American could slide in and play guard in the meantime.
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Xavier Thomas, DE, Clemson
The Buccaneers need more of a push off the edge and didn't get that in the 2020 draft. Thomas is a former top recruit who is poised for a breakout as a junior in 2020.
29. New Orleans Saints: Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
The Saints needed linebacker help in the 2020 draft but failed to get it. Here they get Moses, who would have been a first-round pick in 2020 had he not torn his ACL before the season.
30. Baltimore Ravens: Jay Tufele, DT/DE, USC
Tufele is a luxury pick here for Baltimore, but he's a scheme-versatile defensive lineman who broke out big-time as a sophomore in 2019. The All-Pac-12 first-teamer is a mauler at the point of attack and he uses his 6-foot-3, 315-pound frame to create leverage.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
The 49ers need to start restocking their secondary for the future. Cisco is a rangy center fielder at safety and has developed into a ballhawk. He has racked up 12 interceptions and 14 pass breakups in his first two seasons at Syracuse.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Deonte Brown, G, Alabama
The Chiefs needed to find a guard in the 2020 draft but never did. That need is still there, so they fill it with Brown, a powerful, massive guard a 6-foot-4, 338 pounds who will be a redshirt senior in 2020.