1. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Pick: QB Trevor Lawrence (Clemson)
Why: If I have to explain why Trevor Lawrence is the pick here then you have been living under a rock the last few years. The best overall prospect of the past decade is headed to Jacksonville & immediately becomes the most talented quarterback in franchise history. Sorry, Blake Bortles.
2. New York Jets
The Pick: QB Zach Wilson (BYU)
Why: After making the throw-heard-‘round-the-world during his pro day in Provo, it’s becoming more and more likely that Zach Wilson has locked himself into the QB2 spot. The real question is: what team will be sitting at two when the pick is made? I’m betting on the Jets sending Darnold out of town & pairing a new quarterback with Robert Saleh’s coaching staff to start fresh.
3. San Francisco 49ers
The Pick: QB Trey Lance (North Dakota State)
Why: This is where things start to get dicey. If you believe the majority of reports, Mac Jones is the pick for the Niners. I’m not as convinced. Yes, it is true that Kyle Shanahan has had success with quarterbacks similar to Mac (Matt Ryan, Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garappolo)… however, one could argue *that* is why he can’t get over the hump. To me, Trey Lance makes all the sense in the world. Go the Mahomes route and sit him for a full season while attempting a run with Jimmy G. Trey is the perfect option to do so. He has arguably the highest ceiling but also the lowest floor as well. A true boom-or-bust prospect that needs to land in the right place.
Hard to imagine a better landing spot than the San Fransisco 49ers for a young quarterback to develop.
4. Atlanta Falcons
The Pick: TE Kyle Pitts (Florida)
Why: I can hear the mob forming in Atlanta already. It was very enticing to give the Falcons a potential franchise quarterback in Justin Fields, I must admit. After running a 4.4 40 yard dash at his pro day today, Kyle Pitts informed media that he had met with the Falcons the most of any teams. With a few hour long zoom meetings under their belt, and new head coach Arthur Smith rumored to want to move forward with Matt Ryan… it makes sense for Atlanta to select the best offensive weapon in this draft. Imagine Ryan dropping back & having Julio-Ridley-Gage-Pitts-Hurst to choose from.
5. (TRADE) Carolina Panthers
The Pick: QB Justin Fields (Ohio State)
Why: The first of a few trades in this mock draft has the Carolina Panthers leapfrogging the Detroit Lions to snag Ohio State’s Justin Fields. Matt Rhule has been as aggressive as any in search of a new franchise signal caller this offseason. After striking out on a Stafford trade — in which the Panthers reportedly offered the eighth overall selection in 2021 + quarterback Teddy Bridgewater — they decide to trade up to secure a quarterback with gobs of raw talent. Pairing Fields with CMC, DJ Moore and an ascending young defense should stir up a lot of excitement in Charlotte.
THE TRADE:
Bengals- Pick 5
Panthers- Pick 8, Pick 73 + 2022 1st & 2nd
6. Miami Dolphins
The Pick: WR Ja’Marr Chase (LSU)
Why: GM Chris Grier and HC Brian Flores will be grinning ear to ear turning this pick in. After making two separate trades that netted them a future first & a future third round selection — while only moving back a few spots — the Dolphins end up with the player they’d have taken at three. The six-foot, 201 pound wide receiver is a more heralded prospect coming out of college than former LSU Tiger Odell Beckham Jr. That alone will have South Beach rockin’ once the pick is made official.
7. Detroit Lions
The Pick: WR Jaylen Waddle (Alabama)
Why: Next up, I have the speedster from Alabama making his way to Motor City. The Lions lost their top two wide receivers this offseason when Kenny Golladay opted to sign with the Giants and Marvin Jones Jr with the Jaguars. Enter Jaylen Waddle. His Heisman winning teammate gets a lot of the shine, but before going down with an injured ankle five games into the season.. Jaylen Waddle was averaging six catches, 140 yards and a TD each game. Waddle’s game breaking agility is what makes him special. A great piece to add to lead the wide receiver room for the foreseeable future.
8. (TRADE) Cincinnati Bengals
The Pick: OT Penei Sewell (Oregon)
Why: Joe Burrow didn’t get to reunite with his old college buddy Ja’Marr Chase, but still lands the best left tackle prospect available. *insert Alonzo Mourning GIF*
All jokes aside, this move probably serves the Bengals better going forward anyway.. and that’s even without including the future draft compensation as well. Netting a first & second rounder next year, along with another day two pick and still coming away with Penei Sewell is better than Zac Taylor & company could have ever expected.
9. (TRADE) Chicago Bears
The Pick: QB Mac Jones (Alabama)
Why: Another quarterback, another trade. Immediately following the 49ers trade up to three, rumors began swirling about Mac Jones. It remains to be seen how high he climbs up the boards, but for now I believe he will be available in this range. The Broncos seem pretty locked in with Drew, so I don’t look for them to be making this selection.
Instead, with their backs against the wall, Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy go full desperation mode. As of today, Andy Dalton is sitting atop of the depth chart. These two men are fighting for their careers… and are pinning those hopes to the Red Rifle? I don’t see them going out that sad. It could be a disaster, it could get them a new contract. I’d bet they decide to roll the dice and give it a shot though.
Quick aside: Mac Jones’ full name is Michael McCorkle Jones. I’m not kidding. Mac is short for McCorkle. Google it.
THE TRADE:
Broncos- Pick 9
Bears- Pick 20, Pick 83 + 2022 1st and 3rd
10. Dallas Cowboys
The Pick: CB Patrick Surtain ll (Alabama)
Why: Patrick Surtain ll and the Cowboys are the best pairing since peanut butter & jelly. Dallas is in dire need of a true number one cornerback opposite Trevon Diggs. Who better than his former teammate? A secondary centered around these two Crimson Tide cornerbacks will make new DC Dan Quinn’s job significantly easier. Son of a former 11 year NFL veteran at cornerback, PS2 will be a superstar on arrival.
11. (TRADE) New England Patriots
The Pick: WR Devonta Smith (Alabama)
Why: The Heisman winner slips right outside the top ten due to the fact Pitts, Chase, & Waddle all possess a higher athletic upside. However, Devonta Smith is a better technician and much more fundamental than the aforementioned group. I’m crossing sports here, but I get Tim Duncan vibes the way Devonta handles himself and his game. He will not stop working until he is great.
This is where Bill Belichick slides in. Following an abnormally aggressive spending spree in free agency, the Patriots keep their foot on the pedal. Adding Nelson Agholor & Kendrick Bourne.. along with the top two tight ends available.. completely restocked Josh McDaniels’ weapon cabinet. How about a Heisman trophy winner as the cherry on top?
THE TRADE:
Giants- Pick 11
Patriots- Pick 15, Pick 96 + 2022 3rd
12. Philadelphia Eagles
The Pick: CB Jaycee Horn (South Carolina)
Why: A lot of Eagles fans are not going to be happy with the way this board is falling. All four of the top offensive weapons are gone. The option to reach for wide receivers Kadarius Toney/Terrance Marshall Jr is there, but it would be foolish to pass on a prospect as great as Jaycee Horn. Pairing Horn with cornerback Darius Slay is a scary thought for opposing teams. Horn has the ability to shut down an entire side of the field on any given week and fits Philly’s philosophy on defense to a t. Jaycee will immediately play starter snaps and naturally transition to the lead cornerback role as Slay ages.
13. Los Angeles Chargers
The Pick: OT Rashawn Slater (Northwestern)
Why: Center Corey Linsley came over in free agency from Green Bay after making the first team All-Pro in 2020. Guard Matt Feiler looks to be starting at one of the guard positions after leaving the Steelers, as well. Time to get someone capable of protecting Justin Herbert’s blind side for the next decade. While Slater profiles better as a guard, he does have the ability to be great on the outside as well. Coming off a record breaking rookie season, Herbert will be in position to take the next step after the Chargers invested so heavily in the line.
14. Minnesota Vikings
The Pick: IOL Alijah Vera-Tucker (USC)
Why: The Vikings released left tackle Riley Rief early on in free agency and did not replace him with a corresponding move. That means one of two things.. either they believe the replacement is already on the roster, maybe Ezra Cleveland? Or, it means they will look to add an offensive lineman early in the draft. I’ll go with the latter.
USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker is a lot like Rashawn Slater in terms of positional flexibility & profiling better as a guard than tackle. The sheer talent is too much to pass up at 14 for the Vikings though. They can try him out as a left tackle and if it fails, they’ll still have a player with all-pro potential at guard. I view AVT as one of the safest picks in the draft.
15. (TRADE) New York Giants
The Pick: LB Micah Parsons (Penn State)
Why: The Giants were able to add two, third round picks while moving down four spots in the middle of the draft. New York is slowly building one of the most intimidating defenses in the NFL. Leonard Williams & James Bradberry are two of the best players at their respective positions. Bringing in an elite talent like Micah Parsons to put with them could be the move that sends the Giants over the top in the East. Daniel Jones has been given a full catalogue of weapons on the offensive end and now Dave Gettleman looks to load up the other side of the ball. Entering year three, there’s no more excuses for Danny Dimes.
16. Arizona Cardinals
The Pick: CB Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech)
Why: Following a back injury, Farley was forced to miss Virginia Tech’s pro day. It is something worth monitoring moving forward, however I have no reason to believe that he will drop any further than this range as of the day of this writing. Longtime franchise cornerback Patrick Peterson moved on to Minnesota this offseason. The Cardinals were able to bring in cornerback Malcom Butler after his release from the Titans, but they need more help at the position. Farley is one of the best athletes in the draft. He is physical and knows how to use his body to always be in an advantageous position on defense. Provided his health checks out, he would be the perfect replacement for Peterson.
17. Las Vegas Raiders
The Pick: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Notre Dame)
Why: My personal favorite player in the whole draft. JOK is a monster. You name it & he can do it. Man coverage on the outside, nickel coverage in the slot, pass rushing from the EDGE, run stuffing as a box safety.. he checks every box. Some may argue that he’s a “tweener” and lacks a true position. For me, that’s what makes him so special. I’d be willing to bet that DC Gus Bradley agrees with me. Considering the Raiders are in need of a linebacker, cornerback, safety and pass rusher.. JOK can come in and be whatever he needs to be. The epitome of versatile.
18. Miami Dolphins
The Pick: EDGE Jaelan Phillips (Miami)
Why: Now this fit was too good to pass up. The number one overall recruit in 2017 coming out of high school has had an up-and-down career in college. After committing to UCLA and playing in ten total games over two seasons.. Jaelan Phillips walked away from the game. A handful of concussions caused Phillips so much misery that he couldn’t even look at a football for months.
The itch came back quickly and after consulting with doctors and his family, he was granted eligibility at Miami for the 2020 season. Wearing the legendary #15 Hurricane jersey was the exact motivation Jaelan needed to tap into his unrealized potential. Posting eight sacks in ten games, he was constantly wreaking havoc on the opposing quarterback. The talent has never been in question, it is entirely dependent on health. If he can steer clear of numerous future concussions, he has the potential to be a top EDGE rusher for years to come. Brian Flores will put him in position to succeed instantly.
19. Washington Football Team
The Pick: WR Kadarius Toney (Florida)
Why: Terry McLaurin-Curtis Samuel-Kadarius Toney-Antonio Gibson-Logan Thomas. The defense is already loaded with young talent and addressed the biggest need at cornerback by signing William Jackson lll away from the Bengals. Therefore, let’s load the offense up for FitzMagic (or whoever the week one starter will be in D.C.).
While his teammate, Kyle Pitts, garners most of the national attention, Toney had a breakout season of his own in Gainsville. Hauling in a career high ten TDs & 70 receptions over ten games. A supporting cast like that has me thinking like Uncle Rico. Even I could throw for 4000 yards with them! Exciting times in the nations capital.
(P.S. pick a name, typing Football Team is lame)
20. (TRADE) Denver Broncos
The Pick: LB Jamin Davis (Kentucky)
Why: A relative unknown heading into the draft process, Jamin is waking people up now. At six-foot-four, 241 pounds, Baker was able to showcase 4.4 speed in the 40 yard dash during his pro day in Lexington. You could argue there are a couple bigger needs for the Broncos but I couldn’t justify passing on Baker to take a running back or defensive lineman at this point in the draft. He is the type of player that defensive coordinators will fall in love with. I can already imagine Jamin flying around the field in a Vic Fangio defense.
21. Indianapolis Colts
The Pick: OT Christian Darrisaw (Virginia Tech)
Why: January 12th, shortly after a tough playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, Anthony Costanzo decided to call it quits. A mainstay at left tackle ever since being selected 22nd overall in the 2011 draft, Anthony will be sorely missed. The Colts are no strangers to losing a premier player to retirement. Having lost Pat McAfee (2017), Andrew Luck (2019) and now Costanzo.. they will be in a familiar position. Armed with the 21st pick in the draft, GM Chris Ballard will be tempted to trade back.
It would be smart to stay put this year and snag Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw to fill the massive hole at left tackle. Getting a young tackle on a rookie deal is invaluable in the NFL. The Colts have hefty extensions on the horizon for offensive linemen Quenton Nelson & Braden Smith. It makes sense to add a cheap contract to the mix.
22. Tennessee Titans
The Pick: EDGE Azeez Ojulari (Georgia)
Why: My favorite EDGE rusher in the class lands in Nashville. Tennessee signed Bud Dupree & cleaned house in the secondary so cornerback is the bigger need but Mike Vrabel won’t pass up the chance to add Azeez Ojulari and Dupree in the same offseason. The Titans have ranked towards the bottom of the league in each of the last couple seasons at creating pressure on the opposing quarterback. Fans will have someone to be excited about on the edges at long last. A great pass rush can substantially help a rebuilding secondary.
23. New York Jets
The Pick: EDGE Kwity Paye (Michigan)
Why: Robert Saleh will be chomping at the bit to get some defensive talent flowing through their locker room. Coming over from San Fransisco after helping to establish a winning culture, Saleh will have his work cut out for him. The first thing to check off on his list is a versatile defensive lineman.
Kwity Paye is an athletic specimen that has great burst to go along with his gigantic frame. He possesses the ability to beat tackles on the outside and guards on the inside. Paye on one side, Quinnen Williams in the middle, and Carl Lawson on the other side sure sounds like a great place to start.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pick: OT Teven Jenkins (Oklahoma State)
Why: The amount of talent the Pittsburgh Steelers lost on the offensive line is not being talked about enough. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, center Maurkice Pouncey, & guard Matt Feiler have all departed. Former fourth round pick Zach Banner and Super Bowl champion Joe Haeg are on the roster. The Steelers really like Banner and think he could be the starter on the left side in 2021. That’s far too risky to rely on if you ask me.
Bringing in a top prospect at offensive lineman will alleviate a ton of pressure on the coaching staff. Najee Harris is the sexy pick but the Steelers can address running back later, the tackles are likely to dry up quick even in a loaded class. If you don’t protect Big Ben, there will be fans all over Pittsburgh hitting themselves in the head with a helmet.. trying to numb the pain of watching Mason Rudolph at quarterback.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Pick: S Trevon Moehrig (TCU)
Why: Sometimes great players fall right into the lap of a team that needs them most. Moehrig and the Jaguars are a perfect marriage. Fortifying the secondary by bringing in Shaq Griffin to play the slot was a shrewd move on Urban Meyers’ part. To put it mildly, the Jaguars have little-to-no talent at the safety position as the roster is currently constructed. Let’s keep stacking the secondary with a spark plug like Trevon. He is a ball hawk in every sense of the term, recording seven interceptions and 20 pass breakups over his three season career.
That trio along with linebacker Myles Jack and pass rushers Josh Allen & K’Lavon Chaisson will give Trevor Lawrence some breathing room during his rookie season.
26. Cleveland Browns
The Pick: LB Zaven Collins (Tulsa)
Why: The Browns could use help at EDGE and linebackers. Let me introduce this athlete from Tulsa. Zaven has the unique ability to cover guys smaller than him in the passing game and beat guys bigger than him on the EDGE. He’s a top-of-the-line run stuffer and is extremely intelligent. I like what he can offer to a Browns defense that already greatly improved in free agency.
27. Baltimore Ravens
The Pick: WR Terrace Marshall Jr (LSU)
Why: The Ravens are faced with a tough decision at pick 27. After losing EDGE rushers Matthew Judon (Patriots) & Yannick Ngakoue (Raiders), it was hard to not go with a replacement. I, instead, decided to get Lamar Jackson some long needed help at wide receiver. They tried and failed to land a top tier wide receiver in the first round with Hollywood Brown a couple years ago, here they take another shot. This time Baltimore opts for a bigger bodied receiver that still posted a 4.3 speed at his pro day.
Terrace Marshall Jr is used to being overshadowed. In 2019 he posted a 46/671/13 stat line as the WR3 on his own team. Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson routinely took the shine away from Marshall. The LSU product will look to have his own time in the spot light serving as the top option for the former MVP.
28. New Orleans Saints
The Pick: CB Greg Newsome ll (Northwestern)
Why: This one is pretty straightforward. The Saints have a bunch of guys that have no business being starting cornerbacks in the NFL. Add in the fact that Marshon Lattimore was recently arrested and the vision gets even more blurred. Whether Lattimore is available for the Saints week one or not, it would behoove them to land a cornerback with elite traits and a strong upside.
Newsome ll was coached very well at Northwestern by HC Pat Fitzgerald. He is NFL ready right now and has the confidence you want in a cover cornerback. It almost makes too much sense not to happen.
29. Green Bay Packers
The Pick: DT Christian Barmore (Alabama)
Why: Kenny Clark needs some help inside in the worst way. Someone as disruptive as Christian Barmore being his sidekick will result in NFC North quarterbacks losing a lot of sleep at night. Constant pressure from the inside by Clark & Barmore will free up the EDGE and make it easier on the secondary in coverage. The less time the quarterback has in a clean pocket, the less time your cornerbacks have to be chasing wide receivers. This is a move that improves every teammate he is on the field with.
30. Buffalo Bills
The Pick: EDGE Jayson Oweh (Penn State)
Why: A physical freak of a man. Oweh has some of the most eye popping pro day numbers that you will ever see. Standing at six-foot-five and weighing in at 257 pounds, Jayson was able to run a 4.36 40 yard dash. But that is not all, he added a 39.5” vertical jump and 11’2 broad jump. Those numbers should not come from a human being the size of Jayson Oweh.
The main concern is the sack total from this past season. He put up a goose egg in that department but it is misleading. Oweh was frequently around the quarterback, resulting in far more pressures than you would think with zero sacks. I don’t totally dismiss it, but I am willing to bet on his traits and the coaching of Sean McDermott to help develop those skills.
31. (TRADE) Miami Dolphins
The Pick: RB Najee Harris (Alabama)
Why: The Dolphins got the first wide receiver (Ja’Marr Chase) and the first EDGE rusher (Jaelan Phillips) of the draft earlier in round one. Here they make a move back into the round to grab the top running back. Not wanting to risk the Bucs, Jets, or Falcons picking him before they could, the Dolphins are willing to send a future pick to jump those teams. All the while, they are able to have the fifth year option that a first round deal includes. Najee reunites with Tua in Miami.
THE TRADE:
Chiefs- Pick 31
Dolphins- Pick 35, 2022 3rd
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Pick: EDGE Gregory Rousseau (Miami)
Why: Gregory Rousseau was a sure fire top ten pick following his 2019 season. Unfortunately for him, he was not yet eligible for the draft. Upon returning to Miami for his final collegiate season, COVID took over the world and Rousseau decided to opt out of the 2020 season. His projection has taken a hit to some, but others still have him going as high as 11th overall.
Personally, I’m a big fan. He is a bit more of a developmental player than some of the other pass rushers, thus knocking him down the board a bit in this mock. One could argue that it worked to his benefit though, landing with the Super Bowl champions. Freshly re-signed Shaq Barrett and veteran pass rusher JPP are the perfect mentors for Rousseau. Five years from now he could be the best EDGE rusher of the class.
ROUND 2
33. Jaguars – IOL Wyatt Davis
34. Jets – RB Travis Etienne
35. Falcons – EDGE Joe Tryon
36. (TRADE) Chiefs – OT Brady Christensen
37. Eagles – WR Rashod Bateman
38. Bengals – WR Elijah Moore
39. Panthers – OT Samuel Cosmi
40. Broncos – RB Javonte Williams
41. Lions – DT Levi Onwuzurike
42. Giants – DT Daviyon Nixon
43. 49ers – CB Tyson Campbell
44. Cowboys – DT Alim McNeill
45. Jaguars – TE Pat Freiermuth
46. Patriots – CB Asante Samuel Jr
47. Chargers – WR Rondale Moore
48. Raiders – OT Alex Leatherwood
49. Cardinals – EDGE Joseph Ossai
50. Dolphins – OT Dillon Radunz
51. WFT – LB Jabril Cox
52. Bears – OT Liam Eichenberg
53. Titans – WR Dyami Brown
54. Colts – EDGE Carlos Basham Jr
55. Steelers – IOL Landon Dickerson
56. (TRADE) WFT – QB Kellen Mond
-Seahawks send Pick 56 to WFT for Picks 74 & 124
57. Los Angeles Rams – CB Elijah Molden
58. Ravens – EDGE Ronnie Perkins
59. Browns – CB Eric Stokes
60. Saints – LB Nick Bolton
61. Bills – DB Ifeatu Meliwonfu
62. Packers – WR Amari Rodgers
63. Chiefs – WR D’Wayne Eskridge
64. Buccaneers – OT Jalen Mayfield
ROUND 3
65. Jaguars – CB Aaron Robinson
66. Jets – S Ritchie Grant
67. Houston Texans – EDGE Payton Turner
68. Falcons – RB Michael Carter
69. Bengals – DT Marvin Wilson
70. Eagles – S Jevon Holland
71. Broncos – IOL Quinn Meinerz
72. Lions – LB Chazz Surratt
73. (TRADE) Bengals – LB Baron Browning
74. (TRADE) Seattle Seahawks – IOL Deonte Brown
75. Cowboys – EDGE Rashad Weaver
76. Giants – EDGE Quincy Roche
77. Chargers – EDGE Patrick Jones ll
78. Vikings – DT Osa Odighizuwa
79. Raiders – QB Davis Mills
80. Raiders – CB Kelvin Joseph
81. Dolphins – LB/S JaCoby Stevens
82. WFT – OT James Hudson
83. (TRADE) Broncos – DT Milton Williams
84. Eagles – WR Tutu Atwell
85. Titans – OT D’Ante Smith
86. Jets – WR Amon-Ra St.Brown
87. Steelers – QB Kyle Trask
88. Rams – S Hamsah Nasirildeen
89. Browns – EDGE Jordan Smith
90. Vikings – EDGE Dayo Odeyingbo
91. Browns – S Caden Sterns
92. Packers – IOL Creed Humphrey
93. Bills – RB Jaret Patterson
94. Chiefs – LB Pete Werner
95. Buccaneers – IOL Ben Cleveland
96. (TRADE) Giants – OT Spencer Brown
97. Chargers – CB Keith Taylor
98. Saints – WR Anthony Schwartz
99. Cowboys – S Andre Cisco
100. Titans – CB Israel Mukuamu
101. Lions – WR Nico Collins
102. 49ers – TE Tommy Tremble
103. Rams – WR Demetric Felton
104. Ravens – IOL Aaron Banks
105. Saints – TE Hunter Long
Haas Football 