2021 NFL Mock Draft – Top 5

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With the 2021 NFL Draft just around the corner, the dust of all the offseason switching and swapping has settled and 32 teams around the league have their sights set on the big night coming up on April 29th.

After last year’s virtual draft, the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell are making the move to host a full, live draft event for players and families this time around. The event will be conducted in Cleveland, Ohio with a limited number of vaccinated spectators who will be in the building to see 32 first-round draft prospects’ lives change forever.

To recap what has gone down to this point in terms of draft position, it definitely appears to be an extremely quarterback-heavy top 10. With the San Francisco 49ers moving into the third spot and the New York Jets trading away their starting QB Sam Darnold, even the top five could see 4 signal-callers get selected.

One of the most interesting developments about the moves that were made includes those 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Shanahan has never seemed like the type to pull off this type of high-risk move. Giving up plenty of future draft compensation for a chance to select a project quarterback still doesn’t make much sense to me. Perhaps they are seeing what is going on around the NFL, with the Justin Herbert’s of the world, but we know those don’t just fall off trees…

The early word out of San Fran’s camp is that they have their sights set on Alabama’s Mac Jones with the third pick. Definitely a questionable and risky call, but we must also remember how much of a sample size there was for Jones at Bama, as well as how well he played under coach Nick Saban.

With weapons like Devonta Smith, Jaylon Waddle and Najee Harris. Coaches like Saban and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, it would’ve been difficult for Mac Jones NOT to put up some pretty lofty numbers. With that being said, if there is anyone who can maximize a player’s potential in a brilliant scheme, it is Kyle Shanahan, and they have weapons aplenty.

2021 NFL Mock Draft –

Based on what I believe teams are going to do, not what I think they should do. Keep in mind that as of right now, the top five appear to be pretty set in stone, but Atlanta is a hot topic to watch over the next week or so in regards to trading their #4 pick.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback, University of Alabama

The easiest draft pick since Andrew Luck, newly-appointed head coach in Jacksonville, Urban Meyer will sprint to the stage to call this one.

Lawrence has it all and then some, and it has been on display ever since he led Clemson to a national title as a true freshman in 2019. He has a dazzling touch when throwing a football, like he is pin-point accurate in the short game, along with the long-ball.

He is big, which is really important to every scout in the history of sports. In this case, Lawrence’s size makes him unique in a way that we haven’t really seen anyone this long be able to move the way he does.

Lastly, he has everything in front of him. Lawrence is an engaged man, with proud family history and fine education at Clemson. In four years, he built a strong reputation with everyone from his teammates to the janitors, he’s an ace.

2. New York Jets: Zach Wilson, Quarterback, BYU

J-E-T-S, JETS JETS JETS! Back in the top 3 of an NFL draft is not what Jets fans had been hoping for after taking Sam Darnold at number 3 overall just three years ago. Now, after dealing away Darnold and revamping their coaching staff, a new life is building in the Big Apple.

Zach Wilson wasn’t on first-round draft boards prior to this season, which is amazing because it almost felt like with how strange this past college football season was, Wilson was the one player to make the absolute most of the situation.

He’s an insanely exciting player to watch, which makes this pick that much more thirst-quenching for Jets fans who have been starved of exciting football for too long. Along with his talent level and flashy play, Wilson is touted for his leadership ability and how vocal he is on the field, which should translate well onto a Robert Salah-led team.

3. San Francisco 49ers: Justin Fields, Quarterback, Ohio State University

I know all we’re hearing about this pick is Mac Jones, but I have a hard time believing that after making the expensive deal to move up to this spot, that San Fran is just planning to ‘play it safe’ and settle for a limited product that is Jones.

Justin Fields is most likely the biggest ‘project pick’ among these big-name QB’s. He is often sporadic, with his decision-making and reads mainly and sometimes it gets him into trouble as we saw in the National Championship game against powerhouse Alabama.

Yet, these are things that we hear lots with any prospects in a regular year, that they have the raw talent but need tweaking. I think due to how spoiled we are with this class it is easy for us to pinpoint things that should diminish a player stock, but it’s really not fair for a great player like Fields to get overlooked because he has ‘things to work on.

Fields is quick, he’s the fastest QB in this class by a country mile. He also has a big arm, not always accurate but it’s got great depth. Fields led Ohio State to a massive win over Clemson in the CFP semi-finals which went a long way in showing us his toughness and grit.

I really hope SF goes with Fields and doesn’t set Mac Jones up to be the best of the draft.

4. Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Pitts, Tight End, University of Florida

I think the Falcons would be silly not to trade this pick.

Just go down to number 9, give the Broncos Trey Lance and pick up an extra second, maybe even get their first-rounder next year out of them, but this pick should be dealt.

Atlanta’s glaring need is on the defensive side of the ball, where they were battered with injuries and never really stood a chance in any game last season if they didn’t score 35 points on offense.

If they do pick here, I expect them to go with the can’t miss option in Florida pass-catcher Kyle Pitts. Pitts is a massive, zoomy tight end that can change the dynamic of an offense and force defenses to pay attention to.

Alongside a healthy Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, this Falcons offense could be nearly unstoppable with Pitts.

Trade the pick Atlanta.

5. Cincinnati Bengals: Penei Sewell, Offensive Tackle, University of Oregon

With Joe Burrow returning off a season-ending ACL tear this coming season, the Bengals are going to have to go all-in on protecting their franchise savior.

Sewell is a mammoth amongst men on the football field. Probably the second-best player in the draft in terms of talent and NFL-ready potential, Sewell will step in and play well right away for the Bengals next year.

In a draft where the offensive tackle position is rich, and lots of players are expected to be selected within the first few rounds, Sewell is a level above them all, and having opted-out of the college season last year, you know he is ready to lay some blocks in Cinci.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

 

 

 

 

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