2021 NFL Mock Draft: Quarterbacks Fly Early, but the Field Has Tough Decisions to Make

    On a personal level, the NFL Draft will always be one of the best times of the year. I love seeing all of the little nuances that every team goes through to make sure that they get the guy they want. This year, the NFL Draft will be in Cleveland, where Browns fans are going to be rocking and rolling. Some of the picks at the front are cut and dry, while others, not so much. Let's do this for yet another go round, my 2021 NFL Mock Draft.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars - QB Trevor Lawrence (Clemson)

    Surprise! Yeah, not really. The Jaguars ensured they would be one of the worst teams in football to get the long blond locks of Lawrence. Many think that he could turn into the next Peyton Manning; the man that can turn Jacksonville around. We're already seeing the ramifications of T-Law going to the Jags, as they have brought in free agents. One of the most hyped up prospects in decades, Lawrence is going to be rocking the teal and black for most of his career.

2. New York Jets - QB Zach Wilson (BYU)

    If you asked me last year if the Jets would be in the market for a quarterback, I would have suggested otherwise. After a horrendous 2020, the Jets need a drastic overhaul of their entire roster. Sam Darnold is a representative of the prior regime, so Joe Douglas and company get their new quarterback in Wilson. The gunslinger from Brigham Young has all of the abilities that a top quarterback in this league has. If the offensive line in front of him is solid, Wilson should be the Jets franchise guy they've been looking for.

3. San Francisco 49ers (from Houston via Miami) - QB Trey Lance (North Dakota State)

    I have to give a lot of props to John Lynch and company for moving up in the draft to take a quarterback. Sure, Jimmy Garoppolo took the Niners all the way to the Super Bowl in 2019, but it is clear that they want to look elsewhere to find their long term answer at the position. Kyle Shanahan is dead set on keeping Jimmy G, but Trey Lance seems like the front office's favorite for pick 3. The 20 year old from North Dakota State has only thrown 1 interception in 318 attempts during his college career, and Shanahan knows how to work with nearly ever quarterback imaginable.

4. Atlanta Falcons - OT Penei Sewell (Oregon)

    The first wildcard of this draft is the Falcons at 4. Even though the higher ups in Atlanta claim they are committed to the core of Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Calvin Ridley, there are some that believe it's time to move on. Personally, I think that they want to keep Matty Ice, so they take the top offensive lineman as protection. I love the game that Sewell possesses, and he would provide Ryan enough time to throw to his top weapons. I do not think that the Cincinnati Bengals would be happy with this pick. Speaking of which...

5. Cincinnati Bengals - WR Ja'Marr Chase (LSU)

    I have been going back and forth as to who Cincinnati could take at 5. With their main target off the board, they could be looking towards Kyle Pitts, as the Bengals have needed a top tight end for a while now. However, they take Joe Burrow's old teammate at LSU. Chase opted out of the 2020 season, but in 2019 with Burrow, he had 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award for top college receiver, and was a unanimous All American. Suddenly, losing AJ Green does not hurt that much in Cincinnati.

6. Miami Dolphins (from Philadelphia) - TE Kyle Pitts (Florida)

    Recently, more and more two tight end sets are popping up around the NFL. We saw a duo of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert for a handful of years, and the Patriots are trying to replicate it with Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. With the Dolphins' selection of Pitts, Tua no longer has to throw too far to reach a top target. Plus, they already picked up their wide receiver in Will Fuller, they can wait until a later round in the draft to find players at that position. Oh, and shoutout to Miami for being able to finagle an extra first round pick from the 49ers. Savvy work, Chris Grier.

7. Detroit Lions - WR DeVonta Smith (Alabama)

    Here it is, Detroit. The elite wide receiver that you have been longing for since Megatron is finally here. With all three of the Lions' top wide receivers departing in free agency, the team is rolling into the 2021 season with Geronimo Allison and Breshad Perriman as Jared Goff's top targets. That will not suffice, so Detroit takes the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner. Smith finished the year with 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns for the National Champion Crimson Tide. It will provide a jolt to Detroit's rebuild.

8. Carolina Panthers - LB Micah Parsons (Penn State)

    Up until a few days ago, it looked like Carolina was the next team to take a quarterback in the draft. However, they recently acquired Sam Darnold from the Jets and even picked up his fifth year option. They continue their recent trend of drafting defensively by taking Parsons. The Penn State linebacker opted out of the 2020 season due to Covid, but he was a consensus All American in 2019 with 109 tackles. Carolina's offense is sufficient, and the linebacking corps that they have is one of the team's weak spots. If Darnold falters out of the gate, they can look at potential quarterbacks in next year's class.

9. Denver Broncos - QB Justin Fields (Ohio State)

    Denver's in a weird spot once again. The pressure is on Drew Lock, as the Broncos new regime looked into potential quarterback options via trade and free agency. With that said, Fields has fallen down my draft board to 9, and I think it will be hard for Denver to pass up on him. In 8 games, Fields threw for over 2,000 yards and 5 touchdowns. Oh yeah, and he also ran a 4.44 at the NFL Combine, one of the fastest times by a quarterback in history. My only knock on him is the school in which he came from. Ohio State has a great lineage of NFL stars, but very few quarterbacks have succeeded in The Show. Can Fields be different than his Buckeye predecessors before him?

10. Dallas Cowboys - CB Patrick Surtain II (Alabama)

    I have one ask of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL draft this year. Pretty please do not overthink this pick. The offense does not need anymore help with the drafting of CeeDee Lamb, and this team needs defense more than anything, specifically playmakers in the secondary. Surtain racked up numerous awards at Alabama, and is probably the best secondary player available in this class. The Cowboys scoop him up at 10.

11. New York Giants - EDGE Gregory Rousseau (Miami)

    I have no idea what to make of the 2021 New York Giants. Are they trying to succeed with their offense or their defense? Even with the signing of Kenny Golladay, this is a defense-oriented squad. Leonard Williams just got paid handsomely after a career year, so it might fare him well to partner him with Rousseau. The Miami defensive lineman opted out of 2020, but had a very strong 2019. Even with concerns due to his performance at the NFL Combine, he's going to be a top 20 pick.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (from San Francisco via Miami) - WR Jaylen Waddle (Alabama)

    The Eagles get some credit for trading down in the draft and recouping some extra picks for doing so. The one thing Philadelphia needs more than any other position is wide receiver. They lost DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffrey, and may end up having to part ways with Zach Ertz. Luckily for the Birds, Waddle has fallen through the cracks and into Howie Roseman's lap. Waddle had 28 receptions for 591 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2020, as the number 2 receiver to Devonta Smith. He becomes the Eagles' next offensive weapon that they were searching for.

13. Los Angeles Chargers - OT Rashawn Slater (Northwestern)

    The Chargers had two main woes in 2020: special teams and offensive line. They remedied the latter by signing Corey Linsley to a record contract, but more work can be done. Slater is the second best lineman in this class, and he can provide Justin Herbert with even more protection. I'm pretty sure the defending Offensive Rookie of the Year would be very happy with this selection.

14. Minnesota Vikings - OT Christian Darrisaw (Virginia Tech)

    And speaking of teams that need offensive linemen, that brings me to the Minnesota Vikings. The Purple and Gold had several holes in a disappointing 2020, but they fixed some of those through free agency. The only one they did not improve on was their line. Darrisaw will fill the gap that was left by Riley Reiff when he departed. Also, I feel like this is the third straight year that I've mocked an offensive lineman to the Vikings.

15. New England Patriots - QB Mac Jones (Alabama)

    In a rare turn of events, the Patriots are now the team that is spending in the offseason and picking in the first half of the NFL Draft. All of the team's needs that I had marked down? They filled those holes with free agency. Matt Judon, Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Jalen Mills, and Kendrick Bourne are just several names that are joining Bill Belichick in Foxboro. At 15, there's one big name quarterback left on the board. Jones there for 4,500 yards and a remarkable 41 touchdowns during Alabama's 2020 championship winning season. With Cam Newton locked up for only one year, Jones may be the real successor to Tom Brady in New England.

16. Arizona Cardinals - CB Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech)

    Arizona lived up to their past reputation in the offseason, signing players that average out to 32 years old. JJ Watt, AJ Green, and Matt Prater all came to the desert in hopes of succeeding with Kliff Kingsbury and company. Even though the Cardinals signed Malcolm Butler to a one-year deal, that secondary needs a little bit more help. Farley can provide just that. He opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID pandemic, but he was a First Team All ACC in 2019. 

17. Las Vegas Raiders - CB Jaycee Horn (South Carolina)

    There was no worse defense in 2020 than that of the Las Vegas Raiders. The Silver and Black made some questionable moves in the past couple of weeks, signing another running back in Kenyan Drake while trading away almost their entire offensive line. Nevertheless, the draft pick in the first round will most likely be on the other side of the field. Horn is a good fit in Las Vegas, even after drafting a cornerback in the first round of the draft last year. He'll help jumpstart the rebuild of the Raiders defense.

18. Miami Dolphins - LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Notre Dame)

    Another pick where I could go multiple different routes is Miami's own first round pick. After a surprise 10-6 season, Miami could get their replacement for Kyle Van Noy in the 2020 Dick Butkus Award winner. Owusu-Koramoah was an anchor on a feared Notre Dame defense that went to the CFP Semifinal. The secondary and defensive line is already strong in Miami, so adding a top notch linebacker can send waves throughout the AFC East.

19. Washington Football Team - WR Rashod Bateman (Minnesota)

    The Football Team went on a surprise run in 2020, capturing the NFC East and many of the NFL's feel-good stories. Their defensive line is arguably the best in the NFL, but they need a 3rd wide receiver to compete with the wideout trios in Dallas and New York. Bateman had a down year in 2020, but burst onto the scene with a 1,219 yard, 11 touchdown season for the Golden Gophers. He would become another speedy youngster that Ryan Fitzpatrick can throw to as Washington looks to repeat as division champs.

20. Chicago Bears - OT Alijah Vera-Tucker (USC)

    Deep down, I think the Chicago Bears would love nothing more than to trade up and go after one of the big name quarterbacks in this year's draft. At pick 20, that's going to be a challenge. In response, they pick up some protection for their new QB1, Andy Dalton. Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles were under pressure at lot last season, so adding an offensive lineman such as Vera-Tucker is crucial for Chicago's long term success.

21 Indianapolis Colts - WR Kadarius Toney (Florida)

    The Colts went big game hunting for a wide receiver in the offseason, but they came up short. They were able to bring back TY Hilton on a one year deal, but he's no longer a number one wideout. Kadarius Toney can be their guy. In 2020 with the Gators, Toney came up just short of 1,000 yards and hit double digit touchdowns totals. Plus, the Colts are doing everything to make new quarterback Carson Wentz successful in his first year in Indy. Personally, I like the trio of Toney, Hilton, and Michael Pittman Jr. It's arguably the best wideout group in the AFC South. 

22 Tennessee Titans - EDGE Kwity Paye (Michigan)

    The Tennessee Titans won the AFC South in 2020, but it was because of their strong offense rather than their defense. The signing of Jadeveon Clowney was a low risk move, but it flamed out very quickly. Tennessee needs a strong edge rusher, and Kwity Paye is fortunate enough to fall to them. Paye had 16 tackles in 2020, along with 2 sacks. The year prior, he had a strong 50 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He's the perfect pick to pair with Jeffrey Simmons on the Titans defensive front. 

23 New York Jets (from Seattle) - RB Najee Harris (Alabama)

    One of the Jets biggest weaknesses in 2020 was their running game. Frank Gore is a future Hall of Famer, but he should not be the top rusher on a team with several young pieces. With a pick they received from the Jamal Adams trade, Gang Green takes the top running back in Harris. The senior running back from Alabama had 1,466 yards in 2020 to go along with an insane 26 touchdowns. It was his second straight season in which he eclipsed over 1,000 yards. With an improvement on the offensive line, Harris could be the Jets top rusher they've been looking for.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers - RB Travis Etienne (Clemson)

    It seemed like Pittsburgh is content on moving on from James Conner, and I would tend to agree. Conner has not been the same since his Pro Bowl season in 2018. The replacement for them is the senior out of Clemson. In 2018 and 2019, Travis Etienne had two years of over 1,600 rushing yards. He also had 24 touchdowns in 2018 and 19 touchdowns in 2019 before taking a slight dip in 2020. Even though Pittsburgh's offensive line has weakened, Etienne still has plenty of running room in the Steel City, and he instantly becomes the team's RB1.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Los Angeles Rams) - S Trevon Moehrig (TCU)

    How fitting would it be if Jacksonville was able to snag a secondary star with the pick they received from trading the best secondary player in franchise history? Moehrig is the best safety in this year's class, and he had 9 deflected passes for the Horned Frogs in 2020. The Jaguars improved at cornerback thanks to the signing of Shaquil Griffin, but safety is still a weakness. Moehrig can fix that.

26. Cleveland Browns - EDGE Jaelan Phillips (Miami)

    It feels good to see the Cleveland Browns picking this low in the first round of the NFL Draft. In a stunning turnaround, the Browns have been able to reinvent their roster into an AFC powerhouse. Another defensive end such as Phillips would do wonders for them. He can work on the other side of Myles Garrett on an impressive defensive line. He's their replacement for Olivier Vernon as Cleveland looks for long term success for the first time in decades.

27. Baltimore Ravens - LB Azeez Ojulari (Georgia)

    Ojulari can be used as either a linebacker or an edge rusher, making him one of the most versatile options in the 2021 Draft. The Ravens lost significant pieces on defense in the offseason, including Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue. Ojulari can fill that role that was left by Judon, as the Ravens look towards competing with the powerhouses of the AFC.

28. New Orleans Saints - DT Christian Barmore (Alabama)

    If I was feeling really gutsy, I could have put Kyle Trask in this spot, but I decided to pass on that. The Saints lost a lot of names in the offseason due to their cap crunch, and franchise star Drew Brees is retiring. However, some of their biggest losses came on the defensive line. Barmore is the best defensive tackle in this year's class, and it could help ease the blow of Trey Hendrickson's departure. He and Marcus Davenport become the new anchors of the Saints defensive front.

29. Green Bay Packers - OT Teven Jenkins (Oklahoma State)

    As much as the Packers want to take another offensive weapon in the draft, I actually think their offense is pretty set. The team might try to get Aaron Rodgers another weapon in Elijah Moore, but I like some more protection on the offensive line. Now yes, the team lost Corey Linsley and Jenkins is not a center like Linsley was. Another tackle to line up on the opposite side of David Bakhtiari would give Rodgers even more time to do his magic.

30. Buffalo Bills - EDGE Jayson Oweh (Penn State)

    Buffalo rode the back of their defense, as well as the Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs connection, to an AFC Championship Game berth. There's a lot of question marks when it comes to their defensive end position, though. Presumptive starter Mario Addison is not getting any younger, so the Bills take Oweh in the draft. He had 6.5 sacks for the Nittany Lions in 2020, and was one of the stars of Penn State's pro day. If the Bills want an edge rusher, this should be the pick.

31. Kansas City Chiefs - CB Greg Newsome II (Northwestern)

    Every year, Kansas City lucks out and has a great prospect fall to them in the draft. The Chiefs are still looking for a top cornerback, and Newsome is still on the board at 31. The junior out of Northwestern only played in 4 games in 2020, which means there is a small sample size. In 2019, he has 28 solo tackles in the Wildcats secondary. He will do wonders with Steve Spagnuolo and the rest of the Chiefs defensive coaches.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - OT Samuel Cosmi (Texas)

    What do you get the team in the NFL that has everything? The best player that is still left in this draft. Even though Donovan Smith was locked up with an extension and Tristan Wirfs was drafted last season, Cosmi might be too good to pass up for Bruce Arians. He's one of the top offensive line prospects in this year's class, and it might require some reshuffling of the deck, but I think Tom Brady would jump for joy with even more protection to throw to people such as Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski. Oh, and congrats to the Buccaneers for winning their first Super Bowl since 2002. The fans have been through a lot of struggle and witnessed a lot of bad teams to get to this point, so enjoy it, Bucs fans!

    There you have it everyone, my 2021 NFL Mock Draft. I know it's a piece that many look forward to every year, and I hope that I delivered this year. Do you agree with my picks? Or am I way off on a fair majority of them? Let me know what you think in the comments below. Enjoy the draft in a couple of weeks, everybody. Hopefully, this is one of the most entertaining NFL Drafts yet.