- Joined:
- Sep 28, 2014
- Posts:
- 8,618
- Liked Posts:
- 10,236
- Location:
- Chicago, IL
Daniel Jeremiah is one of the most well informed draft insiders out there. He has NFL connections, so he usually has somewhat of a good idea on how teams view the prospects in the time being:
Daniel Jeremiah 2021 NFL mock draft 3.0: 49ers go all in on Mac Jones
We've witnessed the first few waves of free agency and a month of pro days since I last unveiled a forecast for Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft. In other words, a lot has changed. Below is my third mock draft of the first round.
Quick reminder: This mock is a projection of where I believe players will go, not necessarily a reflection of my opinion as to where the players should go.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence
Clemson · QB
Nothing changes at the top. The Jaguars have done their homework on all of the top quarterback prospects, but all signs point to Lawrence going to Jacksonville.
2. New York Jets
Zach Wilson
BYU · QB
Unless something unexpected pops up during Wilson's NFL Scouting Combine physical, I'll be shocked if he isn't the No. 2 overall pick.
3. San Francisco 49ers
Mac Jones
Alabama · QB
I'm not surprised San Francisco traded up to No. 3. I am surprised that everything you hear points toward Jones being the Niners' pick at No. 3.
4. Atlanta Falcons
Trey Lance
North Dakota State · QB
If Atlanta stays at No. 4, I can't see the franchise passing on soon-to-be 36-year-old Matt Ryan's eventual successor.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
Kyle Pitts
Florida · TE
The Bengals still have holes on the offensive line, but this is a deep draft in the trenches, which allows them to take the best player available with the fifth pick before adding O-line help in Round 2.
6. Miami Dolphins
Ja'Marr Chase
LSU · WR
Miami moved back up after trading down to No. 12, wisely figuring they would be able to land either Pitts or Chase with the sixth pick.
7. Detroit Lions
Justin Fields
Ohio State · QB
This could be a trade spot, with some teams picking after Detroit potentially in the market for a quarterback, but I wouldn't rule out the Lions staying put and taking a signal-caller themselves. Fields has more upside than Jared Goff.
8. Carolina Panthers
Rashawn Slater
Northwestern · OT
I could see this coming down to a decision between drafting a cornerback or offensive lineman. The Panthers go with the latter in this scenario.
9. Denver Broncos
Penei Sewell
Oregon · OT
LT Garett Bolles played really well last season, and now you add a bookend on the right side in Sewell.
10. Dallas Cowboys
Kwity Paye
Michigan · Edge
Paye is the most explosive pass rusher in the draft. He would team up with DeMarcus Lawrence to give the Cowboys a big-time duo off the edges.
11. New York Giants
DeVonta Smith
Alabama · WR
Even after the Giants' signing of Kenny Golladay, I still get the sense Big Blue wants more weapons. Smith is the best route runner in the draft.
12. Philadelphia Eagles
Patrick Surtain II
Alabama · CB
This would be a dream scenario for the Eagles. After trading down to No. 12, they still land the top cornerback in the draft.
13. Los Angeles Chargers
Jaycee Horn
South Carolina · CB
The Chargers have a hole at left tackle, but similar to the Bengals' approach in this mock, they could fill their cornerback need here and pick a tackle in the second round.
14. Minnesota Vikings
Jaelan Phillips
Miami · Edge
Phillips is the most talented edge rusher in the draft. If not for some durability concerns, he would go higher than this pick.
15. New England Patriots
Micah Parsons
Penn State · LB
The Patriots have been bold this offseason, so I won't be shocked if they decide to trade up for a quarterback. If they stay put, Parsons has the versatility to fit in New England.
16. Arizona Cardinals
Jaylen Waddle
Alabama · WR
This is a big-time steal if Waddle falls this far down the board, but we've seen some talented receivers slip a bit in recent drafts. He would be electric in Arizona's offense.
17. Las Vegas Raiders
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Notre Dame · LB
New defensive coordinator Gus Bradley requires a lot of speed, athleticism and coverability from his linebackers. Owusu-Koramoah gives you plenty of each. With Las Vegas signing Yannick Ngakoue to pair up with Maxx Crosby, I'm not as concerned about the Raiders' edge-rush woes as I was before free agency.
18. Miami Dolphins
Gregory Rousseau
Miami · Edge
Rousseau had some stiffness in his pro day workout, which concerned some teams. That said, look at his combination of size, length and production. Plus, his impressive 10-yard split time (1.57 seconds) will carry a lot of weight in evaluations.
19. Washington Football Team
Alijah Vera-Tucker
USC · OL
I liked that Washington kept guard Brandon Scherff (franchise tag), but the Football Team still needs to upgrade the offensive line. Vera-Tucker has the versatility to play tackle or guard.
20. Chicago Bears
Greg Newsome II
Northwestern · CB
Newsome is a plug-and-play guy who can replace Kyle Fuller. The Bears could also go with an offensive tackle here.
21. Indianapolis Colts
Christian Darrisaw
Virginia Tech · OT
Indianapolis has a hole at left tackle in the wake of Anthony Castonzo's retirement. Darrisaw can slide right in and be a starter at the position.
22. Tennessee Titans
Caleb Farley
Virginia Tech · CB
I view Farley as one of the top five players in the draft, but he's likely to slide a bit after undergoing a back procedure that kept him from working out at Virginia Tech's pro day. The Titans were rewarded for stopping Jeffery Simmons' slide a couple years ago, and things could play out similarly in this scenario.
23. New York Jets
Azeez Ojulari
Georgia · Edge
Ojulari would be a good fit opposite Carl Lawson off the edge in Robert Saleh's defense.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
Teven Jenkins
Oklahoma State · OT
The Steelers would have their choice of the top running backs here, but I think upgrading the offensive line will be the first order of business.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevon Moehrig
TCU · S
There are some intriguing options for the Jaguars with this pick, but Moehrig is just too clean a player to pass up.
26. Cleveland Browns
Jamin Davis
Kentucky · LB
I've been president of the Davis fan club for a while now, but to say he destroyed at his pro day would be an understatement. It matches what I saw on tape, and he fills a need for Cleveland.
27. Baltimore Ravens
Jayson Oweh
Penn State · Edge
Oweh has lacked production but has not lacked disruption for the Nittany Lions. He showed his freakish athleticism at Penn State's pro day.
28. New Orleans Saints
Asante Samuel Jr.
Florida State · CB
If the Saints don't make an ultra-aggressive move up the board to grab a sliding quarterback, finding a cornerback who can make plays on the ball would be a priority. Samuel answered any lingering questions about his speed at FSU's pro day.
29. Green Bay Packers
Landon Dickerson
Alabama · C
Dickerson is the best pure interior offensive lineman available. I thought he might fall out of the first round after his ACL injury, but it appears his recovery is going smoothly. He can step in following the departure of Corey Linsley.
30. Buffalo Bills
Joe Tryon
Washington · Edge
I could see Buffalo addressing the linebacker position, but finding another edge rusher to complement Jerry Hughes is a bigger priority.
31. Kansas City Chiefs
Kelvin Joseph
Kentucky · CB
Kansas City has always valued elite traits. Joseph is big, fast and explosive. He's a little bit raw, but he could team up with L'Jarius Sneed to give the Chiefs two young, athletic cornerbacks.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Elijah Moore
Mississippi · WR
This is a luxury pick for the Bucs as they try to run it back with some insurance in case they do not re-sign Antonio Brown. Moore is a dynamic playmaker with a different skill set than Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Daniel Jeremiah 2021 NFL mock draft 3.0: 49ers go all in on Mac Jones
We've witnessed the first few waves of free agency and a month of pro days since I last unveiled a forecast for Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft. In other words, a lot has changed. Below is my third mock draft of the first round.
Quick reminder: This mock is a projection of where I believe players will go, not necessarily a reflection of my opinion as to where the players should go.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence
Clemson · QB
Nothing changes at the top. The Jaguars have done their homework on all of the top quarterback prospects, but all signs point to Lawrence going to Jacksonville.
2. New York Jets
Zach Wilson
BYU · QB
Unless something unexpected pops up during Wilson's NFL Scouting Combine physical, I'll be shocked if he isn't the No. 2 overall pick.
3. San Francisco 49ers
Mac Jones
Alabama · QB
I'm not surprised San Francisco traded up to No. 3. I am surprised that everything you hear points toward Jones being the Niners' pick at No. 3.
4. Atlanta Falcons
Trey Lance
North Dakota State · QB
If Atlanta stays at No. 4, I can't see the franchise passing on soon-to-be 36-year-old Matt Ryan's eventual successor.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
Kyle Pitts
Florida · TE
The Bengals still have holes on the offensive line, but this is a deep draft in the trenches, which allows them to take the best player available with the fifth pick before adding O-line help in Round 2.
6. Miami Dolphins
Ja'Marr Chase
LSU · WR
Miami moved back up after trading down to No. 12, wisely figuring they would be able to land either Pitts or Chase with the sixth pick.
7. Detroit Lions
Justin Fields
Ohio State · QB
This could be a trade spot, with some teams picking after Detroit potentially in the market for a quarterback, but I wouldn't rule out the Lions staying put and taking a signal-caller themselves. Fields has more upside than Jared Goff.
8. Carolina Panthers
Rashawn Slater
Northwestern · OT
I could see this coming down to a decision between drafting a cornerback or offensive lineman. The Panthers go with the latter in this scenario.
9. Denver Broncos
Penei Sewell
Oregon · OT
LT Garett Bolles played really well last season, and now you add a bookend on the right side in Sewell.
10. Dallas Cowboys
Kwity Paye
Michigan · Edge
Paye is the most explosive pass rusher in the draft. He would team up with DeMarcus Lawrence to give the Cowboys a big-time duo off the edges.
11. New York Giants
DeVonta Smith
Alabama · WR
Even after the Giants' signing of Kenny Golladay, I still get the sense Big Blue wants more weapons. Smith is the best route runner in the draft.
12. Philadelphia Eagles
Patrick Surtain II
Alabama · CB
This would be a dream scenario for the Eagles. After trading down to No. 12, they still land the top cornerback in the draft.
13. Los Angeles Chargers
Jaycee Horn
South Carolina · CB
The Chargers have a hole at left tackle, but similar to the Bengals' approach in this mock, they could fill their cornerback need here and pick a tackle in the second round.
14. Minnesota Vikings
Jaelan Phillips
Miami · Edge
Phillips is the most talented edge rusher in the draft. If not for some durability concerns, he would go higher than this pick.
15. New England Patriots
Micah Parsons
Penn State · LB
The Patriots have been bold this offseason, so I won't be shocked if they decide to trade up for a quarterback. If they stay put, Parsons has the versatility to fit in New England.
16. Arizona Cardinals
Jaylen Waddle
Alabama · WR
This is a big-time steal if Waddle falls this far down the board, but we've seen some talented receivers slip a bit in recent drafts. He would be electric in Arizona's offense.
17. Las Vegas Raiders
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Notre Dame · LB
New defensive coordinator Gus Bradley requires a lot of speed, athleticism and coverability from his linebackers. Owusu-Koramoah gives you plenty of each. With Las Vegas signing Yannick Ngakoue to pair up with Maxx Crosby, I'm not as concerned about the Raiders' edge-rush woes as I was before free agency.
18. Miami Dolphins
Gregory Rousseau
Miami · Edge
Rousseau had some stiffness in his pro day workout, which concerned some teams. That said, look at his combination of size, length and production. Plus, his impressive 10-yard split time (1.57 seconds) will carry a lot of weight in evaluations.
19. Washington Football Team
Alijah Vera-Tucker
USC · OL
I liked that Washington kept guard Brandon Scherff (franchise tag), but the Football Team still needs to upgrade the offensive line. Vera-Tucker has the versatility to play tackle or guard.
20. Chicago Bears
Greg Newsome II
Northwestern · CB
Newsome is a plug-and-play guy who can replace Kyle Fuller. The Bears could also go with an offensive tackle here.
21. Indianapolis Colts
Christian Darrisaw
Virginia Tech · OT
Indianapolis has a hole at left tackle in the wake of Anthony Castonzo's retirement. Darrisaw can slide right in and be a starter at the position.
22. Tennessee Titans
Caleb Farley
Virginia Tech · CB
I view Farley as one of the top five players in the draft, but he's likely to slide a bit after undergoing a back procedure that kept him from working out at Virginia Tech's pro day. The Titans were rewarded for stopping Jeffery Simmons' slide a couple years ago, and things could play out similarly in this scenario.
23. New York Jets
Azeez Ojulari
Georgia · Edge
Ojulari would be a good fit opposite Carl Lawson off the edge in Robert Saleh's defense.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
Teven Jenkins
Oklahoma State · OT
The Steelers would have their choice of the top running backs here, but I think upgrading the offensive line will be the first order of business.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevon Moehrig
TCU · S
There are some intriguing options for the Jaguars with this pick, but Moehrig is just too clean a player to pass up.
26. Cleveland Browns
Jamin Davis
Kentucky · LB
I've been president of the Davis fan club for a while now, but to say he destroyed at his pro day would be an understatement. It matches what I saw on tape, and he fills a need for Cleveland.
27. Baltimore Ravens
Jayson Oweh
Penn State · Edge
Oweh has lacked production but has not lacked disruption for the Nittany Lions. He showed his freakish athleticism at Penn State's pro day.
28. New Orleans Saints
Asante Samuel Jr.
Florida State · CB
If the Saints don't make an ultra-aggressive move up the board to grab a sliding quarterback, finding a cornerback who can make plays on the ball would be a priority. Samuel answered any lingering questions about his speed at FSU's pro day.
29. Green Bay Packers
Landon Dickerson
Alabama · C
Dickerson is the best pure interior offensive lineman available. I thought he might fall out of the first round after his ACL injury, but it appears his recovery is going smoothly. He can step in following the departure of Corey Linsley.
30. Buffalo Bills
Joe Tryon
Washington · Edge
I could see Buffalo addressing the linebacker position, but finding another edge rusher to complement Jerry Hughes is a bigger priority.
31. Kansas City Chiefs
Kelvin Joseph
Kentucky · CB
Kansas City has always valued elite traits. Joseph is big, fast and explosive. He's a little bit raw, but he could team up with L'Jarius Sneed to give the Chiefs two young, athletic cornerbacks.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Elijah Moore
Mississippi · WR
This is a luxury pick for the Bucs as they try to run it back with some insurance in case they do not re-sign Antonio Brown. Moore is a dynamic playmaker with a different skill set than Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Last edited: