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The 2020 NFL regular season is a wrap and we now know the first 18 teams that will be picking in the 2021 NFL Draft. The remaining 14 teams will be sorted out as the playoffs play out over the next month.
The close of the season means we are firmly into the draft analysis season for much of the league and accompanying fan bases. Todd McShay marked the end of the regular season with his first NFL mock draft of 2021. There are no trades, which means this is as much about assessing team needs as it is about accurately predicting who will go where in the draft.
As we’ll see from most analysts over the next four months, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence tops the board, going to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the No. 1 overall pick. We’ll hear some arguments made for other quarterbacks, but that’s as more about just generating discussion and engagement than it is about actually thinking the Jaguars will go in a different direction.
McShay has five quarterbacks going in the first round, but the first after Lawrence is not until pick No. 4. He has the Atlanta Falcons selecting BYU quarterback Zach Wilson. The other quarterbacks in his first round are Ohio State’s Justin Fields to the New England Patriots at No. 15, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance to the Washington Football Team at No. 19, and Alabama’s Mac Jones to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 21.
Notably, he has the New York Jets selecting Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell with the No. 2 pick. Other teams that could consider a QB but pass in this mock draft are the Detroit Lions (LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase at No. 7), the Carolina Panthers (Florida TE Kyle Pitts at No. 8), and the San Francisco 49ers (Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley at No. 12).
Here is the top ten in McShay’s mock draft.
1. Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2. Jets: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
3. Dolphins: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
4. Falcons: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
5. Bengals: Rashan Slater, OL, Northwestern
6. Eagles: Micah Parson, ILB, Penn State
7. Lions: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
8. Panthers: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
9. Broncos: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, ILB, Notre Dame
10. Cowboys: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama