2021 NFL Draft Thread
- Thread starter Rev
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I mean I think Parsons could play any of the LBer spots. Just like I think LVE could play any of the LBer spots if healthy. Jaylon is just a turd.
shoop
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So what’s your semi-official order at 10?
Mine right now
Sewell
Pitts
Parsons
Surtain
Slater
Not exact but in comparison, if you could guarantee the careers would be the following how would you rate them?
Joe Thomas
Calvin Johnson
Brian Urlacher
Darelle Revis
Mine right now
Sewell
Pitts
Parsons
Surtain
Slater
Not exact but in comparison, if you could guarantee the careers would be the following how would you rate them?
Joe Thomas
Calvin Johnson
Brian Urlacher
Darelle Revis
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
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NoDak
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You thought I hated Pitts, Ravi. But I said I do think he would well be worth the 10th pick, but he'd be a luxury for us. But I will say if it came down to Pitts or Paye, I would take Pitts. I absolutely HATE the idea of taking Paye at ten. Decent enough player, but he's not worth that. I wouldn't take him until the late first. If we end up with him, I pray to God it's after a trade down or two.
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If we were picking 20 I'd take Paye. That's as high as I go.
jsmith6919
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There's no way Paye should be taken before Slater or Surtain
NoDak
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Absolutely correct. That's just foolishness.
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Ummm...Paye shouldn't even be on our fucking radar.
jsmith6919
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Yea I don't want him at all either.
jsmith6919
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Genghis Khan
The worst version of myself
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Yep. Do not want. Not in the late first, not in the second, not in the third. Do not want.
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2021 NFL mock draft news: Consensus is there’s no consensus at No. 3 and beyond
By Ben Standig, Arif Hasan, Tori McElhaney 1h ago
Looking for news, analysis and discussion about the NFL Draft? This is the place for you.
We’ll tackle everything from NFL mock drafts to prospect buzz and draft deals. (Sam Darnold to the Panthers, you say? What does it mean for the Jets?) Follow along until the draft on April 29-May 1, as we’ll be keeping this fresh with news, debates, pro day numbers, and — of course — mocks.
The Athletic’s beat writer mock draft: March 23 | Feb. 23
Dane Brugler’s draft guide: The Beast
Brugler mock draft: 3.0 (Now with trades!)
Brugler’s top 10 by position: QB | RB | WR | TE | T | G | C | Edge | DT | LB | CB | S
Big board: Top 100 updated March 29 | Previous top 100
Friday, April 16: Consensus is there’s no consensus at No. 3 and beyond
The Athletic talked to executives leaguewide to get a sense of what’s happening at the top of the draft, with one GM and several executives talking to Mike Sando and a few more chatting with Ben Standig. The consensus seems to be that there’s no consensus, especially with San Francisco’s pick at No. 3. While the general managers generally don’t think Mac Jones should be the pick, no one would be surprised if he turned out to be the next 49ers quarterback.
There’s a fair bit of uncertainty surrounding Atlanta and a few executives projected a pass catcher, not a pass protector, for Cincinnati.
Interestingly, this means Oregon tackle Penei Sewell could fall all the way to Detroit at No. 7. The executives seem to disagree on Detroit and Denver, with one projecting a defensive player and another a quarterback. One area where they do seem to agree is the projection of Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith as the third receiver.
One thing to prepare for? Lots of trade chatter.
Thursday, April 15: Which AFC West team might be the most interesting in the first round?
Ben Standig: There are certain pivot points in the first round where the “Butterfly Effect” is all too real. Consider the Broncos at No. 9. Are they positioned to draft the fourth or fifth quarterback without having to move up? That seems plausible unless perhaps the Patriots, Bears or another quarterback-needy team trades into the top eight. Or, perhaps the Broncos are the ones making the aggressive move into the top five for Justin Fields or Trey Lance. Otherwise, it’s possible Denver selects the first defender in the class. Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons would seem to be the odds-on favorite unless the front office can’t pass on Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II or goes with a pass rusher higher than mock drafts suggest.
Arif Hasan: The Raiders could go anywhere. I’ve seen mock drafts that have them taking linebackers (Parsons, Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Tulsa’s Zaven Collins), an edge rusher (most often Michigan’s Kwity Paye), a defensive tackle (Alabama’s Christian Barmore) or an offensive lineman (Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins and USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker). Their ability to go in any direction is perhaps more a testament to how empty their offseason was and how far they really have to go in order to contest the division than anything else, but it will certainly have an effect on the rest of the draft.
Tori McElhaney: I am going with Denver, too. Covering the Falcons, it hasn’t been lost on me that the Broncos could move up to the No. 4 spot. I’ve written before that only Denver could get away with not having to trade a future first-round pick in order to slide into the No. 4 spot and grab a quarterback if it so desired. I can’t say the same for any other quarterback-hungry team outside of the top 10.
Don’t forget about Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace
With a deep group of playmaking wide receivers, it’s easy to lose sight of an exciting talent one prominent personnel executive described to The Athletic as a “faster Golden Tate.”
Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace isn’t mentioned among the first-round possibilities like Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman or Florida’s Kadarius Toney. Even among strictly Day 2 targets, including Purdue’s Rondale Moore, the Big 12 wide receiver seems overshadowed. But Wallace has the tools to have a fan base pumped should their team draft the 5-foot-11 wide receiver with 4.49-second 40-yard speed somewhere in the second or third round.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Wallace 12th among wide receivers and 79th in the class while ESPN’s Todd McShay has him 11th and 71st, respectively.
“(Wallace) consistently created explosive plays at the college level, producing a first down or touchdown on 73.7 percent of his catches and becoming the fifth player in school history to reach 200 career receptions,” Brugler wrote in his exhaustive NFL Draft guide.
Wallace set personal bests in 2018 with 86 receptions, 1,491 yards and 12 touchdowns. On track to challenge those marks the following year, he tore an ACL, then rebounded for 59 catches for 922 yards and six touchdowns in nine games last season.
“Wallace plays with impressive route movements from setup to stem and shows the tracking skills and focus to rebound the football,” Brugler said. “Overall, Wallace has only average size and speed, but he is a route technician with the play strength, body control and catch radius to make plays at every level of the field. He projects as an NFL starter if his knee stays healthy.”
Wednesday, April 14: Jadeveon Clowney’s deal in Cleveland changes Browns’ draft plans
The Browns and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney have come to terms with a one-year, $8 million deal. He could add up to $2 million more in incentives, too. The Athletic’s Zac Jackson writes that Clowney’s addition should open up the Browns’ draft options as they continue to attack their top offseason priority: adding talent on defense.
With the No. 26 pick, the Browns could still take an edge rusher, Jackson noted, but it’s not necessary yet.
“The addition of Clowney gives the team options and could lead to the Browns drafting a cornerback or defensive tackle in the first round,” Jackson writes.
The 2021 draft class isn’t particularly flashy on defense, but the good news for the Browns is that there are a lot of good options at cornerback.
In his most recent seven-round mock draft, Dane Brugler had Cleveland taking Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome. Jackson agreed with Brugler, as he also chose Newsome with his initial mock draft in February. Jackson writes Newsome is an ideal fit for the Browns, and because of Clowney’s addition to the pass rush, the eyes of the Browns’ decision-makers are on the secondary. Newsome is only 20 years old, but Jackson said with the group Cleveland has already pieced together, youth won’t be too much of a problem.
Greedy Williams returns after missing the 2020 season with a nerve issue in his shoulder. Cleveland added Troy Hill in free agency, and Denzel Ward will be back, playing for the same defensive coordinator (Joe Woods) in back-to-back years for the first time in his career.
“Newsome doesn’t turn 21 until May,” Jackson writes. “He wouldn’t have to be an immediate starter, but he would be tutored by Woods, Ward, Hill and others this summer.”
Jackson said Newsome could eventually become a camp competitor with Williams.
Justin Fields falls out of top 5 picks
The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler’s newest mock draft — the first that breaks down all seven rounds — has four quarterbacks coming off the board in the first four picks. The surprise, though, is that both San Francisco and Atlanta passed on Justin Fields.
Brugler has the 49ers taking Mac Jones as the No. 3 pick and the Falcons grabbing Trey Lance at No. 4. Brugler writes that we all know the 49ers want a quarterback. The question is which one.
“Coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have seen or are scheduled to see Jones, Justin Fields and Trey Lance throw in person as the organization does due diligence on the top available passers,” Brugler wrote. “My initial reaction after San Francisco traded up to No. 3 was Lance, but most of the buzz points to Jones.”
Brugler did throw in a contingency at the end, though, writing that any of the three quarterbacks left on the table after Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson are taken could be the pick at No. 3 and it wouldn’t be a surprise. As for Atlanta at No. 4 which is just as much of a wild card as the 49ers, if not more so, Brugler likes Lance going to the Falcons. He writes that the idea of Arthur Smith grooming Lance to one day run his offense is “an exciting long-term succession plan.”
That leaves Fields out of the conversation until No. 9 with the Broncos, who still are contemplating even drafting a quarterback.
Tuesday, April 13: Kiper predicts another deal for the Dolphins
Mel Kiper’s most recent mock draft has the Miami Dolphins making a fourth trade in the first round of the draft. After trading Laremy Tunsil for Houston’s pick last year, they traded down to No. 12 with the 49ers and then back up to the sixth pick with the Eagles and would in Kiper’s scenario trade back up to No. 4 overall to acquire Kyle Pitts, pairing him with emerging tight end Mike Gesicki and giving Tua Tagovailoa a wealth of targets to work with. In this scenario, the Dolphins would keep their other first-round pick and trade a second- and third-round pick this year — effectively trading the third overall pick, a second-round pick (to the Falcons), a third-round pick (to the Falcons) and a fourth-round pick (to the Eagles) for the fourth overall pick (from the Falcons), a 2023 first-round pick (from the 49ers) and a fifth-round pick (from the Eagles) this year.
Following that, the Falcons still get their player in quarterback Trey Lance, while the Patriots trade up to Dallas’ spot for Justin Fields. Other surprises in Kiper’s mock include a first-round appearance for slot receiver Elijah Moore from Ole Miss, Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis and LSU receiver Terrace Marshall going higher than expected and an appearance by Buffalo’s Malcolm Koonce — generally rated outside the top 100 — at pick 41 to the Lions.
Why are 49ers being coy with No. 3 pick?
The San Francisco 49ers are great at keeping things close to their vest. They have been ever since they surprised the NFL world by announcing that former Buccaneers safety John Lynch would be their general manager. So what they intend to do with the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is grabbing quite a bit of attention.
Adam Schefter was on the radio last week confidently predicting that Alabama quarterback Mac Jones was headed to the 49ers, but a few days later, he backtracked to say the 49ers were keeping an open mind on the three quarterbacks who could be available there. A preponderance of mock drafts has followed suit, with Peter Schrager at the NFL Network, Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network, Ryan Wilson at CBS, Mike Tannenbaum at ESPN, Todd McShay of ESPN and Mel Kiper at ESPN all mocking Jones to San Francisco.
That’s a pretty significant change. The majority of mocks since San Francisco traded up to No. 3 were giving the 49ers Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields much more often than any other quarterback, in fact selecting North Dakota State’s Trey Lance just as much as Jones.
Jason La Canfora of CBS reports that executives around the league don’t buy the movement toward Jones, and neither does ESPN’s Bomani Jones. Ian Rapaport initially reported that Jones was the leader in the 49ers clubhouse but has been backing away from it more recently.
What’s interesting is that the 49ers don’t feel the need to leak who might be the pick — perhaps signaling that they genuinely haven’t made a decision yet or that they feel it’s not a lock that Zach Wilson goes No. 2. After all, if the first two picks are set in stone, why hide your plans?
Monday, April 12: Which prospect not always projected into the first round are you locking in there?
Ben Standig: I’m a sucker for Rashod Bateman. The Minnesota alum isn’t the flashiest of wide receivers, which helps explain his lack of consistent appearances in the first round of mock drafts. But the route-running is precise and Bateman tacked on a stellar time in the 40-yard dash at his pro day. That wide receivers are plentiful in this class hurts his first-round cause, but there’s more reason to imagine him as the first wide receiver drafted not named Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle or DeVonta Smith. To me, Bateman makes sense for multiple teams in the Nos. 26-31 range, including the Ravens and Saints.
Tori McElhaney: I know Dane Brugler had Landon Dickerson at No. 21 in his draft guide, but there are still some outlets that have Dickerson falling to the second round. I would lock in Dickerson as a first-rounder. The argument for Dickerson falling to the second round stems from his injury history, but if he’s healthy, Dickerson is a force worthy of a first-round pick. He’s an immediate starter if he’s at 100 percent.
Arif Hasan: I wanted to say Dickerson as well, but Tori got there ahead of me so I’ll just affirm her choice and add another to the list of potential first-rounders who don’t get first-round love: Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes. There are just not that many corners with 32-inch arms running sub-4.3-second 40-yard dashes who also play with a ton of physicality. Brugler’s guide referred to how coachable and intelligent Stokes is and PFF pointed out he gave up fewer than 10 yards in five games. Maybe my experience is a bit colored by the fact that I cover the Vikings, but it doesn’t seem like penalty issues — his primary concern — keep that many corners out of the first round. Technique can be coached, but the rest of what Stokes has to offer can’t be.
Giants could draft a wide receiver despite adding Golladay
The Athletic’s check-in around the NFL mock draft world continues in New York. Dan Duggan shared his thoughts on the Giants before the draft, including whether Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith or Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons are targets in the first round.
The Giants just made a big splash in free agency with Kenny Golladay. It’s also possible the best player available at No. 11 is a wide receiver. Do you think they could still take one?
Dan Duggan: If the Giants are truly committed to the best player available philosophy general manager Dave Gettleman espouses, a wide receiver is absolutely a possibility at No. 11. Signing Golladay removed the need to take one in the first round, but it didn’t eliminate the possibility. After having such a lack of playmakers last season, the Giants shouldn’t shy away from potentially having too many. Golladay and Sterling Shepard have injury histories, and Shepard could be a cap casualty next offseason. If the Giants are keeping the long term in mind, they shouldn’t be deterred from taking a wide receiver at No. 11.
It seems like everyone wants their team to trade up or down. Which is most likely — if at all likely — for New York?
Duggan: I’d be surprised if the Giants trade up — they only have six picks and shouldn’t be sacrificing assets to move up a few spots when they’re positioned to get an impact player at No. 11. Gettleman has never traded back in eight drafts, so history suggests that’s unlikely. I’ll give trading back a slight edge because it’s possible they get blown away by an offer if a quarterback is still on the board at No. 11, but it’s more likely the Giants stay put.
Why did you go with a pass rusher over, say, Parsons or an offensive lineman in your latest Giants-only mock draft?
Duggan: Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater were off the board in the simulation I ran, so taking an offensive lineman wasn’t a strong consideration. Parsons seems like a riskier pick than what the Giants prefer — there are persistent maturity questions and a limited sample size since he opted out of playing last season. The Giants’ hole at edge rusher is glaring after they failed to make a meaningful addition in free agency. It might be a reach to take an edge rusher at No. 11, but I can envision Gettleman buying into a player like Georgia’s Azeez Ojulari based on his production in the SEC.
Sunday, April 11: Does the draft start with the Falcons or Bengals?
Since the 49ers made the jump from the No. 12 pick all the way to No. 3, the first three picks of the draft seem to be a done deal: Trevor Lawrence to Jacksonville, Zach Wilson to New York and Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones to San Francisco. The Falcons then await at No. 4.
Atlanta is a mystery with a new general manager and a new head coach, as well as a gigantic cap hit in future years after the contract of Matt Ryan was recently restructured. No one really knows what Atlanta plans to do with the No. 4 pick. It has a plethora of options: Keep it and grab the best quarterback available, keep it and draft a difference-maker like Kyle Pitts or Penei Sewell, or trade down and accrue additional draft picks. Many are saying the draft starts with Atlanta.
But if the Falcons decide to draft Ryan’s successor or trade down so another team can take a quarterback, quarterbacks will be taken with the first four picks for the first time. If that happens, the draft seems to start with the Bengals, who don’t need a quarterback.
And, according to Robert Mays’ recent look at the No. 5 pick, there’s a heated debate regarding the Bengals taking one of two players: Sewell or Ja’Marr Chase.
“These arguments are a fascinating look at the psyche of a fan base that knows how important this pick is to the success of the Joe Burrow era,” Mays wrote, “and the fight will likely continue until the moment the pick is made.”
Mays wrote that the pick is important for the Bengals not just to fill a certain need, but because it depicts and signals how the Bengals want to build around Burrow, their quarterback. Do they want to protect him or give him a playmaker to target? That’s what the Bengals are weighing.
It’s not different from what the Falcons are weighing. Do they draft Ryan’s successor or do they fill needs? The Nos. 4 and 5 picks are an enigma. It’s a puzzle that may not be solved until draft day.
When will Pitts be drafted?
Trevor Lawrence is a generational talent who will — without pause or question — go first on draft day. But it’s not Lawrence whom many consider the best player available. That title is held by Kyle Pitts.
Because of the nature of this year’s draft, it’s become the year of the quarterback, and there are many who would take a slight pause when thinking about drafting a tight end in the top 10. However, when you look at Pitts, you know he’s not a tight end in a traditional sense. Pitts is a player who is changing the way we see the position. For some, Pitts has become somewhat of a revolutionary as a tight end.
In a recent roundtable, The Athletic’s Chris Burke explained the Pitts conundrum best when he wrote that he’s been trying for a month to convince people to stop thinking about Pitts in the traditional sense.
“Specific to Pitts, it’s a rough positional designation because … well, just go watch him play at Florida,” Burke wrote. “He isolated out wide against cornerbacks a lot, he played from the slot, he motioned across the backfield — just everything the staff could think of to get him loose. He also handled some of those inline/blocking/pass protection reps you’d expect, but those are not why we’re talking about him as a potential top-five pick.”
So, where could Pitts fall on draft day? A lot of teams want him. Atlanta seems increasingly likely at No. 4, but so does the idea of teams moving up to select Pitts. In his last mock draft, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had Pitts going to Cincinnati. Even The Athletic’s Rhiannon Walker was asked about Washington trading up to acquire Pitts. Walker wrote that Pitts would have to fall to a spot that wouldn’t break the bank for Washington and that she doesn’t see him falling that low.
The point is, though, that Pitts is one of this year’s most interesting conundrums. If the quarterback conversation wasn’t driving the draft, Pitts would be.
By Ben Standig, Arif Hasan, Tori McElhaney 1h ago
Looking for news, analysis and discussion about the NFL Draft? This is the place for you.
We’ll tackle everything from NFL mock drafts to prospect buzz and draft deals. (Sam Darnold to the Panthers, you say? What does it mean for the Jets?) Follow along until the draft on April 29-May 1, as we’ll be keeping this fresh with news, debates, pro day numbers, and — of course — mocks.
The Athletic’s beat writer mock draft: March 23 | Feb. 23
Dane Brugler’s draft guide: The Beast
Brugler mock draft: 3.0 (Now with trades!)
Brugler’s top 10 by position: QB | RB | WR | TE | T | G | C | Edge | DT | LB | CB | S
Big board: Top 100 updated March 29 | Previous top 100
Friday, April 16: Consensus is there’s no consensus at No. 3 and beyond
The Athletic talked to executives leaguewide to get a sense of what’s happening at the top of the draft, with one GM and several executives talking to Mike Sando and a few more chatting with Ben Standig. The consensus seems to be that there’s no consensus, especially with San Francisco’s pick at No. 3. While the general managers generally don’t think Mac Jones should be the pick, no one would be surprised if he turned out to be the next 49ers quarterback.
There’s a fair bit of uncertainty surrounding Atlanta and a few executives projected a pass catcher, not a pass protector, for Cincinnati.
Interestingly, this means Oregon tackle Penei Sewell could fall all the way to Detroit at No. 7. The executives seem to disagree on Detroit and Denver, with one projecting a defensive player and another a quarterback. One area where they do seem to agree is the projection of Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith as the third receiver.
One thing to prepare for? Lots of trade chatter.
Thursday, April 15: Which AFC West team might be the most interesting in the first round?
Ben Standig: There are certain pivot points in the first round where the “Butterfly Effect” is all too real. Consider the Broncos at No. 9. Are they positioned to draft the fourth or fifth quarterback without having to move up? That seems plausible unless perhaps the Patriots, Bears or another quarterback-needy team trades into the top eight. Or, perhaps the Broncos are the ones making the aggressive move into the top five for Justin Fields or Trey Lance. Otherwise, it’s possible Denver selects the first defender in the class. Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons would seem to be the odds-on favorite unless the front office can’t pass on Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II or goes with a pass rusher higher than mock drafts suggest.
Arif Hasan: The Raiders could go anywhere. I’ve seen mock drafts that have them taking linebackers (Parsons, Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Tulsa’s Zaven Collins), an edge rusher (most often Michigan’s Kwity Paye), a defensive tackle (Alabama’s Christian Barmore) or an offensive lineman (Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins and USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker). Their ability to go in any direction is perhaps more a testament to how empty their offseason was and how far they really have to go in order to contest the division than anything else, but it will certainly have an effect on the rest of the draft.
Tori McElhaney: I am going with Denver, too. Covering the Falcons, it hasn’t been lost on me that the Broncos could move up to the No. 4 spot. I’ve written before that only Denver could get away with not having to trade a future first-round pick in order to slide into the No. 4 spot and grab a quarterback if it so desired. I can’t say the same for any other quarterback-hungry team outside of the top 10.
Don’t forget about Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace
With a deep group of playmaking wide receivers, it’s easy to lose sight of an exciting talent one prominent personnel executive described to The Athletic as a “faster Golden Tate.”
Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace isn’t mentioned among the first-round possibilities like Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman or Florida’s Kadarius Toney. Even among strictly Day 2 targets, including Purdue’s Rondale Moore, the Big 12 wide receiver seems overshadowed. But Wallace has the tools to have a fan base pumped should their team draft the 5-foot-11 wide receiver with 4.49-second 40-yard speed somewhere in the second or third round.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Wallace 12th among wide receivers and 79th in the class while ESPN’s Todd McShay has him 11th and 71st, respectively.
“(Wallace) consistently created explosive plays at the college level, producing a first down or touchdown on 73.7 percent of his catches and becoming the fifth player in school history to reach 200 career receptions,” Brugler wrote in his exhaustive NFL Draft guide.
Wallace set personal bests in 2018 with 86 receptions, 1,491 yards and 12 touchdowns. On track to challenge those marks the following year, he tore an ACL, then rebounded for 59 catches for 922 yards and six touchdowns in nine games last season.
“Wallace plays with impressive route movements from setup to stem and shows the tracking skills and focus to rebound the football,” Brugler said. “Overall, Wallace has only average size and speed, but he is a route technician with the play strength, body control and catch radius to make plays at every level of the field. He projects as an NFL starter if his knee stays healthy.”
Wednesday, April 14: Jadeveon Clowney’s deal in Cleveland changes Browns’ draft plans
The Browns and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney have come to terms with a one-year, $8 million deal. He could add up to $2 million more in incentives, too. The Athletic’s Zac Jackson writes that Clowney’s addition should open up the Browns’ draft options as they continue to attack their top offseason priority: adding talent on defense.
With the No. 26 pick, the Browns could still take an edge rusher, Jackson noted, but it’s not necessary yet.
“The addition of Clowney gives the team options and could lead to the Browns drafting a cornerback or defensive tackle in the first round,” Jackson writes.
The 2021 draft class isn’t particularly flashy on defense, but the good news for the Browns is that there are a lot of good options at cornerback.
In his most recent seven-round mock draft, Dane Brugler had Cleveland taking Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome. Jackson agreed with Brugler, as he also chose Newsome with his initial mock draft in February. Jackson writes Newsome is an ideal fit for the Browns, and because of Clowney’s addition to the pass rush, the eyes of the Browns’ decision-makers are on the secondary. Newsome is only 20 years old, but Jackson said with the group Cleveland has already pieced together, youth won’t be too much of a problem.
Greedy Williams returns after missing the 2020 season with a nerve issue in his shoulder. Cleveland added Troy Hill in free agency, and Denzel Ward will be back, playing for the same defensive coordinator (Joe Woods) in back-to-back years for the first time in his career.
“Newsome doesn’t turn 21 until May,” Jackson writes. “He wouldn’t have to be an immediate starter, but he would be tutored by Woods, Ward, Hill and others this summer.”
Jackson said Newsome could eventually become a camp competitor with Williams.
Justin Fields falls out of top 5 picks
The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler’s newest mock draft — the first that breaks down all seven rounds — has four quarterbacks coming off the board in the first four picks. The surprise, though, is that both San Francisco and Atlanta passed on Justin Fields.
Brugler has the 49ers taking Mac Jones as the No. 3 pick and the Falcons grabbing Trey Lance at No. 4. Brugler writes that we all know the 49ers want a quarterback. The question is which one.
“Coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have seen or are scheduled to see Jones, Justin Fields and Trey Lance throw in person as the organization does due diligence on the top available passers,” Brugler wrote. “My initial reaction after San Francisco traded up to No. 3 was Lance, but most of the buzz points to Jones.”
Brugler did throw in a contingency at the end, though, writing that any of the three quarterbacks left on the table after Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson are taken could be the pick at No. 3 and it wouldn’t be a surprise. As for Atlanta at No. 4 which is just as much of a wild card as the 49ers, if not more so, Brugler likes Lance going to the Falcons. He writes that the idea of Arthur Smith grooming Lance to one day run his offense is “an exciting long-term succession plan.”
That leaves Fields out of the conversation until No. 9 with the Broncos, who still are contemplating even drafting a quarterback.
Tuesday, April 13: Kiper predicts another deal for the Dolphins
Mel Kiper’s most recent mock draft has the Miami Dolphins making a fourth trade in the first round of the draft. After trading Laremy Tunsil for Houston’s pick last year, they traded down to No. 12 with the 49ers and then back up to the sixth pick with the Eagles and would in Kiper’s scenario trade back up to No. 4 overall to acquire Kyle Pitts, pairing him with emerging tight end Mike Gesicki and giving Tua Tagovailoa a wealth of targets to work with. In this scenario, the Dolphins would keep their other first-round pick and trade a second- and third-round pick this year — effectively trading the third overall pick, a second-round pick (to the Falcons), a third-round pick (to the Falcons) and a fourth-round pick (to the Eagles) for the fourth overall pick (from the Falcons), a 2023 first-round pick (from the 49ers) and a fifth-round pick (from the Eagles) this year.
Following that, the Falcons still get their player in quarterback Trey Lance, while the Patriots trade up to Dallas’ spot for Justin Fields. Other surprises in Kiper’s mock include a first-round appearance for slot receiver Elijah Moore from Ole Miss, Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis and LSU receiver Terrace Marshall going higher than expected and an appearance by Buffalo’s Malcolm Koonce — generally rated outside the top 100 — at pick 41 to the Lions.
Why are 49ers being coy with No. 3 pick?
The San Francisco 49ers are great at keeping things close to their vest. They have been ever since they surprised the NFL world by announcing that former Buccaneers safety John Lynch would be their general manager. So what they intend to do with the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is grabbing quite a bit of attention.
Adam Schefter was on the radio last week confidently predicting that Alabama quarterback Mac Jones was headed to the 49ers, but a few days later, he backtracked to say the 49ers were keeping an open mind on the three quarterbacks who could be available there. A preponderance of mock drafts has followed suit, with Peter Schrager at the NFL Network, Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network, Ryan Wilson at CBS, Mike Tannenbaum at ESPN, Todd McShay of ESPN and Mel Kiper at ESPN all mocking Jones to San Francisco.
That’s a pretty significant change. The majority of mocks since San Francisco traded up to No. 3 were giving the 49ers Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields much more often than any other quarterback, in fact selecting North Dakota State’s Trey Lance just as much as Jones.
Jason La Canfora of CBS reports that executives around the league don’t buy the movement toward Jones, and neither does ESPN’s Bomani Jones. Ian Rapaport initially reported that Jones was the leader in the 49ers clubhouse but has been backing away from it more recently.
What’s interesting is that the 49ers don’t feel the need to leak who might be the pick — perhaps signaling that they genuinely haven’t made a decision yet or that they feel it’s not a lock that Zach Wilson goes No. 2. After all, if the first two picks are set in stone, why hide your plans?
Monday, April 12: Which prospect not always projected into the first round are you locking in there?
Ben Standig: I’m a sucker for Rashod Bateman. The Minnesota alum isn’t the flashiest of wide receivers, which helps explain his lack of consistent appearances in the first round of mock drafts. But the route-running is precise and Bateman tacked on a stellar time in the 40-yard dash at his pro day. That wide receivers are plentiful in this class hurts his first-round cause, but there’s more reason to imagine him as the first wide receiver drafted not named Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle or DeVonta Smith. To me, Bateman makes sense for multiple teams in the Nos. 26-31 range, including the Ravens and Saints.
Tori McElhaney: I know Dane Brugler had Landon Dickerson at No. 21 in his draft guide, but there are still some outlets that have Dickerson falling to the second round. I would lock in Dickerson as a first-rounder. The argument for Dickerson falling to the second round stems from his injury history, but if he’s healthy, Dickerson is a force worthy of a first-round pick. He’s an immediate starter if he’s at 100 percent.
Arif Hasan: I wanted to say Dickerson as well, but Tori got there ahead of me so I’ll just affirm her choice and add another to the list of potential first-rounders who don’t get first-round love: Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes. There are just not that many corners with 32-inch arms running sub-4.3-second 40-yard dashes who also play with a ton of physicality. Brugler’s guide referred to how coachable and intelligent Stokes is and PFF pointed out he gave up fewer than 10 yards in five games. Maybe my experience is a bit colored by the fact that I cover the Vikings, but it doesn’t seem like penalty issues — his primary concern — keep that many corners out of the first round. Technique can be coached, but the rest of what Stokes has to offer can’t be.
Giants could draft a wide receiver despite adding Golladay
The Athletic’s check-in around the NFL mock draft world continues in New York. Dan Duggan shared his thoughts on the Giants before the draft, including whether Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith or Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons are targets in the first round.
The Giants just made a big splash in free agency with Kenny Golladay. It’s also possible the best player available at No. 11 is a wide receiver. Do you think they could still take one?
Dan Duggan: If the Giants are truly committed to the best player available philosophy general manager Dave Gettleman espouses, a wide receiver is absolutely a possibility at No. 11. Signing Golladay removed the need to take one in the first round, but it didn’t eliminate the possibility. After having such a lack of playmakers last season, the Giants shouldn’t shy away from potentially having too many. Golladay and Sterling Shepard have injury histories, and Shepard could be a cap casualty next offseason. If the Giants are keeping the long term in mind, they shouldn’t be deterred from taking a wide receiver at No. 11.
It seems like everyone wants their team to trade up or down. Which is most likely — if at all likely — for New York?
Duggan: I’d be surprised if the Giants trade up — they only have six picks and shouldn’t be sacrificing assets to move up a few spots when they’re positioned to get an impact player at No. 11. Gettleman has never traded back in eight drafts, so history suggests that’s unlikely. I’ll give trading back a slight edge because it’s possible they get blown away by an offer if a quarterback is still on the board at No. 11, but it’s more likely the Giants stay put.
Why did you go with a pass rusher over, say, Parsons or an offensive lineman in your latest Giants-only mock draft?
Duggan: Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater were off the board in the simulation I ran, so taking an offensive lineman wasn’t a strong consideration. Parsons seems like a riskier pick than what the Giants prefer — there are persistent maturity questions and a limited sample size since he opted out of playing last season. The Giants’ hole at edge rusher is glaring after they failed to make a meaningful addition in free agency. It might be a reach to take an edge rusher at No. 11, but I can envision Gettleman buying into a player like Georgia’s Azeez Ojulari based on his production in the SEC.
Sunday, April 11: Does the draft start with the Falcons or Bengals?
Since the 49ers made the jump from the No. 12 pick all the way to No. 3, the first three picks of the draft seem to be a done deal: Trevor Lawrence to Jacksonville, Zach Wilson to New York and Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones to San Francisco. The Falcons then await at No. 4.
Atlanta is a mystery with a new general manager and a new head coach, as well as a gigantic cap hit in future years after the contract of Matt Ryan was recently restructured. No one really knows what Atlanta plans to do with the No. 4 pick. It has a plethora of options: Keep it and grab the best quarterback available, keep it and draft a difference-maker like Kyle Pitts or Penei Sewell, or trade down and accrue additional draft picks. Many are saying the draft starts with Atlanta.
But if the Falcons decide to draft Ryan’s successor or trade down so another team can take a quarterback, quarterbacks will be taken with the first four picks for the first time. If that happens, the draft seems to start with the Bengals, who don’t need a quarterback.
And, according to Robert Mays’ recent look at the No. 5 pick, there’s a heated debate regarding the Bengals taking one of two players: Sewell or Ja’Marr Chase.
“These arguments are a fascinating look at the psyche of a fan base that knows how important this pick is to the success of the Joe Burrow era,” Mays wrote, “and the fight will likely continue until the moment the pick is made.”
Mays wrote that the pick is important for the Bengals not just to fill a certain need, but because it depicts and signals how the Bengals want to build around Burrow, their quarterback. Do they want to protect him or give him a playmaker to target? That’s what the Bengals are weighing.
It’s not different from what the Falcons are weighing. Do they draft Ryan’s successor or do they fill needs? The Nos. 4 and 5 picks are an enigma. It’s a puzzle that may not be solved until draft day.
When will Pitts be drafted?
Trevor Lawrence is a generational talent who will — without pause or question — go first on draft day. But it’s not Lawrence whom many consider the best player available. That title is held by Kyle Pitts.
Because of the nature of this year’s draft, it’s become the year of the quarterback, and there are many who would take a slight pause when thinking about drafting a tight end in the top 10. However, when you look at Pitts, you know he’s not a tight end in a traditional sense. Pitts is a player who is changing the way we see the position. For some, Pitts has become somewhat of a revolutionary as a tight end.
In a recent roundtable, The Athletic’s Chris Burke explained the Pitts conundrum best when he wrote that he’s been trying for a month to convince people to stop thinking about Pitts in the traditional sense.
“Specific to Pitts, it’s a rough positional designation because … well, just go watch him play at Florida,” Burke wrote. “He isolated out wide against cornerbacks a lot, he played from the slot, he motioned across the backfield — just everything the staff could think of to get him loose. He also handled some of those inline/blocking/pass protection reps you’d expect, but those are not why we’re talking about him as a potential top-five pick.”
So, where could Pitts fall on draft day? A lot of teams want him. Atlanta seems increasingly likely at No. 4, but so does the idea of teams moving up to select Pitts. In his last mock draft, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had Pitts going to Cincinnati. Even The Athletic’s Rhiannon Walker was asked about Washington trading up to acquire Pitts. Walker wrote that Pitts would have to fall to a spot that wouldn’t break the bank for Washington and that she doesn’t see him falling that low.
The point is, though, that Pitts is one of this year’s most interesting conundrums. If the quarterback conversation wasn’t driving the draft, Pitts would be.
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Ranking the top 12 QBs for the NFL Draft: Analyzing from Trevor Lawrence to Ian Book
By Ted Nguyen Apr 15, 2021
The 2020 quarterback class is one of the best classes that we’ve seen in a long time. Of course, I can say that now and maybe only one or two of them actually live up to the hype after a few seasons, but that’s the nature of picking quarterbacks. A majority of them fail but if you don’t swing for the fences for a good one, you’ll never be relevant. Five quarterbacks could come off the board in the first five picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. I’ve completed scouting reports on the top five quarterbacks. After those, there are some intriguing developmental projects with big-time tools and a couple of quarterbacks with outside chances of developing into starters.
1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
No need to overthink this. Lawrence is immensely talented and has three years of sustained success in one of the best college programs in the country. His rare combination of traits and productions makes him one of the best prospects the NFL has seen in a long time.
2. Justin Fields, Ohio State
The narrative that Fields can’t read defenses or go through his progressions is overblown. Can he get through them a little quicker? Sure. But he’s an aggressive downfield passer and fortune favors the bold. Also, the Ohio State offense gets unfairly criticized for being gimmicky when in reality, under head coach Ryan Day, it looks a lot more like a modern NFL offense than most colleges. Fields’ accuracy, ability to protect the ball (only 18 turnover-worthy plays in his career, according to Pro Football Focus) combined with his high-end athleticism gives him a high floor and high ceiling.
3. Zach Wilson, BYU
A lot of the things that people criticize Fields for can be said about Wilson, but because Wilson’s BYU team was so much more dominant than the competition he faced, even when his process was bad, he was still able to make plays. Wilson’s quick release and ability to make remarkable throws are tantalizing, but he has to make some big strides from a mental perspective. Still, his tools make him worth the gamble.
4. Trey Lance, North Dakota State
When watching Lance’s 2019 tape, you say to yourself, “Wow, this kid looks like he’s going to be a top-10 pick if he builds on this season next year.” Unfortunately, because of COVID-19 restrictions, next season never happened. There were times when the ball got away from him. His accuracy is one of those concerns that scouts would have wanted to see him improve on in 2020. Still, Lance’s size, speed, the way the ball jumps out his hand and how quickly he processes defenses make him as intriguing as any of the quarterback prospects in this year’s draft. And he’s only 20 years old.
5. Mac Jones, Alabama
Jones’ 2020 film is better than Lance’s 2019 film. He was remarkably productive in his one season as a starter, throwing 41 touchdowns and only four interceptions. But he’s a little older (22), and his physical traits are levels below the other top five quarterbacks. He’s a below-average athlete with an average NFL arm, but he’s very accurate and processes quickly. We’ve seen physically underwhelming quarterbacks succeed before but if you’re drafting him in the top 10, you’re expecting him to become elite, not just very good. And for him to reach that level, he’ll have to achieve a Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady mastery of the game because his physical tools don’t give him much room for error.
6. Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
Mond has a quick release for a long-limbed athlete. He consistently sets up with a wide base and short-strides into his throws. He throws with a ton of velocity and can also throw with touch. However, his accuracy and ball placement are spotty. His throws aren’t wildly off-target but in the NFL, windows will be tighter, and inches matter. He’s an exceptional athlete, putting up good numbers at his pro day, including a 4.5 40-yard dash. He’ll immediately be dangerous in the option game. On film, there are some examples of anticipation throws as he does a good job of anticipating when windows open inside. His ability to throw outside leaves a lot to be desired. According to Pro Football Focus, Mond was just 14-of-57 last year throwing outside the hash marks over 10 yards in the air. He was a fairly conservative passer last season and left a lot of yards on the field. He did miss his top receivers due to injuries, but there were deep opportunities that he didn’t see because he either misread the defense or didn’t let things develop long enough. He does a good job of staying in and maneuvering in the pocket but makes questionable decisions when pressured. Overall, Mond has an intriguing skill set with his quick delivery, ability to throw with velocity and touch, and high-end athleticism. Additionally, he played in an offense that utilized a lot of dropback concepts that are translatable in the NFL. Mond looks like a solid Round 2-3 developmental project who can pay dividends in the right situation.
Texas A&M vs. Alabama, 3:22 remaining in the third quarter, third-and-12
On this play, it appears the Aggies have a four verticals concept called. Against two-deep safeties, some teams will have their two inside verticals flatten out and look more like “dig” routes. The offense seemed to have recognized how Alabama lined up pre-snap and decided to convert its routes.
After the snap, the safeties rotated into a one-deep look. Ideally, the slot receiver should have run straight down the field because he would have been wide open for a touchdown. However, his body language showed Mond he was going to flatten out — at least, they were both on the same page.
However, it isn’t ideal for both verts to flatten out against one-high because of the congestion. Still, Mond was able to fit the pass in a tight window because he threw the pass with anticipation, velocity and accuracy.
He had to get the ball past the linebacker but inside of the safety covering the vertical. There was a tiny window to fit the ball in and Mond made the pass.
7. Davis Mills, Stanford
Mills is quickly rising up draft boards based on recent reports. He has only 438 career passing attempts in 14 starts, so he has a very limited sample size to examine and he wasn’t overly productive when given the opportunity, finishing with 18 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Mills has intriguing traits to work with. He has prototypical size at 6-3, 217 pounds, and above-average arm strength. He throws with excellent trajectory control and made some beautiful touch passes down the seam and on “go” balls. He’s not a creator and won’t make plays with his legs, but he has adequate movement skills and can maneuver the pocket, make escapes occasionally, and throws accurately on the run. He processes fairly quickly and made some excellent anticipation throws inside and outside the numbers. He also used his eyes to look off defenders and doesn’t zero in on his target. When he has a clean pocket, he’s accurate and shows that he has a good sense of ball placement. However, he has sequencing problems with his throwing mechanics — his front shoulder opens early which can cause him to slash and have passes get away from him. This is especially notable when he’s rushing throws. Mills has mental and physical traits to work with but his mechanical flaw is one that can be tough to fix and when he’s in the NFL, he’ll be rushed more than he was at Stanford. That, combined with his limited body of work, makes him an interesting Round 2-3 project. A lot of his final overall grade with NFL teams will depend on interviews and how he performs on the chalkboard in meetings.
Stanford vs. UCLA, 14:40 remaining in the second quarter, first-and-10
Here, Stanford ran an air raid concept that I’ve heard called “poke.” The receiver to the bottom of the image ran the poke route — he faked like he was going to run a snag route underneath before taking off to the middle of the field.
Initially, the defense showed a middle of the field closed defense, but after the motion, the free safety vacated the middle of the field.
Mills’ initial read took him to the vertical route to his left. He might have been trying to look off the free safety, but this was likely an alert route.
As Mills scanned the middle of the field, he saw it was open and began his throwing motion before the poke route was open.
He threw the ball with anticipation and layered the ball over the linebacker with touch. The ball was thrown a little high, but it was soft and easy to catch for his target, who snagged the pass and ran to the 1-yard line.
8. Kyle Trask, Florida
Trask is a big quarterback (6-5, 236). However, he doesn’t have the arm strength that you would associate with a quarterback of that stature. His arm is average, but he’s very accurate and can throw the ball in good locations, particularly on throws inside the hashes. His ball placement on deep passes outside the numbers can be spotty, but this is more of an arm strength issue. He routinely sees windows open up and throws to open grass with anticipation — he might be the best anticipation thrower in the draft. He’s an aggressive thrower and will push the ball downfield. His best throw might be his seam ball. He moves well in the pocket and buys time with subtle pocket movements. Though he lacks linear speed, Florida ran him on a lot of option plays because of his size and ability to fall forward. He won’t be an option threat in the NFL, but he can be used as a runner in the red zone or short-yardage situations. There are times when he looks like he’s locked on to tight end Kyle Pitts even before the snap and it’s hard to blame him considering how dominant Pitts is. He was very productive at Florida and threw for 4,283 yards with 43 touchdowns his final season. Trask has starter potential at the next level and would be a great fit in a system like New Orleans, which utilizes quick concepts and heavily attacks the seams.
Florida vs. Alabama, 2:07 remaining in the fourth quarter, second-and-12
Here, Florida has a slot fade called to Pitts, the Gators’ all-world tight end. The Alabama defense initially showed a two-deep look, which isn’t a great coverage to run slot fade against because of the proximity of the safety to the fade route.
After the snap, the safety to Pitts’ side moved to the middle of the field and Trask knew he had a one-on-one opportunity with Pitts.
He threw a low-trajectory fade over two defenders and Pitts made a remarkable contested catch.
This was a great play by Pitts — no doubt about it — and he was responsible for many of the explosive plays on Trask’s stat sheet, but Trask did an excellent job of giving his guy a chance with aggressive decisions and excellent ball placement.
9. Sam Ehlinger, Texas
Ehlinger is a four-year starter at Texas and his experience definitely showed on film. He’s a mature quarterback who looked to have a lot of responsibility pre-snap, possibly making run checks, setting protections and calling out potential blitzers. His arm is limited — he lacks the power to zip in passes outside the numbers and a majority of his throws on “go” balls died and were underthrown. He has good size (6-1, 220) and has decent linear speed and change-of-direction ability. He can be effective in the run-option game, but he won’t keep defensive coordinators up at night. He has the mobility to get outside the pocket and make throws on the run, but sometimes he bails a little too early. He’s adept at identifying coverages, has a good sense of who is going to be open right away, and makes an effort to exhaust his progressions. He also uses his eyes effectively to look off defenders. His sense of timing and anticipation got better in his senior year, but he has to be even quicker because his arm strength doesn’t give him much room for error. When he’s pressured, he has a tendency to lock out his front knee and tilt his front shoulder, causing some passes to sail. He played well in the clutch and late-game situations. Ehlinger has size, athleticism and is far ahead of other quarterbacks in his class in experience and maturity. Still, his limited arm strength that isn’t accompanied by high-level accuracy and ball placement makes his ceiling limited.
Texas vs. Baylor, 9:35 remaining in the second quarter, second-and-22
With the Longhorns backed up near their own goal line, Ehlinger motioned the lone back out of the backfield. Going to empty in this situation is a sign that the coaching staff had a lot of trust that Ehlinger could sniff out pressures and make smart decisions.
The Texas offense had a curl/seam combination called to the boundary with a switch release. Pre-snap, the defense appeared to have the route capped with a deep safety where the seam would be run.
After the snap, the safety rotated down to collide with the seam route. Ehlinger saw this and knew there was a big-play opportunity. He was patient and gave his receiver time to get past the collision.
Ehlinger does a good job of recognizing coverages and quickly identifying which receiver will be open before the snap or soon after it.
10. Feleipe Franks, Arkansas
Franks measured 6-6, 234. He has very good mobility for a taller player and made plays with his legs in the option game and scrambling on pass plays. His ability to change directions is unusual for a player his size. He has a live arm and throws a nice “go” ball. He can throw with touch and has an above-average sense of ball placement although his back-shoulder throws can be thrown more toward the sideline to protect the ball and his receivers. He has clean throwing mechanics, a quick release, and a high release point. He has the ability to throw into tight windows, but there are times when he’s hesitant to throw when the “picture” isn’t totally clean — you want to see him let it rip more but he also didn’t have a lot of receiving talent to work with. He’s willing to stand strong and take hits to make throws but when pressure forces him to move off his spot, his eyes have a tendency to drop — he takes off and runs more often than making subtle movements to buy time in the pocket. Franks has the physical tools to be a starter, but his hesitancy to throw and ability to manage the pocket and deal with pressure consistently are concerns.
11. Jamie Newman, Georgia/Wake Forest
Newman has a live arm and can throw with velocity. He has a quick release, but his release point is low and has a tendency to throw sidearm. He’s a loose, natural athlete with some speed and quickness. Wake Forest ran a unique option offense that heavily involved him as a runner and used a lot of RPOs. The passing game was one of the simpler and less refined schemes that I saw. Newman will have a huge learning curve when going to the pros. He struggled with control on touch throws and his accuracy is erratic. His footwork is very undisciplined — he has a bit of a hop as he drops. He is willing to stay in the pocket but displays poor pocket awareness. Overall, he made some highlight-worthy tight-window throws and has tools to work with but will need to be retrained from the ground up.
Ian Book (Darren Yamashita / USA Today)
12. Ian Book, Notre Dame
Book is a very good athlete with vertical speed and the ability to make defenders miss. He has the ability to be used in the option run game in the pros, but with his size (6-0, 211), he’s better off being used on zone reads when he can run horizontally more than vertical option concepts like inverted veer. He has a below-average NFL arm and didn’t throw deep outside a lot. When he can set his feet, he’s very accurate and has a good sense of ball location. He does a good job of maneuvering the pocket and escaping, but can get antsy in clean pockets. He doesn’t throw the ball with a lot of anticipation and has a tendency to hold the ball. His biggest shortcoming is his inability to anticipate deep routes opening up and he missed a lot of opportunities down the field. This was particularly notable during the loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoffs semifinals. Although his combination of athleticism and accuracy is intriguing, his lack of downfield anticipation projects him to be a backup on the next level.
By Ted Nguyen Apr 15, 2021
The 2020 quarterback class is one of the best classes that we’ve seen in a long time. Of course, I can say that now and maybe only one or two of them actually live up to the hype after a few seasons, but that’s the nature of picking quarterbacks. A majority of them fail but if you don’t swing for the fences for a good one, you’ll never be relevant. Five quarterbacks could come off the board in the first five picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. I’ve completed scouting reports on the top five quarterbacks. After those, there are some intriguing developmental projects with big-time tools and a couple of quarterbacks with outside chances of developing into starters.
1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
No need to overthink this. Lawrence is immensely talented and has three years of sustained success in one of the best college programs in the country. His rare combination of traits and productions makes him one of the best prospects the NFL has seen in a long time.
2. Justin Fields, Ohio State
The narrative that Fields can’t read defenses or go through his progressions is overblown. Can he get through them a little quicker? Sure. But he’s an aggressive downfield passer and fortune favors the bold. Also, the Ohio State offense gets unfairly criticized for being gimmicky when in reality, under head coach Ryan Day, it looks a lot more like a modern NFL offense than most colleges. Fields’ accuracy, ability to protect the ball (only 18 turnover-worthy plays in his career, according to Pro Football Focus) combined with his high-end athleticism gives him a high floor and high ceiling.
3. Zach Wilson, BYU
A lot of the things that people criticize Fields for can be said about Wilson, but because Wilson’s BYU team was so much more dominant than the competition he faced, even when his process was bad, he was still able to make plays. Wilson’s quick release and ability to make remarkable throws are tantalizing, but he has to make some big strides from a mental perspective. Still, his tools make him worth the gamble.
4. Trey Lance, North Dakota State
When watching Lance’s 2019 tape, you say to yourself, “Wow, this kid looks like he’s going to be a top-10 pick if he builds on this season next year.” Unfortunately, because of COVID-19 restrictions, next season never happened. There were times when the ball got away from him. His accuracy is one of those concerns that scouts would have wanted to see him improve on in 2020. Still, Lance’s size, speed, the way the ball jumps out his hand and how quickly he processes defenses make him as intriguing as any of the quarterback prospects in this year’s draft. And he’s only 20 years old.
5. Mac Jones, Alabama
Jones’ 2020 film is better than Lance’s 2019 film. He was remarkably productive in his one season as a starter, throwing 41 touchdowns and only four interceptions. But he’s a little older (22), and his physical traits are levels below the other top five quarterbacks. He’s a below-average athlete with an average NFL arm, but he’s very accurate and processes quickly. We’ve seen physically underwhelming quarterbacks succeed before but if you’re drafting him in the top 10, you’re expecting him to become elite, not just very good. And for him to reach that level, he’ll have to achieve a Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady mastery of the game because his physical tools don’t give him much room for error.
6. Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
Mond has a quick release for a long-limbed athlete. He consistently sets up with a wide base and short-strides into his throws. He throws with a ton of velocity and can also throw with touch. However, his accuracy and ball placement are spotty. His throws aren’t wildly off-target but in the NFL, windows will be tighter, and inches matter. He’s an exceptional athlete, putting up good numbers at his pro day, including a 4.5 40-yard dash. He’ll immediately be dangerous in the option game. On film, there are some examples of anticipation throws as he does a good job of anticipating when windows open inside. His ability to throw outside leaves a lot to be desired. According to Pro Football Focus, Mond was just 14-of-57 last year throwing outside the hash marks over 10 yards in the air. He was a fairly conservative passer last season and left a lot of yards on the field. He did miss his top receivers due to injuries, but there were deep opportunities that he didn’t see because he either misread the defense or didn’t let things develop long enough. He does a good job of staying in and maneuvering in the pocket but makes questionable decisions when pressured. Overall, Mond has an intriguing skill set with his quick delivery, ability to throw with velocity and touch, and high-end athleticism. Additionally, he played in an offense that utilized a lot of dropback concepts that are translatable in the NFL. Mond looks like a solid Round 2-3 developmental project who can pay dividends in the right situation.
Texas A&M vs. Alabama, 3:22 remaining in the third quarter, third-and-12
On this play, it appears the Aggies have a four verticals concept called. Against two-deep safeties, some teams will have their two inside verticals flatten out and look more like “dig” routes. The offense seemed to have recognized how Alabama lined up pre-snap and decided to convert its routes.
After the snap, the safeties rotated into a one-deep look. Ideally, the slot receiver should have run straight down the field because he would have been wide open for a touchdown. However, his body language showed Mond he was going to flatten out — at least, they were both on the same page.
However, it isn’t ideal for both verts to flatten out against one-high because of the congestion. Still, Mond was able to fit the pass in a tight window because he threw the pass with anticipation, velocity and accuracy.
He had to get the ball past the linebacker but inside of the safety covering the vertical. There was a tiny window to fit the ball in and Mond made the pass.
7. Davis Mills, Stanford
Mills is quickly rising up draft boards based on recent reports. He has only 438 career passing attempts in 14 starts, so he has a very limited sample size to examine and he wasn’t overly productive when given the opportunity, finishing with 18 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Mills has intriguing traits to work with. He has prototypical size at 6-3, 217 pounds, and above-average arm strength. He throws with excellent trajectory control and made some beautiful touch passes down the seam and on “go” balls. He’s not a creator and won’t make plays with his legs, but he has adequate movement skills and can maneuver the pocket, make escapes occasionally, and throws accurately on the run. He processes fairly quickly and made some excellent anticipation throws inside and outside the numbers. He also used his eyes to look off defenders and doesn’t zero in on his target. When he has a clean pocket, he’s accurate and shows that he has a good sense of ball placement. However, he has sequencing problems with his throwing mechanics — his front shoulder opens early which can cause him to slash and have passes get away from him. This is especially notable when he’s rushing throws. Mills has mental and physical traits to work with but his mechanical flaw is one that can be tough to fix and when he’s in the NFL, he’ll be rushed more than he was at Stanford. That, combined with his limited body of work, makes him an interesting Round 2-3 project. A lot of his final overall grade with NFL teams will depend on interviews and how he performs on the chalkboard in meetings.
Stanford vs. UCLA, 14:40 remaining in the second quarter, first-and-10
Here, Stanford ran an air raid concept that I’ve heard called “poke.” The receiver to the bottom of the image ran the poke route — he faked like he was going to run a snag route underneath before taking off to the middle of the field.
Initially, the defense showed a middle of the field closed defense, but after the motion, the free safety vacated the middle of the field.
Mills’ initial read took him to the vertical route to his left. He might have been trying to look off the free safety, but this was likely an alert route.
As Mills scanned the middle of the field, he saw it was open and began his throwing motion before the poke route was open.
He threw the ball with anticipation and layered the ball over the linebacker with touch. The ball was thrown a little high, but it was soft and easy to catch for his target, who snagged the pass and ran to the 1-yard line.
8. Kyle Trask, Florida
Trask is a big quarterback (6-5, 236). However, he doesn’t have the arm strength that you would associate with a quarterback of that stature. His arm is average, but he’s very accurate and can throw the ball in good locations, particularly on throws inside the hashes. His ball placement on deep passes outside the numbers can be spotty, but this is more of an arm strength issue. He routinely sees windows open up and throws to open grass with anticipation — he might be the best anticipation thrower in the draft. He’s an aggressive thrower and will push the ball downfield. His best throw might be his seam ball. He moves well in the pocket and buys time with subtle pocket movements. Though he lacks linear speed, Florida ran him on a lot of option plays because of his size and ability to fall forward. He won’t be an option threat in the NFL, but he can be used as a runner in the red zone or short-yardage situations. There are times when he looks like he’s locked on to tight end Kyle Pitts even before the snap and it’s hard to blame him considering how dominant Pitts is. He was very productive at Florida and threw for 4,283 yards with 43 touchdowns his final season. Trask has starter potential at the next level and would be a great fit in a system like New Orleans, which utilizes quick concepts and heavily attacks the seams.
Florida vs. Alabama, 2:07 remaining in the fourth quarter, second-and-12
Here, Florida has a slot fade called to Pitts, the Gators’ all-world tight end. The Alabama defense initially showed a two-deep look, which isn’t a great coverage to run slot fade against because of the proximity of the safety to the fade route.
After the snap, the safety to Pitts’ side moved to the middle of the field and Trask knew he had a one-on-one opportunity with Pitts.
He threw a low-trajectory fade over two defenders and Pitts made a remarkable contested catch.
This was a great play by Pitts — no doubt about it — and he was responsible for many of the explosive plays on Trask’s stat sheet, but Trask did an excellent job of giving his guy a chance with aggressive decisions and excellent ball placement.
9. Sam Ehlinger, Texas
Ehlinger is a four-year starter at Texas and his experience definitely showed on film. He’s a mature quarterback who looked to have a lot of responsibility pre-snap, possibly making run checks, setting protections and calling out potential blitzers. His arm is limited — he lacks the power to zip in passes outside the numbers and a majority of his throws on “go” balls died and were underthrown. He has good size (6-1, 220) and has decent linear speed and change-of-direction ability. He can be effective in the run-option game, but he won’t keep defensive coordinators up at night. He has the mobility to get outside the pocket and make throws on the run, but sometimes he bails a little too early. He’s adept at identifying coverages, has a good sense of who is going to be open right away, and makes an effort to exhaust his progressions. He also uses his eyes effectively to look off defenders. His sense of timing and anticipation got better in his senior year, but he has to be even quicker because his arm strength doesn’t give him much room for error. When he’s pressured, he has a tendency to lock out his front knee and tilt his front shoulder, causing some passes to sail. He played well in the clutch and late-game situations. Ehlinger has size, athleticism and is far ahead of other quarterbacks in his class in experience and maturity. Still, his limited arm strength that isn’t accompanied by high-level accuracy and ball placement makes his ceiling limited.
Texas vs. Baylor, 9:35 remaining in the second quarter, second-and-22
With the Longhorns backed up near their own goal line, Ehlinger motioned the lone back out of the backfield. Going to empty in this situation is a sign that the coaching staff had a lot of trust that Ehlinger could sniff out pressures and make smart decisions.
The Texas offense had a curl/seam combination called to the boundary with a switch release. Pre-snap, the defense appeared to have the route capped with a deep safety where the seam would be run.
After the snap, the safety rotated down to collide with the seam route. Ehlinger saw this and knew there was a big-play opportunity. He was patient and gave his receiver time to get past the collision.
Ehlinger does a good job of recognizing coverages and quickly identifying which receiver will be open before the snap or soon after it.
10. Feleipe Franks, Arkansas
Franks measured 6-6, 234. He has very good mobility for a taller player and made plays with his legs in the option game and scrambling on pass plays. His ability to change directions is unusual for a player his size. He has a live arm and throws a nice “go” ball. He can throw with touch and has an above-average sense of ball placement although his back-shoulder throws can be thrown more toward the sideline to protect the ball and his receivers. He has clean throwing mechanics, a quick release, and a high release point. He has the ability to throw into tight windows, but there are times when he’s hesitant to throw when the “picture” isn’t totally clean — you want to see him let it rip more but he also didn’t have a lot of receiving talent to work with. He’s willing to stand strong and take hits to make throws but when pressure forces him to move off his spot, his eyes have a tendency to drop — he takes off and runs more often than making subtle movements to buy time in the pocket. Franks has the physical tools to be a starter, but his hesitancy to throw and ability to manage the pocket and deal with pressure consistently are concerns.
11. Jamie Newman, Georgia/Wake Forest
Newman has a live arm and can throw with velocity. He has a quick release, but his release point is low and has a tendency to throw sidearm. He’s a loose, natural athlete with some speed and quickness. Wake Forest ran a unique option offense that heavily involved him as a runner and used a lot of RPOs. The passing game was one of the simpler and less refined schemes that I saw. Newman will have a huge learning curve when going to the pros. He struggled with control on touch throws and his accuracy is erratic. His footwork is very undisciplined — he has a bit of a hop as he drops. He is willing to stay in the pocket but displays poor pocket awareness. Overall, he made some highlight-worthy tight-window throws and has tools to work with but will need to be retrained from the ground up.
Ian Book (Darren Yamashita / USA Today)
12. Ian Book, Notre Dame
Book is a very good athlete with vertical speed and the ability to make defenders miss. He has the ability to be used in the option run game in the pros, but with his size (6-0, 211), he’s better off being used on zone reads when he can run horizontally more than vertical option concepts like inverted veer. He has a below-average NFL arm and didn’t throw deep outside a lot. When he can set his feet, he’s very accurate and has a good sense of ball location. He does a good job of maneuvering the pocket and escaping, but can get antsy in clean pockets. He doesn’t throw the ball with a lot of anticipation and has a tendency to hold the ball. His biggest shortcoming is his inability to anticipate deep routes opening up and he missed a lot of opportunities down the field. This was particularly notable during the loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoffs semifinals. Although his combination of athleticism and accuracy is intriguing, his lack of downfield anticipation projects him to be a backup on the next level.
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2021 NFL Draft: Patriots trading up? Mac Jones at No. 3? Lions still dealing? Execs sound off
By Ben Standig 4h ago
The NFL’s pre-draft season is already an eye-rolling, shrugging, pit-of-vipers experience for team executives and player agents. At least historically, there were ample opportunities to sift through most fibs and tall tales. Not so this cycle. Welcome to 2021.
The pandemic began more than a year ago, just after the annual NFL combine in February. Subsequent in-person visits at team sites, also known as top-30 meetings based on the number of face-to-face encounters afforded each franchise, were cut. That’s hardly ideal for those who have to make seismic decisions.
At least then, scouts and executives could fall back on encounters with prospects, coaches and other important people in a player’s life throughout a normal season and pre-draft cycle. The combine is also part talent evaluation, part gossip-palooza.
This time, scouts were unable to hit the road with the same agenda — or, in some cases, venture out at all. On-site meant watching from a distance without the personal touch. There were no casual conversations with the intriguing wide receiver, ferocious linebacker or coveted quarterback while breathing the same air. Then there’s the bevy of players who opted out of playing because of issues related to the pandemic.
“It’s definitely a hard year for grading,” an NFL general manager told The Athletic. “We’ve had to go back and watch 2018 film just to get enough footage (on some players). It’s crazy.”
That also impacts the players. A top-30 visit doesn’t automatically indicate a team’s intentions, but agents would use those requests to ferret out clues while determining where to send their clients. That’s not happening in the video conference world.
“You could tell the teams that were spending the time to come back or send (additional) people,” said an agent representing a projected top-25 selection. “Now, they might make one more phone call or a second Zoom (call). What does that really mean? That’s pretty easy to do. I just think it’s harder to know the teams really in contention.”
That Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis, a draft riser with a body seemingly chiseled from granite, struggled during a recent media interview to remember exactly which members of a given organization were on his various video calls is understandable. One personnel executive scoffed at the breathless reporting of a specific team meeting with a player since the video call life is “speed dating … we meet with everybody. It’s virtual.”
Ultimately, scouts feel like they can hang a “mission accomplished” banner despite the unprecedented challenges, though the later-than-usual medical rechecks for the top 150 prospects may alter team rankings.
Despite the tweaks, big and small, all involved in the process gathered intel before the NFL Draft. Several people, including general managers, executives, coaches, scouts and agents, were willing to share insight and information with The Athletic. From more than two dozen conversations in recent days, here’s a pre-draft primer on key first-round hot spots, plus sleepers, prospects and those rising or falling on draft boards.
The picks: The Mac Jones decision; fighting for Kyle Pitts; protecting Patrick Mahomes
No. 3 — 49ers
By now, you’ve seen the Mac Jones connection and likely shook your head at the idea of San Francisco trading up from No. 12 by sending four picks to Miami, including three first-round selections, for a quarterback lacking seemingly dynamic traits. You’re not alone.
“It shocks me that they would trade that much to get Mac Jones when he might have been there with their original pick,” one GM told The Athletic.
Coach Kyle Shanahan is nothing if not confident. Shanahan has coached twice in the Super Bowl over the past five seasons, first as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator in Super Bowl LI and then leading San Francisco to Super Bowl LIV. For some in the league, that self-belief may lead Shanahan to seek a quarterback who can execute the X’s and O’s regardless of the player’s potential.
In Jones’ lone season as a college starter, he set the FBS single-season record with a 77.4 completion percentage while setting a school record with 4,500 passing yards. The 6-foot-3 quarterback possesses similar traits as Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub, all starters under Shanahan.
“I could see (Kyle) saying, ‘Hey, listen, I don’t care what the value is. Just go get him. That’s what we need,'” the GM said.
Another personnel executive’s view is that the 49ers are moving into position to grab a quarterback before another team jumped the line. That executive also envisions them landing on Jones.
Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance typically line up in some order behind Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and BYU’s Zach Wilson, the expected top two selections. Lance, 21, offers the upside worthy of the hefty trade price — and does so without any immediate quarterback debate should Jimmy Garoppolo remain on the team since he likely needs at least a year to develop. The case for Lance over Fields in San Francisco is a “higher ceiling,” said another high-ranking executive.
If the 49ers instead go with Jones, Shanahan and 49ers general manager John Lynch will be the ones who have to explain the decision.
“Maybe it’s (Jones). Who knows?” said one puzzled executive. “Maybe it’s Justin Fields — but it sure feels like it’s Mac Jones.”
No. 4 — Falcons
There’s no more fascinating decision than the quandary faced by Atlanta’s new brain trust of GM Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith. Do they take the best player available — likely Florida tight end Kyle Pitts — to aid a team seeking a rebound with Ryan, its 36-year-old quarterback? Or do they use their pick to draft their quarterback of the future? Two general managers said they would probably focus on the future.
The logic: Ryan won’t be around forever, and the Falcons hope they’re not selecting in this range again anytime soon. That Fontenot and Smith have time on their side, unlike their embattled counterparts, helps the forward-thinking call.
Perhaps Atlanta’s perfect scenario involves trading down if the Dolphins at No. 6, Broncos at No. 9 or Cowboys at No. 10 get frisky. The Falcons are facing a salary-cap dilemma after pushing significant money, including much of what’s owed to Ryan, into future years. Therefore, more draft picks — and cheaper players — are an option. It’s also possible Lance drops into that Nos. 6-10 range if Atlanta passes at No. 4.
No. 5 — Bengals
The debate over Cincinnati’s path centers on the best way to help second-year quarterback Joe Burrow. Select the sterling left tackle prospect in Oregon’s Penei Sewell or reunite Burrow with his top college target, Ja’Marr Chase? It’s a good problem to have. It’s also perhaps the wrong one.
Multiple people surveyed by The Athletic figure the choice will land on Pitts if Atlanta passes on the freakishly athletic tight end. The positional designation puts Pitts and Chase in different categories, but if viewed together as pass catchers, teams seemingly prefer Pitts.
There’s still a debate from there as multiple people cited the Bengals’ intrigue with Sewell’s potential. “Sewell is the best (offensive lineman),” said a veteran scout. “Maybe a (Hall of Fame inductee) Jonathan Ogden type of guy when it’s all said and done.” The Bengals’ top need on the offensive line is at guard, so they may choose to grab Pitts and wait for interior line help with their next choice, at No. 38.
No. 9 — Broncos
There are points in the top 10 where the draft could shift wildly. The board, based on the draft order, suggests the No. 9 pick could be where the first defensive player goes — unless one of the quarterbacks Denver’s front office desires is available. The Broncos never added someone this offseason to push Drew Lock. If the quarterback scenario fizzles or the Broncos gamble and think they can select a specific defender in the teens — perhaps Penn State’s Micah Parsons — then Door No. 3 is trading down, especially if a team wants to jump up for, say, a wide receiver or Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II.
No. 10 — Cowboys
Yes, Dallas could grab an offensive lineman, and there are reports that owner Jerry Jones is infatuated with Pitts. The sane outcome has the Cowboys helping their 23rd-ranked defense. One way to do that is by drafting Surtain.
The 6-foot-2 defender has the size, speed and length to help Trevon Diggs contend with divisional foes like Washington’s Terry McLaurin and New York’s Kenny Golladay. One prominent talent evaluator rated Surtain as the second-best non-quarterback prospect.
Assuming Dallas doesn’t make a trade should a quarterback remain on the board, its biggest competition for Surtain likely comes from the Panthers at No. 8. The smart money is on Carolina going with a tackle or cornerback, though a quarterback remains in play even though it sent three picks, including a second-rounder next year, to the Jets for Sam Darnold.
No. 15 — Patriots
New England went from annually reaching, if not winning, the Super Bowl to finishing 7-9 last season. It was the first losing campaign under coach Bill Belichick since 2000, his first in Foxboro. “Bill Belichick was miserable losing,” one executive said.
Yes, duh, but that’s why the Patriots spent so much money in free agency — and what that means for the six-time champions if a quarterback falls.
“I could see him trading up for that,” one senior executive said. “In (Belichick’s) mind, he’s probably going, ‘I’m not going to be picking 15 again, so let me go trade up (while here).'”
New England staying at No. 15 may set the floor for Parsons, who could go off the board in the top 10. Parsons’ Penn State teammate, defensive end Jayson Oweh, typically projects in the Nos. 25-40 range, but he also has the athletic traits to warrant thought for the Patriots, according to one top personnel executive.
No. 17 — Raiders
The Nos. 17-22 range is the sweet spot of draft projections for Virginia Tech offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw. Las Vegas’ gutting of its offensive line this offseason created a hole at right tackle. How the Raiders view the hulking lineman may mean the end of their tackle search.
Darrisaw, Sewell, Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater and USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker are the clear top four offensive linemen, with the order dependent on the team. Based on natural ability and measurables for the position, several people ranked Darrisaw, who is 6-foot-4 and 322 pounds, second behind Sewell — especially with Slater and Vera-Tucker generally viewed as guards. That means Darrisaw’s draft ceiling could even be inside the top 15, with the Chargers at No. 13 and the Vikings at No. 14 among the tackle-needy teams. However, some concerns could drop the Washington-area native into the bottom of Round 1.
“Low motor, (but) really talented tackle” is how one senior executive described Darrisaw. Another top evaluator described Darrisaw as “big, athletic, long, but how important is this to him? Not snap to whistle at all.” Darrisaw didn’t participate at Virginia Tech’s pro day following core surgery, but some evaluators said he needs to get his body in better shape.
Others note Darrisaw arrived in Blacksburg without fanfare and became one of the nation’s top tackles, one on the cusp of becoming a first-round selection. He allowed no sacks last season and showed enough drive to take out linebackers down the field. Teams eyeing him will expect the 22-year-old to mature as he enters the next level.
Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and TCU safety Trevon Moehrig are other players in the conversation at No. 17. This pick is considered too high for Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins, who is expected to play right tackle in the NFL.
No. 19 — Washington
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler projected Owusu-Koramoah going to Washington in his seven-round mock draft, and that makes sense positionally and based on needs should Washington miss out on the top offensive linemen. Evaluators generally view Owusu-Koramoah over Davis and Tulsa’s Zaven Collins, though with the Notre Dame standout, “you got to figure out if he fits your system,” said one high-ranking personnel executive.
Owusu-Koramoah’s ability to play numerous roles, including safety and slot corner, meshes with coach Ron Rivera’s desire for versatile players. There’s also a comparison to Shaq Thompson, the hybrid defender drafted by Carolina under Rivera in the first round in 2015.
One scout said the Hampton, Va., native is the class’s best defensive player, though multiple people think it’s unlikely Owusu-Koramoah is drafted in the high teens due to the 6-foot-2 defender’s lack of girth. Owusu-Koramoah bulked up to 221 pounds for his pro day. A senior executive slotted him in the Nos. 30-45 range because of concerns over how he holds up over 17 games. In this era of heavy sub-package usage, “some people won’t be concerned about his size at all,” said an evaluator who is high on Owusu-Koramoah.
Davis is the other linebacker people see blending with Washington’s scheme. The three-down defender’s draft forecast soared after a dynamic pro-day workout and after decision-makers rewatched his games. A rise to as high as the late teens feels overcooked to one top executive, though another high-ranking team exec put Davis’ draft ceiling around No. 19 to Washington.
As for Washington aggressively trading up, doing so would seemingly go against Rivera’s roster-building philosophy — though the team offered a first- and a third-round pick to the Lions for Matthew Stafford before he was dealt to the Rams. One challenge involves the board; Washington would have to trade into the top nine considering its three NFC East opponents pick from Nos. 10-12. Anything lower and the Patriots loom at No. 15. One high-ranking exec doesn’t imagine Rivera moving significant assets, but if he did, the executive believes that would be for Fields and not Lance.
No. 31 — Chiefs
Picking players strictly on need can lead to reaching. That said, if there’s one team that people imagine goes with the biggest need over the best player available, it’s the two-time defending AFC champions. Anyone who watched Patrick Mahomes run for his life in the Super Bowl understands why. Kansas City overhauled the interior of its offensive line. Now comes tackle. One evaluator gave eight or nine offensive linemen first-round grades, including Jenkins and Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood.
Movers and shakers: A home for Alabama’s top prospects; split opinion on Miami’s duo
• There’s no knock on DeVonta Smith that he can control. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is great at many things, including route running and competing. Scouts note his toughness goes beyond expectations for a player weighing 170 pounds. That’s tiny, especially for someone who is 6-foot-1. That he’s exceedingly productive led multiple people to call Smith a “modern-day Marvin Harrison.” That’s a good comparison.
That said, despite significant love from media analysts, teams view Smith as the third wide receiver behind Chase and Jaylen Waddle, Smith’s Alabama teammate. The higher they go off the board — and Waddle could go first — the better for Smith. The Giants could snag Smith at No. 11. So could the Eagles one pick later or the Patriots at No. 15.
• Defensive ends Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau played together at Miami but they appear to be headed in different directions.
Several people cited Phillips’ potential as the best among defensive ends based on game tape and impressive measurables. The 260-pounder ran a stellar 4.56-second 40-yard dash during his pro day and finished with eight sacks in 10 games when he broke out last season. Still, he has durability concerns, and background checks will be crucial for teams because Phillips briefly retired from the sport in 2018 after wrist injuries and concussions while playing at UCLA. “He won’t be for every team,” said one top personnel executive. Get past that and the long, bendy 6-foot-6 pass rusher screams upside. Either Phillips or Michigan’s Kwity Paye is likely the first defensive end drafted.
Rousseau had 15.5 sacks in 2019 but opted out of playing last season. Upon reviewing his sophomore season, some scouts were underwhelmed. “Not polished,” said one scout, who believes Rousseau should be returning to school in the fall. Many people who spoke to The Athletic can see Rousseau, who is 6-foot-7, slipping to the second round. One top executive pushed back against the idea of Rousseau falling outside the first 32 picks but acknowledged the pass rusher’s suspect pro-day showing likely bolstered the naysayers.
• Leatherwood, despite some first-round talk last year, returned to Alabama and started 13 games at left tackle for the national champions. Although honors followed — he was the Outland Trophy winner and a first-team All-America selection by the Associated Press — the Day 1 chatter faded until recently. Some teams have given a first-round grade to the 6-foot-5, 312-pounder. Leatherwood’s range is now considered to be Nos. 19-40, making him possibly the fifth offensive lineman drafted. Playing left tackle in the pros seems ambitious for him but not inconceivable. Teams may be willing to risk selecting Leatherwood as a tackle knowing his floor is that of someone capable of starting at guard for many years. The Raiders, with picks just outside both sides of that range, are among the teams viewing him at right tackle.
• Among safeties, Moehrig almost universally ranks first in the class with a draft projection from No. 17 to early in the second round. He is likely the only safety with Day 1 upside, though one evaluator gave Oregon’s Jevon Holland a first-round grade based on his coverage skills and cornerback mentality. Syracuse’s Andre Cisco warrants first-round consideration, but he was sidelined after two games last season because he injured a knee in a pregame collision. Teams have not forgotten his playmaking — he had 13 interceptions at Syracuse — or his tackling prowess.
• There’s no small-school bias with Wisconsin-Whitewater center Quinn Meinerz. The breakout star of the Senior Bowl is considered No. 3 among centers behind Alabama’s Landon Dickerson and Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey. Teams appear split on Meinerz being a guard or a center but they have little concern about any scheme fit. Perhaps to speak to his versatility, Washington senior front office executive Marty Hurney attended Meinerz’s pro day even though starting center Chase Roullier signed a four-year contract extension in December and the team drafted USC center Keith Ismael last year. The Steelers, Dolphins, Packers and Bengals have shown interest.
Quick hits: Avoiding opt-outs; the sixth QB; Najee Harris’ ankle; hidden gems
• Detroit traded Stafford to the Rams in January for quarterback Jared Goff, two future first-round selections and a third-round pick this year, but one senior executive said the Lions are looking for another deal and trying to move down from No. 7.
While Chase, Waddle or Sewell would help immediately, Detroit could take advantage of teams aching for a quarterback, wide receiver or Sewell, who could also benefit the Lions. New GM Brad Holmes acquired Goff from his old team for the purpose of giving the No. 1 pick in 2016 a new starting opportunity.
As for the trade market, the Eagles are exploring a move into the top 10 despite having just dropped from No. 6 to No. 12. Having acquired a first-round pick in 2022 from the Dolphins, the Eagles could move up and still net more assets.
• One organization picking in the top 10 is shying away from drafting players who opted out of playing last season, according to one person familiar with the team’s thinking. A senior executive for another team said he has no definitive stance on players who opted out but has seen some of those players arrive for their pro days out of shape. “It looks terrible, and he can’t do some of the drills,” that person said. “And I’m like, ‘What have you been doing for the last nine months?’ That’s when it hurts a kid.”
That might not impact the order of the offensive line since Sewell and Slater sat out last season, but it could mean Waddle goes ahead of Chase, who opted out, depending on when the first team considers a wide receiver.
• Asked which players go higher than most public boards project, one personnel executive said Collins, the Tulsa linebacker. The winner of the Bronko Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik awards, Collins is in play for the Cardinals at No. 16 and Titans at No. 22, another person said. The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder, who has sub-4.7 speed, is another prospect receiving the “unicorn” label for his unique athletic traits for his position.
• Medical rechecks for roughly 150 top prospects occurred in Indianapolis over the weekend. Darrisaw’s recovery from January’s core surgery is on schedule. Alabama’s Najee Harris, arguably the top running back in the class, received a thumbs up after injuring an ankle during the College Football Playoff, according to a person familiar with the situation. Exams showed Waddle’s right ankle also healed.
• The main quarterback debate involves the order of the top five players. Then there’s the mystery of who becomes the sixth quarterback between Florida’s Kyle Trask, Stanford’s Davis Mills and Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond. Mond’s college production, despite limited options, and Mills’ skill set evoked more excitement among those who consider any of the three interesting.
• How medical staffs view a recent back procedure for Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley may determine whether the cornerback slides past the Nos. 16-23 range. It was the second back surgery for Farley, who one executive thinks has the most upside among cornerbacks.
• Prospects who received “sleeper” tags from those involved in the process: Marshall offensive tackle Josh Ball, UNC wide receiver Dyami Brown, Virginia Tech safety Divine Deablo, Florida State safety Hamsah Nasirildeen, Tulane defensive lineman Cam Sample, UAB defensive end Jordan Smith, Houston defensive end Payton Turner, Louisiana Tech defensive lineman Milton Williams and Kansas running back Pooka Williams Jr.
Turner’s name jumped off the tongue of several people familiar with the pass rusher, who had five sacks in five games as a senior. Pooka Williams probably lasts until the fifth or sixth round, but the 5-foot-10 back with sub-4.4 speed can be a game-changer as a rookie. He can return kicks and punts and line up in the slot or in the backfield. With that name and that game, Williams is a lock for preseason hero status.
By Ben Standig 4h ago
The NFL’s pre-draft season is already an eye-rolling, shrugging, pit-of-vipers experience for team executives and player agents. At least historically, there were ample opportunities to sift through most fibs and tall tales. Not so this cycle. Welcome to 2021.
The pandemic began more than a year ago, just after the annual NFL combine in February. Subsequent in-person visits at team sites, also known as top-30 meetings based on the number of face-to-face encounters afforded each franchise, were cut. That’s hardly ideal for those who have to make seismic decisions.
At least then, scouts and executives could fall back on encounters with prospects, coaches and other important people in a player’s life throughout a normal season and pre-draft cycle. The combine is also part talent evaluation, part gossip-palooza.
This time, scouts were unable to hit the road with the same agenda — or, in some cases, venture out at all. On-site meant watching from a distance without the personal touch. There were no casual conversations with the intriguing wide receiver, ferocious linebacker or coveted quarterback while breathing the same air. Then there’s the bevy of players who opted out of playing because of issues related to the pandemic.
“It’s definitely a hard year for grading,” an NFL general manager told The Athletic. “We’ve had to go back and watch 2018 film just to get enough footage (on some players). It’s crazy.”
That also impacts the players. A top-30 visit doesn’t automatically indicate a team’s intentions, but agents would use those requests to ferret out clues while determining where to send their clients. That’s not happening in the video conference world.
“You could tell the teams that were spending the time to come back or send (additional) people,” said an agent representing a projected top-25 selection. “Now, they might make one more phone call or a second Zoom (call). What does that really mean? That’s pretty easy to do. I just think it’s harder to know the teams really in contention.”
That Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis, a draft riser with a body seemingly chiseled from granite, struggled during a recent media interview to remember exactly which members of a given organization were on his various video calls is understandable. One personnel executive scoffed at the breathless reporting of a specific team meeting with a player since the video call life is “speed dating … we meet with everybody. It’s virtual.”
Ultimately, scouts feel like they can hang a “mission accomplished” banner despite the unprecedented challenges, though the later-than-usual medical rechecks for the top 150 prospects may alter team rankings.
Despite the tweaks, big and small, all involved in the process gathered intel before the NFL Draft. Several people, including general managers, executives, coaches, scouts and agents, were willing to share insight and information with The Athletic. From more than two dozen conversations in recent days, here’s a pre-draft primer on key first-round hot spots, plus sleepers, prospects and those rising or falling on draft boards.
The picks: The Mac Jones decision; fighting for Kyle Pitts; protecting Patrick Mahomes
No. 3 — 49ers
By now, you’ve seen the Mac Jones connection and likely shook your head at the idea of San Francisco trading up from No. 12 by sending four picks to Miami, including three first-round selections, for a quarterback lacking seemingly dynamic traits. You’re not alone.
“It shocks me that they would trade that much to get Mac Jones when he might have been there with their original pick,” one GM told The Athletic.
Coach Kyle Shanahan is nothing if not confident. Shanahan has coached twice in the Super Bowl over the past five seasons, first as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator in Super Bowl LI and then leading San Francisco to Super Bowl LIV. For some in the league, that self-belief may lead Shanahan to seek a quarterback who can execute the X’s and O’s regardless of the player’s potential.
In Jones’ lone season as a college starter, he set the FBS single-season record with a 77.4 completion percentage while setting a school record with 4,500 passing yards. The 6-foot-3 quarterback possesses similar traits as Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub, all starters under Shanahan.
“I could see (Kyle) saying, ‘Hey, listen, I don’t care what the value is. Just go get him. That’s what we need,'” the GM said.
Another personnel executive’s view is that the 49ers are moving into position to grab a quarterback before another team jumped the line. That executive also envisions them landing on Jones.
Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance typically line up in some order behind Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and BYU’s Zach Wilson, the expected top two selections. Lance, 21, offers the upside worthy of the hefty trade price — and does so without any immediate quarterback debate should Jimmy Garoppolo remain on the team since he likely needs at least a year to develop. The case for Lance over Fields in San Francisco is a “higher ceiling,” said another high-ranking executive.
If the 49ers instead go with Jones, Shanahan and 49ers general manager John Lynch will be the ones who have to explain the decision.
“Maybe it’s (Jones). Who knows?” said one puzzled executive. “Maybe it’s Justin Fields — but it sure feels like it’s Mac Jones.”
No. 4 — Falcons
There’s no more fascinating decision than the quandary faced by Atlanta’s new brain trust of GM Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith. Do they take the best player available — likely Florida tight end Kyle Pitts — to aid a team seeking a rebound with Ryan, its 36-year-old quarterback? Or do they use their pick to draft their quarterback of the future? Two general managers said they would probably focus on the future.
The logic: Ryan won’t be around forever, and the Falcons hope they’re not selecting in this range again anytime soon. That Fontenot and Smith have time on their side, unlike their embattled counterparts, helps the forward-thinking call.
Perhaps Atlanta’s perfect scenario involves trading down if the Dolphins at No. 6, Broncos at No. 9 or Cowboys at No. 10 get frisky. The Falcons are facing a salary-cap dilemma after pushing significant money, including much of what’s owed to Ryan, into future years. Therefore, more draft picks — and cheaper players — are an option. It’s also possible Lance drops into that Nos. 6-10 range if Atlanta passes at No. 4.
No. 5 — Bengals
The debate over Cincinnati’s path centers on the best way to help second-year quarterback Joe Burrow. Select the sterling left tackle prospect in Oregon’s Penei Sewell or reunite Burrow with his top college target, Ja’Marr Chase? It’s a good problem to have. It’s also perhaps the wrong one.
Multiple people surveyed by The Athletic figure the choice will land on Pitts if Atlanta passes on the freakishly athletic tight end. The positional designation puts Pitts and Chase in different categories, but if viewed together as pass catchers, teams seemingly prefer Pitts.
There’s still a debate from there as multiple people cited the Bengals’ intrigue with Sewell’s potential. “Sewell is the best (offensive lineman),” said a veteran scout. “Maybe a (Hall of Fame inductee) Jonathan Ogden type of guy when it’s all said and done.” The Bengals’ top need on the offensive line is at guard, so they may choose to grab Pitts and wait for interior line help with their next choice, at No. 38.
No. 9 — Broncos
There are points in the top 10 where the draft could shift wildly. The board, based on the draft order, suggests the No. 9 pick could be where the first defensive player goes — unless one of the quarterbacks Denver’s front office desires is available. The Broncos never added someone this offseason to push Drew Lock. If the quarterback scenario fizzles or the Broncos gamble and think they can select a specific defender in the teens — perhaps Penn State’s Micah Parsons — then Door No. 3 is trading down, especially if a team wants to jump up for, say, a wide receiver or Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II.
No. 10 — Cowboys
Yes, Dallas could grab an offensive lineman, and there are reports that owner Jerry Jones is infatuated with Pitts. The sane outcome has the Cowboys helping their 23rd-ranked defense. One way to do that is by drafting Surtain.
The 6-foot-2 defender has the size, speed and length to help Trevon Diggs contend with divisional foes like Washington’s Terry McLaurin and New York’s Kenny Golladay. One prominent talent evaluator rated Surtain as the second-best non-quarterback prospect.
Assuming Dallas doesn’t make a trade should a quarterback remain on the board, its biggest competition for Surtain likely comes from the Panthers at No. 8. The smart money is on Carolina going with a tackle or cornerback, though a quarterback remains in play even though it sent three picks, including a second-rounder next year, to the Jets for Sam Darnold.
No. 15 — Patriots
New England went from annually reaching, if not winning, the Super Bowl to finishing 7-9 last season. It was the first losing campaign under coach Bill Belichick since 2000, his first in Foxboro. “Bill Belichick was miserable losing,” one executive said.
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“I could see him trading up for that,” one senior executive said. “In (Belichick’s) mind, he’s probably going, ‘I’m not going to be picking 15 again, so let me go trade up (while here).'”
New England staying at No. 15 may set the floor for Parsons, who could go off the board in the top 10. Parsons’ Penn State teammate, defensive end Jayson Oweh, typically projects in the Nos. 25-40 range, but he also has the athletic traits to warrant thought for the Patriots, according to one top personnel executive.
No. 17 — Raiders
The Nos. 17-22 range is the sweet spot of draft projections for Virginia Tech offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw. Las Vegas’ gutting of its offensive line this offseason created a hole at right tackle. How the Raiders view the hulking lineman may mean the end of their tackle search.
Darrisaw, Sewell, Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater and USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker are the clear top four offensive linemen, with the order dependent on the team. Based on natural ability and measurables for the position, several people ranked Darrisaw, who is 6-foot-4 and 322 pounds, second behind Sewell — especially with Slater and Vera-Tucker generally viewed as guards. That means Darrisaw’s draft ceiling could even be inside the top 15, with the Chargers at No. 13 and the Vikings at No. 14 among the tackle-needy teams. However, some concerns could drop the Washington-area native into the bottom of Round 1.
“Low motor, (but) really talented tackle” is how one senior executive described Darrisaw. Another top evaluator described Darrisaw as “big, athletic, long, but how important is this to him? Not snap to whistle at all.” Darrisaw didn’t participate at Virginia Tech’s pro day following core surgery, but some evaluators said he needs to get his body in better shape.
Others note Darrisaw arrived in Blacksburg without fanfare and became one of the nation’s top tackles, one on the cusp of becoming a first-round selection. He allowed no sacks last season and showed enough drive to take out linebackers down the field. Teams eyeing him will expect the 22-year-old to mature as he enters the next level.
Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and TCU safety Trevon Moehrig are other players in the conversation at No. 17. This pick is considered too high for Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins, who is expected to play right tackle in the NFL.
No. 19 — Washington
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler projected Owusu-Koramoah going to Washington in his seven-round mock draft, and that makes sense positionally and based on needs should Washington miss out on the top offensive linemen. Evaluators generally view Owusu-Koramoah over Davis and Tulsa’s Zaven Collins, though with the Notre Dame standout, “you got to figure out if he fits your system,” said one high-ranking personnel executive.
Owusu-Koramoah’s ability to play numerous roles, including safety and slot corner, meshes with coach Ron Rivera’s desire for versatile players. There’s also a comparison to Shaq Thompson, the hybrid defender drafted by Carolina under Rivera in the first round in 2015.
One scout said the Hampton, Va., native is the class’s best defensive player, though multiple people think it’s unlikely Owusu-Koramoah is drafted in the high teens due to the 6-foot-2 defender’s lack of girth. Owusu-Koramoah bulked up to 221 pounds for his pro day. A senior executive slotted him in the Nos. 30-45 range because of concerns over how he holds up over 17 games. In this era of heavy sub-package usage, “some people won’t be concerned about his size at all,” said an evaluator who is high on Owusu-Koramoah.
Davis is the other linebacker people see blending with Washington’s scheme. The three-down defender’s draft forecast soared after a dynamic pro-day workout and after decision-makers rewatched his games. A rise to as high as the late teens feels overcooked to one top executive, though another high-ranking team exec put Davis’ draft ceiling around No. 19 to Washington.
As for Washington aggressively trading up, doing so would seemingly go against Rivera’s roster-building philosophy — though the team offered a first- and a third-round pick to the Lions for Matthew Stafford before he was dealt to the Rams. One challenge involves the board; Washington would have to trade into the top nine considering its three NFC East opponents pick from Nos. 10-12. Anything lower and the Patriots loom at No. 15. One high-ranking exec doesn’t imagine Rivera moving significant assets, but if he did, the executive believes that would be for Fields and not Lance.
No. 31 — Chiefs
Picking players strictly on need can lead to reaching. That said, if there’s one team that people imagine goes with the biggest need over the best player available, it’s the two-time defending AFC champions. Anyone who watched Patrick Mahomes run for his life in the Super Bowl understands why. Kansas City overhauled the interior of its offensive line. Now comes tackle. One evaluator gave eight or nine offensive linemen first-round grades, including Jenkins and Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood.
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• There’s no knock on DeVonta Smith that he can control. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is great at many things, including route running and competing. Scouts note his toughness goes beyond expectations for a player weighing 170 pounds. That’s tiny, especially for someone who is 6-foot-1. That he’s exceedingly productive led multiple people to call Smith a “modern-day Marvin Harrison.” That’s a good comparison.
That said, despite significant love from media analysts, teams view Smith as the third wide receiver behind Chase and Jaylen Waddle, Smith’s Alabama teammate. The higher they go off the board — and Waddle could go first — the better for Smith. The Giants could snag Smith at No. 11. So could the Eagles one pick later or the Patriots at No. 15.
• Defensive ends Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau played together at Miami but they appear to be headed in different directions.
Several people cited Phillips’ potential as the best among defensive ends based on game tape and impressive measurables. The 260-pounder ran a stellar 4.56-second 40-yard dash during his pro day and finished with eight sacks in 10 games when he broke out last season. Still, he has durability concerns, and background checks will be crucial for teams because Phillips briefly retired from the sport in 2018 after wrist injuries and concussions while playing at UCLA. “He won’t be for every team,” said one top personnel executive. Get past that and the long, bendy 6-foot-6 pass rusher screams upside. Either Phillips or Michigan’s Kwity Paye is likely the first defensive end drafted.
Rousseau had 15.5 sacks in 2019 but opted out of playing last season. Upon reviewing his sophomore season, some scouts were underwhelmed. “Not polished,” said one scout, who believes Rousseau should be returning to school in the fall. Many people who spoke to The Athletic can see Rousseau, who is 6-foot-7, slipping to the second round. One top executive pushed back against the idea of Rousseau falling outside the first 32 picks but acknowledged the pass rusher’s suspect pro-day showing likely bolstered the naysayers.
• Leatherwood, despite some first-round talk last year, returned to Alabama and started 13 games at left tackle for the national champions. Although honors followed — he was the Outland Trophy winner and a first-team All-America selection by the Associated Press — the Day 1 chatter faded until recently. Some teams have given a first-round grade to the 6-foot-5, 312-pounder. Leatherwood’s range is now considered to be Nos. 19-40, making him possibly the fifth offensive lineman drafted. Playing left tackle in the pros seems ambitious for him but not inconceivable. Teams may be willing to risk selecting Leatherwood as a tackle knowing his floor is that of someone capable of starting at guard for many years. The Raiders, with picks just outside both sides of that range, are among the teams viewing him at right tackle.
• Among safeties, Moehrig almost universally ranks first in the class with a draft projection from No. 17 to early in the second round. He is likely the only safety with Day 1 upside, though one evaluator gave Oregon’s Jevon Holland a first-round grade based on his coverage skills and cornerback mentality. Syracuse’s Andre Cisco warrants first-round consideration, but he was sidelined after two games last season because he injured a knee in a pregame collision. Teams have not forgotten his playmaking — he had 13 interceptions at Syracuse — or his tackling prowess.
• There’s no small-school bias with Wisconsin-Whitewater center Quinn Meinerz. The breakout star of the Senior Bowl is considered No. 3 among centers behind Alabama’s Landon Dickerson and Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey. Teams appear split on Meinerz being a guard or a center but they have little concern about any scheme fit. Perhaps to speak to his versatility, Washington senior front office executive Marty Hurney attended Meinerz’s pro day even though starting center Chase Roullier signed a four-year contract extension in December and the team drafted USC center Keith Ismael last year. The Steelers, Dolphins, Packers and Bengals have shown interest.
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• Detroit traded Stafford to the Rams in January for quarterback Jared Goff, two future first-round selections and a third-round pick this year, but one senior executive said the Lions are looking for another deal and trying to move down from No. 7.
While Chase, Waddle or Sewell would help immediately, Detroit could take advantage of teams aching for a quarterback, wide receiver or Sewell, who could also benefit the Lions. New GM Brad Holmes acquired Goff from his old team for the purpose of giving the No. 1 pick in 2016 a new starting opportunity.
As for the trade market, the Eagles are exploring a move into the top 10 despite having just dropped from No. 6 to No. 12. Having acquired a first-round pick in 2022 from the Dolphins, the Eagles could move up and still net more assets.
• One organization picking in the top 10 is shying away from drafting players who opted out of playing last season, according to one person familiar with the team’s thinking. A senior executive for another team said he has no definitive stance on players who opted out but has seen some of those players arrive for their pro days out of shape. “It looks terrible, and he can’t do some of the drills,” that person said. “And I’m like, ‘What have you been doing for the last nine months?’ That’s when it hurts a kid.”
That might not impact the order of the offensive line since Sewell and Slater sat out last season, but it could mean Waddle goes ahead of Chase, who opted out, depending on when the first team considers a wide receiver.
• Asked which players go higher than most public boards project, one personnel executive said Collins, the Tulsa linebacker. The winner of the Bronko Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik awards, Collins is in play for the Cardinals at No. 16 and Titans at No. 22, another person said. The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder, who has sub-4.7 speed, is another prospect receiving the “unicorn” label for his unique athletic traits for his position.
• Medical rechecks for roughly 150 top prospects occurred in Indianapolis over the weekend. Darrisaw’s recovery from January’s core surgery is on schedule. Alabama’s Najee Harris, arguably the top running back in the class, received a thumbs up after injuring an ankle during the College Football Playoff, according to a person familiar with the situation. Exams showed Waddle’s right ankle also healed.
• The main quarterback debate involves the order of the top five players. Then there’s the mystery of who becomes the sixth quarterback between Florida’s Kyle Trask, Stanford’s Davis Mills and Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond. Mond’s college production, despite limited options, and Mills’ skill set evoked more excitement among those who consider any of the three interesting.
• How medical staffs view a recent back procedure for Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley may determine whether the cornerback slides past the Nos. 16-23 range. It was the second back surgery for Farley, who one executive thinks has the most upside among cornerbacks.
• Prospects who received “sleeper” tags from those involved in the process: Marshall offensive tackle Josh Ball, UNC wide receiver Dyami Brown, Virginia Tech safety Divine Deablo, Florida State safety Hamsah Nasirildeen, Tulane defensive lineman Cam Sample, UAB defensive end Jordan Smith, Houston defensive end Payton Turner, Louisiana Tech defensive lineman Milton Williams and Kansas running back Pooka Williams Jr.
Turner’s name jumped off the tongue of several people familiar with the pass rusher, who had five sacks in five games as a senior. Pooka Williams probably lasts until the fifth or sixth round, but the 5-foot-10 back with sub-4.4 speed can be a game-changer as a rookie. He can return kicks and punts and line up in the slot or in the backfield. With that name and that game, Williams is a lock for preseason hero status.
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