NFL draft season rolls along with another mock. Today's thought exercise is a more straight up approach without any trades. Teams without a franchise quarterback look to correct that shortcoming, while others with young players at the position surround those players with talent necessary for success.
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Without further ado, let's kick this off!
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Clemson
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 220 lbs
Urban Meyer was very involved in Trevor Lawrence's Pro Day for a reason. It would be a surprise if he were not the No. 1 overall pick.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Zach Wilson
QB
BYU
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 214 lbs
New York begins the Robert Saleh era with a new quarterback. The Jets are able to flip Sam Darnold for some additional picks to continue their rebuild.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 3
Penei Sewell
OL
Oregon
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 335 lbs
Miami adds Penei Sewell early, which allows them to move Austin Jackson to right tackle and Robert Hunt slides inside to guard. One pick upgrades multiple positions.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 227 lbs
Atlanta gives a vote of confidence to the hometown grown quarterback to begin the Arthur Smith era. Matt Ryan can be the present, but Fields is the future.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Kyle Pitts
TE
Florida
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 245 lbs
A.J. Green is not going to be in Cincinnati much longer, which leaves Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins at the position. Joe Burrow utilized C.J. Uzomah before his injury and Kyle Pitts would take the offense to a whole new level.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Caleb Farley
CB
Virginia Tech
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 197 lbs
It is hard to imagine Philadelphia taking a wide receiver in the first round in consecutive years. Caleb Farley would give them a lockdown cornerback opposite Darius Slay.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
LSU
• Sr
• 6'0"
/ 201 lbs
Detroit is slated to lose the entire wide receiver room to free agency, which creates a need at the position. Ja'Marr Chase would be an elite option for Jared Goff or whoever is under center.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Trey Lance
QB
NFL Draft
• Sr
• 6'4"
/ 224 lbs
Joe Brady was phenomenal with Joe Burrow and Carolina hopes that he works his magic with Trey Lance as well. Lance will need some time to develop, so forcing him to play early would not be ideal.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Penn State
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 245 lbs
Micah Parsons is a very talented linebacker who gives Vic Fangio another defensive building block. A future with Von Miller is uncertain, but Bradley Chubb should be around for quite some time.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Alabama
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 202 lbs
Dallas adds the shutdown cornerback that the team has lacked since allowing Byron Jones to walk in free agency.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Greg Rousseau
EDGE
Miami (FL)
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 266 lbs
New York needs to supply some edge pressure to draw some double teams away from that really talented defensive tackle rotation. Gregory Rousseau has been off the map since last season but the talent is evident.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Northwestern
• Sr
• 6'4"
/ 315 lbs
San Francisco's offensive line was a disappointment in 2020. Rashawn Slater has the capability of starting at all five positions and should from Day 1.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Virginia Tech
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 315 lbs
Los Angeles adds blindside protection for Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert. Christian Darrisaw is a really poised player who inspires confidence as an immediate impact player.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Kwity Paye
DL
Michigan
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 265 lbs
Minnesota needs to go shopping at the thrift store with its salary cap situation but, in this case, the Vikings do not compromise talent in the process. Kwity Paye is not a perfect player but put him in a defined role and he will have a chance to succeed.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Alabama
• Sr
• 5'10"
/ 185 lbs
We may not know who will be throwing passes out of New England's offense next season but that person would certainly benefit from having a wide receiver like Jaylen Waddle.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
USC
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 308 lbs
Alijah Vera-Tucker offers a lot of positional flexibility and that makes him invaluable to an offense. An offensive line without holes enables an offense to reach its full potential.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Alabama
• Sr
• 6'0"
/ 170 lbs
After parting ways with Tyrell Williams, Las Vegas turns to Henry Ruggs' former teammate to provide a spark on offense.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Tulsa
• Sr
• 6'4"
/ 260 lbs
Brian Flores finds an active thumper to provide enforcement on his defense. Zaven Collins is a filled-out linebacker who can clean up the turnovers created by that defensive front.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Jaycee Horn
CB
South Carolina
• Sr
• 6'1"
/ 200 lbs
Washington continues to assemble pieces on defense. Jaycee Horn is a honing device for footballs and should capitalize on the manic pressure created by a bevy of former first-round picks.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 320 lbs
Chicago can save some salary cap space and upgrade the tackle position by bringing in Jalen Mayfield. I am of the belief that he can hang on the edge but, in a worst-case scenario, he slides inside to play guard.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Odafe Oweh
EDGE
Penn State
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 257 lbs
Jayson Oweh gives Indianapolis a high-upside edge rusher who can one day take over for Justin Houston.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Georgia
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 240 lbs
The player changes but the position remains the same. Defensive-minded head coach Mike Vrabel desperately wants to ratchet up the pressure on opposing offenses this season.
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From
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 23
Miami (FL)
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 263 lbs
New York added a potential franchise quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick and now has a cornerstone edge rusher to place next to Quinnen Williams.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Oklahoma State
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 320 lbs
Pittsburgh landed a steal in offensive guard Kevin Dotson last draft. The Steelers can add another key piece to a youthful offensive line by taking the physical Teven Jenkins with this pick. The Steelers get back some of the attitude that they have been lacking.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 25
Alabama
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 315 lbs
Jacksonville has taken three front-seven players in as many drafts. The selection of Christian Barmore will carry some expectations for that talented but young defensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Notre Dame
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 221 lbs
Cleveland would likely investigate moving up to land a pass rusher in the first round but, letting the cards play out as they may, the Browns take a linebacker who is more like a safety to make Joe Woods' defense more versatile.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
TCU
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 202 lbs
The Ravens made the decision to move on from Earl Thomas last offseason and they re-invest in the position a year later.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Mac Jones
QB
Alabama
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 220 lbs
I have mocked Mac Jones to the Saints for awhile. They are essentially the only team in the first round that I would feel comfortable taking him. It is the best situation for him to succeed.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Florida
• Sr
• 6'0"
/ 193 lbs
Green Bay does not take wide receivers in the first round and all that jazz. Kadarius Toney is a great, dynamic talent that the Packers can not let fall any farther. Aaron Rodgers had arguably his best season despite essentially playing with one arm tied behind his back.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Joseph Ossai
LB
Texas
• Sr
• 6'4"
/ 263 lbs
Buffalo took A.J. Epenesa last year. The hope is that either Joseph Ossai or Epenesa steps up opposite Jerry Hughes and ideally the other eventually takes over for Hughes.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Nick Bolton
LB
Missouri
• Sr
• 5'11"
/ 237 lbs
Kansas City took Willie Gay last year but there is room for Nick Bolton to come in and start. The Chiefs can move on from some veterans and start preparing for the future.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Iowa
• Soph
• 6'3"
/ 305 lbs
Mock drafts for Tampa Bay are essentially this: pick one free agent who could walk this offseason and replace that player. In this case, Ndamukong Suh chases the bag, which creates a gap on the Bucs defense. Daviyon Nixon is a player that I have grown to like the more and more I have watched him.
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