Nason’s 2021 Mock Draft 4.0: Time for Trades

2 weeks away! It’s almost time for the 2021 NFL Draft and with the recent quarterback movement and free agent pickups, the rumors are flying. Check out my 1st round predictions, with 2 trades thrown in there.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
2. New York Jets: QB Zach Wilson, BYU
3. San Francisco 49ers: QB Mac Jones, Alabama
4. Miami Dolphins: TE Kyle Pitts, Florida*
5. Cincinnati Bengals: WR Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
6. Atlanta Falcons: QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State
7. Detroit Lions: OT Penei Sewell, Oregon
8. New England Patriots: QB Justin Fields, Ohio State*
9. Denver Broncos: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State
10. Dallas Cowboys: CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama
11. New York Giants: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
12. Philadelphia Eagles: WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama
13. Los Angeles Chargers: OT Rashawn Slater, Northwestern
14. Minnesota Vikings: Edge Kwity Paye, Michigan
15. Carolina Panthers: CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech
16. Arizona Cardinals: CB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
17. Las Vegas Raiders: OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC
18. Miami Dolphins: Edge Azeez Ojulari, Georgia
19. Washington Football Team: OT Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech
20. Chicago Bears: OT Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State
21. Indianapolis Colts: Edge Jaelan Phillips, Miami
22. Tennessee Titans: CB Greg Newsome II, Northwestern
23. New York Jets: WR Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame
25. Jacksonville Jaguars: S Trevon Moehrig, TCU
26. Cleveland Browns: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame
27. Baltimore Ravens: WR Terrace Marshall Jr, LSU
28. New Orleans Saints: WR Kadarius Toney, Florida
29. Green Bay Packers: DL Christian Barmore, Alabama
30. Buffalo Bills: Edge Gregory Rousseau, Miami
31. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Jaylen Mayfield, Michigan
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Edge Jayson Oweh, Penn State

Trades

Miami trades pick 6 and 50 to Atlanta for pick 4.

New England trades pick 15, a 2022 1^st rounder, and pick 120 to Carolina for pick 8.

Quck Hits

The draft starts at 4

The Jaguars are going to take Trevor Lawrence at 1, and the Jets will take Zach Wilson at 2. That is set in stone. As for the 3rd pick, despite the uproar from the draft community, it’s going to be Mac Jones. All these media outlets are not lying to you to get clicks, they are hearing it will be him. I think it should be Trey Lance or Justin Fields, but on draft night it will be Mac. Now at 4, this is where things get interesting. Will the Falcons take Pitts, arguably the best non-QB in this draft? Will they trade down as I have them doing? Or will they take a quarterback? No one seems to know the answer here. For this mock, I have Miami trading a 2nd rounder to Atlanta so they can move up 2 spots and secure Pitts, allowing Atlanta to take Lance 2 picks later and pick up an extra top 50 pick in the meantime. A win-win for both teams.

Cincy doesn’t have to take a tackle at 5

All year long we have heard about how the Bengals will be targeting an offensive linemen with their top pick so they can protect Joe Burrow, and Penei Sewell has been the popular name. Well, new reports state that Burrow is pushing for his old receiver Chase instead. Fans will find this insane, but this is a great move. Linemen will certainly help protect a quarterback, but so will having more weapons around him so he can get the ball out quicker. Chase is the best wide out to come out in years, and would give Burrow an elite receiver to go with emerging star Tee Higgins and the very reliable Tyler Boyd. And for the fans screaming what about the offensive line, this draft has a ton of talent at the position. Cincy picks high in round 2 and could easily have Chase and a guy like Texas’s Samuel Cosmi before round 3. That is a haul in my book.

The Patriots are going to make me the happiest man in the world, I just know it

The moment all New England fans have been waiting for, the trade breakdown. Justin Fields stock is slipping (nonsense in my opinion), and right now it seems he will be the 5th QB off the board. With Carolina having just picked up Sam Darnold from the Jets, and not quite being a team ready to make a Super Bowl run, they are in a good position to trade down with a team looking for a quarterback. New England will need to give up a lot, and honestly 2 1st rounders and pick 120 may not be enough, but anything is worth it when you can get a talent like Fields, who can sit and develop behind Cam Newton before he is ready to take over the starting job. For Carolina, they get a steal at 15 in Caleb Farley, who if not for some medical concerns would likely be the top corner in this class.

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