2021 NFL mock draft: Eagles get a huge boost on offense
The Eagles have the No. 6 pick in the draft and have a chance to land a top player. By Dave Zangaro
The Eagles have a top 10 pick for the first time since 2016 and the first time naturally since 2013. They don’t get these opportunities very often, so they have a great chance to get a great player if they nail this pick.
There’s also a chance that they end up with another 1st-round pick depending on what happens with the Carson Wentz situation, but we’re not there yet.
Let’s get to the mock draft:
This one is a no-brainer. The Jaguars are going to take the talented Clemson QB and never think twice. There are no sure things in the NFL draft but this is about as close as you can come.
That leaves the Jets with a tough decision. I guess there’s a chance that they don’t fall in love with either of these QBs and instead opt to take the best position player. But if you’re at the No. 2 pick and aren’t sold on Sam Darnold (they shouldn’t be) I think they just have to evaluate the QBs and pick the next best one. My best guess is that they land on Wilson over Justin Fields.
There are some who think that perhaps the Dolphins aren’t sold on Tua Tagovailoa and maybe they’d draft another QB. I’m not buying that. Instead, the Dolphins should do all they can to build around Tua, so why not get him a weapon? This might come down to Ja’Marr Chase vs. Smith but let’s give a nod to Tua’s college teammate and the Heisman Trophy winner.
Matt Ryan is 35 now and even though he’s still a pretty good quarterback, it’s time for the Falcons to start thinking of an exit strategy as they rebuild with a new head coach. With Arthur Smith in place and with the No. 4 pick, this feels like a good time to draft a quarterback.
I know Kyle Pitts has become a popular pick here and I really like the player but this is the wiser pick. After watching Joe Burrow get battered throughout his rookie season, the Bengals desperately need to protect him better. So they draft the best OL in this class.
The Eagles have plenty of needs so if they get to No. 6 and Chase and Smith are gone, they shouldn’t panic and take a receiver just to take one. But Chase is the top wideout in this class and it would be a home run to get him at 6. Going into a season with Chase, Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward and Quez Watkins sounds like a pretty good receiving corps to grow with Jalen Hurts. Chase is a plug-and-play Day 1 starter in this scenario.
The Penn State linebacker, like many of these players, didn’t play in 2020 but that didn’t hurt his stock. In fact, watching Penn State without him was pretty telling. The Lions have a new regime and getting a versatile and athletic inside ‘backer for that defensive would be a great fit.
The Panthers need to upgrade at the most important position in football and Lance has all the potential in the world. He’s big, strong, athletic, but also raw. So if the Panthers draft Lance, they can try to bring him along and continue to start Teddy Bridgewater for a year.
Yes, the Broncos might be in on a quarterback but the top guys are gone and they desperately need help in the secondary. This gives them their choice of Surtain or Caleb Farley from Virginia Tech.
The Cowboys should definitely think about OL help here but instead they opt for one of the best overall players in the draft. They can’t turn down the value and they get a great player at a position of need.
Adding a player like Waddle would give the Giants an element to their offense that they simply haven’t had since Odell Beckham Jr. was still there. That’s not to compare Waddle to him but just to point out some of the explosive traits Waddle has.
To say the 49ers have a need at corner is an understatement. They are literally set to lose every corner from their 2020 roster this offseason. But that’s not to say Farley is a reach at 12. Not at all. He opted out in 2020 but was really good in 2019 and would likely be a Day 1 starter for the Niners.
Slater isn’t the biggest guy so some teams might not trust his size to hold up as a tackle, but if the Chargers could get over that, they’d land a heckuva player. The Chargers need to prioritize protecting Justin Herbert.
The Vikings lacked consistent pass rush in 2020 with Danielle Hunter out, so this is a chance to replenish that pass rush.
The Patriots need a quarterback and I don’t know if Jones is their answer, but if he’s available at 15, I’m sure they’d think about it. Many think this is too early for Jones but if the Patriots like him, then they shouldn’t worry about value. Get the QB.
Patrick Peterson is gone and it’s time for the Cardinals to replace him. Horn is a long corner with ball skills with the potential to be a true CB1 in the NFL.
I really like this fit for the Raiders and my guess is Mike Mayock is intrigued by the undersized linebacker, who has incredible speed and athleticism. He’s a play-maker.
The Dolphins got their offensive playmaker earlier in the 1st round so they come back and get an edge rusher at 18. Another 2020 opt-out, Rousseau is still a little raw but still put up huge numbers in 2019.
This won’t solve the QB problem for Washington, but that’s what they get for winning the division. The top guys are gone by the 19th pick. Maybe they try to put together a package to get up and draft one, but if not, they should build up their line.
The interior of the Bears’ OL was actually fine in 2020 but they could use some help at the tackle spots. Charles Leno and Massie are under contract but there’s no guarantee both will be back and even if they are, getting a tackle of the future is a good idea.
A run on Longhorns! Justin Houston is getting older so I like the idea of drafting his replacement. Ossai isn’t necessarily the best scheme fit but he can start off as a situational pass rusher.
There’s a need in Nashville for edge rush and Ojulari has huge upside after making a big jump in 2020. He had 9 1/2 sacks and 12 1/2 TFLs in 2020.
The Jets got their QB and now it’s time to have some fun and get one of the most exciting players in this draft class. Etienne will be a difference maker in the NFL from Day 1 as a runner and a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
Steelers fans are likely panicking with the retirement of Maurkice Pouncy but the future of Alejando Villanueva is up in the air too. Jenkins has played a few different positions and could end up starting at tackle or guard in the NFL.
After watching what former Washington DT Vita Vea has been able to do with the Bucs, the Jaguars have a chance to draft a player to anchor the middle of their defensive line for years.
Myles Garrett is obviously a beast but the idea of giving him a complement like Phillips is intriguing, especially with Olivier Vernon heading for free agency.
Collins had a breakthrough season in 2020 and is a pretty versatile player. Collins is able to do a lot of things and the Ravens have some big name pending free agents like Matt Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, Pernell McPhee and more.
The Saints have other needs but they just didn’t have the same type of explosive offense that we’ve seen in the past. No matter who the QB is, the Saints could get an explosive and versatile play-maker in the first round.
This isn’t the greatest interior DL class, but Barmore is a legit Day 1 prospect and might just be the best player available when the Packers pick at 29. They could use a boost inside.
Two running backs in the 1st round? Two running backs in the 1st round! Harris seems like a really good fit for a Bills team that could use a steadier force at the running back position.
The Chiefs need help on their OL, particularly inside and Davis is the best guard in this draft. With so many questions for the Chiefs, they can plug and play Davis in Week 1 if they need to.
We saw in the Super Bowl how much pass rush means to the Bucs and they can’t afford to lose that. Shaq Barrett is going to become a free agent and if the Bucs can’t keep him, they seriously need to consider drafting a replacement.
