Projecting the future of this mad, mad, mad, mad world is a fool’s errand.
Lucky for you I’m a completist fool and couldn’t possibly leave you without a preview of college football’s best players and next year’s top draft prospects before I close the book on the 2019-2020 draft season.
It remains to be seen when we will actually see these players on the football field. Regardless if it’s fall or spring, these are the prospects you should watch out for.
Obviously, a way-too-early mock draft isn’t about accuracy, although, 19 of the 32 players I included last year were either drafted in the first or second round last week. All in all, 25 of 27 players who entered the draft were drafted (the other two signed as priority free agents).
The draft order is based on vegasinsider.com Super Bowl LV futures. I don’t hate your team (Vegas does).
A reminder: the NFL draft has become a nice appetizer before our main course in September (hopefully). A mock version of said draft is meant to educate, and even entertain. At very least, it helps you pass the time.
Here’s the first round of my way-too-early 2021 NFL mock draft:
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FIRST ROUND
1. Jacksonville (150/1) — Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Lawrence would have been the top pick in the last two drafts had he been eligible. Top needs: QB, RB, Edge
2. Washington (100/1) — Penei Sewell, OT Oregon
The 2019 Outland Trophy winner is talented enough to be chosen with the first overall pick if the team doesn’t need a quarterback. He didn’t allow a pressure, hurry or hit on the quarterback in nine of 14 games as a sophomore. Top needs: OT, LB, TE
3. Cincinnati (100/1) — Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami
It’s been almost two decades since a Hurricane defensive end was taken in the first round (Jerome McDougle in 2003). Rousseau finished with 15.5 sacks in 13 games as a redshirt freshman. Top needs: OL, S, TE
4. Miami (80/1) — Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
The Biletnikoff Award winner’s production — 84 receptions, 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns — will likely slip a bit with Joe Burrow and Joe Brady gone from Baton Rouge. It won’t change the fact Chase is one of the top-two receivers in next year’s draft class. Top needs: OT, WR, LB
5. Carolina (80/1) — Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
Wade is the next Buckeye cornerback up to be drafted in the first round. Goals for his junior season include winning a national title and showing scouts he can be a shutdown corner on the outside. Top needs: CB, OG, LB
6. N.Y. Jets (70/1) — Walker Little, OT, Stanford
A season-ending knee injury kept him from leaving school and likely being a first-round pick in this year’s draft. Top needs: OT, Edge, CB
7. Detroit (66/1) — Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
Parsons is an elite athlete who had 109 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks, five pass breakups and four forced fumbles as a sophomore. Top needs: OT, WR, LB
8. N.Y. Giants (66/1) — Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
I expect a significant bump in production with Tee Higgins in Cincinnati. Top needs: Edge, WR, C
9. Las Vegas (50/1) — Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
The adage is: if you have two quarterbacks, you have none. Can Fields improve upon being a finalist for the Heisman Trophy with 41 touchdown passes against only three interceptions? Top needs: QB, OG, S
10. Miami from Houston (50/1) — Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
Leatherwood has shown he can be equally dominant at right guard or left tackle. Top needs: OT, WR, LB
11. Arizona (50/1) — Patrick Surtain Jr., CB, Alabama
The former five-star recruit has NFL DNA (father was an All-Pro corner who played 11 seasons) and prototypical traits. Top needs: CB, OL, TE
12. Atlanta (40/1) — Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
I was shocked when Etienne decided to return for his senior season. He would have been my top running back in the 2020 draft class. He’s averaged 7.8 yards per carry (with 518 career carries) and scored 62 total touchdowns in three seasons for the Tigers. Top needs: DE, LB, RB
13. Denver (40/1) — Marvin Wilson, DL, Florida State
Von Miller was clearly disappointed the Broncos didn’t land Javon Kinlaw this year. Wilson wins with elite size (6-foot-5, 310 pounds), strength and athleticism. Top needs: OT, LB, DB
14. L.A. Chargers (40/1) — Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
Cosmi has dominated in 26 games at right tackle. As a redshirt junior, he’ll slide to the left side and make his case for the best tackle in this draft class. Top needs: OT, WR, TE
15. Jacksonville from L.A. Rams (33/1) — Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State
The Cowboys haven’t had a running back selected in the first round since Barry Sanders in 1989. Can Hubbard top his sophomore season (2,094 yards and 21 touchdowns)? Top needs: QB, RB, Edge
16. Cleveland (33/1) — Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
A season-ending knee injury during fall camp likely kept Moses from being the first linebacker selected in this year’s draft. Top needs: WR, OG, LB
17. Chicago (33/1) — DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Allen Robinson will be a free agent after next season. Smith actually had a better statistical season than 2020 first-round picks Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy last year. He led the Crimson Tide with 1,256 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. Top needs: Edge, WR, OL
18. Tennessee (28/1) — Xavier Thomas, Edge, Clemson
Thomas is a former top-five recruit in the nation who oozes raw ability. Will this be the season we see elite production? Top needs: WR, Edge, LB
19. Pittsburgh (28/1) — Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia
The last three top overall picks in the draft (Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield) were quarterbacks who transferred. Newman’s move from Wake Forest to Georgia means a significant upgrade in talent surrounding him, especially on the offensive line. Top needs: QB, Edge, WR
20. Minnesota (28/1) — Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
A true ballhawk, Cisco has 12 interceptions and 14 pass breakups in two seasons with the Orange. Top needs: Edge, S, DL
21. Buffalo (28/1) — Trey Smith, OL, Tennessee
Another year of healthy production (Smith dealt with blood clotting his freshman season) could cement this versatile lineman as a top-15 pick. Top needs: CB, OG, LB
22. Indianapolis (28/1) — Quincy Roche, Edge, Miami
Roche will pair with Rousseau to form one of the nation’s most ferocious pass rushes in South Beach. He had 13 sacks and six pass breakups for the Temple Owls last year. Top needs: Edge, CB, DL
23. Green Bay (22/1) — Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Someone has to care about Aaron Rodgers’ needs. Waddle had 1,227 all-purpose yards and eight total touchdowns (six receiving, one kick return and a punt return) as a sophomore. Top needs: WR, LB, DL
24. Dallas (22/1) — Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Pitts leads a tight end group significantly better than the 2020 class. Top needs: Edge, S, TE
25. New England (20/1) — Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
Bateman is a big receiver (6-2, 210) with excellent hands who was eighth in the country with 20.3 yards per catch. He’s in line for an even bigger season his junior year with Tyler Johnson in the NFL. Top needs: WR, LB, OL
26. Seattle (20/1) — Creed Humphrey, OL, Oklahoma
The second-team All-American didn’t allow a sack his sophomore season and was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy (nation’s top center). Top needs: Edge, WR, C
27. Philadelphia (18/1) — Richard LeCounte, S, Georgia
LeCounte led the SEC in fumbles recovered (three) and was second in interceptions (four) as a junior. Top needs: LB, S, WR
28. Tampa Bay (12/1) — Carlos Basham Jr., Edge, Wake Forest
Basham’s 11 sacks as a redshirt junior were the second-most ever in a season by a Demon Deacon. His 18 tackles for loss were second in the ACC. Top needs: Edge, OG, DE
29. New Orleans (12/1) — Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
Lance is a dual-threat signal-caller who racked up 2,786 passing yards, throwing 28 touchdowns against zero interceptions with 1,100 yards on the ground and 14 rushing touchdowns. Top needs: QB, WR, LB
30. San Francisco (9/1) — Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina
Richard Sherman would be the perfect mentor for this 6-foot-4 ballhawk who is equally capable at safety and corner. Top needs: CB, OL, WR
31. Baltimore (7/1) — Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
Ronnie Stanley will be a free agent in 2021. According to Pro Football Focus, Eichenberg is one of just four returning Power 5 offensive tackles to rank in the top 10 in run blocking and pass blocking. Top needs: Edge, OT, CB
32. Kansas City (6/1) — Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
Sammy Watkins is likely gone after next season. Moore’s speed and play-making ability would fit in quite nicely. Injuries limited him to just four games in 2019, but he returns a dark-horse Heisman candidate. Top needs: WR, OL, DL
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