FTRS Mock Draft 2021

Happy Draft Day!! If you’ll remember to last year, several of the writers got together for the first annual FTRS Mock Draft, and well, this year, we decided to do it again! So without further ado, let’s get onto the rule and team assignments.

Rules

1. If there is a trade between two teams that are being run by the same person, it must be approved by a simple majority of the whole group.
2. Due to not being able to get everyone together at the exact same time, we are requiring that folks wait at least five minutes before making their selection to give people ample time to discuss trades and such.
3. Picks are being drafted as if we have total control over the team, we are not making predictions.

Team Assignments

These assignments were determined through a serpentine draft. I put all of our names in a randomizer to determine the order of selection. Due to having seven people drafting, four of us have five teams and the other three have four.

Robert Binion - Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers

Ethan Kreager - Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, New York Jets

Andrew Rodrigues - Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Benjamin Tankersley - Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, Washington Football Team

Jeffrey Cramer - Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans

Nishant Prasadh - Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers

Kieffer Milligan - Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks

Pre-Draft Trades

We did do something a little different this year, opening up pre-draft trades. These trades will be noted under the pick as well. You can find a list of the pre-draft trades below:

• The Denver Broncos trade a 1st (9), a 4th (119), and a 2022 1st, to the Atlanta Falcons for a 1st (4).
• Washington Football Team trades a 2nd (51) and a 5th (163) to the San Francisco 49ers for QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
• The New York Jets trade two 1sts (2, 23), a 2nd (34), and a 2022 1st to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the first overall pick.

Round 1

1. New York Jets (Ethan) - QB Trevor Lawrence | Clemson

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded this pick to the New York Jets for two 1sts (2, 23), a 2nd (34), and a 2022 1st.

The Jets decide to do what they simply could’ve done by going 0-16, and that is select the best QB prospect to come out of college in years. The price was steep but the franchise believes that it is now set for the long haul at QB with the safest of any QB options on the board this year.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (Andrew) - QB Zach Wilson | BYU

The New York Jets traded this pick, a 1st (23), a 2nd (34), and a 2022 1st to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the first overall pick.

The Jaguars were given an offer they couldn’t refuse. The Jags were able to grab the consensus QB2 in the draft, and add draft capital to allow them to surround the rookie QB with weapons.

3. San Francisco 49ers (Robert) - QB Justin Fields | Ohio State

Kyle Shanahan welcomes Justin Fields into his building with hopes of immediately contending. Fields brings the athleticism, arm strength, and accuracy that make NFL offenses go in 2021. This pick has a high floor and a high ceiling.

4. Denver Broncos (Kieffer) - QB Trey Lance | North Dakota State

The Atlanta Falcons traded this pick to the Denver Broncos for a 1st (9), a 4th (119), and a 2022 1st. (Ed. Note: This mock draft took place before Denver traded for Teddy Bridgewater.)

The Broncos move up in order to not miss out on the top 4 QBs in the draft. Denver has the underpinnings of a good offense, with strong young receivers that will help Lance develop to reach his full potential.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (Jeff) - WR Ja’Marr Chase | LSU

While there is debate who the top receiver from this class will be Chase is among those names and will be a familiar target for Joe Burrow. His bigger frame also fills in the hole left by AJ Green who was traded to Arizona

6. TRADE!!!! Dallas Cowboys (Jeff) - TE Kyle Pitts | Florida

Miami has traded this pick to the Dallas Cowboys for a 1st (10), a 3rd (75), and a 2022 2nd.

The Cowboys now have a dynamic threat for Dak to throw to with his renewed contract. Pitts may be the most athletic player in the draft and makes the Dallas’s offense one of the most explosive in the league.

7. TRADE!!!! Carolina Panthers (Ethan) - OT Penei Sewell | Oregon

Detroit has traded this pick to the Carolina Panthers for a 1st (8) and a 6th (193).

New GM Scott Fitterer is thrilled that Sewell has fallen this far and moves up one slot to ensure that the Panthers fill their gaping hole at LT.

8. TRADE!!!! Miami Dolphins (Nishant) - WR Jaylen Waddle | Alabama

Carolina has traded this pick and a 6th (193) to the Detroit Lions for a 1st (7). Detroit then traded this pick and a 3rd (101) to the Miami Dolphins for a 1st (10) and a 3rd (75).

Miami makes a couple trades to bounce around the top 10 and reels in a couple extra Day 2 picks in the process, then spends a small amount of capital to ensure they can still land Waddle, one of the most electric deep threats to come through the draft in years. It’s an investment in young QB Tua Tagovailoa, who is reunited with one of his favorite college targets.

9. Atlanta Falcons (Robert) - OT Rashawn Slater | Northwestern

The Denver Broncos traded this pick, plus a 4th (119) and a 2022 1st to the Atlanta Falcons for a 1st (4).

The Atlanta Falcons see Slater as a short term option at guard and the long term replacement for Jake Matthews at LT. He will be a building block for Falcons immediately and part of the next great Falcons team down the road.

10. TRADE!!!! Detroit Lions (Kieffer) - WR Devonta Smith | Alabama

Dallas has traded this pick, a 3rd (75), and a 2022 2nd to the Miami Dolphins for a 1st (6). Miami then traded this pick and a 3rd (75) to the Detroit Lions for a 1st (8) and a 3rd (101).

The Lions chose to get younger at QB by trading Matt Stafford for Jared Goff. The selection of Smith gives Goff a chance at success, as the Lions had a terrible receiver room after free agency. Smith will make Goff better, and if Goff fails, Smith will make the next young QB better.

11. TRADE!!!! Las Vegas Raiders (Ben) - CB Patrick Surtain II | Alabama

The New York Giants have traded this pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for a 1st (17) and a 3rd (79)

A lot of mocks I’ve seen have had the Raiders standing pat and taking a linebacker, but their secondary is kind of atrocious. Seeing Surtain II drop out of the Top 10, the Raiders jumped at the chance to pick him up.

12. TRADE!!!! Arizona Cardinals (Andrew) - CB Jaycee Horn | South Carolina

The Philadelphia Eagles have traded this pick to the Arizona Cardinals for a 1st (16) and a 2022 3rd.

With the loss of Patrick Peterson, the Cardinals need to shore up their cornerback room. They traded up to guarantee a chance at the top rate corner on their board.

13. Los Angeles Chargers (Nishant) - OT Christian Darrisaw | Virginia Tech

Justin Herbert has established himself as the present and future of the franchise, and protecting him is the Chargers’ top priority. They invested heavily in rebuilding their offensive line this offseason, and Darrisaw is the final piece of the puzzle. He’s a terrific all-around blocker who can step in as the starting left tackle immediately.

14. Minnesota Vikings (Ethan) - OG Alijah Vera-Tucker | USC

It’s rare to see an interior OL go this high, but the Vikings have a desperate need for an upgrade in the middle of their line and they find one in Vera-Tucker.

15. TRADE!!!! Atlanta Falcons (Robert) - Edge Azeez Ojulari | Georgia

The New England Patriots have traded this pick to the Atlanta Falcons for a 2nd (35) and a 2022 1st.

The Eagles wanted to add a CB to shore up last year’s 24th ranked pass defense according to DVOA. They would have been happy with Surtain, Horn, or Newcome, and they managed to get one of the three while adding additional draft capital.

16. Philadelphia Eagles (Robert) - CB Greg Newsome II | Northwestern

The Eagles wanted to add a CB to shore up last year’s 24th ranked pass defense according to DVOA. They would have been happy with Surtain, Horn, or Newsome, and they managed to get one of the three while adding additional draft capital.

17. TRADE!!! New York Giants (Ethan) - Edge Kwity Paye | Michigan

The Las Vegas Raiders have traded this pick and a 3rd (79) the New York Giants for a 1st (11).

The Giants add an impact player to a defense that sorely needs them with the high-floor Paye. He figures to slot in as a starting pass rusher immediately and the franchise sees him as an every down player in the future.

18. Miami Dolphins (Nishant) - LB Micah Parsons | Penn State

Miami could use some help along the lines, but they also need a replacement for the recently released Kyle Van Noy, and they’re amazed to see Parsons still on the board at 18. He offers incredible value here and will be an instant impact player in the middle of that defense.

19. Washington Football Team (Ben) - CB Caleb Farley | Virginia Tech

With QB secure with the trade for Jimmy Garoppolo (even if it was a bit of an overpay), Washington Football Team decide to reach a bit and add Farley to their secondary. He is still somewhat new to the position, only playing it in college, so he should continue to improve at the pro level.

20. Chicago Bears (Ben) - LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | Notre Dame

While Mac Jones is available, da Bears decide to go defense with one of the best players available on the board in Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. He was a monster with the Irish, winning the Butkus and should be a good fit at the NFL level.

21. Indianapolis Colts (Jeff) - WR Rashod Bateman | Minnesota

Bateman is a solid route runner who should make an immediate impact. The running game is in a good place at Indy and Bateman shouldn’t have too much pressure while learning with Wentz now at QB.

22. Tennessee Titans (Jeff) - Edge Jaelan Phillips | Miami

Phillips was a good get for Titans who need a lot of help up front on the defense. He can slot into almost any defensive front as either an DE or OLB due to his versatile skill set.

23. Jacksonville Jaguars (Andrew) - DT Christian Barmore | Alabama

The New York Jets traded this pick, a 1st (2), a 2nd (34), and a 2022 1st to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the first overall pick.

The Jaguars addressed the edge by adding K’Lavon Chaisson in the first round in 2020. Barmore give them a versatile inside DL that can play as a 3 Tech in an even front, or kick out and play a 5 tech in an odd front.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (Nishant) - RB Najee Harris | Alabama

Offensive line is their biggest need, but the Steelers lost James Conner this offseason and haven’t seen much production from their other backs. They can’t pass up Harris here.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (Andrew) - OT Teven Jenkins | Oklahoma State

The Jaguars address a need at Tackle. Jenkins has the ability to start at right tackle right away. He can also replace Cam Robinson at left tackle if Jacksonville is unable to reach a long term deal.

26. Cleveland Browns (Andrew) - LB Zaven Collins | Tulsa

Cleveland take the best player available on their board. Collins is an athletic 3 down linebacker.

27. Baltimore Ravens (Nishant) - S Trevon Moehrig | TCU

Rather than reach for a guy at a higher-priority position, Baltimore adds the best talent on the board in the versatile Moehrig, giving them a hard-hitting playmaker who can play on the back end or cover the slot.

28. New Orleans Saints (Andrew) - QB Mac Jones | Alabama

Jones falls into the Saints’ lap at 28. He will be a great developmental option and not be expected to be an impact starter immediately.

29. Green Bay Packers (Robert) - WR Elijah Moore | Ole Miss

Green Bay is excited to hand another weapon to Aaron Rodgers, adding Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore. The Packers will once again contend for the best offense in the NFL, setting them up to outlast the Chiefs in a Super Bowl situation.

30. Buffalo Bills (Kieffer) - Edge Joe Tryon | Washington

The Bills had a breakout season last year, but need young talent at Edge. If the Bills are going to get past Mahomes and the Chiefs in the AFC, the Super Bowl proved that a dominant pass rush is needed

31. Baltimore Ravens (Nishant) - WR Terrace Marshall, Jr. | LSU

The Ravens need help up front to protect Lamar Jackson, but they also need to give him better weapons. They land a good one here with Marshall, who combines good size with good athleticism and has a high ceiling.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Andrew) - OL Landon Dickerson | Alabama

The Bucs take a chance on a first round talent at interior offensive line. The risk is the long standing medical issues that Dickerson has faced in his career.

Round 2

33. Jacksonville Jaguars (Andrew) - RB Travis Etienne | Clemson

Etienne falls to Jacksonville to start off the 2nd round. He will be the lighting to James Robinson’s thunder.

34. Jacksonville Jaguars (Andrew) - WR Kadarius Toney | Florida

The New York Jets traded this pick, two 1sts (2, 23), and a 2022 1st to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the first overall pick.

Urban Meyer is able to find his Percy Harvin replacement in another Florida Gator. The Jags continue to add weapons to help the rookie QB.

35. New England Patriots (Ben) - LB Jamin Davis | Kentucky

The Pats played around with the idea of trading up for a quarterback, but ultimately deciding to trade down instead to fill some other holes. They start at linebacker with Jamin Davis. He’s a little inexperienced, but will be helpful very soon.

36. Miami Dolphins (Nishant) - RB Javonte Williams | North Carolina

The Dolphins hoped that Etienne would still be on the board here, but they’re still able to snag one of the clear top three running backs in the class. Williams is a bruiser with good pass protection skills.

37. Philadelphia Eagles (Robert) - Edge Jayson Oweh | Penn State

The Eagles continue the defensive rebuild by taking an edge with off the chart traits in Jayson Oweh. Philadelphia is betting on his high upside and relentless generation of pressure to up its pass rush.

38. Cincinnati Bengals (Jeff) - OT Liam Eichenberg | Notre Dame

Liam is the perfect for Cincinnati’s need for a plug-and-play left tackle. He excels in the run game which should be a great fit for the Bengal offense.

39. Carolina Panthers (Ethan) - CB Asante Samuel, Jr. | Florida State

After shoring up OT in round 1, the Panthers pick up a ball hawking corner in Samuel to help a secondary that was vulnerable to the big play at times in 2020.

40. TRADE!!!! Jacksonville Jaguars (Andrew) - TE Pat Freiermuth | Penn State

The Denver Broncos have traded this pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2nd (45) and a 5th (145).

The Jaguars trade up to add a first round talent to replace Tyler Eifert. They continue to work to create a positive atmosphere for their QBs.

41. Detroit Lions (Kieffer) - WR Rondale Moore | Purdue

The Lions receiver room is in such a dire situation that double dipping in the first 2 rounds makes sense. Goff or whoever comes next immediately has dynamic weapons to work with long term

42. New York Giants (Ethan) - OT Dillon Radunz | North Dakota State

There will definitely be a big step up in DL quality from FCS to NFL but the Giants add a versatile lineman who can play guard from day one and could possibly be a RT later in his career.

43. San Francisco 49ers (Robert) - OG Alex Leatherwood | Alabama

The 49ers reinforce their offensive line and provide protection for their franchise quarterback, Justin Fields. With the weapons already in place, this could be a top 5 offense in the league this fall.

44. Dallas Cowboys (Jeff) - CB Eric Stokes | Georgia

Stokes shines in zone coverage where he can read the QB and make plays on the ball. If he can be a player that can cause some turnovers he should be a nice addition to a Cowboys team that should be much improved on offense.

45. TRADE!!!! Denver Broncos (Kieffer) - Edge Gregory Rousseau | Miami

The Jacksonville Jaguars have traded this pick and a 5th (145) to the Denver Broncos for a 2nd (40).

It isn’t the biggest need position, but it’s a huge value steal. Rousseau will be a versatile disruptive who will help the Broncos deal with Mahomes in division

46. TRADE!!!! Los Angeles Rams (Ethan) - C Creed Humphrey | Oklahoma

The New England Patriots have traded this pick and a 4th (120) to the Los Angeles Rams for a 2nd (57) and a 3rd (88).

The Rams fill a need at C with Humphrey in a division full of talented interior pass rushers and provide new quarterback Matt Stafford with an instant starter along the O-Line.

47. Los Angeles Chargers (Nishant) - CB Kelvin Joseph | Kentucky

The Chargers went into this draft with two standout needs: offensive line and cornerback. With two picks, they’ve addressed both. Joseph could be a little bit of a project, but he’s the most talented corner on the board and worth rolling the dice on here.

48. Las Vegas Raiders (Ben) - G Aaron Banks | Notre Dame

Taking over for Quinten Nelson was no easy task, but Aaron Banks did a pretty good job with it, earning All-American honors last year. He’s a big guard to help shore up the Raiders’ OL.

49. Arizona Cardinals (Andrew) - CB Elijah Molden | Washington

The Cardinals double up on the secondary players, adding a versatile defender with experience playing both corner and safety.

50. Miami Dolphins (Nishant) - Edge Joseph Assai | Texas

With a couple of their interior offensive line targets coming off the board in earlier picks, the Dolphins turn their attention back to defense and scoop up Ossai, a 2020 first-team All-American who has a very high ceiling as a pass rusher and is a good fit in Brian Flores’ defense.

51. San Francisco 49ers (Robert) - OT Samuel Cosmi | Texas

Washington Football Team traded this pick and a 5th (163) to the San Francisco 49ers for QB Jimmy Garoppolo.

The 49ers are able to fill a huge position of need and get great value, adding Samuel Cosmi to the offensive line. Cosmi had first round potential and will be another key anchor in protecting Justin Fields for years to come.

52. Chicago Bears (Ben) - WR Nico Collins | Michigan

Allen Robinson has one wide receiver slot pretty well locked up, but the addition of Nico Collins will give Nick Foles a nice big target on the outside.

53. Tennessee Titans (Jeff) - LB Baron Browning | Ohio State

Browning fell a little from his projection in the 1st due to his inconsistency with different linebacker positions but he has the raw physical talent to develop into a solid starting role. His strongest skill set is dropping back in coverage and should find a role at covering the larger tight ends in the league.

54. Indianapolis Colts (Jeff) - LB Cameron McGrone | Michigan

McGrone could take a little while to develop as he came out as only a RS Sophomore but has shown to be an excellent pass rusher in his short time at Michigan. The Colts believe he can develop into a strong force on the defensive side of the ball.

55. Pittsburgh Steelers (Nishant) - G Wyatt Davis | Ohio State

For the rest of the draft, offensive line is the Steelers’ first, second, and third priority. There isn’t a standout tackle left on the board, so they add to the interior here with Davis, a very capable run blocker who will help to pave the way for first-rounder Najee Harris.

56. Seattle Seahawks (Kieffer) - DT Levi Onwuzurike | Washington

Russell Wilson isn’t happy, but the Seahawks get a steal here at a position of need. Some analysts have Onwuzurike as the top DT in the draft with a first round grade. The Seahawks need help all over their defense, and go with the local product to bolster their interior pass rush.

57. TRADE!!! New England Patriots (Ben) - QB Davis Mills | Stanford

The Los Angeles Rams have traded this pick and a 3rd (88) to the New England Patriots for a 2nd (46) and a 4th (120).

It’s no secret that the Patriots need a QB for the future, and Bill Belichick gets his guy here in Davis Mills. Highly touted out of high school, he was hit or miss at Stanford, but watching his highlights, the ball just zips out of his hand. He is pretty underrated in my opinion and will benefit from a year or two on the bench.

58. Kansas City Chiefs (Robert) - Edge Boogie Basham | Wake Forest

The Kansas City Chiefs bolster their pass rush with the ultra-productive Boogie Basham. He will line up across from Frank Clark and immediately provide a second major threat on the edge for the Chiefs.

59. Cleveland Browns (Andrew) - Edge Payton Turner | Houston

The Browns add a young edge player that will be allowed to develop as an understudy to Garrett & Clowney.

60. New Orleans Saints (Andrew) - WR Dynami Brown | North Carolina

The Saints add a dynamic WR with the versatility to play on the outside and in the slot.

61. TRADE!!! Houston Texans (Ben) - QB Kellen Mond | Texas A&M

The Buffalo Bills have traded this pick to the Houston Texans for a 3rd (67) and a 5th (147).

The Texans are kind of a mess right now, and since Andrew told me no when I offered all the Texans’ picks for No. 1, I decided to take a discount quarterback a little later. I was between Mond or Trask, and I think both of them would be available at 67, but like I said, the Texans are kind of a mess, and I think they’ll do something not that smart. They do get Mond, who isn’t a bad quarterback, but there’s a decent chance he gets rushed into action.

62. Green Bay Packers (Robert) - CB Tyson Campbell | Georgia

The Packers pair Tyson Campbell with Jaire Alexander, cementing a formidable pair of corners for the years to come. The Packers have set themselves up for another deep playoff run by improving their passing offense and passing defense.

63. Kansas City Chiefs (Robert) - C Quinn Meinerz | Wisconsin-Whitewater

The Chiefs complete their near total overhaul of the offensive line this offseason. Patrick Mahomes will not have to face the same kind of pass rush assault that he saw in the Super Bowl.

64. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Andrew) - WR Amari Rodgers | Clemson

The Bucs take one of the most polished WRs in the draft, and Tom Brady gets his new Welker/Amendola/Edelman slot weapon.

What would you do differently?