By Harris Oates, Editor-In-Chief | Mock can be found on the Walter Football Mock Database
Trevor Lawrence | Clemson, QB
You know the drill…Urban Meyer didn’t even show up to Zach Wilson’s pro day! Don’t let Chris Simms talk you out of it.
Zach Wilson | BYU, QB
As much as I have been pushing for the Jets to hang onto Darnold another year, I don’t think that’s a viable option if they stay at 2. The pick here is too valuable, especially considering the price the 49ers had to pay to move up to 3.
Trey Lance | North Dakota State, QB
I’ve previously noted that the 49ers have been intrigued by the chance to acquire Sam Darnold from the Jets, but after moving up from 12 by way of three 1st round picks, it is clear that they likely have their eyes set on a particular quarterback. With just 17 FCS starts under his belt, Trey Lance is a bit unproven, but has the physical skillset that has front offices yearning for him.
Micah Parsons | Penn State, LB
The Falcons could move this pick to a QB needy team or perhaps draft their heir apparent, but instead elect to take the top defensive player off the board. As of today, the Falcons are slated to start two outside linebackers from the Ivy League conference…something that likely won’t win many games. Parsons is a versatile, do-it-all linebacker who will improve the Falcons defense across the board, especially as a run stuffer and in the pass rushing department.
Kyle Pitts | Florida, TE
To say the Bengals have just one position of need is a stretch, so they must utilize this pick to land the most value here. Burrow has shown signs of strong potential and they also improved in free agency, but this roster is full of holes and puts the Bengals in a great place at 5. Offensive Tackle Penei Sewell would be a great help to this young offense for years to come and Burrow is obviously lobbying for his former Biletnikoff receiver Ja’Marr Chase (because who wouldn’t be?!?), but Kyle Pitts likely brings them the most value at 5. Tight Ends prospects like Pitts only come around once in a generation and would be a day 1 upgrade who would bring an entire new element to this offense.
Penei Sewell | Oregon, LT
If the Dolphins land Sewell here it will complete one of the most effective trade backs in NFL history. The Dolphins started with Laremy Tunsil and would finish with one of the best tackle prospects ever along with a boatload of other early draft picks. By adding Sewell here it at least gives Tua a shot to impress and hopefully persuade critics like myself to start thinking of him as their franchise QB.
Ja’Marr Chase | LSU, WR
The Lions lost top targets Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. and have subsequently entered a long and tumultuous rebuild. They should hold out hope on Jared Goff, as he is still just 26 years old with enough potential to break through the glass ceiling that he has been assigned. By adding Ja’Marr Chase it makes the likelihood of that a lot higher as the Lions are currently working with Breshad Perriman and Tyrell Williams as their top two targets…oh and don’t forget Geronimo Allison fresh off an opt-out year.
Justin Fields | Ohio State, QB
If Fields is still available at 8, then the Panthers are the true winners in the QB race. Is he the best out of the group? The top 7 picks say no, but the fact that the Panthers used just one 1st round pick rather than 3 makes the pressure a lot lighter than the stunt the 49ers pulled. Oh, and yea, he certainly may just be the top QB in the class once this is all said and done.
Gregory Rousseau | Miami, Edge
We don’t have a top 10 edge rusher on our big board for the first time in a while, but the position will still be valued at a premium. There are a lot of question marks surrounding Rousseau, but the one thing that was clear in his 14 game career is that he is an athletic freak with prototypical size. Without any of the top QBs still on the board here, the Broncos are forced to stick it out with Drew Lock for another year and add another solid prospect to their aging pass rush.
Caleb Farley | Virginia Tech, CB
The Cowboys had one of the weakest secondaries in the league last year, but add a dynamic corner here at 10. Farley recently underwent a minor procedure (discectomy), but will be good to go by training camp. This procedure has absolutely no impact on his draft stock.
Rashawn Slater | Northwestern, OL
The Giants had a wonderful couple of weeks during free agency and plugged several holes such as WR and CB2. One area that they did not improve on was the offensive line, probably because they had a strong feeling that several of their top prospects would still be on the board at 11. To compete next year they need to protect Daniel Jones, who has shown how promising he can be in flashes throughout his early career. Slater is such a perfect fit because he is one of the best zone blocking prospects who has the versatility and size to fit as one of the top young guards in the league.
DeVonta Smith | Alabama, WR
It’s become very clear that the Eagles are in a full blown rebuild. They had one of the most embarrassing draft blunders last year when they selected WR Jalen Reagor over record breaking rookie Justin Jefferson. At 12 they can make up for that by taking the dynamic Heisman winner, DeVonta Smith to give Jalen Hurts a chance to lobby for being the long term QB in Philly.
Christian Darrisaw | Virginia Tech, OT
The Chargers have several big holes to fill, but none as glaring as Left Tackle. Trey Pipkins finished the season as the 72nd rated tackle (out of 79), more specifically he finished 73rd out of 75 tackles in terms of pass protection. They snagged Herbert last year, who may just turn out to be the best in the entire draft class, so naturally now it is time to make sure they have an offensive line to keep him clean. Darrisaw is one of the strongest lineman in the class and excels in pass protection, so he should be a perfect match with the Chargers.
Alijah Vera-Tucker | USC, OL
The Vikings desperately need help on their defensive line, but can fill that need easier with some of the depth left on the market such as Kawaan Short and Jadeveon Clowney. In terms of offensive line, the guard market is extremely weak, but they could take Vera-Tucker here and immediately reap the benefits in their run heavy offense.
Christian Barmore | Alabama, DL
Many “fanalysts” are connecting the dots between Saban and Belichick to land Mac Jones in New England, but the Patriots seem to be more comfortable with their QB room than the media wants us to believe. They certainly are in a bit of a rebuild, but Cam Newton is their bridge that should improve in 2021 with a reworked and healthy offense. Barmore is much more of a Belichick-ian pick here and brings some much needed talent and pass rush to the interior of their defensive line.
Patrick Surtain II | Alabama, CB
The Cardinals signed Robert Alford in free agency, but the 32 year old is obviously not a long term solution. Patrick Surtain II can be the next great corner in Arizona and become one of the most talented lock down guys in the league. The Cardinals must fill this need immediately in order to keep up in one of the deepest WR divisions.
Teven Jenkins | Oklahoma State, OT
The Raiders have mostly blown all their 1st round picks since Mike Mayock took over, but could make up for that with a safe pick here that would immediately strengthen the offensive line. Jenkins was one of the most dominant combo lineman and can plug in perfectly in his natural right tackle spot.
Jamin Davis | Kentucky, LB
The Dolphins added some much needed help at LB by trading for Benardrick Kennedy, but further deepen their defensive talent pool by taking Jamin Davis at 18. Davis is personally my favorite sleeper and a prospect I have been high on since watching him play this fall. Davis was amongst the most improved players in the country and dominated the SEC as the best run stuffer in 2020.
Mac Jones | Alabama, QB
The Washington Football Team signed veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, but that typically signals that they also are looking for a young QB to learn behind him. Jones bursted onto the scene in 2020 and emerged as a serious NFL candidate that has earned a well deserved first round grade. There is a chance that he could slide into the second round, but if he is still on the board at 19 there is a solid chance that Ron Rivera could take him.
Zaven Collins | Tulsa, LB
If Collins lasts on the board until pick 20 it will be one of the best value picks of the 1st round. Collins is a versatile and well rounded defensive prospect that can plug into any defense or scheme with ease. He likely will play as an outside linebacker, but has the potential to also either play Mike or even as a standup edge rusher.
Jaylen Waddle | Alabama, WR
Waddle is a top 10 prospect in many mocks, but he is certainly a prospect that could take a bit of a fall in this deep class. Waddle is a bit of a niche prospect who likely will be pegged as a career slot receiver, which really would limit his suitors in the first round to schematic matches. The speculation around this theory certainly is tied to his season ending injury that really limited our chances to see what Waddle could do as the top target. Indy has seen flashes from slot receiver Paris Campbell, but he has struggled to stay on the field, which could likely cause the Colts to start to look for some competition.
Elijah Moore | Ole Miss, WR
The Titans may have missed on the Waddle sweepstakes, but land another one of the most dynamic receivers in the class in Elijah Moore. Coming off an absolutely stellar season at Ole Miss, Moore has continued to shine in the offseason where he had one of the more notable pro days. The Titans lost both Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith, which will keep them searching for immediate firepower in the early rounds as Cameron Batson is probably not a salvageable option in the slot.
Rashod Bateman | Minnesota, WR
The run on receivers continues here as the Jets find another target for their newly drafted Zach Wilson. Bateman can play on the outside or in the slot in the future if they elect to move on from Jamison Crowder.
Azeez Ojulari | Georgia, Edge
The Steelers take a big hit losing Bud Dupree (as they did last season when he was injured), but add one of the biggest risers from the 2020 season. Ojulari had an extremely impressive postseason that showcased his elite abilities to get hot and get after the quarterback.
Kwity Paye | Michigan, Edge
The Jags have a long way to go to rebuild their defense back to where it was just several years ago when they were competing for the AFC Championship, but adding a powerful edge rusher like Kwity Paye this late in the 1st would be a solid step forward.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | Notre Dame, LB
The Browns emphasized defense this year in free agency, but continue that trend by adding the versatile defender. Owusu-Koramoah can play a hybrid role and is a niche player that doesn’t come around often, which immediately would add an extra element to the Browns defense and matchup capabilities. Not only is Owusu-Koramoah a sideline to sideline player, but he will be able to mirror some of the top tight ends in the league.
Dyami Brown | UNC, WR
The Ravens failed to land several big name receivers in free agency including Juju and Kenny Golladay. Sammy Watkins is going to be a role player, but to really help Lamar the Ravens need to bring in a player that can be around long term and become a safety blanket for the offense. Dyami Brown may be flying under the radar now, but is one of the most impressive do-it-all receivers and could potentially see his stock fly up following his pro day today.
Greg Newsome II | Northwestern, CB
Not only did Marshon Lattimore get arrested last week, but his contract is expiring next offseason and the likelihood of him returning longterm could be unlikely. Newsome is one of the best cover corners who has the ceiling to develop into being an all pro defender. He isn’t flashy, but reminds me a lot of James Bradberry because of his phenomenal body positioning and length that comes in handy when playing the ball.
Jaycee Horn | South Carolina, CB
The Packers have struggled three consecutive years in the NFC Championship and the common denominator has generally been their inability to cover some of the best passing offenses in the league. Horn would be an amazing CB2 and is by far the best player available this late in the draft, which would make for an incredible steal.
Javonte Williams | UNC, RB
The Bills have struggled to put together anything consistent in the run game, but could finally land that bell cow back that they have been missing since the Shady McCoy days. Williams may seem like a surprise RB1, but he is a broken tackle machine that plays with a blue collar mentality that could win over Brandon Beane and the Bills front office.
Terrace Marshall | LSU, WR
The Chiefs lost Sammy Watkins, but can find a long term solution here with the talent, yet raw talent. Marshall had questions regarding his 7 drops from his 2020 season, but has the ceiling that GMs dream for in a WR.
Landon Dickerson | Alabama, G/C
I know what you’re thinking, why waste a pick on a 23 year old who played his career at Center and is coming off of an ACL tear? The Bucs are returning all 22 starters on their team following their Super Bowl run and get a long term steal here at value. It may be a while before he is available, but Dickerson can slide into any of the three interior positions and add a much needed boost of depth to the run heavy offense.
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