We’ve known for quite a while that Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields were destined to be top-five picks in the 2021 NFL draft, but a newcomer is crashing the party.
BYU’s Zach Wilson has been lighting it up this season for the Cougars, sending his draft stock through the roof.
In the latest 2021 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports, Wilson lands at No. 4 overall to the Washington Football Team, following Lawrence (No. 1 overall, New York Jets) and Fields (No. 2 overall, Jacksonville Jaguars).
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards believes Washington is ready to move on from Dwayne Haskins, especially with a prospect like Wilson on the board:
Although not the second quarterback selected, Zach Wilson did not have to wait long to hear his name called. Wilson offers size, arm strength and mobility. Washington obviously does not like what it has seen from Dwayne Haskins so they move on.
The only other quarterback to crack this first-round projection is North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, who lands with the San Francisco 49ers at No. 12 overall, while Florida’s Kyle Trask and Alabama’s Mac Jones don’t make the cut.
Teams with multiple first-round picks load up on top talent in this forecast, with the Miami Dolphins giving quarterback Tua Tagovailoa plenty of help (LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase, Oklahoma OL Creed Humphrey), the Jacksonville Jaguars continuing their rebuild on both sides of the ball (Fields, Alabama DL Christian Barmore), and the New York Jets hoping to start a new chapter (Lawrence, South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn).
To check out the full mock draft at CBS Sports, click here.
[vertical-gallery id=624298]