Nothing is ever truly shocking anymore when it comes to NFL draft projections, but the latest 2021 NFL mock draft from Pro Football Focus certainly delivers a handful of intriguing surprises among the top 10 selections.
The first one comes at the No. 4 overall pick, where PFF’s Seth Galina has the Atlanta Falcons passing on some of this year’s top quarterback prospects in favor of Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. Pitts is a rare prospect, but taking a tight end over a potential successor for Matt Ryan would be a surprising course of action for the Falcons.
The next surprise comes at No. 6 overall, where Galina has the Philadelphia Eagles taking a quarterback just one year after spending a second-round pick on Jalen Hurts. Not only that, his mock has Philly opting for Alabama’s Mac Jones over BYU’s Zach Wilson and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, both of whom are still on the board.
Wilson surprisingly slides to the Carolina Panthers at No. 8 overall in this projection, while the Denver Broncos end the Drew Lock experiment by taking Lance with the very next pick.
Some big-name prospects who go later than usual in this mock? Miami edge defender Gregory Rousseau (No. 17 overall, Las Vegas Raiders), Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons (No. 19 overall, Washington Football Team) and Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (No. 20 overall, Chicago Bears).
A few prospects who come off the board earlier than expected include Penn State edge defender Jayson Oweh (No. 14 overall, Minnesota Vikings) and Wake Forest defensive lineman Carlos Basham Jr. (No. 32 overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
To check out the full first-round projection at Pro Football Focus, click here.
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