11. New York Giants
April Mock Draft Call: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State
Other Realistic Options: CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech; WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama; DE Gregory Rousseau, Miami
Biggest Team Need: Defensive End
Parsons is just versatile enough to fit in a variety of ways. He might not be the true edge rusher the D needs, but he’s too good a prospect with too much Pro Bowl upside to fall further.
12. Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami, from San Francisco 49ers
April Mock Draft Call: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Other Realistic Options: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State; CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech
Biggest Team Need: Wide Receiver
The Eagles aren’t going to land DeVonta Smith or Ja’Marr Chase, but getting a big-time producer in Waddle here would be fantastic for a receiving corps that needs a star. Jalen Hurts wouldn’t complain with this.
13. Los Angeles Chargers
April Mock Draft Call: CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech
Other Realistic Options: CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama; OT Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Tackle
This is the flip a coin spot. It could be one of the offensive linemen or one of the corners, and if it’s one of the corners, flip a coin between Farley or Surtain. No matter what, the Chargers are in a nice spot.
14. Minnesota Vikings
April Mock Draft Call: OT Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech
Other Realistic Options: S Trevon Moehrig, TCU; DE Gregory Rousseau, Miami
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Tackle
Sort of like the Chargers with the previous pick, Minnesota is in a great spot for its needs. It could use a safety, it needs pass rushers, and it has to get an offensive lineman. The Vikings can go with the best player available.
15. New England Patriots
April Mock Draft Call: CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama
Other Realistic Options: Trade up; CB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
Biggest Team Need: Quarterback
How much work to the Patriots want to do to try moving up? It’ll take a massive deal to get high enough to get one of the five top quarterbacks, but they also need a cornerback, too. A few of the elite ones will be around this spot.
16. Arizona Cardinals
April Mock Draft Call: CB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
Other Realistic Options: DE Kwity Paye, Michigan; CB Greg Newsome, Northwestern
Biggest Team Need: Defensive Tackle
The Cardinals have to hope their pass rushing issues are solved with the JJ Watt signing, but losing Patrick Peterson means they need more help at corner. There should still be at least one of the top prospects still around at the 16.
17. Las Vegas Raiders
April Mock Draft Call: S Trevon Moehrig, TCU
Other Realistic Options: CB Greg Newsome, Northwestern; DE Kwity Paye, Michigan
Biggest Team Need: Defensive Back
Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden will do whatever they’re going to do regardless of value. They’ll either go with one of the solid corners that will still be around, or they can lock up a quarterback of the secondary in Moehrig.
18. Miami Dolphins
April Mock Draft Call: DE Kwity Paye, Michigan
Other Realistic Options: DE Gregory Rousseau, Miami; DE Jaelen Phillips, Miami
Biggest Team Need: Pass Rusher
Assume Miami gets an elite pass catcher with its spot at the 6, and then it can go hard after a pass rusher here with a few of them – including a few star Hurricanes – around to test out.
19. Washington Football Team
April Mock Draft Call: OG Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC
Other Realistic Options: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame; OT Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State
Biggest Team Need: Quarterback
Washington will have to find its future quarterback somewhere else – assuming Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t the long-term answer – unless it wants to go WAY too early on Kyle Trask or Jamie Newman. The defense should be fine, but the offensive infrastructure needs work. Getting Vera-Tucker here would be perfect.
20. Chicago Bears
April Mock Draft Call: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame
Other Realistic Options: OT Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State; CB Greg Newsome, Northwestern
Biggest Team Need: Quarterback
There’s no quarterback here to solve the Andy Dalton issue, but the Bears have a shot at simply going the Best Player Available route. They need a little of everything, and the versatile Owusu-Koramoah could combine with Roquan Smith to create a killer linebacking corps.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: January Picks 21-32