Last year’s NFL draft looked a bit different than usual, and next year’s could have some unique characteristics of its own, again due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the 2020 event was fully virtual as a result of the virus, the 2021 installment could be impacted by the college football landscape this fall, with multiple Power 5 conferences opting to postpone their seasons with hopes of playing in the spring.
Early projections for next year’s draft are already taking that into the account, and the latest 2021 NFL mock draft from The Sporting News is no exception.
Vinnie Iyer has a trio of quarterbacks landing among the top five picks, including the first two selections. Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence lands with the Washington Football Team at No. 1 overall, while Ohio State’s Justin Fields heads to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 2nd pick. The Carolina Panthers grab the next passer off the board, taking North Dakota State’s Trey Lance at No. 5 overall.
Lawrence is an interesting fit in Washington, considering the team spent a top-15 pick on Dwayne Haskins just two years ago. That said, if Washington still ends up with the top pick next year, it’s clear something isn’t going well, and the quarterback often takes the fall. Heck, the Arizona Cardinals traded Josh Rosen just one year after trading up to take him in the top 10, and that move looks to have paid off with Kyler Murray.
Fields would be an immediate upgrade for the Jags, while Carolina would be a strong landing spot for Lance, who would get to learn behind an experienced veteran in Teddy Bridgewater after limited action at the college level against FCS competition.
No other quarterback cracks this first-round projection, and that’s not the only surprise. Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell falls out of the top five picks (No. 6 overall, Detroit Lions), while Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons tumbles down outside the top 15 (No. 19 overall, Cleveland Browns).
To check out the complete first-round mock draft at The Sporting News, click here.
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