Okay, so the hope that Frodo and Sam would successfully destroy The Ring was a bit more dramatic than that of trying to predict the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, or even the attempts all 32 teams will make this weekend to turn their fortunes toward the Super Bowl.
But hey, if those two wily little Hobbits could make it all the way into Mordor, maybe I’ve got a shot at getting a few picks right.
As we sit just hours away from the Jacksonville Jaguars going on the clock, and presumably squeezing every possible second out of their turn before picking the guy we knew they’d pick back in January, here’s my final stab at projecting this year’s first round.
*denotes projected trade
1. Jacksonville Jaguars | Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence
2. New York Jets | BYU QB Zach Wilson
3. San Francisco 49ers (from HOU via MIA) | Alabama QB Mac Jones
4. Atlanta Falcons | Florida TE Kyle Pitts
5. Cincinnati Bengals | Oregon OT Penei Sewell
6. Miami Dolphins (from PHI) | LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase
7. New England Patriots (from DET)* | Ohio State QB Justin Fields
8. Carolina Panthers | North Dakota State QB Trey Lance
9. Philadelphia Eagles (from DEN)* | Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
10. Dallas Cowboys | South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn
11. New York Giants | Northwestern OL Rashawn Slater
12. Denver Broncos (from PHI)* | Penn State LB Micah Parsons
13. Los Angeles Chargers | USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
14. Tennessee Titans (from MIN)* | Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle
15. Detroit Lions (from NE)* | Alabama WR DeVonta Smith
16. Arizona Cardinals | Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley
17. Las Vegas Raiders | Notre Dame LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
18. Miami Dolphins | Michigan EDGE Kwity Paye
19. Washington Football Team | Tulsa LB Zaven Collins
20. Chicago Bears | Northwestern CB Greg Newsome II
21. Indianapolis Colts | Virginia Tech OT Christian Darrisaw
22. Minnesota Vikings (from TEN)* | Miami (FL) EDGE Jaelan Phillips
23. New York Jets (from SEA) | Alabama RB Najee Harris
24. Pittsburgh Steelers | Oklahoma State OL Teven Jenkins
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR) | Alabama DL Christian Barmore
26. Cleveland Browns | Georgia CB Tyson Campbell
27. Baltimore Ravens | Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman
28. New Orleans Saints | Kentucky LB Jamin Davis
29. Green Bay Packers | Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore
30. Atlanta Falcons (from BUF)* | Miami (FL) EDGE Gregory Rousseau
31. Baltimore Ravens (from KC) | Washington EDGE Joe Tryon
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Georgia EDGE Azeez Ojulari
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