Category: Mock Drafts

Cowboys Mock Draft 6.0: Preparing for life after Prescott, Tyron Smith

If Dak Prescott makes it to the draft without a contract, the #Cowboys will need to prepare for 2022 while trying to win in 2021. Throw in the possibility it might be time to move on from Tyron Smith, this 7-round mock tries to do it all in one swoop.

The majority of rational Dallas Cowboys fans would like to see Dak Prescott as the long-term quarterback. The majority, but not all. It feels like, even though it’s been completely in their hands the entire time, the front office feels the same way. Yet, the deal isn’t done and until the ink hits the paper, there remains a chance that Prescott is going to need to be replaced sooner rather than later.

What that looks like is unsure, but we took a stab at laying out the various possibilities with these 10 options for the Cowboys at QB this offseason. One of the options would be to franchise tag Prescott, again, and then let him walk in 2022. We’re going to run this particular 2021 mock draft exercise with that in mind. Not just that, but also with the idea that the Cowboys will be making a transition on offensive line sooner rather than later, by having to say goodbye to Tyron Smith.

I think I did a good job of maneuvering around the draft with these edicts in mind. A series of trades ended up giving the Cowboys the same number of picks on Day 1 and Day 2, a position target we had in mind for 1.10, and a future selection that increases the chance of finding Prescott’s successor. Moving on from Prescott is hardly what we’d want to do, but if we felt like we had to, this would be way we’d like it to go down.

Buckle up. Time to run another sim with The Draft Network’s Mock Draft machine.

Mock Draft Roundup: Cowboys favoring CB, OL prospects

The Cowboys have plenty of need for 2021, but most mocks have them eyeing Patrick Surtain or Rashawn Slater… with one notable surprise.

The sudden appearance of Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford into the pool of acquirable talent may have shaken up the big boards of many teams around the league and caused some to rethink their draft strategy. But seemingly not the Cowboys. Despite the uncertain long-term employment prospects of Dak Prescott in Dallas, No. 4 isn’t going anywhere in 2021. And that means the front office’s objective with the tenth overall pick is unlikely to change.

Could Jerry and Stephen Jones trade out of that spot to a club eager to pay out, reach up, and snatch a top-ten-talent youngster? Of course, but the Cowboys’ needs are too glaring across the board to not view that early selection as a prime opportunity to bring an elite superstar-in-the-making into the fold.

While some of this week’s mock drafts forecast movement among teams based on a Stafford trade, none of the scenarios here had the Cowboys moving out of the tenth pick. Two names came up repeatedly- one on offense and one on defense- that would beef up areas of obvious weakness. Another mock entertained the familiar notion of a name Cowboys fans have had repeatedly this offseason. And one hypothetical draft went outside the box to add a playmaker to a positional group that is already top-tier in the league.

Mel Kiper delivers a shocking pick at No. 2 in latest 2021 NFL mock draft

See who ESPN’s Mel Kiper sends to the New York Jets at No. 2 overall in his latest 2021 NFL mock draft

Okay, so it’s hard to say any pick is “shocking” in a January mock draft, but this might be the closest thing.

The latest 2021 NFL mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the predictable selection of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but things get wild at the next spot.

Kiper has the New York Jets not only passing on the rest of this year’s quarterback class, but spending the No. 2 overall pick on Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

Here’s Kiper’s explanation for the selection:

This is where the intrigue in the draft begins. Will the Jets stick with quarterback Sam Darnold for another year, or will they take Zach Wilson or Justin Fields? (Or maybe even trade for Deshaun Watson?) The good news for general manager Joe Douglas and new coach Robert Saleh is that they have three months to figure it out. This is a huge decision, and Douglas and Saleh have to be 100% sure that Wilson or Fields is an upgrade over Darnold.

My feeling right now is that yes, Darnold’s stats are ugly, but he’s only 23 and he has had no offensive talent around him for three years. Do the Jets really want to move on from him and watch him thrive elsewhere? That’s why they could give him a one-year audition under Saleh, pick the Heisman Trophy winner at No. 2, and give Darnold one more shot to put all of his talent together. Smith is the true No. 1 target Darnold hasn’t had.

The biggest question with this projection isn’t necessarily the decision to stick with Darnold and pass on the rest of this year’s quarterback class, but rather the choice of Smith, who isn’t even the consensus No. 1 player at his position in this draft.

Despite his incredible campaign in 2020, one that ended with Smith becoming the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard, many consider LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase to be the better NFL prospect at the position. There’s no denying his incredible production and the areas of his skill set at which he excels, but concerns about Smith’s slim frame and durability at the next level would make him a somewhat risky pick at the No. 2 overall spot.

Chase lands with the Miami Dolphins at the very next spot in Kiper’s mock, followed by BYU quarterback Zach Wilson (No. 4 overall, Atlanta Falcons) and Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell (No. 5 overall, Cincinnati Bengals).

Two more quarterbacks join Lawrence as top-10 picks in Kiper’s projection, with Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance coming off the board with back-to-back selections, landing with the Detroit Lions at No. 7 overall and the Carolina Panthers at No. 8 overall, respectively.

To check out Kiper’s full first-round projection at ESPN.com, click here.

[vertical-gallery id=624967]

Mock draft watch: Mel Kiper projects Justin Fields to the Lions

Kiper’s mock has 3 WRs going in the top 6

Perhaps the most notable NFL draft analyst out there, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is back with his first solo mock draft projections for the 2021 NFL draft. And with the Detroit Lions quickly shifting the primary need on the team from wide receiver to quarterback, Kiper’s first-round forecast for the Lions makes a nice fit.

Kiper has the Lions taking Ohio State QB Justin Fields with their first pick. The Buckeye standout is often projected in the top three picks, and now the Lions are focused on replacing Matthew Stafford.

Kiper’s justification for projecting Fields makes sense,

it appears that new general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell will go all-in on a rebuild, and so Fields could be the face of it. He had an up-and-down season, but we saw the flashes of his talent, particularly in his six-touchdown performance against Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal. Fields has superstar potential, but he’ll need help around him.

The players off the board for the Lions at No. 7:

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama

Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU

Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

Mel Kiper’s Mock Draft 1.0: Cowboys work on solidifying offense in 1st round

The Cowboys needs are many, and their first round draft picks are one. With this mock that one is spent on an offensive lineman. Here’s why.

The Dallas Cowboys have a myriad of needs, and while the defense was one of the worst in the NFL in 2020, it’s no guarantee they use their first-round pick to shore up those holes. There is a line of thinking that making a strength a super strength is the better strategy. Not everyone agrees of course, but ESPN’s Mel Kiper does.

In his inaugural mock draft for 2021, Kiper bypasses the several defensive prospects who have been commonly linked to Dallas and instead chooses to go offense. However, he didn’t go for the skill position player many have linked to the the Cowboys in recent weeks. With Kyle Pitts, the tight end out of Florida still on the board, and both of the top cornerbacks, Kiper has Dallas going offensive line with 1.10.

10. Dallas Cowboys

Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern

Heading into the 2020 season, the Cowboys’ offensive line looked solid on paper, and that was after center Travis Frederick retired in March. But then injuries hit: Right tackle La’el Collins missed every game, left tackle Tyron Smith played just two and guard Zack Martin missed six. And what you saw was a poor Cowboys offense, even before quarterback Dak Prescott was lost for the season due to his ankle injury. That’s why I think Slater fits in Dallas, where he could play either tackle spot or move inside to guard. Todd McShay thinks Slater could excel at center, too. He was another prospect who opted out, but he didn’t allow a single sack playing left tackle in 2019. This is a spot to watch for Surtain as well because Chidobe Awuzie could leave in free agency.

Pitts went the next selection, No. 11 to the New York Giants.  The next selection was Patrick Surtain II, the Alabama corner going to San Francisco at No. 12. Virginia Tech corner Caleb Farley went No. 16.

Slater’s versatility along the line is important, but the idea that the Cowboys would slide him up and down as injuries popped up is a pipe dream of the worst kind. Dallas would identify one spot to play him and stick him there to let him learn.

If the draft would play out, the Slater selection would forever be linked to these players. It may not be a bad thing, but it would certainly raise eyebrows. Many draftniks wonder if Slater is the best offensive line prospect in the draft, competing with Oregon’s Penei Sewell.

The draft will be pure chaos, as so many players opted out of the 2020 season due to coronavirus risk (like Slater), and now that the scouting combine and in-person interviews are ruled out, there’s likely going to be a huge gap between fan expectations, draftniks and what teams actually do come April.

[listicle id=662463][listicle id=662460][lawrence-newsletter]

Cowboys Mock Draft Roundup: Corners rule the day, but which fits best?

The Cowboys have needs in many areas, but a recent survey of the latest 2021 mock drafts identify corner as the likely landing spot.

The Dallas Cowboys sit with the No. 10 draft pick in the upcoming April NFL draft and this early in the process fans are still split amongst where they want the team to go. Prevailing sentiment is for the club to focus on defense after having one of the worst units in all of football for much of the 2020 season.

Others believe that offense is the key to it all and the defense, while yes needing reinforcements, will improve based on addition by subtraction of coordinator Mike Nolan. So which is right? No one knows, and no one will know for the next several years to be honest, but when has that stopped us before? Mock draft season is in full swing, and here’s the latest from around the interwebs of Cowboys projections.

Across these 10 mock drafts (9 national and our Cowboys specific 7-round mock exercise from this week) there are a total of 5 players picks. Only one name hails from the offensive side of the line of scrimmage and all three top corners are represented. A couple exercises include trade down scenarios for the Cowboys, while others have them taking those targets where they sit at No. 10.

Daniel Jeremiah gives the Detroit Lions an elite WR in his first 2021 mock draft

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah gave the Detroit Lions some elite wide receiver help in his first 2021 mock draft of the season.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah posted his first 2021 mock draft of the season, and with the seventh overall pick, he paired the Detroit Lions with Heisman trophy winning wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

“If the Lions are going to keep Matthew Stafford, they would have a prime opportunity to sell this selection to a QB-needy team,” Jeremiah wrote. “If they stick and pick, Smith will be an immediate-impact player on the outside.”

Smith to Detroit has been a widely popular choice since last year’s draft ended. And as we at Lions Wire started tracking mock drafts this season, not a lot has changed, but there have been a few other candidates that have emerged.

Smith’s teammate at Alabama Jaylen Waddle, found his way to the Lions a few mocks drafts last week, but the next major competition has been Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.

In Jeremiah’s scenario, all three were on the board and he went with his highest-rated player in Smith — which matches our early rankings as well.

It’s worth acknowledging Jeremiah’s qualifier with this pick: “If the Lions are going to keep Matthew Stafford”, this pick makes a lot of sense. It’s also worth noting that if they elected to move on from Stafford, the top quarterback option available in this scenario was Ohio State’s Justin Fields, who went to the Carolina Panthers with the next pick.

Regardless of whether you want Stafford and Smith combo or a fresh start with Fields, it’s fair to say the Lions are going to have several quality options if they stay put at seven.

Big names tumble in Daniel Jeremiah’s latest 2021 NFL mock draft

See which top prospects fall in the latest 2021 NFL mock draft from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah

For months now, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell have felt like top-five locks for the 2021 NFL draft.

But if the latest 2021 NFL mock draft from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah is any indication, both plays could be in for a draft-day slide of sorts.

In his initial first-round projection, Jeremiah has Fields falling to No. 8 overall, sending him to the Carolina Panthers as the fourth quarterback off the board. Going ahead of Fields in Jeremiah’s mock are Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence (No. 1 overall, Jacksonville Jaguars), BYU’s Zach Wilson (No. 2 overall, New York Jets), and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance (No. 4 overall, Atlanta Falcons).

Jeremiah thinks the Panthers would be wise to stop Fields’ tumble and make him the team’s long-term solution after Teddy Bridgewater:

I don’t think Matt Rhule will be picking this high again in the near future. Now is the time to secure the long-term answer at QB.

Sewell falls even further than Fields, finally landing with the Dallas Cowboys at No. 1 overall. Jeremiah acknowledges that Sewell could go much higher, but doesn’t rule out a slide to the bottom of the top 10:

Sewell could go as high as No. 3 overall to the Dolphins, but there’s a chance he slips to the Cowboys. They need to get younger and more talented along the offensive line.

While stranger things have certainly happened on draft day, it would be surprising to see both of these prospects fall outside the top five picks.

To check out Jeremiah’s complete first-round projection at NFL.com, click here.

[vertical-gallery id=624967]

7-round, 10-pick Cowboys Mock Draft: Defense and more defense

Defense, defense, defense. With the 2021 draft talent pool finalized and the landscape ever changing, the #Cowboys may need to throw all the darts at fixing the leaky unit. That’s what this particular mock is all about.

With the playoffs careening towards a conclusion and the Dallas Cowboys now several weeks removed from the end of their 2020 season, it’s time to expand the mock. We’re now running a seven-round exercise to help get a better grasp on the talent that could be available at certain points of the season. This week, the defense gets a bunch of help for Dan Quinn.

In real life draft news, the number of eligible prospects has been capped. Underclassmen and seniors who opted out of the 2020 season for COVID-19 concerns had until Monday to declare for the 2021 draft. They still have two days to change their minds, but no more can be added. Here’s a link to the current list. Also, the NFL has scrapped the scouting combine and in-person workouts, meaning that information will be tough to come by until Pro Days, and there’s still no idea how all of that translates. It’s going to be the wild, wild west for the 2021 draft season.

With that in mind, in this iteration there’s a heavy focus on defense. The thinking is, without as much information, more darts have to be thrown at the board so there are more chances of hitting the bulls eye. The team cannot risk not increasing the talent level of the defense so in this exercise conducted on The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Simulator, we centrally focus on that mission.

The first six picks are devoted; first attacking the defensive line, shifting priorities to the secondary, then back to the line and finally the linebackers. From there, some help for the offense, getting some depth for the line and the wideout positions.

Lions mock draft roundup: 3 players emerge as favorites following 2021 National Championship

In this week’s Detroit Lions’ mock draft roundup, three players emerge as favorites following the 2021 National Championship.

With the 2021 National Championship and the first round of the NFL playoffs behind us, it’s a good opportunity to take a look at the most recent 2021 mock drafts. These mocks will give us an early look at who the analysts are projecting the Detroit Lions to select with pick No. 7 in the upcoming NFL draft.

One very common theme has presented itself with these post-national championship mock drafts: After a dominating showing in the NCAA playoffs, Alabama wide receiver Devonta Smith, who was routinely mocked to the Lions, is now off the board before the Lions are on the clock in all but one mock draft.

Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama (6-0, 175)

Currently being mocked by Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) 

Iyer: “The Lions got a nice closing stretch from Marvin Jones Jr. with Kenny Golladay (hip) on the shelf for most of the season, but Jones is also heading into his age 32 season as a free agent. It makes sense to think about a high-level replacement who can form a great new combination with Golladay for Matthew Stafford (or whoever else might be at QB for a new coach). Smith has picked up from he left off last season to become Heisman Trophy-worthy. He has 105 catches for 1,641 yards and 20 TDs in 12 games this season.”

While Iyer stuck with Smith to Detroit, two other analysts — with Smith off the board in their mocks — stuck with pairing the Lions with a wide receiver but went with Smith’s running mate at Alabama.

Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama (5-10, 182)

Currently being mocked by Anthony Treash (PFF) and Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports)

Treash: “Waddle missed most of the 2020 season due to a fractured ankle, but the Bama receiver was truly an explosive play waiting to happen in the four games he appeared in. He generated a Power 5-best 4.68 yards per route run, averaged 10.7 yards after the catch, teamed up for a perfect passer rating of 158.3 on his 29 targets and hauled in 329 deep receiving yards. The latter still ranks 13th among all Power 5 receivers despite appearing just four times all year. Waddle reportedly ran a 4.37 40-yard dash coming out of high school. He is a threat to house it anytime he gets the ball with that speed and explosiveness.”

Trapasso: “The Lions need to address receiver early given the contract status of their wideout room heading into the 2021 offseason. Waddle is as electric as they come and plays bigger than his size.”

The majority of mock drafters this week pivoted to the other side of the ball and connected the Lions with the top defensive player in this draft cycle.

Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State (6-2, 245)

Currently being mocked by Dane Brugler (The Athletic), Brentley Weissman (The Draft Network), Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports), Tankathon Staff, and Mike Kaye (NJ.com) 

Weissman: “Parsons has rare size and movement skills for the position and can affect the game in every phase. He is a physical downhill backer who has outstanding instincts, speed, and range. He has the versatility to play off the ball, but can also play near the LOS and be used as a rusher.”

Wilson: “Parsons opted out, but he’s another player who didn’t hurt his draft stock by doing so. He might end up being the best standup linebacker to come out in the last 4-5 years.”

Kaye: “The Lions need a new tone-setter on defense. Parsons is a dynamic talent who should make an immediate impact.”

Of Note: Brugler was the only analyst to do a two-round mock draft and while he gave the Lions’ Parsons in the first, he did have the Lions address wide receiver in the next round, pairing them with Rashod Bateman of Minnesota.