2021 NFL Mock Draft, Team Needs: College Football Perspective, January

2021 NFL Mock Draft from the college football perspective, along with the main needs for every team. Which pick makes the most sense?

2021 NFL Mock Draft from the college football perspective, along with the main needs for every team. Which pick makes the most sense?


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews

With the underclassmen who want to go to the next level declaring their intentions, now we know most of what the top 32 in the 2021 NFL Draft should look like in some way, shape or form.

This will be adjusted from time to time right up until Trevor Lawrence is announced as the first pick to Jacksonville in Cleveland on Thursday evening, April 29.

From the college perspective, here’s the best-looking fit for each team along with the realistic possible other options who should proabably be on the board.

[jwplayer 9o3qjRGO]

2021 NFL Mock Draft, Team Needs: January First Look

Contact/Follow @PeteFiutak

1. Jacksonville Jaguars

January Mock Draft Call: QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

Other Realistic Options: None, unless the Jaguars trade out of this spot for an all-time haul of draft picks.

Biggest Team Need: Quarterback

Mike Glennon was starting by the end of the season. Urban Meyer didn’t take the gig for Mike Glennon – or Gardner Minshew. Lawrence is an all-timer of a pro prospect at the level of John Elway and Andrew Luck.


2. New York Jets

January Mock Draft Call: QB Zach Wilson, BYU

Other Realistic Options: OT Penei Sewell, Oregon; LB Micah Parsons, Penn State

Biggest Team Need: Defensive End

The Jet faithful will be desperate for a quarterback, and it’s going to happen. Wilson is the high-riser in the draft world, he has the accuracy Sam Darnold doesn’t, and he’s the pivot into a new era for a franchise starting over.


3. Miami Dolphins (from Houston)

January Mock Draft Call: OT Penei Sewell, Oregon

Other Realistic Options: Trade Down, LB Micah Parsons, Penn State

Biggest Team Need: Wide Receiver

Assuming Houston doesn’t try getting this pick back in exchange for Deshaun Watson in some sort of mega-deal – really, Miami, give Tua a little while longer – then this is the no-brainer. Some draft boards will have Sewell as the best overall player in the draft, even over Sunshine. Watch out for the Dolphins to try trading out of this to a team desperate for a quarterback.


4. Atlanta Falcons

January Mock Draft Call: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State

Other Realistic Options: QB Justin Fields, Ohio State; QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State

Biggest Team Need: Quarterback

Do you keep going with Matt Ryan or go for the need pick? It’s a bit too early for the defensive back the team desperately needs, and Ryan still has life left at 36 going into the 2021 season. Parsons helps Atlanta’s never-ending quest to get a playmaker on the outside.


5. Cincinnati Bengals

January Mock Draft Call: WR Ja’Marr Chase, LSU

Other Realistic Options: WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama; CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama

Biggest Team Need: Offensive Tackle

This is where it gets really fun. Obviously the Bengals aren’t going with a quarterback and could trade down, in a dream world they get Penei Sewell falling here, or they add another great receiver to make the O even more devastating. Chase or DeVonta Smith – there’s no wrong answer.


6. Philadelphia Eagles

January Mock Draft Call: WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama

Other Realistic Options: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama; CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama

Biggest Team Need: Wide Receiver

DeVonta Smith, Jalen Waddle, or Ja’Marr Chase. The Eagles can give the sad offense a giant boost with someone to help make the downfield game go.

[lawrence-related id=526806]

7. Detroit Lions

January Mock Draft Call: QB Justin Fields, Ohio State

Other Realistic Options: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama; QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State

Biggest Team Need: Defensive Line

Do the Lions go with one of the great wide receivers on the board or do they move on from Matthew Stafford and start with a new quarterback to be the franchise guy? Stafford is only going to be 33 and has a ton of trade value to a New England, Indianapolis or Denver. Fields isn’t going to fall any further than this, even if someone trades up for him.


8. Carolina Panthers

January Mock Draft Call: QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State

Other Realistic Options: CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama; WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

Biggest Team Need: Quarterback

The Teddy Bridgewater experience was fun and all, but that’s about to change. The Panthers can sit back and wait and see who drops their way, but that’s dangerous. They may have to move up to get Lance or Justin Fields.


9. Denver Broncos

January Mock Draft Call: DE Kwity Paye, Michigan

Other Realistic Options: QB Mac Jones, Alabama; CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama

Biggest Team Need: Defensive Line

The franchise needs to make a gigantic call on Drew Lock. Is it worth taking another great receiver to help him out, cut bait and go with a quarterback, or go for the help for a defensive line that has to start doing a lot more?


10. Dallas Cowboys

January Mock Draft Call: CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama

Other Realistic Options: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama; CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech

Biggest Team Need: Defensive Back

It’s going to be SO tempting to go with a dangerous receiver to go along with CeeDee Lamb and the good group already there, but the defense needs a whole lot of live bodies. It’ll be a dream world if Surtain falls here.

2021 NFL Mock Draft: January
Picks 11-20 | Picks 21-32

NEXT: 2021 NFL Mock Draft: 11-20

Could Oklahoma City Thunder go Cassius Stanley in 2020 NBA draft?

The Oklahoma City Thunder took Duke guard Cassius Stanley in the first round of The Rookie Wire’s 2020 NBA mock draft.

[jwplayer oCxzF0Oe-z6KDnl0B]

The Oklahoma City Thunder selected a sleeper pick with an immense amount of athleticism with their first-round pick in the Rookie Wire’s updated 2020 mock draft on Thursday.

Duke guard Cassius Stanley, who has the highest vertical leap in program history, was taken by the Thunder with the No. 25 pick.

Stanley is often projected as a second-round pick, but his abilities give him first-round potential and his athleticism fits the mold of Thunder prospects. From writer Bryan Kalbrosky:

“(Stanley) is more than just an insane vertical leaper. He also considers himself to be a combo guard who can push the break with ease for strong finishes in transition. He shot almost 50% on 3-pointers taken from the corner, per Synergy Sports, and 43.8% on 3-pointers off the catch.”

An athletic 6-foot-6 3-point shooter? How could he fall so far down the draft?

There are some areas that Stanley needs to improve upon.

First off, while his shooter percentages were good, he only attempted three shots from 3-point range per game and averaged 1.1 makes. Stanley also only averaged one assist per game, and his playmaking needs work if the team that drafts him hopes he will be a secondary ballhandler.

His size and athleticism give him the potential to be a good defender, but he has yet to show consistent skill on that end of the court.

If Oklahoma City selects him, the organization would have to hope that he would be able to reflect his high school days, when he won back-to-back California high school state championships at Sierra Canyon as one of the primary scorers, in the pros.

Stanley isn’t a sure bet, but he has the size, athleticism and glimmers of shooting that show potential.

[lawrence-related id=438375,438319]

Thunder take forward Jaden McDaniels in The Ringer’s mock draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder selected University of Washington forward Jaden McDaniels in The Ringer’s mock draft.

There are a few players who have become commonplace to see as suggestions for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer is among this group of analysts. In his newest mock draft Wednesday, he projected Oklahoma City to take Jaden McDaniels.

The University of Washington forward has oft been linked to the Thunder as analysts point to his upside that could come with proper development, development that may take time.

O’Connor wrote:

“Any team that drafts McDaniels will need to be patient. The Thunder can afford to since they’re about to enter a rebuild.”

McDaniels came into Washington as a five-star prospect and averaged 13 points and about six rebounds per game, but his shooting percentages were low and he had more turnovers than assists in almost every game. He also had four fouls or fouled out in almost half the games this season.

With his 6-foot-9 height and wingspan around seven feet to go with ball handling upside, though, he’s as intriguing a prospect as anyone in the draft.

From O’Connor:

“Excellent ball handler for his size with nifty side-to-side moves that help him get into pull-up jumpers out of the pick-and-roll. He has deep range, and is also comfortable launching from midrange.”

If McDaniels can live up to those areas specifically and put on weight to help him guard stronger players, he absolutely has NBA upside. The Thunder, whose power forward Danilo Gallinari is a free agent, could take a chance with the 19-year-old.

[lawrence-related id=438269,438122]

Sports Illustrated mock draft: Thunder find a new center

In SI’s latest mock draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder took a center who could feasibly take Steven Adams’ role down the road.

In Jeremy Woo’s latest mock draft for Sports Illustrated, the Oklahoma City Thunder took a center that they would hope could take Steven Adams’ role down the road.

The Thunder selected University of Washington big Isaiah Stewart with the No. 25 pick.

This is the same pick they used in Woo’s first post-draft lottery mock, which was published in August.

In this October edition, Woo leads not with Stewart’s on-court game, but his intangibles and presence.

He writes:

“Teams are widely enamored with Stewart’s intangibles, and many view him as a positive culture piece, particularly for a younger team. He makes sense with the Thunder as an eventual replacement for Steven Adams’ minutes and as someone who can be relied upon to grow into a long-term leadership role.”

Stewart, listed at 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, averaged 17.0 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 58% from the field as a freshman last season.

While he’s not as tall as many centers, his 7-foot-4 wingspan gives him an advantage down low.

“He’s more of a throwback big who would have excelled in the NBA a decade or so ago, but his length, toughness and commitment to his role help separate him from the other bigs in this range.”

With that said, Woo writes that Stewart has a chance to be a better shooter than he was at Washington, where he wasn’t given much time to play around the arc.

“He also has potential to shoot it, which would solidify his chance of maintaining long-term situational value.”

That potential is a callback to his high school days. As a senior, he led his team to a near-undefeated season and shot 42% from behind the 3-point line.

If Stewart can spread the court as well as use his wingspan down low and lead with the intangibles teams have come to expect, he can be a productive rotation piece.

With Nerlens Noel’s contract expiring and Steven Adams only having one year remaining on his deal, drafting a center does make sense.

Oklahoma City doubled down in Woo’s mock draft, also taking Ohio State big Kaleb Wesson with the No. 53 selection.

Wesson is listed at 6-foot-9 and 270 pounds.

He averaged 14 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He also extended his range, shooting 42.5% on 3.4 3-point attempts per game.

In Woo’s Big Board, the reporter wrote:

“He anchored Ohio State’s offense admirably with his post play, perimeter shooting and above-average passing skills. While he’s still somewhat inconsistent and isn’t much of a rim protector given his size and limited verticality, his skill level and consistent jumper are still notable.”

Thunder take Theo Maledon in latest NBC Sports mock draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder took ASVEL guard Theo Maledon with the 25th pick in NBC Sports Boston’s latest mock draft.

Many mock drafts have the Oklahoma City Thunder taking Barcelona guard Leandro Bolmaro.

NBC Sports’ recent mock draft projects them to go with a different international guard.

Theo Maledon, who played for ASVEL in France, was available with the No. 25 pick in the draft, so the Thunder swiped him up.

Maledon played in LNB Pro A and Euroleague. During the latter, he averaged 7.4 points and 3.1 assists in 17.7 minutes per game.

A. Sherrod Blakely, who reports for Boston’s branch of NBC Sports, wrote:

The Thunder will continue to bolster its depth on the perimeter, adding one of the best international prospects in this year’s draft. Maledon is a combo guard who won’t wow you with his athleticism, but he’s a smart, heady player who is in his element in the pick-and-roll, a staple of every NBA team’s offense.

Maledon needs to work on some aspects of his game including quickness and shooting, but that 3-point shot may be there — he shot 36.7% from behind the arc during Euroleague, a difference of seven percent from his 29.4% in LNB Pro A.

There are a few guards projected to go in this range of the draft, including Maledon, Bolmaro, Nico Mannion, Tre Jones and Tyrell Terry.

If Maledon is available when Oklahoma City is on the clock, he would be an option to add as another guard in the backcourt and potential future partner next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

[lawrence-related id=438126,438122,438084]

Thunder select Washington’s Jaden McDaniels in NBC Sports mock draft

In an NBA mock draft by NBC Sports, the Oklahoma City Thunder took Washington Huskies forward Jaden McDaniels with the No. 25 pick.

[jwplayer SJvFfL4z-z6KDnl0B]

NBC Sports slotted the Oklahoma City Thunder to take a high-ceiling forward with the No. 25 pick in the draft.

Jaden McDaniels, a forward out Washington, was the Thunder’s choice in NBC Sports’ mock draft.

McDaniels has been projected to Oklahoma City in quite a few mock drafts. A five-star recruit out of high school, he had some struggles in his sole college season but has tantalizing upside.

Analyst Rob Schaefer wrote:

“McDaniels has all the tools to be the type of high-upside, long and athletic two-way scoring wing NBA front offices dream about nabbing in the draft.”

McDaniels is listed at 6-foot-9 with a wingspan around 7 feet. As a freshman, he averaged 13 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 33.9% from 3.

However, he only made 40.5% of his field goals and had major issues with fouling and turnovers.

Oklahoma City’s development program has worked well with other players. If it can help McDaniels reach his upside, that would be a foundational stone for the next rendition of the Thunder.

Even if McDaniels couldn’t reach his potential in Oklahoma City, the Thunder are flush with future draft capital. Many, including Schaefer, think they can afford to take a risk with the No. 25 pick.

“His freshman year at Washington didn’t go according to plan, but here, Oklahoma City can afford to take a chance. If he hits, chalk it up as another win for Sam Presti, who’s laid the groundwork for an extremely promising rebuild.”

[lawrence-related id=437922,437852,437745]

The Ringer mock draft: Thunder take Barcelona guard Leandro Bolmaro

Another mock draft, this one from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, projected the Oklahoma City Thunder to take Leandro Bolmaro.

[jwplayer KHSNeCLY-z6KDnl0B]

In Kevin O’Connor’s latest mock draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder took guard/forward Leandro Bolmaro.

The size and ability of the Barcelona player makes him intriguing to The Ringer’s draft guru.

O’Connor writes:

The Thunder are about to enter a rebuild; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the only untouchable player on the team. An intriguing piece next to him could be Bolmaro, another tall point guard. He stands at 6-foot-7 and can make passes smaller players simply can’t. With such large size in the backcourt, the Thunder would be investing in a young team that could someday present major matchup issues for opponents.

There have been quite a few mock drafts pushing Bolmaro toward the Thunder, including SB Nation and Bleacher Report.

Bolmaro can play a lead ball handler role, but his experience even at the professional level overseas is somewhat lacking. He averaged eight points, 2.5 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 17 minutes per game over the three Barcelona leagues he played in, according to Real GM,

O’Connor wrote in his draft profile of Bolmaro that he’s best scoring below the rim and does not have a reliable jumpshot, with averages of 28% from 3 and 66% from the free throw line over his three years of pro play.

But even without the shot, Bolmaro “cuts and relocates like a veteran,” O’Connor said. He’s an excellent ball handler and passer.

Bolmaro was ranked No. 31 on O’Connor’s Big Board, last updated on August 20.

In this mock draft, released Sept. 14, wings Josh Green and Jaden McDaniels, who many mocks also project to Oklahoma City, had already been selected before pick No. 25 rolled around.

Thus, Oklahoma City went with a different player who has high upside, one with international experience.

[lawrence-related id=437852,437745,437684]

CBS Sports mock draft: Thunder take Patrick Williams at No. 25

In an NBA mock draft by CBS Sports, the Oklahoma City Thunder took Patrick Williams out of Florida State University.

If the Oklahoma City Thunder are looking for a high-potential developmental project in the 2020 NBA Draft, there may be no better outcome for them than a recent CBS Sports mock draft.

In this projection, CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander had the Thunder taking Patrick Williams with the No. 25 pick.

The Florida State forward, who turned 19 in August, is listed at 6-foot-8 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan.

He averaged 9.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block per game. He shot 50.3% from 2 and 32% from 3.

His film looks better than those stats. He is already a solid defender, and he’s a better passer than the one assist per game appears on paper.

Norlander wrote:

“Great wingspan, great defender, great potential for the FSU freshman who thrived despite creating exactly zero headlines this past season. The overall production for Williams wasn’t there, but he’ll be able to guard 1-4 at the next level and he’ll fit in as a rangy wing who can supplement a good team’s roster.”

Williams defended the post rather well and, offensively, he has shown glimpses of being able to drive and pull up himself.

With Danilo Gallinari’s contract expiring, the Thunder will look for a stretch-four option. Williams, if he develops properly, could be that.

He may not last until the Thunder’s pick, though. He has been a lottery pick in the 11-14 range of many mock drafts. If he is still around at pick 25, Oklahoma City would be smart to grab him.

[lawrence-related id=437789,437745,437684]

Bleacher Report mock draft: Thunder take ‘unique’ Leandro Bolmaro

In B/R’s mock draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected guard/wing Leandro Bolmaro out of Barcelona.

[jwplayer 1fXFU5Pp-z6KDnl0B]

A lengthy ball handler who can play multiple positions. Does this sound like the Oklahoma City Thunder’s type?

Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft has them adding such a player, mocking them to select guard/wing Leandro Bolmaro out of Barcelona with the No. 25 pick.

Bolmaro has very limited time in EuroLeague play, averaging just nine minutes in six games this year, but his 6-foot-6 height in a ball handler role is intriguing for NBA teams.

B/R writer Jonathan Wasserman writes:

Teams received another chance to look at Bolmaro, who recently got minutes with Barcelona in the Spanish ACB SuperCup. It’s worth questioning his skill set for scoring, but at 6’6″, he offers unique ball-handling and passing, as well as high energy and effort defending around the perimeter.

Over the three Barcelona leagues Bolmaro played in during the 2019-20 season, he averaged eight points, 2.5 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 17 minutes per game, according to Real GM,

If the Thunder are confident in his potential as a creator — and confident in their own ability to help him develop — he’d be a player that could be solid that late in the first round.

With the No. 53 pick, Wasserman has the Thunder drafting Mason Jones, a shooting guard out of Arkansas.

Wasserman writes:

Jones deserves looks after leading the SEC in scoring with his improved isolation game and transition offense. He’ll have to adjust to a new off-ball role, but for a 6’5″ guard, his creation, shot-making and strong finishing are worth betting on.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound player averaged 22 points per game and shot almost 54% from inside the arc. From 3-point range, he shot 35%.

[lawrence-related id=437745,437684,437636]

CBS Sports mock draft: Thunder go for center Aleksej Pokusevski

Aleksej Pokusevski was taken by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the latest 2020 NBA mock draft by CBS Sports.

In the CBS Sports mock draft released Monday, analyst Kyle Boone had the Oklahoma City Thunder take a player with one of the highest ceilings but lowest floors of potential first-round picks in the 2020 class.

With pick No. 25, the Thunder selected center Aleksej Pokusevski, who played for Olympiacos B in Greece.

Boone wrote:

“Aleksej Pokusevski is one of this draft’s biggest boom-or-bust talents because of the way he can move, score, dribble and create at his size. If he busts it’s a late-first wasted, but if he booms he can develop into a franchise-caliber center.”

The Serbian, listed at seven feet tall and 205 pounds, is somewhat of a unicorn. Nikola Jokic and Bam Adebayo have shown that the next evolution of centers is a player who can pass, and Pokusevski certainly does that well.

Last season, he averaged 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals in just 23 minutes per game.

Pokusevski needs to fill out his body and gain strength while improving his shooting percentage from inside the arc.

Coming from a weak league, Pokusevski has only played three games of EuroLeague and struggled there. He will not be an instant-impact player and would be a good draft-and-stash candidate.

But as Boone writes, the Thunder have enough picks in the near future that they can “take a big swing.”

Boone said a scout told him: “The skill, the ability and the size he provides projects to him becoming in time a potentially significant contributor down the road.

“He’s not ready. But my gosh, he’s a roster development type of guy that I know teams will have higher than what people think.”

With the Thunder, who have proven to have a good player development program, could Pokusevski hit his peak?

Boone thinks it’s worth taking the chance on in this year’s draft.

[lawrence-related id=437684,437558,437518]