2021 Mock Draft – Syndication Server

Lions mock draft for day 2 of the NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions made a statement in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft by selecting Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell.

With one major team need met in the first round, the Lions will have to shift their focus to other positional needs in day two.

There are still plenty of top-tier players available and Detroit, helmed by rookie general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, will be able to land starting-caliber players with their picks in rounds two and three.

Round 2, pick 41: LB Jabril Cox, LSU

The Lions certainty have a glaring need at the linebacker position. At this moment, they have Jamie Collins returning as well as former second-round pick Jahlani Tavai, who has struggled over his two seasons in Detroit.

Adding Cox would be a major upgrade over Tavai at the inside linebacker position. The LSU linebacker breaks the mold of the type of linebackers that the Lions have rostered in recent years. He’s tall, he’s fast, and he’s agile. All things that Tavai and others have lacked.

Now with the linebacker room bare due to the departures of Jarrad Davis and Christian Jones, Cox will fill an empty spot on the depth chart and add athleticism to an often-struggling part of Detroit’s defense.

Round 3, pick 72: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC

The addition of St. Brown would once again bolster a lackluster positional group. The Lions lost their once-elite trio of Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola and have not been able to replenish their receiver corps.

Though they added Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman, Kalif Raymond, and Damion Ratley, the Lions need to add a young receiver who they can have under contract past the end of 2021. That’s where St. Brown comes in.

The USC receiver put up 2,270 yards and 16 touchdowns in his three years with the Trojans. His size and speed would give him an edge over some of the other receivers on the roster and would fit the archetype of receiver that Campbell is looking for on his roster.

His versatility is another thing that would make him valuable for the Lions. He would be able to come in and compete for the job as the team’s return specialist. He also took snaps from the backfield in college and could see some use as a gadget player on offense.

Round 3, pick 101: S Hamsah Nasirildeen, FSU

With the third-round pick that they acquired from the Rams in the Matthew Stafford trade, the Lions could once again shift their attention to the defense.

With safeties Duron Harmon and Jayron Kearse now on other teams, the Lions have an opening at the safety position opposite of Tracy Walker.

Detroit is in a unique situation with their safeties where they can either draft a strong or free safety, depending on who is available. Walker has the ability to play both roles and former third-round pick Will Harris can play strong safety and also can double as an extra box safety or hang defender in a three-safety subpackage.

Nasirildeen would be the ideal pick for the Lions as he is a versatile defensive back who would be able to line up wherever the team needs him for any specific defensive play.

His long arms and awareness on the field would be assets that Detroit couldn’t afford to pass up. Though his stats at FSU don’t make him seem like a playmaker, he’s a guy who could pair well with Walker and Harris and help provide assistance for the young cornerback duo of Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye.

Lions mock draft for day 2 of the NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions made a statement in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft by selecting Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell.

With one major team need met in the first round, the Lions will have to shift their focus to other positional needs in day two.

Round 2, pick 41: LB Jabril Cox, LSU

Round 3, pick 72: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC

Round 3, pick 101: S Hamsah Nasirildeen, FSU

With the third-round pick that they acquired from the Rams in the Matthew Stafford trade, the Lions could once again shift their attention to the defense.

With safeties Duron Harmon and Jayron Kearse now on other teams, the Lions have an opening at the safety position opposite of Tracy Walker.

Nasirildeen would be the ideal pick for the Lions as he is a versatile defensive back who would be able to line up wherever the team needs him for any specific defensive play.

2021 NFL mock draft: Just a fool’s hope

Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling makes his final predictions for the first round of the 2021 NFL draft

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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Final Browns 2021 7-round mock draft

The final Cleveland Browns 7-round mock draft for the 2021 NFL draft

The 2021 NFL draft is less than 24 hours away. We’ve almost made it to the finish line, Browns fans!

It’s time for one last stab at what Browns GM Andrew Berry his staff will do in the draft weekend. Without further ado, the final Browns Wire mock draft for 2021.

No. 26: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

If Bateman is off the board, and he very well could be, shift focus to Georgia CB Eric Stokes or Penn State EDGE Jayson Oweh. Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley is certainly a consideration, but without knowing how the team feels about his medical issues–he’s had two back surgeries before turning 21–it’s difficult to project him. Farley would not be a surprise but neither would passing on him.

Why Bateman?

Reflect back on Andrew Berry’s press conference last week and he talked about building long-term through the draft. Bateman can get his feet wet for a year and then take over as a starter with high-end potential in 2022 when the team has some very difficult financial decisions to make on Jarvis Landry and/or Odell Beckham Jr.

The player availability after the first 40 or so picks is very unpredictable, so I’ll just stick with players I believe are on Berry’s list of 114 draft-worthy players and the approximate range where they’re drafted.

Having said that, I do not believe Cleveland is making all these picks. I expect at least one of the third-round picks to be traded, perhaps both of them packaged together to move up. But forecasting exact trades on Day 2 and 3 is crazy, so I just made the picks as if the Browns will be making them.

Second round

Payton Turner, EDGE, Houston

Third round

Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky

Alim McNeil, DT, North Carolina State

Fourth round

Cam Bynum, CB, California

Dayo Odeyingbo, EDGE, Vanderbilt

Fifth round

Jaylon Moore, OL, Western Michigan

Sixth round

Elijah Mitchell, RB, Louisiana

Seventh round

Tyler Cole, S, Purdue

Peter King sees Cowboys going CB at No. 10 in 2021 mock draft

The veteran NFL insider believes the Cowboys will do the smart thing at stay put with the 10th pick and address their shaky secondary.

NFL insider Peter King is reading the tea leaves. And three days before the first round commences, he’s seeing the same thing for Dallas that many full-time draft gurus and even casual Cowboys fans are seeing there.

Despite buzz about splashier players on the offensive side of the ball and whispers about the team either trading up or sliding back from their original draft spot, King believes the Cowboys will stay put at No. 10 and draft for their biggest and most obvious need by selecting cornerback Patrick Surtain II out of Alabama.

Writes King in his Football in America column’s mock draft:

“I am not signing on to the Jerry’s-moving-up-for-Kyle-Pitts storyline. I saw Jerry Jones passionately push to try to trade for Paxton Lynch five years ago and, though he has the juice to do what he wants, not overrule his football people when they said the Cowboys should not up the offer to be able to trade for Lynch. Good thing, obviously. So I doubt Jones this year will trade next year’s one, or a passel of picks, to move up to number four to be able to take the talented Florida tight end.

“Picking Surtain is smarter. Dallas gave up 29.6 points per game last year, and allowed a ghastly 34 touchdown passes. (Previous five years, on average: 23 per season.) The Cowboys, as my friend [and long-time reporter for the Dallas Morning News] Rick Gosselin has preached for years, have to spend more time tending to the defense in the high rounds, and Surtain would be a good add to a beleaguered defense.”

King self-deprecatingly calls his mock picks “dart-throwing, mostly,” but the Surtain pick would surprise absolutely no one and make perfect sense for Dan Quinn’s defense.

Cowboys fans will likely sigh when Pitts comes off the board earlier than 10th, and they’ll no doubt follow the career paths of other personal mock darlings like Penei Sewell, Rashawn Slater, and Jaycee Horn wherever they go (the way they still do with T.J. Watt) and wonder about what might have been, but there’s really no scenario where picking the talented Surtain would be seen on Thursday night as anything but a solid bulls-eye.

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Browns mock draft watch: Peter King projects a trade up for defensive help

The Browns give up a 3rd to move up a few spots in the 1st

One of the first prominent final mock drafts is out, and veteran NFL analyst Peter King does not disappoint in his predictive effort for NBC Sports. King throws in several wrinkles, including a trade that involves the Cleveland Browns moving up from No. 26 overall in the first round.

The move is a sensical one. With some extra picks and not a lot of obvious roster holes, the Browns get aggressive in King’s projection.

Browns trade

No. 26 overall and No. 91 overall (3rd round)

Colts trade

No. 21 overall

King projects the Browns move up to land versatile Notre Dame defensive standout Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

So everyone wants to sideline-to-sideling playmaking ability of Devin White. Owusu-Koramoah isn’t Devin White (15 pounds lighter), but he has some of White’s traits. The Golden-Domer is rangy (he played a rover position in the Irish D) and made first-team all-America last season, dropping in coverage, rushing and being a complete playmaker at the second level on defense. This is right about the area of the draft that he should be picked, and I could see others (Green Bay, New York Jets) being interested around here. I think playing behind Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney and the Browns’ interior front, Owusu-Koramoah should be free to roam and be a playmaker in year one.

We have to wait until Thursday to see if King’s vision comes true, but it’s at least a plausible trade scenario and would help upgrade the Browns defense in both the short and long terms.

Peter King’s mock draft projects Penei Sewell to the Lions

Peter King’s mock draft at NBC Sports projects Penei Sewell to the Lions

One of the most prominent mock drafts each year comes from Peter King of NBC Sports. The veteran analyst and info man released his latest mock just three days before the 2021 NFL draft.

King admits he’s “dart-throwing, mostly, in a mysterious first round”, and also acknowledges the vast unknown with four rookie GMs picking between No. 3 and No. 9, including Brad Holmes in Detroit.

The board falls such that three of the four primary draft projections for Detroit–Kyle Pitts, Ja’Marr Chase and Jaylen Waddle–come off the board in the three picks before Detroit picks at No. 7. That leaves Oregon OT Penei Sewell, who is quickly becoming the most popular non-receiving option in Lions mock drafts.

King notes,

“First line out of rookie GM Brad Holmes’ mouth if it falls this way: No way we thought Sewell would be there at seven. Tyler Decker is solid on the left side for Detroit but Tyrell Crosby, PFF’s 66th-rated tackle last year, seems like a place-holder on the right side.”

He does bring up the possibility of trading down, specifically with the New England Patriots at No. 15, as well as making the tenuous connection between special assistant Chris Spielman and Penn State LB Micah Parsons.

Lions mock draft watch: PFN creates wild 7-round Detroit mock

AJ Schulte from Pro Football Network hands in a 7-round mock draft that has many twists and turns helping the rebuild for the Detroit Lions

By now, we have so many mock draft variations in the last few months; we are ready for the real thing to happen finally. With the draft only a handful of days away, experts and analysts finalize their draft boards and take a final stab where players will land, with AJ Schulte from Pro Football Network being the latest with his in-depth 7-round mock draft.

Typically experts keep it as simple as possible considering how exhausting a 7-round mock is, but nobody told Schulte that. He came up with one of the wildest Lions mock drafts out there with not just one trade but three trades when it was all said and done that jump-starts their rebuild in a big way.

1st trade: Philadelphia Eagles send picks 12, 84, 123, and Indianapolis’ conditional second-round pick in 2022 to the Lions in exchange for pick 7, which the Eagles selected OT Penei Sewell

2nd trade: Arizona Cardinals send picks 16 and 49 to the Lions in exchange for pick 12, which the Cardinals picked CB Jaycee Horn.

3rd trade: Cleveland Browns trade WR Jarvis Landry and a fourth-round pick in 2022 to the Lions for pick 112, where the Browns select OG Robert Hainsey.

Now we have all the terms settled and picks selected; here is the Lions full haul.

1st round (16): Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

2nd round (41): Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky

2nd round (49): Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa

3rd round (72): Jevon Holland, S, Oregon

3rd round (84): Rashad Weaver, EDGE, Pitt

3rd round (101): Shakur Brown, CB, Michigan State

4th round (123): Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

5th round (153): Darrick Forrest, S, Cincinnati

Acquired: WR Jarvis Landry, conditional 2022 2nd round pick, and 2022 4th round pick.

It is worth noting the conditional 2022 2nd round pick from the Eagles is from the Carson Wentz trade and could turn into a first-rounder if Wentz plays 75% of the Colts offensive snaps in 2021 or Wentz plays 70% of the Colts offensive snaps in 2021, and the Colts make the playoffs. So in this scenario, the Lions could be walking away with three first-round picks in 2022 if those terms are met.

Bateman is one of the more well-rounded receivers with his savvy route running to create separation no matter where he lines up on the field. He is NFL-built, and if it weren’t for his opt-out, we would be talking about him going higher, but just relying on 2019 tape teams are hesitant. Luckily for the Lions, they get a receiver who can instantly become a feature target and building block for the future.

Davis has seen his draft stock skyrocket after obliterating his Pro Day, showing off his superb athleticism that allows him to cover a lot of ground and wallop the ball carrier. Even though he only has one year of strong production, he has the intangibles you can’t teach and could develop into the Lions next MLB.

Spencer Brown, a natural right tackle, put his name on the map after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl, and then after putting up an insane 4.4 short shuttle at 311 pounds at his Pro Day, he is cementing his name as one of the more athletic tackles to come out of the draft. His consistency may be squirrelly at times, but his ability to mirror defenders will allow him to compete with Tyrell Crosby at right tackle.

Holland can be the next swiss army defender in the Lions arsenal, seeing time at split safety and nickel allowing him to play matchup football, which Dan Campbell looks to implement heavily. Some parts of his game will need some refinement, but he is a ball-hawk (9 ints in college), able to defend the run and pass equally, and his versatility will be heavily welcomed on the Lions defense.

Weaver is a technical pass rusher who wins with his handwork and length, not speed, and can line up inside and outside and create favorable matchups. Shakur Brown is also one of those versatile defenders who can line up outside and inside corner due to his strong instincts and play-making skills. What Forest lacks in size for safety, he more than makes up for it with heart and desire and could go from a key special teams player to a rotational role at safety.

Even though the Lions are all but set at running back this year, general manager Brad Holmes has not shied away from enhancing the room during his time with Rams, and it would show with the Gainwell selection this late in the draft. It might be overkill, but having Swift and Gainwell lined up together will create very favorable matchups as shifty, pass-catching backs giving the offense a new dynamic they can take advantage of.

As for the Landry trade, the Browns are probably not sellers when it comes down to it, but for the sake of the argument, Landry could be that strong veteran presence in the locker room. He can line up inside or outside and would fit right into the culture the new Lions regime is trying to establish in Detroit and be that bridge for the young players walking in.

The Lions were able to grab high character players who have grit, passion for football, a quality Holmes is looking for in players. Even though this mock seems off-the-wall, especially with the number of trades, it paints a picture for potential players the Lions could target and inject young talent in the roster.

2021 NFL mock draft: QBs make history at the top of the board

See where the top quarterback prospects land in the latest 2021 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports

We’ve known for quite some time that the quarterback class for the 2021 NFL draft was a special one, but it could be historic.

Never before in NFL draft history have we seen four quarterbacks selected with the first four picks, but with this year’s talented crop of top passers, could it finally happen?

That’s the scenario that plays out in the latest 2021 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports, as Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence (No. 1 overall, Jacksonville Jaguars) and BYU’s Zach Wilson (No. 2 overall, New York Jets) are followed closely by North Dakota State’s Trey Lance (No. 3 overall, San Francisco 49ers) and Ohio State’s Justin Fields (No. 4 overall, Atlanta Falcons).

Alabama’s Mac Jones doesn’t wait too long to hear his name called, either, as this mock sends him to the New England Patriots at No. 7 overall after a trade up from No. 15 with the Detroit Lions.

A pair of talented pass-catchers are the first non-quarterbacks off the board in this projection, with Florida tight end Kyle Pitts heading to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 5 overall, and LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase landing with the Miami Dolphins at No. 6 overall.

The Carolina Panthers wisely snatch up Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell at No. 8 overall, while the first defensive players off the board are back-to-back cornerbacks, with Alabama’s Patrick Surtain (No. 9 overall, Denver Broncos) and South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn (No. 10 overall).

The Lions luck out after their move down to No. 15, as they still manage to land a top-10 talent in Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.

To check out the complete first-round projection at CBS Sports, click here.

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Lions mock draft watch: Draft Network offers its 7-round Detroit mock

With a week away from the NFL draft, The Draft Network offers their 7-round mock draft for the Detroit Lions bringing in future cornerstones

With only a week away before see many of these young men dream’s come true on draft day, many experts and analysts are making their final takes on what teams could do when that day arrives.

Ryan Fowler from The Draft Network is the next one in line to give his take on a Detroit Lions 7-round mock, taking players in a position of need, but what comes into question were they the right players?

1st round (7)- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

2nd round (41)- Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU

3rd round (72)- Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State

3rd round (101)- Tyler Shelvin, DL, LSU

4th round (112)- Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina

5th round (153)- Richard Lecounte III, S, Georgia

Sewell has been a popular choice as of late for the Lions and a viable one with the notion that the top of the draft will see a run on quarterbacks. The young, athletic tackle will instantly make the offensive line a major strength heading into the season and create a foundational piece for years to come.

Fowler did make a questionable take of moving Taylor Decker to the right side so Sewell could play on the left side, which brings on some double-takes but don’t worry, he goes on to say Sewell has enough versatility he can make a move to the right side.

If the Lions miss out on Ja’Maar Chase initially, his teammate could be ripe for the picking for the Lions in the second round. Marshall is a physical specimen that uses his body, size, speed to his advantage to make the tough catches, but he lacks separation and route refinement to take his game to the next level. If he improves his weak areas, he will be an immediate threat that could line up inside and outside for the Lions.

Werner has athleticism for days, and that’s a complete 180 from what Lions fans have been accustomed to the last few years. Werner did a little bit of everything at Ohio State, showing off his versatility to blitz and coverage to led the Buckeyes in tackles last year. With all of his physical traits and keen prowess, he will likely fill the SAM role behind Alex Anzalone and play a rotational until he is ready to take on the job full time.

The defensive line is not a major weakness for the Lions, but they could use depth, and Shelvin could be that reinforcement, but it may not be exactly a scheme fit for what the Lions plan on doing on defense. Shelvin is one huge beast at nose tackle and becomes an anchor holding down gaps, making him a strong run blocker, but he offers very little when it comes to pass rush. In the old regime, he would’ve been perfect, but this regime will want their defensive tackles to attack and not hold the fort down.

Now, if there is one player you could literally fly, it is Mukuamu with his insane 80 3/4 in wingspan, which was the biggest amongst this year’s cornerback draft class. He led the Gamecocks in interceptions the last two years while seeing time at corner and free safety, showing his versatility in the deep part of the field. Even though he had the length, he has not quite learned how to use it and tends to bite hard on moves. He will have plenty of time to get coached up and at which part could learn to use his length to his advantage.

Lecounte did not do himself any favors at his Pro Day, where he put up some of the worst numbers you will see from potential safety prospects. Even though he has a strong aptitude in pursuit and field coverage, he is undisciplined and overaggressive, leading to either the receiver getting behind him or miss the tackle all together. As a team captain last year, there is no denying his heart and energy when it comes to the game; there are just too many holes in his game amongst his lack of athleticism and durability concerns.