2021 Mock Draft – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Mock draft watch: Breaking down Pro Football Network’s full Lions haul

After the first round there are some very questionable choices in this one

It’s always worth noting when an outlet publishes a full mock draft for a team, one that extends beyond the first round or two. Pro Football Network recently projected out the full Detroit Lions draft.

Analyst Ian Cummings went through all six Lions picks; Detroit has two third-round picks but no selections in the sixth or seventh rounds. His choices are largely unconventional and feature some choices that aren’t typically seen projected to Detroit.

LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase at No. 7 is a common choice, when he’s actually available. In most current projections, Chase is off the board by the time the Lions pick. He instantly vaults to the top of the Detroit depth chart and provides instant Pro Bowl potential at the position of biggest need on the offense.

After that, the picks stray from the general norm. Syracuse CB Ifeatu Melifonwu is a big, physical outside corner, but the Lions have two of those already in promising youngsters Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye and recently signed another in Quinton Dunbar. If Melifonwu converts to safety, and he has some traits that could make that work, the pick makes more sense.

Nick Bolton is a solid value in the third round. Bolton is a throwback kind of MIKE backer, one who plays in the vein of Lions special assistant and all-time leading tackler, Chris Spielman. Everything Lions fans loathed about former first-rounder Jarrad Davis–the poor instincts, the late recognition, the inability to get off blocks–are the exact things Bolton does very well. He doesn’t help the coverage much, however.

Carman is an experienced right tackle/right guard prospect from a high-level program but entirely unexciting athletically. He’s certainly good enough to play, but the Lions would be better-served drafting a more developmental-type prospect with a higher talent ceiling for a position where they don’t need a new starter in 2021.

I love the game of Ar’Darius Washington, the TCU safety. However, he’s tiny even for small NFL standards. There just isn’t a lot of hope for a safety who tips the scales at 176 pounds on his 5-foot-8 frame. Texas DT Ta’quan Graham, a try-hard plugger with some good tape late in his Longhorns career, rounds it out.

Watch: Live first round mock draft with Detroit Lions Podcast and Lions Wire

A full 2021 1st round mock draft done live featuring Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon and old friends Erik Schlitt and Scott Bischoff

The second annual Detroit Lions Podcast live mock draft featured Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon as co-host. Joining the fun to provide expert opinion were a pair of former Lions Wire staffers, Erik Schlitt and Scott Bischoff.

The team of analysts walked and talked through the entire first round of the 2021 NFL draft, from Jacksonville’s pick at No. 1 to the Buccaneers at No. 32.

How did the board play out ahead of the Lions pick at No. 7? What players are under consideration for ne GM Brad Holmes when Detroit is on the clock? Are there any later surprises? Tune in and find out!

The show is available at all your favorite podcast providers. It’s also on YouTube where the show is live-streamed weekly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-xaB2guZck

2021 NFL mock draft: Updated 1st-round projections with trades

Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling updates his first-round projections for the 2021 NFL draft, complete with a few more big trades

So close, yet still so far away.

The 2021 NFL draft will arrive next week, and with it, the culmination of one of the most unique predraft processes we’ve ever seen. Teams and prospects alike have had to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, opt-outs and shortened seasons, virtual interviews, and more.

We didn’t even have an NFL Scouting Combine.

One thing that hasn’t changed? Our insatiable desire for mock drafts.

Here are our latest first-round projections, complete with a few more big trades:

*denotes projected trade

2021 NFL mock draft: Playing GM for every team in the 1st round

Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling puts on his general manager hat for every first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft

This time of year, my mock drafts have long turned from my own preference for where a particular prospect should go to projecting what I actually think will happen on draft day.

But with less than two weeks to go before the 2021 NFL draft, I thought it might be fun to go back in the other direction.

Here’s what I would do with every pick in this year’s draft:

Lions mock draft watch: CBS makes questionable moves in 7-round mock

CBS has released their latest 7-round mock draft, but left many holes and questions surrounding the Detroit Lions selections.

Mock drafts are a fun way to get accustomed to players that may have flown under the radar or look at possible scenarios that you may not have thought of, and this one is no different.

CBS’ Josh Edwards constructed his 7-round mock draft on how he visions how the draft could go and the haul and direction the Lions could go heading into the draft.

1st round (9, trade with Denver)- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

2nd round (41)- Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss

3rd round (72)- Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford

3rd round (101)- Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State

4th round (112)- Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse

5th round (154)- Daelin Hayes, Edge, Notre Dame

To kick off the draft, the Denver Broncos get aggressive and trade with the Lions to select Justin Fields, but the major problem with this trade is the compensation. As you can see, the mock draft kept with all the Lions’ original picks without any from Denver coming back in the trade this year. It could be future picks, but it’s highly doubtful the Lions don’t receive some compensation from this year.

Either way, Edwards makes a curious move by doubling down on receiver with consecutive picks for the Lions, going with Waddle and Moore, who stylistically are similar players. Selecting these two receivers instantly turns the receiving corps from a weakness to a strength overnight.

If it was one of the picks from Denver, it could be realistic, considering these two receivers are playmakers the Lions desperately need. Not knowing how the compensation went and the limited number of picks in the trade, this is a luxury the Lions can’t afford, especially when Jabril Cox, Landon Dickerson, and Richie Grant still on the board who can instantly upgrade positions of need.

Next, Edwards turns all his focus to the secondary by selecting two cornerbacks and safety, which is also a curious move.

Safety is a big concern for the Lions, and you could do worse than Nasirildeen. He comes with questions concerning his position fit as a safety/linebacker tweener, but he brings athleticism and physicality to bring the hammer down on the ball carrier.

Cornerback is a sneaky need, but like mentioned before, with the limited amount of picks, selecting two cornerbacks feels like overkill considering the amount of quality free agents the Lions could go after. Adebo relies more on his instincts, whereas Melifonwu is a reactive player, but both player’s skill-sets and traits translate best to a press-man/Cover 3 scheme. Like with the Waddle/Moore selection, it feels like they are selecting very similar players.

Hayes is one of those types of players who might be a better pro than a college player with his agility and explosiveness to win off the edges with superb burst. His pass-rushing moves need refinement and has had shoulder issues dating back to high school, but he has the intangibles you can’t teach that allow him to be an effective rusher, either standing up or hands in the ground.

Without knowing what the Lions received from the trade, it’s hard to get a feel for this draft, especially when they kept all the Lions original picks and just essentially moved the Lions down from seven to nine in the mock. Also, the selection of two players in the same position and who are quite similar not just once but twice makes it cloudy as to what direction this mock was heading.

Now the selected players are fine players and could make a solid impact, it just felt like the majority were luxury picks, and resources could’ve been used more wisely than what was executed.

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Mock draft watch: Draft Wire’s 2-rounder loads up the Browns defense

The latest mock draft update from our friends at Draft Wire is out, and it’s a journey through the first two rounds of the 2021 NFL draft. Editor Luke Easterling chose a couple of high-end defensive prospects to bolster the Cleveland Browns.

The first-rounder is a familiar name in Zaven Collins. The Tulsa linebacker has been the player most frequently attached to the Browns in mock drafts this offseason. Collins can play off-ball, thrives in coverage and can also step up and align as a pass-rushing EDGE.

Joe Tryon from Washington is one of the more intriguing pass rushers in the class. He gets the nod in the second round. Tryon opted out in 2020 after showing good length, burst and finishing ability for the Huskies in 2019.

Mock draft watch: Breaking down the Browns haul in The Athletic’s 7-rounder

One of the most respected and veteran NFL draft analysts, Dane Brugler of The Athletic, released his 7-round mock for all the picks in the 2021 NFL draft. Brugler’s projections for the Cleveland Browns and their cadre of picks offer some interesting players.

The first-round choice at No. 26 is Northwestern CB Greg Newsome, who has been a familiar fixture in Browns mock drafts. Newsome has some durability concerns but he’s an excellent cover corner who could start right away on the outside.

The next two picks go on defense as well, with Houston EDGE Payton Turner and North Carolina State DT Alim McNeil. Both are impressive talents who would represent solid value where the Browns take them in the second and third rounds, respectively. Turner makes a lot of sense as a pass rushing threat who can develop more on his own pace now that the Browns have added free agent veteran Jadeveon Clowney.

The remaining picks are all players who would compete to make the final roster. That’s more a reflection on the strength of the Browns current depth chart than anything negative about the players listed. Of note, Auburn WR Anthony Schwartz in the fourth round would be a direct competitor for last year’s rookie, Donovan Peoples-Jones, as the field-stretching outside vertical wideout.

McGrone and Forrest are prospects who could benefit from a year of practice and development before being thrust onto the field. Borom would join a crowd of reserve interior offensive linemen, while Hobbs is a smart seventh-round value as a speedy cornerback who is oddly proficient at tackling.

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NFL Draft 2021: How Many Alabama Players Will Be Drafted In the First Round?

NFL Draft 2021: How many Alabama players will end up being drafted in the first round? What are the over/under odds?

NFL Draft 2021: How many Alabama players will end up being drafted in the first round? What are the over/under odds?

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NFL Draft 2021: Alabama

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews | @PeteFiutak

It’s really, really, really, really hard to get multiple players taken in the first round of an NFL Draft, much less three, or five, or six.

LSU had 14 players drafted last year – one at every non-kicking position including long snapper – and had five selected in the first round.

Ohio State had five players taken in the first round in 2016, and Oklahoma had four selected in the first of the 2010 draft.

The over/under on how many Alabama players would go in the first round last year was 5.5, and four – Tua Tagovailoa, Jedrick Wills, Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy – were selected. It wasn’t all all that close on the over, with Xavier McKinney going with the fourth pick in the second, and the sixth Tide player – Trevon Diggs – not going until the 51st overall pick.

In other words, it’s almost impossible to get past 5.5 going in the first round no matter how good the team was the year before.

Alabama has never had more than four players taken in the first round, much less five, and this year, the oddsmaker types are setting the line at 5.5.

Even for a historically great 2020 Alabama team, good luck with that.

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Just like last year with the four that ended up being taken, Alabama has a few sure things to set a good base.

There’s no question that – in some order – QB Mac Jones, CB Patrick Surtain, WR DeVonta Smith and WR Jaylen Waddle will be selected in the first round. Now, work backwards.

OT Alex Leatherwood should be a relatively early pick, but it’ll take a bit of a shocker for him to go in the first, and the same goes for C Landon Dickerson, LB Dylan Moses and OG Deonte Brown. All of them will go after the top 32.

You still need two more to get past 5.5 Bama players selected.

Just like McKinney was the wild-card last year to get to five, Najee Harris is the one who could get Bama past four.

First, take another moment and realize the historic nature of even thinking this is possible – again, Alabama has never had five players selected in the first round.

Harris could absolutely go on Day One – he’s one of the 32 best players in this thing – but running back is so devalued now in the draft process, and Clemson’s Travis Etienne could be the first and only back off the board.

But let’s say it happens. Let’s say Harris is taken somewhere between the 23 to the Jets to the 32 with Tampa Bay. That’s still five, and you need six to go over, so …

How Many Alabama Players Will Be Drafted In the First Round?

Five.

I’ll call it that Harris makes it five Alabama players going in the first round, but even that’s a bit of a reach. So let’s say I’m right, then it comes down to …

DT Christian Barmore.

I think he’s easily the best defensive tackle in a weak draft for the position, and there’s certainly a chance that someone thinks there’s value in drafting him a wee bit early to take the best one off the board, but if it happens, it’ll come late.

And that’s where the sweating will come in.

Barmore is the exact right guy for Tampa Bay to take at the 32 to add more to the defensive interior, but the defending Super Bowl champion will have an abundance of great prospects to choose from.

So it comes down to this. Do you like Etienne to go before Harris? If so, assume under on the 5.5.

Do you believe in historical anomalies with Bama not only getting to five in the first round, but six?

The value might not be there on the under, but you’re asking for something wild to get the over. If it happens, tip your cap, and marvel in the greatness of the talent on that amazing 2020 team.

Prediction: Under
BetMGM line: 5.5, Over +130, Under -165
2021 Alabama Schedule Analysis

CFN 2021 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
from the college perspective …
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG & C
DE & Edge | DT | LB | CB | Safeties
Greatest Draft Picks For Each College
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
32 Greatest Draft Picks of All-Time

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Watch: Dueling 7-round Browns mocks chosen live with The OBR

Watch: Dueling 7-round Browns mocks chosen live with The OBR’s Jake Burns and Stephen Thomas

The good folks at the Orange and Brown Report (The OBR) invited me to join in on a great experiment on their podcast. Hosted by Jake Burns and Steve Thomas, the three of us ran through doing Browns 7-round mock drafts live on-air.

Not one, not two, but three live mock drafts were chosen on the fly with discussions about the picks and the rationale behind the decisions. Each of us used a different mock draft simulator engine to keep the results varied and more realistically unpredictable.

It’s worth the watch to see the available players and who just came off the board in each mock. The show is also available in podcast form.

https://youtu.be/iKJdnKeF4ow

Detroit mock draft watch: Dane Brugler tackles the Lions 7-round mock

Dane Brugler from The Athletic gives his take on who the Detroit Lions could take in his 7-round mock draft

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With the much-anticipated release of his draft guide known as The Beast recently, Dane Brugler from The Athletic tackles a complete 7-round mock draft from Trevor Lawerence all the way to Mr. Irrelvant.

Taking on a complete 7-round mock is no easy feat, and Brugler tries slot players according to their team needs, scheme, and culture fit to the best of his abilities. Without further ado, below is his haul for the Lions.

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

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

3rd round (72)- Divine Deablo, DS, Virginia Tech

3rd round (101)- Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

4th round (112)- Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan

5th round (153)- Daelin Hayes, Edge, Notre Dame

Even with Justin Fields and both Alabama receivers on the board, Brugler elected to build within the trenches and gave Detroit a young can’t miss prospect in Sewell. With the possibility of four quarterbacks selected to start the draft, Sewell has gained some popularity as a viable option for Detroit. At only 19 years old, Sewell will shore up the right side of the line opposite of Taylor Decker, possibly creating one of the top offensive lines in the league.

With Detroit seeing their receiver corps decimated over the off-season and filling the room with mostly one-year deal options, Detroit desperately needs fresh blood. Brugler gives them some help in the form of Terrence Marshall Jr. If any fan was missing Kenny Golladay, Marshall will essentially alleviate those feelings being an almost copy clone as the big-bodied receiver who thrives in contested catches.

Detroit’s cupboard at safety is looking bare, with only four players rounding out the depth chart. Fortunately, Brugler slots Divine Deablo as potential reinforcement in the secondary. Deablo was recently tagged as a potential option by own Jeff Risdon, highlighting his run-defending, blitz ability, and special teams ability. He is one of those linebacker/safety tweeners that you can play best on best against your opponent.

With the Lions linebacking corps going through a remodel of sorts, the new regime will be looking to inject some athleticism in the mix, and Brugler helps that out with the selection of Chaz Surratt. Also tagged as a fantasy option by Jeff Risdon, the former quarterback brings strong intelligence that gives him a leg up reading the opponent’s offense. With his athleticism, he will fit in perfectly as the Lions weakside linebacker.

With the recent signings for Quinton Dunbar and Corn Elder, the Lions have filled in some gaps in the cornerback corps that needed some addressing. Even though the Lions are not on the prowl for cornerbacks, they couldn’t go wrong with taking an upside corner who could start later down the road, and that is what Brugler does with the selection of Ambry Thomas. Even though his technique is questionable, he has the tools and mentality to compete for snaps in the future.

In the later parts of the drafts, you are taking a gamble on a player’s upside and see if you can get the most out of their potential. With Brugler’s selection of Daelin Hayes, that will be exactly what the Lions will be hoping for. Hayes could be drafted much earlier with his versatile nature as a hand in the dirt or stand-up rusher if it wasn’t for his history of shoulder issues. If the coaching staff can build up his strength and pass rush repertoire, he could find a spot as a rotational SAM linebacker.