top of page
Search

Re-Drafting the 2021 NFL Draft

Its been approximately 1.5 seasons since the "Draft of the 1st round Quarterback." There were five quarterbacks taken in the top 15 picks in the draft, and there was a lot of discussion surrounding those picks, especially once there were some mega trades with teams jockeying for position to land those quarterbacks. Since the draft, however, most feel that the quarterback class has been underwhelming, at best. Some of the "can't miss" prospects simply have not progressed as quickly as most would have predicted. With that being said, here is how the 2021 Draft would unfold if it were to happen today.




1. Jacksonville Jaguars - ORIGINAL PICK: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson New Pick: Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU

Lawrence has underachieved thus far. Some will blame the offensive line. Others will blame the lack of overall talent in the receiving corps. Personally, I'm just not sure Lawrence is the guy we expected him to be. The tools are there, but tools are not everything when it comes to quarterback play. On the flip side, Chase has proven to be an absolute game-changer. His combination of speed, athleticism, strength, and YAC (yards after catch) ability make him one of the most dangerous players in all of football. In my opinion, the Jags would spring to the podium to take the superstar receiver.



2. New York Jets - ORIGINAL PICK: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU New Pick: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn St


Wilson has not been good. Period. His athleticism plays, but his decision making, accuracy, and nerves are clearly works in progress, to put it mildly. Of all of the quarterbacks in play from this draft class, Wilson has easily been the worst. Enter Parsons. Parsons has been the best defensive player in football since he was drafted. No, he did not win Defensive Player of the Year honors last season, but there was a strong argument to be made for him. His ability to rush the passer may be unparalleled across the league. He's stout against the run, and has showed better ability in pass coverage than I anticipated. He's a true game-changer on defense, in a league without too many of them.


3. San Francisco Francisco 49ers - ORIGINAL PICK: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota St New Pick: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

The 49ers gave up a ton to move up for the rights to draft a quarterback. There was plenty of discussion up until draft day about whether that would be Lance or Alabama QB Mac Jones. They ultimately went for the upside in Lance. The problem is that incumbent QB Jimmy Garoppolo has proven to be a solid player for the 49ers and that Lance hasn't shown consistent ability to beat teams with his arm. That, and he's suffered a season-ending injury, which nobody could predict. However, they have an excellent offensive line and weapons that most team would kill for. As for the defense, its also excellent, giving the 49ers one of the most complete rosters in football. But, in today's NFL, adding an elite coverage cornerback can never hurt. Surtain, in just a season and a half, has proven to be a stud. He's a shut-down CB that will take on any challenge thrown at him. Put him on that 49ers defense and I'm not quite sure how you can score on them.




4. Atlanta Falcons - ORIGINAL PICK: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida New Pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama Kyle Pitts has proven to be a very good player at the NFL level. But, the Falcons do not use him as they should. Even though he cracked 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie, he didn't score a single touchdown on American soil (his lone TD was in England). A player of his skill set needs to be utilized, and the Falcons simply have not done that. So, we swap him out for Waddle, the elite WR that has dominated. He can win at all three levels of the defense using his speed, quickness, and athleticism. He is a game-changer, one that almost every organization in the league could find a way to utilize, even the Falcons.