2021 NFL Mock Draft: All Picks From The First 3 Rounds

Buffalo Bills

30. Eric Stokes – CB – Georgia
61. Quichy Roche – EDGE – Miami
93. Kenneth Gainwell – RB – Memphis

Buffalo is in a pretty good spot as far as roster build goes, but they do have some needs at offensive line, cornerback, and edge. With cornerbacks falling off the board relatively quickly in our mock, Eric Stokes was a must at 30, where anything after was a huge dropoff. Miami is bringing multiple edge rushers to the draft, and Buffalo scoops one up in the second. Some will want the running back position to be beefed up, but if Buffalo will be airing it out, I would like to see a more solidified threat than Singletary.

New England Patriots

15. Jaycee Horn – CB – South Carolina
46. Jamin Davis – LB Kentucky
96, Tutu Atwell – WR – Louisville

In this mock, New England ends up staying put and not trading up for a quarterback. Instead, they do what they usually do and address the defensive side with players that scream New England Football. Jaycee Horn fits exactly what New England runs in coverage, while Jamin Davis is just a classic linebacker pick that will beef up the Patriots defense in year one. The Patriots do have needs for wide receivers, and they will chip away with that later in the draft.

Miami Dolphins

6. Penei Sewell – OT – Oregon
18. Kwity Paye – EDGE – Michigan
36. Najee Harris – RB – Alabama
50. Terrace Marshall Jr – WR – LSU
81. Tyree Gillespie – S – Missouri

Things got interesting right off the bat as Cincinnati’s pick will ultimately determine where Miami goes. Chase linked back up with Joe Burrow, leaving Penei Sewell to the Dolphins. While they didn’t land the elite wideout, they addressed many of their needs with outstanding options. Kwity Paye stands out as a potential upside edge rusher but does need some work. Not a bad landing spot here. Both Harris and Marshall provide clear needs at skill positions Miami needs to build up for the future.

New York Jets

2. Zach Wilson – QB – BYU
23. Jaelan Phillips – EDGE – Miami
34. Asante Samuel Jr. – CB – Florida State
66. Javonte Williams – RB – North Carolina
86. James Hudson – OT – Cincinnati

After looking this one over, the Jets draft couldn’t have gone much better. While they don’t get a WR in our mock, they did get Jaelan Phillips, who can be plugged in year one as an edge rusher. They also address the major needs at corner with Asante Samuel Jr. Using the 66th overall pick on Javonte Williams lets them build on defense with the earlier picks and still lands a top-three back in this class that you can argue as the number two name behind Etienne. The icing on the cake is getting James Hudson late, who adds another worthy body to the offensive line.

Baltimore Ravens

27. Azeez Ojulari – EDGE – Georgia
58. Jamar Johnson – S – Indiana
104. Seth Williams – WR – Auburn

Baltimore doesn’t have a sexy mock draft, but they do what they do best in grabbing defensive players that will likely pan out in their system. That is the case for Azeez Ojulari, who is a high upside edge rusher out of Georgia. After losing key edge rushers in free agency, it makes sense for Baltimore to revamp. They do the same with a physical safety in Jamar Johnson. Baltimore might have eyes on a wide receiver at 27, but it really depends on who falls. If Rashod Bateman is there, he fits the bill better than another Marquise Brown style-wideout.

Cincinnati Bengals

5. Ja’Marr Chase – WR – LSU
38. Landon Dickerson – IOL – Alabama
69. Janarius Robinson – EDGE – Florida State

The signing of Riley Reiff and Jonah Williams’s return will already make the offensive line better than last season. The logic behind the Chase pick is that they have tremendous chemistry, and Chase is headlining a tremendous wide receiver class. This is also a fairly deep group of offensive lineman, where Cincinnati returns to pick number 38, with Landon Dickerson. This addresses two major needs for the future. Many of the edge rushers in this class are projects, so I like the Bengals holding back and grabbing one later on.

Cleveland Browns

26. Zaven Collins – LB – Tulsa
59. Gregory Rousseau – EDGE – Miami
89. Alim McNeill – IDL – NC State
91. Nico Collins – WR – Michigan

Cleveland is going to have some strong options at 26. There is a chance they can land another solid outside wide receiver or get a quality defensive player. Zaven Collins is a solid linebacker who would fit in perfectly with Cleveland. Collins will likely be going somewhere in this late first range. If Cleveland does sign Jadveon Clowney, Gregory Rousseau’s pick means they can take a year to develop him and hope the upside pans out. Alim McNeil is an absolute stud and possibly might not be there at 89, but this would be another need on the defensive side.

Pittsburgh Steelers

24. Samuel Cosmi – OT – Texas
55. Travis Etienne – RB – Clemson
87. Ben Cleveland – IOL – Cincinnati

The Steelers need some secondary help, but nobody fell to Pittsburgh that was worth grabbing. We will likely see Mike Tomlin build on what they have and make it work. Instead, Pittsburgh addresses the offensive line, which was a big issue. Cosmi and Cleveland both fit into what they need, and smashed in between is a future running back and the best one in the draft. Of course, this all depends on if teams start plucking running backs off the board early, like Miami/NY.

Denver Broncos

9. Trey Lance – QB – North Dakota
40. Jalen Mayfield – OT – Michigan
71. Baron Browning – LB – Ohio State

There is now a chance Trey Lance slides to Denver, which would terrific for Denver. They might have to trade up ahead of Carolina because you can’t rule them out on taking a quarterback despite the Sam Darnold trade. Denver already has a strong secondary and group of skill-position players. Adding to the offensive line and linebacker core makes the most sense. Mayfield will be a name many will be after if they decide to pass on a tackle in the earlier part of the first round.

Kansas City Chiefs

31. Liam Eichenberg – OT – Notre Dame
63. Jackson Carman – OT – Clemson
94. Amari Rodgers – WR – Clemson

The offensive line continues to be a big need, even after adding some names in the offseason. Both the Eichenberg and Carman picks will be solid for the future and give them some versatility if injuries occur again. Eichenberg is another tier two tackle who is going to be a long-term NFL player. With a deep, wide receiver class, Kansas City can use their 3rd round pick on someone like Amari Rodgers. The depth chart is beginning to dwindle at the wide receiver position, so beefing up in this class is a plus.

Las Vegas Raiders

17. Christian Darrisaw – OT – Virginia Tech
48. Nick Bolton – LB – Missouri
79. Paulson Adebo – CB – Stanford
80. Trey Smith – IOL – Tennessee

The Raiders have quite a few picks again, which ended up being the most typical Raiders mock. It is a few names that you might have to go to google for. Christian Darrisaw is the highlight who would jump right into a big role after the Raiders sent half the offensive line packing this offseason. Jon Gruden will look towards more defensive players, and both Nick Bolton and Paulson Adebo fit the bill for needs and best available at the time.

Los Angeles Chargers

13. Rashawn Slater – OT – Northwestern
47. Payton Turner – EDGE – Houston
77. Amon-Ra St. Brown – WR – USC
97. Tylan Wallace – WR – Oklahoma State

The goal for the Chargers this offseason has been getting some protection for their franchise quarterback. They already made some strong offseason moves to do so, but now they land Rashawn Slater, the second-best tackle behind Sewell. Los Angeles will also be in dire need of some edge help after losing Melvin Ingram. Payton Turner would be a strong value at 47. Because the wide receiver isn’t a massive need, they have the picks to take some shots on the mid-range guys, where one of them could turn into something special.

Houston Texans

67. Kelen Mond – QB – Texas A&M

Houston is in massive trouble as they need about every position under the sun and have very few picks to work within a very good draft class. There is a growing chance that Deshaun Watson doesn’t play for the Texans, so taking Kelen Mond wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world. Either way, Houston has one pick in the first three rounds.

Indianapolis Colts

21. Greg Newsome II – CB – Northwestern
54. Walker Little – OT – Stanford

There is a chance that Chris Ballard moves back to acquire some more capital in the 2nd or 3rd round, given they don’t have a third-round pick. If they don’t love their options at 21, that will be the case. The Colts are trying to work with a hodgepodge secondary, bringing back Xavier Rhodes, who did rebound in 2020. However, Rock-Ya Sin struggled, and they need to get a consistent corner. Greg Newsome II would be just that. The left tackle position is also a need, and Walker Little has fallen due to missing some time with an injury. There is a risk, but Little has a lot of potential.

Jacksonville Jaguars

1. Trevor Lawrence  – QB – Clemson
25. Trevon Moehrig – S – TCU
33. Jayson Oweh – EDGE – Penn State
45. Brady Christensen – OT – BYU
65. Pat Freiermuth – TE – Penn State

After acquiring numerous draft picks, Jacksonville has plenty of options to work with. The number one pick is already a given, but the 25, 33, 45, and 65 picks all have a chance to turn into huge future pieces for the organization. Safety is a major need in the secondary, and they can address that with any of those picks. The same goes for an edge rusher, which both Moehrig and Oweh could turn into Pro Bowl pieces for the team down the line. Getting back to offensive, investing in the offensive line for a young quarterback is never a bad idea, and neither is upgrading the tight end position with the second-best TE in the class.

Tennessee Titans

22. Rashod Bateman – WR – Minnesota
53. Tyson Campbell – CB – Georgia
85. Brevin Jordan – TE – Miami
100. D’Wayne Eskridge – WR – Western Michigan

I would like to see Rashod Bateman on several teams, and going in the bottom-third guarantees him to go to a very good spot. With Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith gone, Tennessee needs to add to the WR/TE position. While you can look for a smaller speed threat to give the offense some versatility, but it would be hard to pass on Bateman here. The defense does need a lot of work, and Tyson Campbell gives them a physical big corner to work with, but nothing fell the right way defensively to keep building.

Dallas Cowboys

10. Patrick Surtain II – CB – Alabama
44. Levi Onwuzurike – IDL – Washington
75. Quinn Meinerz – IOL – Wisconsin-Whitewater
99. Patrick Jones II – EDGE – Pittsburgh

The Dallas Cowboys need one thing going into this draft, and that is defensive talent. Literally all over the field. They pick up Surtain, who can be a #1 CB at the next level, and reunite him with fellow Alabama CB Trevon Diggs. Then, the team adds two promising defensive line talents in Onwuzurike and Jones. We also had Quinn Meinerz thrown in there as the team does need some offensive line depth, and Meinerz screamed “Jerry Jones” pick, which is a good thing the man is amazing at drafting offensive line.

New York Giants

11. Micah Parsons – LB – Penn State
42. Joseph Ossai – EDGE – Texas
76. Ifeatu Melifonwu – CB – Syracuse

I know a lot of fans do not want Parsons, and he is not without his issues. However, I can so clearly see Dave Gettleman making this pick, especially after addressing the offense quite a bit in free agency. The team could use another weapon or offensive line guy, but I believe the Giants secure three of the top defensive physical talents in this draft. Ossai has the ability to be a great EDGE, Melifonwu has every physical trait to be elite, and Parsons is a physical specimen.

Washington Football Team

19. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah – LB – Notre Dame
51. Alex Leatherwood – OT – Alabama
74. Dyami Brown – WR – North Carolina
82. Ar’Darius Washington – S – TCU

I do not believe the draft can get much better than this for the Washington Football Team. Not only do they get the best linebacker in the draft, the one defensive position needed to turn its defense into the most elite in the league. However, they also address the offensive line with Leatherwood, who has LT/LG flexibility. Dyami Brown will make for another great weapon, especially with Fitzpatrick slinging it. Then, Ar’Darius Washington can compete to start at safety for the team.

Philadelphia Eagles

12. DeVonta Smith – WR – Alabama
37. Aaron Robinson – CB – UCF
70. Jabril Cox – LB – LSU
84. Josh Myers – IOL – Ohio State

The Eagles need just about everything. The team is not in a good spot, and they use their first pick to grab my #1 WR in the draft, DeVonta Smith. He can be an elite weapon for Hurts and whoever the next QB is when the team realizes Hurts is not the guy in Week 3. Then, the Eagles add some solid defensive pieces at a value with Aaron Robinson in the 2nd and Jabril Cox in the 3rd.

Detroit Lions

7. Jaylen Waddle – WR – Alabama
41. Kelvin Joseph – CB – Kentucky
72. Daviyon Nixon – IDL – Iowa
101. Peter Werner – LB – Ohio State

The Lions are in full rebuild mode. First, the team gets an elite weapon who can be the next Tyreek Hill in Jaylen Waddle. Then, aligned with the new coaching philosophy, the Lions build up defense at all levels. I think Kelvin Joseph, Daviyon Nixon, and Pete Werner all have solid potential and can contribute year one.

Minnesota Vikings

14. Teven Jenkins – OT – OKST
78. Andre Cisco – S – Syracuse
90. Deonte Brown – IOL – Alabama

Since there are no trades in our mock, I think the best value sitting at 14 for the Vikings is Teven Jenkins. This guy is a baller and will be an elite RT in the NFL. The team can move O’Neil over to LT and maybe slide Deonte Brown in next to him at LG. Hopefully, that is enough for the team to give Cousins solid pass protection while still being a good run team. Also, yes I know Brown is not a scheme fit, but he can pass block, and the Vikings need to protect a guy with $44M GTD next season. Andre Cisco is the Anthony Harris replacement as I believe he is a much better talent than Xavier Woods.

Chicago Bears

20. Alijah Vera-Tucker – IOL – USC
52. Elijah Molden – CB – Washington
83. Kyle Trask – QB – Florida

The Bears are in such an odd spot as a franchise. The team is not as good as last year, and the team still does not have a QB. They do grab Kyle Trask late, and maybe the team can develop him into a starting-caliber guy who can actually go past his first read. The team does get solid offensive line help with AVT, who has LT/LG flexibility. Also, replacing Fuller will not be easy, but the team does so by selecting Elijah Molden out of Washinton.

Green Bay Packers

29. Elijah Moore – WR – Ole Miss
62. Wyatt Davis – IOL – Ohio State
92. Chazz Surratt – LB – North Carolina

Aaron Rodgers finally gets some help. Maybe the most unrealistic pick as the Packers simply hate their Hall of Fame-caliber franchise QBs, for whatever reason, but Elijah Moore would make this offense very scary. The team also secures some offensive guard depth with Wyatt Davis, who fell a little in our draft. Lastly, the team adds a possible solution to ILB with Chazz Surratt, a raw player with lots of ability.

Atlanta Falcons

4. Justin Fields – QB – Ohio State
35. Ronnie Perkins – EDGE – Oklahoma
68. Michael Carter – RB – North Carolina

If the Falcons do not trade out of No. 4, then they are grabbing Justin Fields. There is no other way for the team to go about it. We also had EDGE as a massive need, and Ronnie Perkins is a guy sneaking up draft boards who could fit the Falcons’ scheme. Running back is also an enormous issue, and Michael Carter just seems like a fit with the new offensive scheme.

Carolina Panthers

8. Kyle Pitts – TE – Florida
39. Creed Humphrey – IOL – Oklahoma
73. Richie Grant – S – UCF

Kyle Pitts is an elite weapon at the next level, and I believe that the Carolina Panthers want to see if Darnold can succeed. Between adding Pitts and Humphrey, who will sure-up the IOL, Darnold has 0 excuses. He is in a great scheme, with great weapons, and a solid line. The Panthers will know quickly if Darnold can be the guy. The team also grabs Richie Grant, a rangy safety. He would be an amazing compliment to Jeremy Chinn, a guy who plays more in the box.

New Orleans Saints

28. Carlos Basham Jr. – EDGE – Wake Forest
60. Rondale Moore – WR – Purdue
98. Olaijah Griffin – CB – USC
105. Milton Williams – IDL – Louisiana Tech

The Saints are another team that could use a bit of everything. It seems that the team loves guys who produce in college and that is why they reach for Carlos Basham Jr in the first round to replace Hendricks. The team also grabs another weapon for Winston/Hill in Rondale Moore, who we have slipping into the late second round.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

32. Christian Barmore – IDL – Alabama
64. Davis Mills – QB – Stanford
95. Hamsah Nasirildeen – S – Florida State

The Buccaneers returned everyone, and therefore literally have zero holes. Christian Barmore can be great depth on the defensive line as he can really play all over in a 3-4 system. Davis Mills screams Bruce Arians to me as the dude is extremely smart and extremely quick to read a defense. I think that this is a match made in heaven, and learning behind Brady could lead Mills down a very, very promising career path. Lastly, the team needs some safety depth and grabs it with Nasirildeen in the late third.

San Francisco 49ers

3. Mac Jones – QB – Alabama
43. Jevon Holland – S -Oregon
102. Kendrick Green – IOL – Illinois

Look, I think that Trey Lance and Justin Fields are better options, but currently, Vegas is sitting on -280 to -350 for Mac Jones. This means that there is more than just smoke when it comes to the 49ers picking him. I think that Mac Jones will succeed with Shanahan, and the team is a Super Bowl contender with him. The 49ers also pick up a top-25 talent in the draft, with Jevon Holland slipping to them in the second. His nickel/safety flexibility will be a godsend for this secondary. Then, I think that Kendrick Green could slide in and start or be a fantastic depth piece for the IOL on this team.

Arizona Cardinals

16. Caleb Farley – CB – Virginia Tech
49. Kadarius Toney – WR – Florida

The Arizona Cardinals need a couple of things heading into this draft, but first and foremost, they need corners. Caleb Farley has some medical red flags, but I do not believe that those will play as big of a role come draft day. Farley would be an amazing get for this defense. Then, I think that the team still needs receiving weapons. Isabella, Kirk, and Green are not going to get it done. Toney will be a Percy Harvin-like talent for Kingsbury to scheme around.

Los Angeles Rams

57. Dillon Radunz – OT – NDSU
88. Dylan Moses – LB – Alabama
103. Tommy Tremble – TE – Notre Dame

The Rams come out of this draft in a great spot. First of all, they add some offensive line depth and grab a tackle/guard for the future in Dillion Radunz, someone who obviously is a quick learner and a smart football player. Then, the team addresses a glaring need at LB with one of the most underrated guys in the draft, Dylan Moses. Lastly, the team adds some depth at TE after losing Everett in the offseason.

Seattle Seahawks

56. Joe Tryon – EDGE – Washington

The Seahawks do not have a ton of capital, and the team has tons of needs. Joe Tyron seems like a Seahawks kind of pick, a late riser at the EDGE. Of course, there is no way that the team actually addresses the offensive line as they hate Rusell Wilson. (Jokes)