I know and you know and we all know that you’re not going to read the introduction to this 2021 2-round NFL mock draft. You either got here by searching for a mock draft or you clicked a link on your timeline to get here. But when you get here, you’ll scroll past this part faster than Lewis Hamilton gets his Mercedes F1 car around Spa.
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But on the off chance you do read this, tweet me @daltonbmiller what the first show you watched during the quarantine was. Hopefully you’re able to enjoy this latest 2021 2-round NFL mock draft.
[sv slug = mocksim]Miller’s 2-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft | Round One
1) New York Jets – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
I’m sorry, Jets fans. I really, really did not want to have to do this. I’d give almost anything to give Sam Darnold another shot with a new coaching staff, but things are so backward with both New York (New Jersey, whatever) teams that I believe there’s a crazy chance that Adam Gase somehow is granted a “stay of execution” and lives to see year three. The guy seems to have more than nine lives.
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As for Trevor Lawrence? Hope he is man enough to tell ownership and Joe Douglas what a fraud Gase is so they send him home where he can awkwardly gaze into the oblivion of a television screen.
2) Cincinnati Bengals – Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
This is a no-brainer as well. It might be an even easier choice than Lawrence at one or firing Gase. Penei Sewell has everything you look for in an offensive tackle prospect outside of the elite physical skillset of a Tristan Wirfs. He’s still an above-average functional athlete, and his technical proficiency may even outshine that of Jedrick Wills, who ended up as my highest-graded offensive tackle prospect ever.
3) New York Giants – Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
With their latest first-round pick at cornerback being “lockdown” in other aspects of life, the Giants go out and address their putrid secondary status by drafting the next great Alabama secondary member. Surtain is an ideal height/weight/athleticism prospect with good technical ability and ability to mirror. He’s physical enough to pinch vertical receivers toward the sideline and has aggressive ball skills both in the air and versus ball carriers.
The value here at three isn’t ideal, and the Giants (if not run by Dave Gettleman) should probably look to trade out of this pick and acquire more capital.
4) Atlanta Falcons – Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
The Falcons need a whole lot of help on defense. They’ve recently invested in both cornerback positions over the past few years, but they still desperately need pass rush and improved linebacker play. They get that birthday cake here with Micah Parsons.
This young man came to Penn State as an edge rusher in high school, but swiftly became one of the most dynamic linebackers I’ve seen. He’s still becoming more instinctive as time passes, but his natural abilities allow him to get to spots on time even when the picture for him isn’t crystal clear. And the added bonus is if used correctly, Parsons could tally up 6-10 sacks a season as a pure rusher. Falcons get a fun chess piece.
5) Carolina Panthers – Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
The internal debate here between Trey Lance and Justin Fields is one I’ll be personally dealing with every time I update my 2-round 2021 NFL mock draft. Luckily, we now get to see both play at least a few games in what looks to be their final collegiate seasons.
Fields possesses a blend of athleticism and arm talent that makes him an ideal modern signal caller. There is a bit of a misconception between he and Lawrence in their running abilities. I actually believe Lawrence is the more dynamic runner. However, Fields is stacked together nicely and is more fit for a complex attack where he can realistically get between the tackles a bit like a smaller Cam Newton.
Giving Joe Brady a versatile weapon that’s used to getting the ball out quick in a Ryan Day scheme seems more ideal than Lance coming from a heavy-personnel “pro” offense.
6) Denver Broncos – Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
Moses might be my second-favorite defensive player to ever scout. His sophomore tape is a conglomeration of dizzying explosiveness and natural ability to play football. If there is more polish to his game in 2020, it’s possible that he could overthrow Penei Sewell as the top overall prospect in the class. And remember, folks out there are throwing around the term “generational” for Sewell. Moses is legitimately athletic enough to line up in the back end and play strong safety, and he’s a gifted enough pass rusher to be a rush edge in an odd front. He’s a metahuman.
7) Minnesota Vikings – Marvin Wilson, iDL, Florida State
I went through the Vikings depth chart the other morning and the Snoop Dog (Lion?) gif of him exclaiming “WHO?” popped into my brain immediately when looking at the Vikings defensive front. There isn’t an adjective strong enough to describe how much help Minnesota needs on the interior defensive line, and boy do they get it with Wilson. This man is what everyone wanted Derrick Brown to be. Powerful hands with good explosion off the snap. Wilson will be a menace in the middle for a long time in the league.
8) Miami Dolphins – Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State
Get ready Phins fans, your defensive attack in this draft doesn’t end here. Oweh’s testing numbers are going to scramble your brain into a pretzel. Yes, I did just use two different idioms to describe the feeling, because that’s how absurd it’s going to be.
Oweh was already a transcendent athlete when he stepped foot on campus in State College. With that strength & conditioning program, we could see records broken left and right for him. He’s going to break our RAS metric.
9) Detroit Lions – Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Speed. Elusiveness. Explosion. Jaylen Waddle has them all in spades. Both Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones have expiring contracts after 2021, and the Lions could use a third receiver, making this a match made in heaven.
So why Waddle over Ja’Marr Chase, Rashod Bateman or Rondale Moore? Well, because I view Waddle as the best of both worlds between Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, albeit in a smaller package. His feet aren’t as violent as Jeudy, but his natural explosiveness dwarfs Jeudy’s, meaning the acceleration he gets out of breaks boggles the mind and makes pursuit angles disappear like when I see the last honey bun in the vending machine. And his pure speed at least rivals Ruggs. He gets the nod over Moore (similar players) because of health and just a bit more nuance in his game at the moment.
10) Jacksonville Jaguars – Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
SPRINT TO THE PODIUM JACKSONVILLE! I love Gardner Minshew. He was endlessly entertaining in Mobile at the Reese’s Senior Bowl and his bubbly personality is infectious. But from a talent perspective, his career arc should probably look like that of his bearded nemesis Ryan Fitzpatrick. He can give you some juice as a spot starter and backup, but building your football team around him is a bad business decision.
Trey Lance is also in the athletic mold of the modern quarterback. His arm is more naturally gifted than Fields’ is. But coming from a small school and an endlessly hopeless offensive scheme from the 1980’s, it will probably take some time to adjust for the young man. But as a natural talent, he’s right there with the top dogs.
11) Miami Dolphins – Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami
The Dolphins take home run swing number two at a ridiculously high-upside pass-rush pick. Gregory Rousseau provides a different style to Oweh. He’s someone who can play the strong side of an odd front as a five technique and use his length and strength to set a firm edge. He’s also able to slide down into the interior and rush from there, which might be his biggest strength. As a traditional pass rusher, he still has a long way to go, but there’s no questioning the production he’s had at Miami.
12) Washington Football Team – Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
You could practically just copy and paste everything from Waddle’s profile to Moore’s, except for that Rondale Moore is a bit more physical than Waddle. His contact balance for a player his size is mesmerizing, and his speed and agility are incredible.
Unfortunately, though, soft tissue injuries have already begun to add up, and super-explosive players with soft tissue issues should scare everyone involved. But the fit here in Washington was too good to pass up. They missed on all three of the top quarterbacks, so they take the weapon that Dwayne Haskins can throw three-yard passes to in the hopes he can break a big play after the catch. Moore is as dynamic as they come. Expect a sub-4.4 forty-yard-dash to be a near lock.
13) Los Angeles Chargers – Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
Listen, the West Coast loves them some uber-athletic offensive tackles that lack a solid fundamental base. He’s still trying to figure out what is going to work for him technically, but his upside is easily understood when you watch the ups and downs of his play in Austin. His ability to get to landmarks is what will intrigue the most, with hands and power being something that NFL coaches will swear they can teach to a pet rock off Amazon. But if he develops, the Chargers have a nice 1-2 punch with Cosmi at left tackle and Justin Herbert slinging the pill around.
14) Philadelphia Eagles – Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Louisiana State
Listen, Jalen Hurts…I mean Carson Wentz…needs somebody to throw the ball to outside of Dallas Goedert. But really, whoever is the starter in 2021 needs more weapons offensively. Pairing the more traditional Ja’Marr Chase with Jalen Reagor is a nice fit, and Chase allows for some freedom to simply throw it in his direction and hope for the best.
The Eagles seem to be one of the more snake-bitten teams in the league in terms of injury, and the offensive line seems particularly cursed. Chase’s physicality and ball skills allow the quarterback to whip slants into tight coverage with confidence the receiver comes down with it.
15) Las Vegas Raiders – Christian Barmore, iDL, Alabama
Every. Single. Year. It never fails. There is always a big, bruiting Alabama defensive tackle prospect that’s going in the top-50. Barmore is looking for a rocket-fueled stock jump like Quinnen Williams saw after being stuck behind crazy talent ahead of him in years prior. The young man has incredible raw power and his athleticism and hand usage made him a great candidate as a pass rusher for the Crimson Tide. If he’s able to continue shining through a heavier workload in 2020, a top-15 selection doesn’t seem far from his already impressive reach.
16) Cleveland Browns – Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State
He’s from California originally, but he’s staying in the state of Ohio for the foreseeable future. Davis is still a young player that requires sharpening, but his physical skillset makes him a prime candidate to be the first interior offensive lineman taken, although Trey Smith will have something to say about that, especially if Davis doesn’t show more consistency throughout 2020.
But Davis is powerful and dominant when he’s fresh, and his athleticism helps him thwart the efforts of gap-shooting interior defenders in pass protection. His breakdowns seem to come from playing tired, which is something that’s bound to happen in Ohio State’s fast-paced offensive attack.