3-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft | Picks 17-32
17. San Francisco 49ers: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The 49ers’ defense has taken several hits due to a truly incredulous amount of injuries, and the secondary could take even more hits with eight cornerbacks up for free agency this offseason, including All-Pro Richard Sherman. But even if they bring Sherman back, there will be a void that needs to filled in this room.
Jaycee Horn has played like a shutdown corner so far this season while playing some top-tier competition in the SEC and has placed himself firmly in the first-round conversation.
18. Chicago Bears: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
Regardless of who the Bears have playing quarterback, the playmakers around him need to improve. They don’t have a reliable downfield threat or playmaker in the receiver room not named Allen Robinson (who is a pending free agent himself).
Rondale Moore brings an exciting playmaker who thrives off of elusiveness and busting defenses open.
19. Philadelphia Eagles: Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina
The Eagles linebacking corps has been unreliable at best and an Achilles Heel full of kryptonite at worst this season. They may have something with rookie Davion Taylor, but the room still needs more work.
Chazz Surratt would provide a leader in a room in desperate need for some physicality and leadership.
20. Indianapolis Colts: Carlos Basham Jr., EDGE, Wake Forest
The Colts have to make a decision about Justin Houston’s future with the team, but it’s unlikely he returns. The team has younger pieces in Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu, but until they show they both can be reliable stars, the team will need a new rusher.
Basham is a balanced pass rusher with an excellent motor that doesn’t seem to quit on the field, which fits the mold that GM Chris Ballard has taken a shining to with his draft picks.
21. Arizona Cardinals: Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami
The Cardinals lost Chandler Jones to a season-ending injury and have been relying on Haason Reddick to fill in that void left behind by Jones’s absence. Reddick is an impending free agent this season who will likely outplay what the Cardinals can afford to pay him.
The Cardinals need to invest in a rusher opposite of Jones. Roche is a quick, bendy rusher with an impressive array of pass-rushing counters at his disposal.
22. Cleveland Browns: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB/S, Notre Dame
The Browns’ defense needs a total overhaul, but the linebacker room has been the weakest link on the team. They need someone in that room who can be a reliable playmaker, whether that’s in coverage or coming up and taking on runners.
“JOK” fits that mold. A linebacker/safety hybrid, Owusu-Koramoah fits the bill with the NFL’s new wave of hybrid defenders. He’ll put up astounding numbers at the Combine, and might end up being selected higher than this when it’s all said and done.
23. New Orleans Saints: Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU
With all of the moves the Saints have made and the sacrifices they will need to make to survive in cap room, safety Marcus Williams seems like he’s on his way out. With that happening, they will need someone to step up and take his place.
Moehrig is a former receiver in high school and that shows in his production on the ball. He’s arguably the best athlete at the safety position and has taken his talents to a new level this season. His sideline-to-sideline range and playmaking in the secondary will put him in the first-round conversation.
24. Buffalo Bills: Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State
Marvin Wilson’s play this season has taken a downturn, puzzling a few evaluators. While he had a fantastic outing in their upset win against North Carolina, he’s been largely neutralized in the rest of their games. It’s not entirely his fault, as teams are getting the ball out very quick on the Seminoles poor secondary, but his outing against Notre Dame won’t do him any favors to NFL evaluators.
Still, he’s a toolsy defensive tackle who excels in holding down gaps and has enough juice rushing the passer. The Bills interior has been pushed around this season and they need a stout presence up the middle to shore that up, which they land here in the late portion of round one in this 3-round 2021 NFL mock draft.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR): Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
The Jaguars have an upcoming decision to make regarding a Cam Robinson extension, but given his injury history and up-and-down level of play, they might opt to take their chances on another very talented offensive tackle class.
Eichenberg has jumped up draft boards with his elite play this season and looks like a plug-and-play left tackle. Investing in the left tackle position to protect their new quarterback has to be a priority in 2021.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
The Ravens have plenty of talent on that offense, with Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, Hollywood Brown, and a devastating duo of destroyers at the offensive tackle position with Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown Jr. Yet, their perimeter weapons still need work. Nobody has stepped up as the big presence in that receiver room yet and catching the ball has been a struggle.
Enter LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, LSU’s Mr. Reliable. While he won’t post the eye-popping testing numbers other receivers in this class will, Chase understands how to manipulate coverage and win with the ball in the air. He’ll bring an alpha presence to that receiving room and draw attention away from their other weapons. Landing him late in round one might be the steal of the draft in this 3-round 2021 NFL mock draft.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
The Buccaneers absolutely nailed their first-round pick last year with right tackle Tristan Wirfs playing at an All-Pro level already. They need to turn their attention to the left tackle situation next. They can move on from Donovan Smith’s contract pretty easily, and his play thus far suggests that would be a wise option to do so to clear up cap to extend other key pieces.
Leatherwood returned to Alabama for his senior season and has played at a very high level so far this year, answering a few questions evaluators had following his junior season.
28. Tennessee Titans: Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
The Titans have struggled to generate any pressure despite signing Jadaveon Clowney to go along with Jeffrey Simmons and Harold Landry. They’ve totaled only seven sacks this season.
This group needs a boost in a big way if they want to keep the Super Bowl-window with Ryan Tannehill open. Paye is an explosive, athletic pass rusher who brings plenty of power and is also excellent against the run.
29. New York Jets (via SEA): DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
The Jets have the quarterback. They have the left tackle. Complete the triplets and nab the receiver. DeVonta Smith is poetry in motion in the open field with his fluidity and quickness as a route-runner. He rarely drops the ball and consistently gets open against the best corners in the country.
Many analysts preferred Smith to Jeudy and Ruggs last year who were both first-round selections. In fact, PFN’s Tony Pauline says many in league circles prefer Smith to current teammate Jaylen Waddle (even before Waddle’s injury). Smith, paired with last year’s second-round pick Denzel Mims would give the Jets and Trevor Lawrence a dynamic 1-2 punch at receiver.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
This would almost be downright unfair. It sounds as though JuJu Smith-Schuster might be on his way out in the offseason, leaving a void at the Y receiver spot.
There’s no better option for that here than Kyle Pitts, who is essentially just a massive receiver. His play this season has been nothing short of elite and makes him the early favorite for the John Mackey Award as the best tight end in the country.
31. Green Bay Packers: Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
The Packers didn’t draft a receiver last year, but they have to do so at some point, right? They need a playmaker opposite of Davante Adams to open up this offense and capitalize on Aaron Rodgers’ resurgence before they have to turn the keys over to Jordan Love (if they ever do).
With the other weapons LSU had last year off to the NFL, Terrace Marshall has taken that next step and become a true WR1 this season, playing at an astronomically high level. He’s a complete package, with great burst and elusiveness to go along with an extensive catch radius.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State
The Chiefs signed Kelechi Osemele to band-aid their offensive line, but he’s out for the year on a one-year deal. The Chiefs’ offensive line has regressed this season, and the interior has failed to generate any push. The Chiefs haven’t spent a pick in the first three rounds of a draft on an interior offensive lineman since they drafted Mitch Morse in 2015.
That needs to change — and does in this 3-round 2021 NFL mock draft. Davis is a physically dominant offensive lineman in both run-blocking and pass protection who can be plugged in and play right away.