2021 NFL Mock Draft: New York Giants replace Danny Dimes with the No. 1 pick
By Brad Weiss
player. 57. . Offensive Tackle. Chicago Bears. Dillon Radunz. 25
The Chicago Bears suffered a brutal loss to the Indianapolis Colts this weekend, as they made the permanent switch to quarterback Nick Foles. Many view this is as a sign that Mitchell Trubisky is done in the Windy City, so it is very much a possibility that they try and trade up to get a quarterback next April.
If they are picking this late, they need to add someone to help protect whoever is under center in 2021, and Dillon Radunz from North Dakota State is one of the better offensive tackles in this draft class. Chicago needs help up front, and in Radunz, they get one of the few guys who are ready to come in and start right away at that left tackle position.
Paulson Adebo. 26. player. 52. . Cornerback. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars traded away Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams during the 2019 NFL season, and because of that, they hold their first round pick in 2021. After selecting a defensive tackle early in round one with their own pick, they stay on that side of the ball here, selecting a dominant cornerback in Paulson Adebo.
The loss of Ramsey has ravaged their secondary, and Adebo is a guy who could come in and fill at least part of the void left by the All-Pro. Adebo was rumored to be a first round pick had he come out last year, but at pick No. 26, the Jags get kind of a steal in this mock.
Trey Smith. 27. player. 55. . Offensive Lineman. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone back to being one of the better teams in the NFL, and the AFC North division that they play in could yield three playoff teams this season. Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cleveland all look like playoff teams as of late, so they need to continue to play good football if they want to win the division.
As they look towards the future, they will eventually have to replace Ben Roethlisberger, but not in this draft. With this pick, they need to make sure they continue to protect their franchise quarterback, and Trey Smith from Tennessee is a versatile offensive lineman that can play up and down the line.
. Edge. Tennessee Titans. Kwity Paye. 28. player. 35
The Tennessee Titans are proving that last year’s run to the AFC title game was no fluke, as they have gotten out to a fast start to the 2020 campaign. They are definitely a team to beat, and in a very winnable AFC South division, they are likely to be the last team standing when all is said and done.
Looking at their defense, they could use some more help on the edge, and Kwity Paye would be a nice addition to a young group that already includes Harold Landry and Jeffrey Simmons. Paye is a guy who can get the edge, make plays in the backfield, and with Tennessee getting younger on defense, he makes a ton of sense at No. 28.