2021 NFL Mock Draft: Quarterbacks go No. 1 and No. 2 overall

The Miami Dolphins suddenly look like a playoff team, as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has entered the starting lineup and led his team to wins against the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals. Those are two teams expected to challenge for playoff spots, and with Tua taking over for Ryan Fitzpatrick, so do the Dolphins.

Still, they hold a top-10 pick thanks to the trade they made with the Houston Texans, and with the selection, they bring in a former teammate of Tua’s. Jaylen Waddle from Alabama would be a perfect fit in Miami, and he already has a rapport with Tagovailoa.

The Cincinnati Bengals, like the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins, have found their franchise quarterback in a rookie signal-caller. Joe Burrow had the talent, and moxie to win at the NFL level, and they are in good hands with him moving forward.

Up front along the offensive line, they need to upgrade, and they do so by bringing in Alex Leatherwood, a teammate of franchise left tackle Jonah Williams at Alabama. Leatherwood instantly makes this offensive line better, as he is versatile, and could play guard or center at the next level.

The Carolina Panthers took the Kansas City Chiefs down to the wire this past weekend, but eventually, they fell short when a 67-yard field goal missed at the end of the game. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been everything the franchise would have hoped he would be, and it was good to see them get Christian McCaffrey back last weekend.

Unfortunately, their pass defense was throttled by likely MVP Patrick Mahomes, and they need some major upgrades in the secondary. Caleb Farley is a cornerback that should go early in the first round next April, and he would be an instant starter along a Panthers defense that needs to be better against the pass, especially in the NFC South.