2021 NFL Mock Draft: Teams trading up for a franchise QB
By Brad Weiss
Now that the offseason is officially upon us, all attention shifts to the NFL Draft and the future of football.
Super Bowl LV is in the books, and in a bit of a shock, Tom Brady was able to grab his seventh Super Bowl title and fifth MVP. He and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers outplayed the Kansas City Chiefs on both sides of the ball in a game that was pretty lopsided throughout.
As we look towards the 2021 NFL Draft, let us dive into what the first round could look like in our latest mock.
player. 52. . Quarterback. Jacksonville Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence. 1
The Jacksonville Jaguars hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and with that selection, they are going to draft Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence is the consensus top pick in this draft and is not going to be passed up on, no matter who picks first, as he is considered a can’t-miss pick.
With a brand new head coach in Urban Meyer and a brand new quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars start their rebuild the right way. They hold two first-round picks in April, so the expectation is that this franchise can finally get on the right track.
Quarterback. Houston Texans. Justin Fields. 2. player. 10.
The first big trade of the night comes with the No. 2 overall pick, as the New York Jets move on from quarterback Sam Darnold. The Jets trade their two first-round picks in this draft, and a couple first down the road to the Texans, who sent star Deshaun Watson to the bright lights of New York City.
With a hold at quarterback, the Texans use the second pick of the 2021 NFL Draft on Justin Fields, a do-everything quarterback from Ohio State. Moving on from Watson is devastating for this franchise, and hopefully the haul they get back for him can soften the blow.
44. . Quarterback. Atlanta Falcons. Zach Wilson. 3. player
The Atlanta Falcons are another team to trade up in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, officially ending Matt Ryan’s run as their franchise quarterback. Atlanta brought in a new head coach this offseason, and he gets his guy here, selecting Zach Wilson from BYU with the No. 3 overall selection.
Wilson is a very exciting quarterback prospect, and some believe he is the second-best signal-caller in this draft class. However, with Lawrence and Fields off the board, Atlanta cannot afford to wait any longer if they are in the market for a quarterback, jumping one spot in a trade with the Miami Dolphins.