2021 NFL Draft: 5 bold predictions for Round 1

4. Someone will trade up to take Penei Sewell

Most big trades in Round 1 center around a team shooting up the draft board to land the quarterback of their dreams. Moving up to take a left tackle might not have quite the same panache, but it could have a similar effect on winning for a team looking to upgrade their pass protection in 2021.

Sewell is the clear No. 1 left tackle in this year’s class. Most mock drafts project him to comfortably go in the top 5, but no one seems to have a clear handle on which team will add him to their ranks. The conventional floor has him going off the board to the Bengals with the No. 5 overall pick.

The bold prediction here is that some enterprising team will put together a package good enough to jump ahead of Cincinnati. The Dolphins are clearly willing to move off the No. 3 selection and the Falcons aren’t married to the idea of staying at No. 4. Either could be a good trade partner for a team looking to land Sewell.

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly which team might be tempted to move up for Sewell at the moment, but clarity should be achieved after more quarterback dominoes fall. It’s easy to envision a scenario in which a team looks to protect their new investment at quarterback by acquiring Sewell to protect his blindside.