2021 NFL Mock Draft: How does Dak Prescott’s new deal affect first round?

The Detroit Lions have a boisterous new head coach at the helm, as Dan Campbell has not been shy about his expectations for this franchise. In 2021, Jared Goff will likely take over for Matthew Stafford, who he was traded for, and the team needs to go out and put some weapons around him, especially at tight end.

Kyle Pitts is widely regarded as possibly the best overall player in this draft class, and he would be a perfect fit for Goff and company in Detroit. If they want to get the best out of Goff, they need to bring in a player who can hide his deficiencies, and Pitts is certainly someone who can do just that.

The Carolina Panthers are looking to replace Teddy Bridgewater at the quarterback position, and appear to be going all-in for Deshaun Watson. If they cannot pull a trade-off with Houston, which seems unlikely, they could turn their attention to the 2021 NFL Draft, and possibly get Trey Lance with pick No. 8 overall.

Lance is an exciting quarterback prospect, and if the Panthers are going to hit the reset button at the position, he makes a lot of sense in the top-10 this April. They have a tremendous running back, and some options on the outside, and Lance is one of those quarterbacks who can come in and battle for a starting job right away.

As of now, it looks like the plan for the Denver Broncos will be to stick with Drew Lock, who would be entering his third season in the NFL in 2021. Lock has shown some flashes during his time as the starter, but is wildly inconsistent, and struggled last season despite the franchise putting good weapons around him.

If they stick with Lock, a quarterback is not in play here, and they should shift their focus to the defensive side of the ball, especially in the defensive backfield. One player to keep an eye on is cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the son of a former NFL player who may be one of the more NFL-ready players in this draft class.