NFL Mock Draft: How the first-round shakes out after Sam Darnold trade

The Detroit Lions may have swung a trade with the Los Angeles Rams this offseason, and in the process got back Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford, but is Goff enough for them to pass on Trey Lance. That is something the organization will have to figure out, and if they do decide to go with a quarterback, Lance would be an excellent get here at No. 7 overall.

Detroit has issues on both sides of the ball, and there is a ton of non-quarterback talent to choose from here, but Lance is the selection in our latest mock. This kid has all the physical gifts you look for in a franchise quarterback, and while Goff may start in 2021, he is not the long-term answer in the Motor City.

This week, the Carolina Panthers traded away a few draft picks to land former No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold, who was cast aside by the New York Jets. Darnold is still only 23-years old and is actually younger than Joe Burrow, so if Joe Brady can get him right, this could be a major steal for this franchise.

At pick No. 8, arguably the best non-quarterback in this class falls in their lap, as they land a unicorn in Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. This kid would be the ultimate weapon for Darnold, and when you consider he already has a relationship with Robby Anderson, and Christian McCaffrey is returning, this Panthers offense could be special.

The Atlanta Falcons traded down in our latest mock, as Matt Ryan is under contract for a few more years, and they really do not need a quarterback right now. Instead, the Falcons grab arguably the best defensive player in this draft class, bringing in Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons with pick No. 9 overall.

This Falcons defense needs help on all three levels, and Parsons is the kind of three-down linebacker that is going to cause havoc at the next level. Atlanta has talent on both sides of the ball to turn this thing around in a hurry, and in Parsons, they get the future captain of their defense.