Big shoes to fill: Meet the replacements for every 2021 NFL Draft first round pick

17. Replacing Alex Leatherwood at Alabama: Evan Neal

Alabama churns out high-caliber offensive linemen one after another and the trend isn’t stopping after Leatherwood set his path from Tuscaloosa to Sin City. Evan Neal was the starting right tackle for the Tide last season and was exceptional in that role as he held up beautifully against SEC defenses. He projects to move to the left side, as many before him have with this program, and there shouldn’t be a decline in play at Leatherwood’s spot. In fact, Neal could be an upgrade.

18. Replacing Jaelan Phillips at Miami (FL): Deandre Johnson

Another first-round pick (Gregory Rousseau) opting out opened the door for Phillips to take up a starting job and showcase his prodigious talent. But now Miami must essentially replace three edge defenders with Phillips, Rousseau and Quincy Roche all gone from Coral Gables now.

Manny Diaz has worked the transfer portal hard, though, and Deandre Johnson, a grad transfer who was part of the mass exodus from Tennessee, is someone who slots right into what the Hurricanes need. Obviously, he’s not as gifted as Phillips but he can help replace some of the pass-rush production lost.

19. Replacing Jamin Davis at Kentucky: Trevin Wallace

There are certainly players who have been either at Kentucky for a bit or in the college franks who could possibly slot in to replace the ultra-athletic Davis in the Wildcats defense, such as Luke Fulton and Jamin Casey.

Neither player is as gifted as Trevin Wallace, though. One of the top recruits at inside linebacker in 2021, he’s a higher level recruit than, frankly, we’re used to seeing in Lexington. That type of talent is too valuable for Mark Stoops to keep off the field, which is why the freshman will earn the starting linebacker job once he arrives on campus.

20. Replacing Kadarius Toney at Florida: Trent Whittemore

While Kadarius Toney may have been the most featured wide receiver in the explosive Florida offense last season, he took the majority of his snaps playing in the slot. So if you’re talking about who steps into that role, it’s Trent Whittemore.

He’s a bigger, less flashy player than his predecessor but can still be a key cog in the offense. In terms of target share, though, look for Justin Shorter or Jacob Copeland to be the players who step in and eat up passing-game looks.