Week 2 of the NFL regular season is in the books. The hierarchy of teams is starting to become transparently clear. It will not be long before fans of several teams begin to turn their attention to the 2021 NFL Draft. There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that there is still a long way to go before draft day. The good news is that CBS Sports has you covered, providing optimism and analysis every day. The fortunes of a team can be altered with one good draft. There are some elite talents awaiting. Some of those talents are highlighted in today's mock draft.
The draft order was determined using SportsLine's reverse Super Bowl odds following Sunday's Week 2 action.
Let's kick this thing off!
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Yes, the Jets have Sam Darnold, but in all likelihood they will be breaking in a new head coach and it is not unreasonable to think he will want his own quarterback. New York has a lot of issues but it is difficult to justify passing on Lawrence.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
The Panthers have a lot of young defensive pieces that they are breaking in this season. Teddy Bridgewater is the quarterback for now but Matt Rhule can not pass on the opportunity to take a franchise quarterback in favor of a 27-year-old quarterback on his third team.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Unfortunately for New York, Sterling Shepard can not stay healthy. Golden Tate is not long for the Big Apple so that leaves Daniel Jones with Darius Slayton. Chase is a long-term option that can not be bypassed.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Miami keeps filling out its roster with the best player available. Micah Parsons is an active off-ball linebacker that can provide some leadership at the second level of the defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Penei Sewell is a special talent at offensive tackle. As much as I was a Jonah Williams stan, I also understand the option to move him to right tackle or inside. Cincinnati has a lot of issues along the offensive line so you add talent and worry about how it fits later.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
If Dwayne Haskins is the future in Washington, then the team needs to add pieces around him. Brandon Scherff is dealing with an injury now but the other interior offensive line positions are still up in the air as well. Wyatt Davis would fill one of those positions.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
In all honesty, there are only six prospects that look like sure fire top-10 talents right now. Five of them went off the board with the first five picks and the other is Trey Lance. Caleb Farley is a player that has the potential to get into that group. The issue is that he has opted out of the season and it may be difficult to cement his spot.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Detroit feels like another city that might be breaking in a head coach in 2021. He could very well elect to add a quarterback at the expense of veteran Matthew Stafford.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Denver provided Drew Lock with all the offensive weapons that he could possibly need to succeed. The next phase of the process is providing him with an offensive line capable of keeping him upright. The issue is on the edge, where Radunz would help.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 10
Miami would plug and play Christian Barmore opposite Christian Wilkins. The Dolphins spent a lot of money to upgrade several positions along the defensive front but those new acquisitions will need to be replaced soon.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Atlanta signed Dante Fowler Jr. to a lucrative contract this offseason but he has not made a consistent impact at either of his two spots. Gregory Rousseau is not the flawless prospect that many project, but he is still learning the position and has a lot of raw talent.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
The Vikings thought they were set at the interior defensive line with Michael Pierce but he opted out of the season. It has become abundantly clear that the team needs to get younger at a few spots.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Philadelphia did well to add Darius Slay, and its defensive front should be one of the best in football. The linebacker unit still needs a lot of work. The Eagles went from having one of the most loaded rosters in the league to having several primary needs in a hurry.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Mike Pouncey has had trouble staying healthy. Despite only being two years removed from a Pro Bowl berth, Los Angeles uses this opportunity to get younger and create some salary cap relief.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Las Vegas has some aged commodities along its offensive line even after shipping out Kelechi Osemele. Mike Mayock looks to solidify the future of the unit by adding a dominant piece.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Cleveland has made it clear that the team is not comfortable with its pass rushing options opposite Myles Garrett. Quincy Roche is the most polished right now and should provide an immediate impact for the AFC North franchise.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Hamilcar Rashed Jr. is a really exciting player that offers a lot of pass rush potential. He would step in and replace veteran Barkevious Mingo immediately.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Indianapolis has added a difference maker at every level of its defense except the secondary. Rock Ya-Sin is slowly coming around but the team needs another bonafide baller at cornerback. Tyson Campbell has some of that flash and swagger that's missing.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
The hope is that Deonte Brown provides more stability than this year's first-round offensive line selection, Isaiah Wilson. The Titans appear to have a good battery with Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry so it is time to amp up that rushing attack with a mauler like Brown.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 20
Jevon Holland is a leader that flies around and makes plays. A.J. Bouye is gone. Jalen Ramsey is gone. Tashaun Gipson is gone. Ronnie Harrison is gone. Jacksonville got the party started with C.J. Henderson in 2020 but that unit needs a lot more.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
The Cardinals are surrounding Kyler Murray with some explosive offensive pieces like DeAndre Hopkins and Kenyan Drake. It is time to take it up a notch and add a pass-catching tight end like Kyle Pitts.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
N'Keal Harry is starting to resemble more of what New England had expected, but he is not there yet. By adding Devonta Smith, the Patriots have a speedster that can open up the field for Cam Newton.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Marcedes Lewis has been throwing guys around as a blocker but Jace Sternberger has not popped the way I expected this year. They want a consistent pass-catching tight end to throw out on the field and Pat Freiermuth fits the bill.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Shaun Wade is a big, physical cornerback that fits the attitude of that Pittsburgh defense. He was a field cornerback last season but projects to the boundary. Some have concerns about that transition but his ability to open his hips and run with receivers suggests that he will handle the vertical assignment well.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
There are more directions for Dallas to go than anyone imagined. Linebacker and defensive line could also be choices here. The offensive line is a mess. One thing that we know is the quarterback, running backs and wide receivers are settled.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Tremaine Edmunds is a monstrous, physical linebacker with elite athleticism. Nick Bolton is a rangy sideline-to-sideline linebacker that would stack tackles like Legos. A young, entertaining defense becomes even moreso.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Tristan Wirfs has looked really good on the right side but Donovan Smith has been a turnstile. Tampa Bay will need to upgrade that spot if his play continues or Tom Brady's time in Florida will be short-lived. Alex Leatherwood could man the starting role opposite Wirfs.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
San Francisco adds a big, physical cornerback reminiscent of Richard Sherman, who's on injured reserve.
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From
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 29
New York gets Trevor Lawrence and now it welcomes Jaylen Waddle. Waddle's speed has speed. His route-running may not be as polished as Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy or Devonta Smith but his playmaking ability would compete with the best of them.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Northwestern's Rashawn Slater and Ohio State's Josh Myers are a few other interior offensive linemen that could come into play here. Kansas City has options but the offensive line should be a priority for them moving forward.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Janoris Jenkins is playing well but he is not getting any younger. As a contending team, you would rather have his replacement in the locker room than be caught off-guard when the time comes.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Chris Olave may not be the most talented wide receiver on the board but Lamar Jackson could trust him to be in the right position. The NFL has seen polished route-runners make a fluid transition from college football. Olave is a polished route-runner that should contribute immediately for the contender.
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