The 2021 NFL Draft, on April 29-May 1, is now just over a month away. Our writers across the NFL covering the 32 teams have now gathered for a new mock draft, and this one forecasts something that’s never happened in NFL history: quarterbacks in the first four selections. We encouraged our writers to trade picks in this version, and the Denver Broncos jumped up to slot No. 3 in a trade with the Miami Dolphins to seal a four-pick sweep of quarterbacks.
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1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
This pick feels about as set in stone as it gets. While the Jaguars’ free agency signings give us some clue what direction the team will go later in the draft (expect Jacksonville to take a tight end sometime on Friday), all of the building is around Lawrence at this spot. — Andy Staples
2. New York Jets: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
The Jets essentially confirmed their desire to trade Sam Darnold when general manager Joe Douglas said he’d take calls on his quarterback. They’ll likely deal him before the draft. Douglas could try to get cute and trade the No. 2 pick for a ransom, move back a few spots, then take Justin Fields or Trey Lance, but odds are, after BYU’s Pro Day, there won’t be any doubt who the No. 2 pick is. Wilson is tailor-made for this Jets offense. The only question: Will he be ready Week 1? — Connor Hughes
3. Denver Broncos: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
Trade: Miami (which acquired the pick from Houston) sent pick No. 3 to Denver for pick Nos. 9 and 40 and a 2022 first-round selection.
Broncos GM George Paton has made clear his plan is to build through the draft. Well, he might not get another shot like this to select a franchise quarterback anytime soon. Lance’s small sample size makes the risk here obvious, but the Broncos — with a veteran defense, a much-improved offensive line and talent at the skill positions — are in position to build with a young quarterback. The 6-foot-4, 226-pound Lance appears to have all the physical tools, and his familiarity with running an NFL-style offense and making changes and protection calls at the line of scrimmage should ease his transition. — Nick Kosmider
4. Atlanta Falcons: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
The original school of thought when news broke about Matt Ryan getting his contract restructured again was that the move essentially wipes out any plans the Falcons may have had about drafting a quarterback at No. 4. Well, as the days have gone on, the Falcons have sent out feelers that they are still in the market for a quarterback. So expect the Falcons to draft a quarterback. Lance seems like a better fit than Fields, but if he doesn’t fall to No. 4, then Fields can be their guy. — Tori McElhaney
5. Cincinnati Bengals: Penei Sewell, T, Oregon
The run on quarterbacks took a proposed trade with New England off the board that would have netted the Bengals the 15th and 46th picks, plus a first-round selection next season. Instead, the Bengals go for the biggest, baddest Joe Burrow protector they can find. After signing Riley Reiff on Friday, the Bengals have flexibility with this pick and aren’t tied to Sewell, so there’s a real consideration for Ja’Marr Chase here. Yet, the idea of slotting Sewell in as the starting guard of today and tackle of tomorrow with Jonah Williams and Reiff as bookends makes for a serious move in fixing the glaring issue keeping Burrow from taking this team to the next level. — Paul Dehner, Jr.
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6. Philadelphia Eagles: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
The best-case scenario for the Eagles landing a top playmaker would be four quarterbacks and an offensive tackle going off the board in the top five — just what happened here. This leaves GM Howie Roseman with the chance to take Chase, Heisman Trophy-winner Devonta Smith, speed threat Jaylen Waddle or standout tight end Kyle Pitts. As enticing as it might be to take Pitts, a Philadelphia native, the Eagles can’t go wrong with Chase. He would become the team’s top receiver from day one and give the Eagles the type of player they badly need and have struggled to acquire. If the Eagles have buyer’s remorse for taking Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson last season, they should be comforted knowing Chase, not Jefferson, was actually LSU’s top receiver in 2019 and won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver. — Zach Berman
7. Detroit Lions: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
The Lions made contact with a couple of teams pre-draft about moving this pick, then left the phone lines open while on the clock for about as long as possible before the other “GMs” started getting mad. Nothin’. That early QB run stripped all the trade-down value at 7. But Waddle makes for a pretty darn good consolation prize. Detroit has short- and long-term needs at receiver — and has to find more athletes, in general — so Waddle can be a building block. For all the productive receivers the Lions have had over the past several seasons, they haven’t had a true inside game-breaker with pure speed like this. — Chris Burke
8. Carolina Panthers: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Had this mock draft happened 10 days ago, I would have been on the phone with the Texans trying to trade the eighth pick — and a lot more — for Deshaun Watson. The Panthers have more than a month to monitor the sexual assault allegations against Watson and decide whether they’re still interested. But in this mock, with the top four quarterbacks and Sewell off the board, expect Panthers GM Scott Fitterer to take the best player available with Pitts. The tight end can be the missing piece in coordinator Joe Brady’s offense. Pitts is big, fast and a matchup nightmare for linebackers and safeties. — Joseph Person
9. Miami Dolphins: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Trade: Pick acquired in this mock draft from Denver at No. 3.
Dolphins coach Brian Flores recently alluded to the possibility of trading down, and we made it happen. Not only do the Dolphins, who were originally at No. 3, stay within the top 10, but they also acquire Denver’s second-round selection (No. 40) and a future first-round pick — and they still end up with Smith, whom we pegged as the team’s top selection in our first NFL mock draft. Even after signing receiver Will Fuller in free agency, another talented offensive playmaker remains Miami’s biggest need. Smith was the last player from the top four prospects (Chase, Waddle, Pitts) who can help fill that hole. He offers quarterback Tua Tagovailoa an immediate sense of familiarity and comfort, and the Dolphins build more draft capital. — Josh Tolentino
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10. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
The Cowboys could consider trading back in this scenario. All of the top defenders are still on the board, meaning Dallas would have its choice of cornerback. That could be Farley, Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II or South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn. Cornerback, safety and defensive tackle are the Cowboys’ biggest needs. Farley would immediately step into the starting lineup opposite Trevon Diggs and instantly improve a secondary that has been an issue for a while. In most years, there would be an intriguing edge rusher or defensive tackle at No. 10, but that doesn’t appear to be the case in this year’s class. Note: This pick was made before it was revealed that Farley will have a microdisectomy on Tuesday. Had this information been available before the draft, Surtain would have been Dallas’ pick. — Jon Machota
11. New York Giants: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Signing Kenny Golladay makes it a lot easier to stomach all of the top receiving options being off the board. Though the Giants agreed to a deal with former first-round cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, the first round is about finding a player for the next 10 years, not just the upcoming season. James Bradberry only has two years left on his contract. Teams can never have enough cornerbacks, especially one with the pedigree of Surtain, who could become a Pro Bowler like his father. It was tempting to take Northwestern offensive lineman Rashawn Slater, but Surtain’s upside was too much to pass up. — Dan Duggan
12. San Francisco 49ers: Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan
With tackle Rashawn Slater and quarterback Mac Jones still on the board, this seemed like a good spot for the 49ers to trade back and perhaps take Paye later in the round. There were no takers in this exercise, however. After the 49ers signed Samson Ebukam in free agency, the need for a speed rusher — like Azeez Ojulari — is lessened. Paye is a bigger, stronger prospect who can rush from inside on obvious passing downs. He also could fill in if Nick Bosa (knee) is not quite 100 percent early in the season. — Matt Barrows
13. L.A. Chargers: Rashawn Slater, T, Northwestern
This is an utter dream scenario for the Chargers. They beefed up their offensive line with two big free-agent signings — center Corey Linsley and guard Matt Feiler — and the biggest remaining hole up front is at left tackle. Slater would slide in as the immediate starter there, replacing Sam Tevi. The Chargers would have a tough decision to make if Slater is off the board. They could go with Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw, the more prototypical tackle, or USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker, who some believe will project better as a guard. In this mock, they do not have to decide. Slater, the second-best tackle prospect in the class, falls. And the Chargers add even more talent to an offensive line that was among the worst in football last year, which improves both the protection in front of Justin Herbert and the efficiency of their running game. — Daniel Popper
14. Minnesota Vikings: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT/G, USC
The Vikings used their resources in free agency to address their needs on defense, signing defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and cornerback Patrick Peterson. Now it’s time to turn their attention to the offense. The Vikings have needs at both guard and tackle, and it’s not entirely clear which spot Vera-Tucker would play right away in Minnesota. But he’d have a good chance to be a day one starter. The Vikings care a lot about scheme fit and Vera-Tucker checks that box for the zone rushing system the Vikings employ. — Chad Graff
15. New England Patriots: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
First, I tried desperately to trade into the top five. The Jets wanted nothing to do with me. The Broncos then outbid me for the Dolphins’ pick at No. 3, causing me to regret not offering an additional second-rounder. And then I had a deal in place with the Bengals at No. 5, but the top four quarterbacks were gone. At No. 15, I was hoping to trade down but got no offers. I’m beginning to develop a complex over here. Anyway, I couldn’t let Parsons slide because he’s got the ability to be a generational player if he maximizes his potential. He can rotate with the Patriots’ veteran linebacker corps before becoming a starter in 2022. But I strongly considered Virginia Tech tackle Christian Darrisaw, Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins and Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau. If the Patriots can’t move up for a quarterback, there’s still plenty of talent on the board to improve their team. — Jeff Howe
16. Arizona Cardinals: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The Cardinals have been busy addressing several needs. They agreed to deals with defensive end J.J. Watt, wide receiver A.J. Green and kicker Matt Prater, and they acquired center Rodney Hudson through trade. All are former Pro Bowl selections. No doubt, this a great start, but Arizona still needs immediate help at corner, especially given the loss of super-vet Patrick Peterson. Horn fits. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, he has great length and athletic ability. He also is physical at the line of scrimmage and has solid ball skills. — Doug Haller
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17. Las Vegas Raiders: Teven Jenkins, T, Oklahoma State
Las Vegas traded right tackle Trent Brown to the Patriots and hasn’t replaced him in free agency, so Jenkins can fill the void. He spent most of his time on the right side as a four-year starter in college, but he also has experience playing left tackle, left guard and right guard. He has the size the Raiders like at 6-foot-7, 320 pounds, but also has excellent footwork to pair with his strength. Ideally, he steps in as a day one starter on the offensive line. — Tashan Reed
18. Miami Dolphins: Azeez Ojulari, Edge, Georgia
The Dolphins desperately need more pass rushers. Ojulari fits the bill. He made a living in opposing backfields while at Georgia, combining for 17.5 tackles for loss and 15 sacks over the past two seasons. Standing 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Ojulari, ranked No. 16 on Dane Brugler’s big board, lacks elite size for the position. However, he possesses a motor that doesn’t stop churning until he reaches the ball carrier or at least causes disruption with his active hands. He’d slot in immediately in a rotational pass-rush role behind Emmanuel Ogbah, Andrew Van Ginkel and Vince Biegel. Alabama’s Najee Harris should also be a consideration here if the Dolphins plan to seriously address their long-standing issues at running back. — Josh Tolentino
19. Washington Football Team: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
Washington lost starting linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis in free agency. Looking around the market, the best and most cost-effective route to replacing him is drafting another linebacker. Owusu-Koramoah, the reigning Butkus Award winner as college football’s top linebacker and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, has an enticing blend of speed that allows him to keep up with his man in coverage or blitz the quarterback. At Notre Dame, he was asked to cover the slot and play nickel and performed well whether shadowing a receiver or tight end, and that’s where Washington’s linebacking corps often saw lapses last season. He offers the kind of versatility that coach Ron Rivera and his staff covet, and it doesn’t hurt that he’ll have a chance to get better by learning under a head coach and defensive coordinator (Jack Del Rio) who both excelled playing and coaching the linebacker position. — Rhiannon Walker
20. Chicago Bears: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
Taking a quarterback was definitely a consideration, but a $10 million investment also was made in Andy Dalton. He’s the Bears’ starting quarterback for 2021, or at least that’s what he was told during his recruitment in free agency. Either way, it’s best not to force the pick, though the Bears have a history of doing that. This is a great year for offensive tackles, and the Bears have to be sure to get one. Cornerback is on the table after Kyle Fuller’s departure, but the Bears are clearly shifting resources from defense to offense. Selecting Darrisaw is part of that process. Charles Leno Jr. and Germain Ifedi become placeholders at tackle until Darrisaw is ready. — Adam Jahns
21. Indianapolis Colts: Jaelan Phillips, Edge, Miami
An important factor in the Colts’ thinking while they weighed adding Carson Wentz was whether they’d be able to keep their early-round draft picks this spring. They were able to do that — giving up just a third-rounder this year, then a conditional second-rounder next year — and they plan on using those resources to attack two glaring needs: pass rush and left tackle. With Darrisaw off the board, the Colts have to shift to the defensive side of the ball, where they have two young defensive ends (Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu) who’ve yet to solidify a starting spot. In Phillips, GM Chris Ballard tries to add punch to a position that is vital in his defense’s 4-3 scheme. — Zak Keefer
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama
Trade: Tampa sent picks No. 32 and No. 95 to Tennessee for pick No. 22.
The run on offensive players early in the draft means the best defensive lineman is still available this late in the first round. The Bucs don’t have a ton of immediate needs, but defensive line is one, with Ndamukong Suh at 34 nearing the end of his career. The cost to move up wasn’t much — the No. 32 pick and their third-rounder, No. 95 overall — and they get another force at the line of scrimmage to go with Vita Vea while adding a dose of youth to the NFL’s No. 1 run defense. — Greg Auman
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23. New York Jets: Wyatt Davis, G, Ohio State
The Jets bowed out of the Joe Thuney sweepstakes once they realized the Chiefs were in it. The amount of money it would cost to convince someone to play with a quarterback-to-be-named-later instead of Pat Mahomes? That’s just not in Douglas’ wheelhouse. The problem: After Thuney there … weren’t really any great guard options. The Jets desperately need an improvement over Greg Van Roten and Alex Lewis, and Davis is that player. He’s arguably the best pure guard in the draft. He’ll be a Week 1 starter for New York, and hopefully for the next 10 years. — Connor Hughes
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Mayfield, T, Michigan
It has been nine years since the Steelers used a first-round pick on an offensive lineman. But the line is in need of an overhaul. Maurkice Pouncey, Matt Feiler and Alejandro Villanueva are gone. The only returning starters from Week 1 of the 2020 season are David DeCastro, coming off the worst year of his career, and Zach Banner, who played just 57 snaps before an ACL injury ended his season. Mayfield could play a big role in this remake. He fits what the Steelers look for in a first-round pick: He’s a young (20), experienced (15 college starts) underclassman from a Power 5 program. He might even be able to earn a starting spot in training camp, as Chuks Okorafor was far from solid in place of Banner last year. I was tempted to take Alabama running back Najee Harris here, but the Steelers could find similar talent in the second round. — Mark Kaboly
25. Jacksonville Jaguars: Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama
The Jaguars would have liked some interior defensive line help here, but with Barmore gone, Jacksonville can get someone else later on. Since the Jets have broken the seal on interior offensive linemen with Davis — the son of actor Duane Davis, who played Alvin Mack in “The Program” and Featherstone in “Necessary Roughness” — let’s keep the run going with Dickerson. He has the nastiest of nasty streaks. He can play center or guard and might have gone higher if not for a pretty gnarly injury history. He’s recovering from an ACL tear suffered in the SEC Championship Game, but the good news is the Jaguars don’t need him to start right away. Brandon Linder is perfectly fine at center now. When Dickerson gets healthy, the Jags will be thrilled they drafted him here. He’ll be capable of manning any of those three interior spots. — Andy Staples
26. Cleveland Browns: Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami
There’s a natural fit here with the Browns having invested their free-agent resources in their shaky secondary. Though I still think they’d consider Northwestern CB Greg Newsome in this spot, if Rousseau is available at No. 26 he would be pretty much a slam dunk. He’s still developing but possesses ideal size and enough athletic gifts to eventually become an impactful pass-rusher. The Browns are looking for a complement to Myles Garrett, and Rousseau slipping to them would be a win. — Zac Jackson
27. Baltimore Ravens: Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU
The Ravens stick to their best-player philosophy after two players at major positions of need go off the board right ahead of them. A play-making safety is an underrated need for them anyway. Starting safeties Chuck Clark and DeShon Elliott are solid in their roles, but they combined for just eight pass breakups and one interception in 16 games last year. Moehrig is the type of rangy, ball-hawking safety that the Ravens lack, and he’d give defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale even more options for his creative defensive schemes. Moehrig, who had seven interceptions and 21 pass breakups in three college seasons, is also an impactful special-teams player, which carries a lot of weight in Baltimore. — Jeff Zrebiec
28. New Orleans Saints: Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
There has to be some serious thought given here to Alabama quarterback Mac Jones without a sure thing at QB on the roster, and yet it’s hard to ignore the hole left at cornerback after the release of Janoris Jenkins. The Saints struck gold with Marshon Lattimore in the first round of the 2017 draft, and with limited funds to address the position in free agency in a long-term way this year, this draft might be their best bet to groom another young starter next to him. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Campbell would bring size and speed to the Saints secondary. — Katherine Terrell
29. Green Bay Packers: Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
Let’s make it two straight Bulldogs cornerbacks. Green Bay has a glaring need at outside cornerback, assuming Kevin King signs elsewhere in free agency. Jaire Alexander is only 24 and one of the best cornerbacks in football. Now GM Brian Gutekunst needs to address the other side of the secondary. Stokes stands about 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, and at Georgia’s Pro Day on March 17, he ran an unofficial 4.25-second 40-yard dash. His size is a nice contrast from Alexander, like King’s was, but his speed is what stands out. Stokes also intercepted four passes and returned two for touchdowns in just nine games last season. Even if the Packers sign a veteran cornerback in free agency, they should still draft Stokes and groom him to be a future starter opposite Alexander. — Matt Schneidman
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30. Chicago Bears: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
Trade: The Bears sent picks Nos. 52, 83 and 202 to the Bills in exchange for pick No. 30.
The Bears could be patient and let their QB search in the draft play out into the second round. Jones and Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond could be available. Then again, the wait down to pick No. 52 could take a long time. GM Ryan Pace doesn’t like doing that. Ironically, this trade is made with the team that just signed Mitch Trubisky to be its backup. But never mind that. The Bills can have Trubisky. The Bears are on to the 2021 season and beyond. Jones is worth the swing late in the first round. Dalton also said he’d be OK with handling a mentor role. By drafting Jones, Pace and coach Matt Nagy can potentially extend their stays in Chicago, too. Young quarterbacks always change situations and expectations. — Adam Jahns
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Liam Eichenberg, T, Notre Dame
At this point, everyone knows the Chiefs need a left tackle. Perhaps the Chiefs, led by an aggressive general manager in Brett Veach, will elect on April 29 to trade up a few spots to take the best left tackle available. But they should be thrilled with the chance to select Eichenberg, a steady player who started every game at Notre Dame the past three seasons. Although Eichenberg is not the most athletic tackle in his year’s class, he is consistent with his technique and has strong hands. Dane Brugler projects Eichenberg as a B-level NFL starter. Another bonus for the Chiefs is that Eichenberg’s arrival would allow Lucas Niang, who opted out of last season, to focus on being the Chiefs’ future starting right tackle, the position he played well at TCU. — Nate Taylor
32. Tennessee Titans: Greg Newsome, CB, Northwestern
Trade: Pick acquired (along with No. 95) from Tampa for No. 22.
The Titans have to be as productive in this draft as they were empty in the last, and they traded down here to get an extra pick — giving them five in the top 100 — and still get their guy. Plug Newsome, who allowed only 12 catches for 93 yards in six games according to Pro Football Focus, right into a starting lineup that just lost Malcolm Butler and Adoree’ Jackson for cost-cutting purposes. It is tempting to look at Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman here, but there are tons of options at that position, and the Titans will probably use two of those next four picks in the top 100 on that spot. — Joe Rexrode
Three teams — the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans — do not have first-round picks in the NFL Draft. Another, the Buffalo Bills, traded out of the first round in our mock draft. So our writers projected picks for when they first come on the board.
52. Buffalo Bills: Creed Humphrey, IOL, Oklahoma
The Bills focused on retaining their AFC Championship Game roster, so they don’t have to force the pick at 30 if a player they love isn’t there — especially with Jones on the board to help facilitate a trade. The Bills acquired a fourth top-100 pick by moving down and will have four selections over a 42-pick span to set their roster up for the future. Humphrey is an intriguing asset who could start this year at center or guard, or, at worst, be their long-term starting center beginning in 2022. The Bills can save over $7 million to move on from starting center Mitch Morse next year, who isn’t a perfect fit for their power-based offensive line scheme. Humphrey fits that mold. The Bills value the position highly and, as a kicker, he also has a wrestling background, which will resonate with head coach Sean McDermott, a former wrestler. The Bills can target a cornerback, edge rusher or anything else at 62. — Joe Buscaglia
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56. Seattle Seahawks: Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse
After being outbid by Jacksonville for Shaquill Griffin, Seattle is in need of a new cornerback. The Seahawks still value size when it comes to the position, which is why they signed 6-foot-3 cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon in free agency. Melifonwu is 6-foot-2 with a massive wingspan and demonstrated during Senior Bowl week that he knows how to use that length to get his hands on the ball. Head coach Pete Carroll has never drafted a cornerback this high in Seattle, but he’s also never had a greater need at the position. Melifonwu would come in and compete with D.J. Reed, Tre Flowers and Witherspoon for playing time, with a chance to be a starter if he shows out in camp. — Michael-Shawn Dugar
57. L.A. Rams: Jayson Oweh, Edge, Penn State
Sure, Oweh may not fall this low. In our mock draft, he does! And the Rams are feeling pretty lucky. There is a real chance they look for an interior offensive lineman or cornerback here, but Oweh fills a big need and has a ton of potential. The Rams locked in OLB Leonard Floyd on a four-year, $64 million deal but lost depth in Samson Ebukam and Derek Rivers on the opposite side. Their best possible player to step in could be second-year OLB Terrell Lewis, but concerns about his knee might mean the Rams hold him on a pitch count in a rotation. That would be perfect for Oweh, who could rotate in situationally with Lewis — thus preserving Lewis’ knee and getting Oweh the development reps he needs. This is also assuming the Rams bring back center Austin Blythe or sign a veteran center in free agency. If they do neither, they’ll have to draft one. — Jourdan Rodrigue
67. Houston Texans: Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
The Texans will be happy if the draft really does unfold without any receivers going in the first round after pick No. 9. They’d still have to wait a while to make their first choice, in the third round, but that would leave them with potentially great value in a deep receiver class. At 6-foot-3, Marshall is a big receiver with a large catch radius — something Houston has lacked in its offense. And though the Texans arguably need more help on defense, general manager Nick Caserio has to rebuild just about every part of this roster, including receiver after Houston lost Will Fuller in free agency. — Aaron Reiss
(Photo illustration of Lance, Fields and Wilson, left to right: John Bradford / The Athletic via Getty Images)