1. Jacksonville Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence

Trevor Lawrence is undoubtedly the best quarterback prospect in the 2021 class, and should be the clear pick for Jacksonville here. The Jaguars need a quarterback, and Gardner Minshew is just not the guy. Lawrence, a Clemson product, has been performing at an elite level since high school and should develop into a star for years to come for the Jaguars. He will join a Jaguars team with a young receiving core including DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault, as well as famed coach Urban Meyer. It might take a few years, but there is a bright future for this Jaguars team. 

• New York Jets, Zach Wilson

Zach Wilson arguably has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in this year’s class. The BYU quarterback has a cannon for an arm and has incredible accuracy while on the run, drawing comparisons to Patrick Mahomes. With newly hired Offensive Coordinator Mike LaFleur bringing the Shanahan-style west coast offense and a touch of his brother Matt’s scheme, Wilson should be a great fit. Although Sam Darnold has shown promise through adversity with his time in New York, a divorce would be the best option for both parties. Wilson is the future in New York. 

• Miami Dolphins, Penei Sewell 

With rumors circulating throughout the offseason that the Dolphins were not fully confident in Tua Tagovailoa’s ability to be a franchise quarterback, they should make a point of ensuring their confidence in him. They drafted him at the fifth pick for a reason, and Sewell is the best insurance policy Miami can buy for him. Sewell is one of the best offensive line prospects in a while, and his blend of agility and strength will make him an elite player at the professional level. At 330 pounds, Sewell is a physical player who can serve as a bodyguard for Tua Tagovailoa for years to come. 

• Atlanta Falcons, Justin Fields

The Atlanta Falcons need to enter a rebuild. The players who were so instrumental in their 2017 Super Bowl run are aging, and owner Arthur Blank emphasized this recently by saying that “ no player is off limits” regarding a trade. This includes star players Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. At 35, Matt Ryan should not be in the future plans for this Falcons team. With new coach Arthur Smith arriving in Atlanta, he will want to kickstart his offense with a new quarterback. Justin Fields is the answer. He is a dual-threat quarterback who showcased some great arm talent and accuracy this year, especially against Clemson in the college football playoff. The one concern is his ability to go through his progressions, but with a solid offensive coach in Arthur Smith, they should be able to fix this. 

• Cincinnati Bengals, Kyle Pitts

Kyle Pitts isn’t any regular tight end prospect. He can line up in the slot, he can block, and he can run routes as well as many receivers in the NFL. With the Bengals investing their first pick last year in LSU star Joe Burrow, it would be in their best interest to protect him and provide him with weapons. Pitts could be a safety valve and red zone threat for the Bengals for years to come. 

• Philadelphia Eagles, Devonta Smith 

The first receiver of the board is Alabama star Devonta Smith, who has shown his elite potential against top teams throughout his college career. The Eagles have been looking for weapons for a while now, and although they drafted Jalen Reagor last year, I’m not convinced that he is the elite receiver they need. With a complicated quarterback decision to make for their new coach, the only surefire pick they can take here is Smith. 

• Detroit Lions, Ja’Marr Chase

The Lions have two great wide receivers in Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr., who are both slated to hit free agency. At least one will likely not be back in Detroit next year, and Chase could be the future playmaker for their next quarterback. It’s likely that the Matthew Stafford era comes to an end and they could draft a quarterback with whatever pick compensation they get from that trade. With a rebuild in sight for Detroit, Chase is the right player for their new offense. 

• Carolina Panthers, Patrick Surtain II 

Surtain is one of the top players in this class, and the Panthers get great value here for him. Surtain has consistently shut down top receivers in the country, and will be a great cornerback in the NFL. The Panthers secondary has been decimated in the past few years, and they just added a versatile talent in Jeremy Chinn last year. By adding Surtain to the mix, the Panthers have a chance to mold a very talented secondary. 

• Denver Broncos, Kwity Paye 

The Von Miller era seems to be coming to an end in Denver. The star edge rusher has been having some troubling legal problems and is reaching the end of his prime. Defensive minded Vic Fangio will want to add another star edge rusher to the mix and Paye is the right guy. He’s extremely athletic and ridiculously strong. With Paye on the other side of Bradley Chubb, the Broncos will be able to create a fierce pass rush to combat the explosive offenses in their division, like the Kansas City Chiefs. 

• Dallas Cowboys, Rashawn Slater

There’s a reason teams are built in the trenches. Last year, we saw the whole Cowboys offense held back because of their poor offensive line. They’ve had a great line for years, but the truth is that their star players are on their way out. Tyron Smith is coming off a serious neck injury and they need to start looking for his successor. There’s a reason people are even placing Rashaan Slater on the top of their offensive line boards, and the Cowboys are getting him at a bargain pick here. Slater is a versatile lineman with the ability to switch inside to guard as well. He will be an excellent protector of Dak Prescott, and will open up new holes for Ezekiel Elliot in the run game. 

• New York Giants, Jaylen Waddle

The Giants traded away their superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr. a few years ago, and haven’t had any players of his caliber at the position since. They made strides to protect their franchise quarterback in Daniel Jones last draft, taking Andrew Thomas at 11 overall. Now, it’s time for them to load up with pass catchers. Golden Tate is on the way out and the Giants have a chance to reignite their offense with Waddle, Jones, and a healthy Saquon Barkley. 

• San Francisco, Caleb Farley 

Richard Sherman will likely leave the 49ers next season. The 49ers already have some solid corners in their secondary, but Caleb Farley would be a great fit for their future. He has the ability to play in the slot as well as the outside in the NFL. With the already great pass rush of the 49ers, the 49ers have the opportunity to create a devastating defense for opponents. 

• Los Angeles Chargers, Samuel Cosmi

Protect Justin Herbert. That is all. Herbert showed incredible promise in his first season and he is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL already. With a solid receiving group of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Hunter Henry, the primary focus needs to be the offensive line. Cosmi has flashed as a pass blocker and shows incredible ability when it comes to reading blitzes. He also offers power in the run game, although he is slightly smaller than some of the other lineman in this class. Cosmi has the capability to play on both sides of the line and protect Herbert for the future. 

• Minnesota Vikings, Micah Parsons

Micah Parsons has some character concerns that were described this week, and some analysts have even predicted him falling out of the first round. However, the talent is simply too good to pass up on here. He can rush the passer and also drop into coverage, making him the perfect pairing for Vikings star Eric Kendricks. The Vikings have an opportunity to get a steal at 14 for one of the best players talent-wise in the draft, while also creating one of the top linebacker combinations in the NFL. 

• New England Patriots, Trey Lance

As a New York Jets fan, I hate this pick a lot. Trey Lance has all the tools to be a great NFL quarterback. The only concern is his lack of high-skilled competition and film. There’s no one better to develop a high-ceiling player like Lance than Bill Belichick. Lance has great arm strength, accuracy, and he can also run. He didn’t throw a single interception in 2019, but only played a single game in 2020 due to the pandemic. The game still left analysts doubting his ability to carry over to the next level, but there is no better place for him to land then in New England. 

• Arizona Cardinals, Joseph Ossai 

There’s no better person to learn from than Chandler Jones, star edge rusher for the Cardinals. With Jones reaching the aging years of his career, Ossai would benefit from joining a team with him. Ossai is speedy and can slip around offensive lineman easily. He only had five sacks this year, and has some power concerns for the next level. However, he was still a disruptive player and was great in stopping the run. He will learn from Chandler Jones and has a high ceiling for potential. 

• Las Vegas Raiders, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah 

Owusu-Koramoah is a skilled linebacker who can make sideline to sideline plays while also dropping into coverage. He is an every down player, and is skilled in pass coverage. The Raiders weak defense could use a player of his caliber, and it is a great value pick for them at the position. 

• Miami Dolphins, Terrace Marshall Jr. 

This draft needs to be all about surrounding Tua with weapons, as I mentioned before. Marshall is one of the best receivers in this class, and his value will likely skyrocket after he has a great combine performance. Currently, the Dolphins have a lack of receiving talent. Devante Parker had a breakout season last year, and is a good piece. Mike Gesicki is also a young piece at tight end. But the addition of Marshall Jr. will give the Dolphins a true receiving core and more variability in the schemes and personnel they can run. 

• Washington Football Team, Christian Darrisaw

The Football Team still has a shaky quarterback situation, with doubts of who to go with next year. There isn’t really a quarterback worth taking in this spot for Washington, so they would be best served by adding more offensive line. Darrisaw is a great pass protector, and has only missed two games in his college career. With a stud future franchise tackle, Washington can ensure that their future quarterback is safe behind the line. 

• Chicago Bears, Alijah Vera-Tucker

Again, the Bears are likely going to be in the quarterback market this offseason. With the pick at 20, they would be better served drafting a lineman here. Vera-Tucker is an agile guard who can pull for blocks and also pass blocks with ease. Drafting him will open up the run game for the Bears and improve their poor offense in general. 

• Indianapolis Colts, Jaycee Horn 

Jaycee Horn will thrive as an outside corner in the NFL. He has a few tackling concerns but that could easily be fixed. The Colts have been rebuilding their secondary and could use a young corner to go with Kenny Moore and Julian Blackmon. 

• Tennessee Titans, Gregory Rousseau 

The Jadeveon Clowney experiment failed in Tennessee, with the star edge rusher making almost no impact during his time on the team. The Titans should pursue a dominant rusher in Gregory Rousseau. In 2019, Rousseau had 15.5 sacks, which was second only to elite prospect Chase Young. He has only been playing edge rusher for a few years, and his rapid adaptation to the position shows his remarkable skillset. 

• New York Jets, Rashod Bateman 

With the Jets selecting their quarterback of the future at two, their first priority should be to surround him with talent. Bateman is a skilled route runner and great separation speed. He should be a great addition to the Mike LaFleur offense alongside Denzel Mims and Jamison Crowder. 

• Pittsburgh Steelers, Alex Leatherwood 

The Steelers have always been known for their offensive lines, that have led to their powerful running schemes. However, the players that made up that line in the past few years are aging and it’s time for Pittsburgh to look to the future. Leatherwood is an anchor on the line, who started in every game last year and allowed only two sacks. He will serve as a strong blocker and a consistent pass protector. 

• Jacksonville Jaguars, Jalen Mayfield

This is a very strong tackle class, and the Jaguars should take advantage of that to protect rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Mayfield is a strong pass blocker, who has succeeded against some of the best college pass rushers in past years. He also could play on either side, and possibly transition to guard. He would be a very strong addition to a generally weak Jacksonville offensive line. 

• Cleveland Browns, Nick Bolton 

Bolton has the ability to become the defensive leader of a pretty weak Cleveland defense. He can tackle and blitz well, and his coverage should improve with some more experience under his belt. He is a strong run stopper and is a great leader. I think he is the spark that Cleveland needs to improve their defense overall. 

• Baltimore Ravens, Azeez Ojulari 

You can never have too many pass rushers. With a lot of uncertainty over some Ravens free agents this year, they should look to replenish their pass rush by drafting Ojulari. He is a strong rusher who also showcases the ability to set the edge in running situations. His technique is lacking a little, but he is a great fit with this Baltimore defense. 

• New Orleans Saints, Eric Stokes 

The Saints are adamant that their quarterback of the future is in the building right now. So if they trust Jameis Winston or Taysom hill, their next priority should be to shore up the secondary. Adding Stokes alongside star corner Marshon Lattimore will help the Saints pass coverage greatly. Stokes is a great zone corner who has shown his ability to create turnovers. He’s not the fastest corner, but he excels in press coverage.  If he stops being a little too grabby at the next level, he should make a good impact in New Orleans. 

• Green Bay Packers, Kadarius Toney

The Packers have failed to draft playmakers for Aaron Rodgers in the past, but they can change that this year with Kadarius Toney. Toney is a physical player who showcased great route running last week at the senior bowl. People were concerned at a few drops he had, but he only had two drops all of last season, so it shouldn’t be a concern. Toney would be a great addition to the Matt LaFleur offense starting alongside elite receiver Davante Adams. 

• Buffalo Bills, Zaven Collins 

Collins is possibly the most well rounded linebacker in this class. He is refined at pass coverage, tackling, and blitzing situations. He should be a great fit on this Sean McDermott led team that has some great older linebackers to learn from. 

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Wyatt Davis 

Davis is a great value position here. He is a great run blocker and can pull for blocks with ease. With Brady returning for another year, the Buccaneers will need to surround him with talented lineman. Last year they drafted Tristan Wirfs, who is a great tackle already in his young career. By adding Davis, they can ensure Brady’s safety and create a foundation for the future. 

• Kansas City Chiefs, Liam Eichenberg 

The Chiefs will need Eichenberg to be the future left tackle and blindside protector for Patrick Mahomes. With Eric Fisher suffering a serious injury and with his age, it is in the Chiefs’ best interest to invest in the protection of Mahomes. Eichenberg is a great run blocker, who could use some help in pass protection. He doesn’t have to start right away, but he can definitely develop into the starting left tackle in the future.