2021 NFL Mock Draft

Author: Kiernan Fischer

Editor: Brian Symons

With the season in the books, it is time to start thinking about the draft. A lot will change between now and April but here is my first mock of the year. I’m deciding to not have trades in this mock even though there will obviously be trades in the real draft. My first mock is going to be about how each team can improve their roster with the pick they have.

1. Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence

Lawrence has been the guy for years now. Let’s move on

2. New York Jets: Zach Wilson QB BYU

Wilson’s stock has shot up after lighting it up at BYU. The highest-rated PFF QB last year will look to lead the Jets back to relevance

3. Miami Dolphins: Penei Sewell OT Oregon

Sewell is the most hyped-up lineman in recent memory and the best non-QB in this class. If the Dolphins do keep this pick I can’t see them passing on him.

4. Atlanta Falcons: Justin Fields QB Ohio State

Matt Ryan isn’t returning to MVP form and the Falcons should pick his replacement in a loaded QB class instead of waiting until his arm is all the way gone. I could see them trading this pick, but either way, Fields will be picked in this spot.

5. Cincinnati Bengals: Jamar Chase WR LSU

With Sewell off the board, the Bengals keep their franchise QB happy and get his college teammate. Chase has the potential to be just as good as his former teammate Justin Jefferson and could give the Bengals two great young receivers.

6. Philly Eagles: Devonte Smith WR Alabama

The Eagles need weapons. I thought about Pitts here but Smith is coming off a Heisman and championship and the Eagles seem to have faith in Goedert at TE. The Eagles stick with Hurts and get him a weapon.

7. Detroit Lions: Micha Parsons LB Penn State

We saw in the Super Bowl how a linebacker that has the speed to cover sideline to sideline can impact a game and with head coach Dan Campbell looking to play hard-nosed defense I see this as a perfect fit.

8. Carolina Panthers: Trey Lance QB North Dakota State

The Panthers move on from the bridge quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and get a potential franchise QB at 8.

9. Denver Broncos: Caleb Farley CB Virginia Tech

In a division with Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes the Broncos take the top corner on the board. While Farley did not play in the 2020 season he’s shown enough to warrant this pick and has the size and speed to keep up with anyone.

10. Dallas Cowboys: Patrick Surtain ll CB Alabama

PFF’s highest-rated corner in college football last season goes to a secondary in need of playmakers. The only thing preventing Surtain from being in the top corner is his lack of elite speed. But he plays fast and has instincts and techniques to make up for it. Whether he or Farley should be the CB1 will be a heated debate up until the draft.

11. New York Giants: Jalen Waddle WR Alabama

The Giants get the playmaker they’ve been missing since trading away Odell Beckham Jr. Getting Jones a top-tier receiver in this class will also help to see if Jones is really the franchise guy.

12. San Fransisco 49ers: Kyle Pitts TE Florida

The 49ers may have other needs to fill but in this scenario, they can’t pass up adding an elite receiving threat to their offense. The 49ers already have some non-traditional hybrid players on their offense with Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel. Adding Pitts and running 4 wide with two tight ends would be really fun. The Niners already have two tight ends on the field with their run game anyway so this is maybe the best fit for him. By the time April rolls around Pitts may go in the top 5 but right now I’m putting him here.

13. Los Angles Chargers: Rashawn Slater OT Northwestern

The Chargers got their franchise QB last draft and they work on protecting him with this pick. Slater may have opted out in 2020 but he showed that he is a first-round talent with his tape and can play guard or tackle.

14. Minnesota Vikings: Kwity Paye DE Michigan

The Vikings address their D-Line and get what many are calling the top edge rusher in the class which is usually not the case at pick 14.

15. New England Patriots: Christan Barmore DL Alabama

In a weak D-Tackle class, the Patriots pick by far the most talented one available. They look today 2 to get a receiver.

16. Arizona Cardinals: Christan Darrisaw OT Virginia Tech

The Cards choose to go with the breakout lineman to both protect Murray and help in the run game.

17. Las Vegas Raider: Greg Rouseau DE Miami

The Raiders have had a bottom-five pass rush ever since trading Khalil Mack and Rouseau has the length you want to get to the QB. He’s being mocked as high as 11 in other mocks so the Raiders are happy in this scenario to pick him here

18. Miami Dolphins: Jerimiah Owusu-Koramoah LB Notre Dame

The Dolphins get the best coverage linebacker in the draft and add him to an already well-coached and talented defense.

19. Washington Football Team: Jaycee Horn CB South Carolina

With a front four that is one of the best in the NFL Washington goes with a corner to try to give those pass rushers even more time to get to the quarterback.

20. Chicago Bears: Kevin Toney WR Florida

The Bears need receiving help even if Robinson stays, which it is looking like he won’t. No matter who is at QB for Chicago he will need more than what they currently have and they address that with the speedster from Florida.

21. Indianapolis Colts: Alijah Vera-Tucker OT

With Anthony Costanzo retiring the Colt’s waste no time drafting his replacement. Some have said he is a better guard than tackle but here the Colts draft him to play that spot.

22. Tennesee Titans: Azeez Ojulari DE Georgia

The Titans were terrible at rushing the passer last year and they address that with one of the best pure speed rushers in this class and an explosive athlete

23. New York Jets: Najee Harris RB Alabama

The Jets need explosive players around their new franchise QB and they start at the running back spot. With all due respect to legend Frank Gore this will be a significant upgrade for the running game.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers Tevon Jenkins OT Oklahoma State

The Steelers had the worst rushing attack in the league in 2020, yet another weird thing about that year. With LT Andrew Villanueva likely gone and Marcus Pouncey retired the Steelers start rebuilding their offensive line here in the first round.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars: Nick Bolton LB Mizzouri

Urban Myer knows you need fast linebackers in college and in the NFL and Bolton is just that. Bolton will start right away for a rebuilding defense

26. Clevland Browns: Jayson Oweh DE Penn State

The Browns find themselves in unfamiliar territory at the bottom of the draft. The Browns need to improve their defense to compete with the top dogs in the AFC and they draft the fast-rising end from Penn State. Lining him up across from All-Pro talent Myles Garratt could be deadly.

27. Baltimore Ravens: Trevon Moehrig TCU Safety

The Ravens usually take the best available regardless of position and at this stage, I think Moehrig is the best available. He’s the best safety in the class and has lead the nation in pass breakups the past two seasons (PFF)

28. New Orleans Saints: Zaven Collins LB Tulsa

Mac Jones is a popular pick in a lot of mock drafts but I don’t see Jones as a franchise QB and I think the Saints will stick with Jameis Winston and go with Collins to bolster their already talented defense. Collins is a great blitzer and can make plays in the open field and Sean Payton will make sure his skillset is utilized to its full potential.

29. Green Bay Packers: Asante Sammuel Jr. CB Florida State

Anyone who saw Kevin King play in the NFC Championship knows why the Packers are making this pick here.

30. Buffalo Bills: Travis Etienne RB Clemson

Running back is one of the only places the Bills don’t have a standout talent so they try to get a stud back and upgrade their offense which is already elite.

31. Kanas City Chiefs: Jalen Mayfield OT Michigan

The Chiefs could go a lot of ways with this pick but with the sting of the Super Bowl still fresh they get a talented tackle prospect and add depth at the position and ensure Mahomes is always protected.

32. Tampa Bay Joesph Ossai DE Texas

The champs have the most complete roster in football so they take the best available. This pick will become more clear once we know who the Bucs plan to keep for next year with a lot of big decisions to be made this free agency.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE

A Crucial Offseason for the Jets

Author: Zachary Patlin

Editor: Brian Symons

The Jets have been mentioned all offseason in trade rumors swirling around Deshaun Watson with their heavy draft capital and need for a franchise QB. This, however, seems bleak at this point in the offseason due to the Texans doing everything in their power to keep their young QB1. So what are the alternatives knowing that Deshaun probably is not being traded this offseason, let along to the Jets?

The Jets own the second pick in the 2021 NFL draft, with a variety of options with that pick. They also hold a later first round pick that can be used to take an impact player outside of the QB position such as Najee Harris or Travis Etienne. With the second pick the Jets can take QB Zach Wilson out of BYU, QB Justin Fields out of Ohio State, Penei Sewell out of Oregon, or multiple other players that can impact the team if they do decide to hold that pick.

If the Jets decide to take the route of drafting a non QB with that second overall pick, it most likely means that they are preparing to build around Darnold for at least the next two seasons under new coaching regime led by Robert Saleh. The Jets could also take the route of taking the QB with the two pick and trading Darnold to a team like the Steelers or the Colts for a late first round pick or early second round pick to continue to build its draft capital and start fresh.

Any way that the Jets decide to go with the pick and their QB situation this offseason will be vital for the teams future and will be a huge part of the way Joe Douglas will be evaluated as the GM of the Jets. They cannot afford to make another bad decision with an extremely valuable draft pick and a ton of draft capital over the next two years. Douglas’s philosophy has always been to build through the draft, so let’s see if he can really do that.

Outside of the draft free agency looms large for the club as they look to fully rebuild both their Offensive line and their Defensive line. With the most cap space in all of football heading into the offseason, look for Joe Douglas to be competitive in free agency to build this team up the way they project to play moving forward. Although the Jets may not be good next year, this offseason is crucial for the teams success in the near future and many jobs are on the line as a result of the importance of the offseason.

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There's A New King of Queens

Author: Jordan Plompen

Editor: Brian Symons

The day New York Mets fans have been hoping for all offseason finally happened in the early morning hours of January 7th. Newly appointed owner Steve Cohen, who happens to have a net worth of 14 billion dollars, cashed in on his promise of increasing payroll to improve the team by acquiring Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland. There you have it folks. Lindor, nicknamed Mr. Smile, is taking his arguably best personality in the game to the Big Apple. It is a fit that is almost too perfect for one of the type-A persona’s in baseball, without even quantifying what his skillset on the field will bring to the team. Oh, and in the trade the Mets just so happened to pick up a pretty good starting pitcher in Carrasco, whose numbers speak for themselves throughout his career and happens to be well liked from a personality standpoint in the game as well. Ever since Jared Porter, (also newly appointed), general manager of the Mets was hired by Cohen, the Mets have taken over the baseball buzz around New York, with the resigning of Marcus Stroman due to the qualifying offer and the signings of reliever Trevor May and catcher James McCann earlier this offseason. Especially considering the fact that the cross town rival New York Yankees were known to be floating around the idea of a Francisco Lindor trade as well. Could this be the spark the Mets have been searching for since their last World Series title in 1986? We shall soon find out.

The six player swap sending Lindor to Queens included Carrasco as aforementioned, with New York sending Amed Rosario, Andres Giminez, and prospects Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene to Cleveland. From the viewpoint of Cleveland, they are not a big market team. Plain and simple. This fact means if they had pulled the trigger on a Lindor mega-extension, he would have most likely been a part of the tribe for life. However, the cost of making that move would have caused a ripple effect throughout the organization, making it nearly impossible to build a contending team around him. These facts lead to the eventual decision by Cleveland to deal their trademark superstar in order to save money and try to get the best haul in return as possible. Comparing the salaries the major league ready players are projected for in 2021, (Lindor 19.5 million, Carrasco 12 million, and Rosario 2.2 million), it is easy to see why Cleveland made the move they did. With billionaire Steve Cohen buying the Metropolitans earlier in the offseason, it made the decision for New York to take on the money of the Lindor and Carrasco contracts easier as well.

Lindor and Carrasco will both be projected to be key pieces in the hopeful 2021 World Series run in Queens. However, they were both included in the trade for significantly different reasons. I’ll break down how each player will make their own impact on the team individually, starting with Carlos Carrasco. Carrasco, nicknamed “Cookie” throughout the sport, has been through more ups and downs as of late than the average MLB player. Diagnosed with Leukemia in June 2019, Carrasco had much more to focus on other than stepping onto the mound every fifth day the remainder of the season. After recovering and being able to pitch the final month of the 2019 season, Cookie was named the American League comeback player of the year for the season. To dive deeper into the performance aspect of Carrasco, his numbers speak for themselves. Since becoming a key part of Cleveland’s greatly perceived rotation from 2014 on, excluding the blip in the radar that was 2019, Cookie has averaged an ERA of 3.61, a WHIP of 1.11, and a 10.18 K/9, with his best ERA since splitting time in 2014 as a reliever and starter coming in at 2.91 in the covid-19 shortened 2020 season. Although only starting one postseason game each year he was in the rotation in Cleveland and they made the playoffs, he has been solid then as well. In three career postseason games, he has gone past the five inning mark twice, while also having given up two runs or fewer twice. While the experience is not much, experience is experience when pitching in a postseason atmosphere, which is an expectation I’m sure Carrasco has after seeing how aggressive Steve Cohen has been this offseason in trying to improve an already solid Mets team. Carrasco also does not have to go over to New York and be the immediate ace of the starting staff. Realistically Carrasco will slide in around the three spot in the rotation, behind Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman and in front of Steven Matz and David Peterson( and Noah Syndergaard when he returns from injury). His role will not change much from what it was previously in Cleveland, and any statistics produced by Carrasco that are better than expected will be a sight for sore eyes in Queens. With Carrasco being under contract through 2023, Mets fans should get used to seeing Cookie do his thing on the mound in the Big Apple 25-30 times a year.

Now, for Mr. Smile. It is pretty close to a guarantee that if you are a fan of Major League Baseball, no matter how young or old, you know who Francisco Lindor is. A stud prospect who budded into an absolute superstar before our eyes in Cleveland, there was nothing not to like about the shortstop. From his abilities on the field, to his clutch postseason moments, to his all star game red carpet outfits, hair included, and to his contagious smile( where the nickname came from), we have watched Frankie Lindor grow up since his first game as a member of the tribe. Suddenly, after the trade to the Mets, it seems as if his entire career has culminated to this point for the purpose of being the face of New York baseball, alongside cross town rival superstar Aaron Judge, in a similar way that David Wright and Derek Jeter were the faces of New York baseball earlier in the 2000s, with the ultimate goal of winning at least the 2021 World Series in Queens. Obviously Mets’ fans would love to see Steve Cohen open the bank on an extension for Lindor before he even plays a game for the orange and blue, (which I’m sure is a work and progress), with this most likely giving New York multiple chances at multiple world championships for years to come and make Lindor a monumental face in New York sports. However with the aftermath of the trade still in the premature stages, it may be too soon to spin the tires on the potential of this hopeful reality. For now, Mets fans will have to settle for the one season of Lindor and hope Cohen sticks to his word of backing up truck to get Lindor to stay in New York long term. And hey, a World Series title in his first year in Queens could go a long way in convincing Lindor that New York is the place for him.

Now looking at the trade purely from a numbers standpoint, there aren’t many shortstops in the game today that are even comparable to Lindor. He is a perennial MVP candidate, and quite honestly one of the best all around players in the sport. Since his first full season with the tribe in 2015, excluding the shortened 2020 season, Lindor has averaged 26 home runs, a .290 batting average, a .839 OPS, 19 stolen bases, and 77 RBI. These numbers are right around or well above the best shortstops in the game, and even the best overall players when they are put together into a singular player profile. Aside from the offensive numbers, Lindor also offers an immense upgrade when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. Amed Rosario and Andres Giminez were the primary shortstops for the Mets in 2020. At the shortstop position, they combined for a .984 fielding percentage compared to a .995 fielding percentage from Lindor, -2 defensive runs saved compared to Lindor’s +2 defensive runs saved, and the projected numbers for defensive runs saved in a full season would have been even farther apart, with Rosario/Giminez at -4 and Lindor being projected at +5. Although their fielding percentages aren’t that far apart, Lindor is still ahead, and having positive defensive runs saved numbers compared to negative are a significant upgrade. With the upcoming 162-game suspension of veteran second baseman Robinson Cano being announced earlier this offseason, it is expected that Jeff McNeil will take over the majority of the second base duties for the Mets this year. With the defensive versatility from McNeil replacing the declining defense of Cano, this should only improve both the defense from Lindor and the entire Mets ballclub. Professionals say the key to successful team defense starts directly up the middle, and one way or another New York improved theirs with the signing of James McCann behind the plate, the trade to acquire Francisco Lindor to play shortstop, the subsequent movement of Jeff McNeil to second base due to the Cano suspension, and the return of Brandon Nimmo to play centerfield after a season mired by injuries.

Lindor will automatically become a leader in the Mets clubhouse. His performance on the field speaks for itself. As a native of Puerto Rico, with the ability to speak both Spanish and English, he will have the unique opportunity to communicate with teammates and coaches differently than other players may get the chance to. His charismatic attitude towards wanting to be the best player, teammate, and World Series champion he can be will get pushed onto his teammates. And don’t be surprised if you see every player, coach, executive, and fan involved with the Mets gallivanting around Queens with a smile similar to that for which Francisco Lindor walks around with on a daily basis. This move is a monumental trade in the history of the Metropolitans organization, and will become even more so if Steve Cohen is able to convince Lindor that Queens is the right place for him to spend the rest of his baseball playing career. Speaking on behalf of Mets fans all around the world, they most certainly want this trade to go down in history as the acquisitions of Mike Piazza, Johan Santana, Kieth Hernandez, and Gary Carter did, with the latter two being key pieces of the Mets World Series victory over the Boston Red Sox in seven games in 1986. If Carlos Carassco pitches even slightly below his average performance over the last six seasons, and Francisco Lindor is simply Francisco Lindor, the Mets will be a scary team to face. And who knows? With Steve Cohen and the Mets still reportedly being involved in contract talks with free agent outfielder George Springer, they may not be finished making moves this winter. There’s a new King in Queens in 2021. Some know him as Francisco Lindor, others as Frankie Lindor. His fanbase will know him as the King who brought smiles to the people of Queens again.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE