Nearly two months ago I posted my original big board of the Top 32 prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft. A few things have changed since then, and I have opened the list up to my Top 50 prospects. Just like the past few years this draft class is loaded with talented players that could be called Day 1.
50-41
50. Najee Harris, Alabama, Running Back
Even with the running back position becoming less emphasized I know plenty of teams that could use Najee Harris on the roster. A 6’2, 230-pound running back is a pain for ant defense to deal with, especially when he runs like Harris. He simply looks like a Clydesdale when running in open space.
49. Cameron McGrone, Linebacker, Michigan
48. Cade Mays, Offensive Line, Tennessee
47. Jaelan Phillips, Edge, Miami (FL)
46. Chris Olave, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
45. Xavier Thomas, Defensive End, Clemson
44. Mac Jones, Quarterback, Alabama
43. Rashawn Slater, Offensive Lineman, Northwestern
Slater is a nasty, physical offensive lineman that has all the tools in the world to play offensive guard in the NFL. Currently he is playing left tackle for Northwestern, but might not have the athletic tools to move up to the NFL at the position. With that being said he has played on both sides of the offensive line giving him the ability to play almost every position available.
42. Christian Barmore, Defensive Tackle, Alabama
41. Baron Browning, Linebacker, Ohio State
40-31
40. Chuba Hubbard, Running Back, Oklahoma State
39. Walker Little, Offensive Tackle, Stanford
38. Pat Freiermuth, Tight End, Penn State
37. Quincy Roche, Edge, Miami (FL)
36. Rondale Moore, Wide Receiver, Purdue
35. Jevon Holland, Safety, Oregon
34. Patrick Jones, Defensive End, Pittsburgh
33. Brevin Jordan, Tight End, Miami (FL)
32. Sam Cosmi, Offensive Line, Texas
31. Jaylen Waddle, Wide Receiver, Alabama
Sadly early in the season Jaylen Waddle went down with a nasty sprain and fractured ankle. He could return possibly if the Crimson Tide make it to a National Championship game, and should be good to go for NFL Draft work. Until though he is taking a rather big drop on my big board. At the end of the day I will take the guy who doesn’t have an injury over the slightly more talented injured prospect.
30-21
30. Zach Wilson, Quarterback, BYU
Zach Wilson is the last of the quarterbacks I would consider taking in the first round. I went to watch him play against Boise State this year and he has tons of potential. Wilson can throw extremely tight and accurate short to intermediate passes.
I did notice he held onto the ball too long, and could definitely work on his pocket presence before getting to the NFL. Zach Wilson and Trey Lance are in the same boat. They definitely need to take the route of sitting behind someone for at least a few games before taking over the offense.
29. Chazz Surratt, Linebacker, North Carolina
28. Creed Humphrey, Center, Oklahoma
27. Trey Lance, Quarterback, North Dakota State
Without being able to watch Trey Lance play this year, it will be hard for him to maintain his placement on NFL Draft Big Boards. We have seen quarterbacks like Zach Wilson and Kyle Trask emerge as legit starting NFL quarterbacks, making things a little more foggy for Lance.
26. Elijah Molden, Cornerback, Washington
This cornerback group is about as neck and neck as you can find. Molden doesn’t have the size that Farley or Surtain carry but he could still be the most physical of the group. The versatility he offers as a defensive back should be viewed as a plus. He can play on the outside, inside or even play some safety for you too. Each year we see more and more skilled receivers flood into the NFL, and that means teams are going to need to match that skill with talented cornerbacks. I think teams in the mid to late first round would love to have Elijah Molden added to their roster.
25. Travis Etienne Jr, Running Back, Clemson
24. Trey Smith, Offensive Lineman, Tennessee
23. Carlos Basham Jr., Defensive Lineman, Wake Forest
22. Marvin Wilson, Defensive Tackle, Florida State
21. DeVonta Smith, Wide Receiver, Alabama
20-11
20. Ja’Quan Bailey, Edge, Iowa State
19. Dylan Moses, Linebacker, Alabama
18. Kyle Trask, Quarterback, Florida
Welcome our newest first round quarterback, Kyle Trask. Currently I have Trask as the Heisman front runner, and one of the biggest risers of the season. He just passed Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovoila for most touchdown passes in the first six games of a season for an SEC quarterback (28). His 6’5, 240-pound frame is NFL ready, and showed the “Burrow-esque” ability to soak in an offense over an offseason.
17. Trevon Moehrig, Safety, Texas Christian
16. Alex Leatherwood, Offensive Tackle, Alabama
15. Shaun Wade, Cornerback, Ohio State
14. Jaylen Twyman, Defensive Tackle, Pittsburgh
13. Patrick Surtain II, Cornerback, Alabama
12. Rashod Bateman, Wide Receiver, Minnesota
11. Christian Darrisaw, Offensive Tackle, Virginia Tech
Pro Football Focus tweeted out its list of the highest graded Power 5 offensive tackles since 2014 on Friday. Darrisaw currently is tied for No. 1 with Penei Sewell; a tackle who is regarded by some as a generational talent. This year the Hokies have had a good season, and Christian Darrisaw’s dominant play makes it easy to see why. He gets to the second level and creates massive running lanes for the ball carrier to do their thing.
Top 10
10. Jaycee Horn, Cornerback, South Carolina
9. Wyatt Davis, Offensive Guard, Ohio State
8. Kyle Pitts, Tight End, Florida
A tight end in the top 10? You are reading that correctly. Kyle Pitts has completely dominated his competition this season and might be the biggest mismatch in college football. He currently has 24 receptions for 414 yards and eight touchdowns across just five games. Pitts is one of the most skilled receiving tight end prospects in recent memory. So much so that there are rumbles of him re-classifying as a receiver for contractual reasons.
7. Caleb Farley, Cornerback, Virginia Tech
6. Gregory Rousseau, Defensive Lineman, Miami (FL)
5. Micah Parsons, Linebacker, Penn State
4. Ja’Marr Chase, Wide Receiver, LSU
3. Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback, Clemson
2. Justin Fields, Quarterback, Ohio State
I guess it is time to address the elephant in the quarterback room; Justin Fields as my QB1. Luckily people have discussed this more and more as the season goes along, making it not as crazy to list. When you are picking between two guys as talented as Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence, you got to be picky. Fields turns the ball over less, and I personally believe follows the evolution of the modern NFL quarterback more. His ability to accurately throw the ball outside the pocket reminds of Wilson or Kyler Murray.
1. Penei Sewell, Offensive Tackle, Oregon
