Todd McShay 2021 NFL Mock Draft: Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson Top QB Selections

With the top 18 picks in the 2021 NFL draft officially set, ESPN's Todd McShay has released a new mock draft. 

The very top of the draft, as expected, features Trevor Lawrence going No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

McShay does deviate against conventional wisdom at No. 2, with the New York Jets taking Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell. The rest of the top five includes the Miami Dolphins taking 2020 Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, quarterback Zach Wilson going to the Atlanta Falcons and offensive tackle Rashawn Slater landing with the Cincinnati Bengals. 

The two biggest surprises in that group are Sewell and Wilson. Both players are expected to go very high in the first round, but McShay doesn't follow the conventional wisdom of where they will end up. 

Sam Darnold has never really been put in a position to succeed as a member of the Jets, but with a new head coach coming in and his rookie contract having just one more guaranteed year remaining, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them take a quarterback second overall. 

McShay even threw out the possibility that trading down could be in New York's best interest: 

"General manager Joe Douglas has a lot of decisions to make ahead of free agency and the draft, not the least of which is what to do at quarterback. The Jets' pair of late-season victories made it an even more difficult call. BYU's Zach Wilson or Ohio State's Justin Fields could be in play, as could a trade back to stockpile more picks. Moving down would really be the ideal move."  

Falcons owner Arthur Blank opened the door to the team having a new quarterback on Tuesday. He told reporters he won't stop the incoming head coach and general manager from moving on from Matt Ryan if it's in the franchise's best long-term interest.

Wilson had a breakout season at BYU. He finished second in FBS with a 73.5 completion percentage, third with 3,692 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. 

Outside of the top five, the most interesting pick in McShay's mock is Justin Fields to the New England Patriots at No. 15 overall. The Ohio State star seemed to dispel any of the concerns about his late-season performance with a dominant game showing against Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal. 

McShay did note there is "very little chance" that Fields actually falls to 15, but his mock doesn't project for trades. 

Fields looked lost at times in the three games before the Clemson matchup. He went 47-of-81 (58 percent) for 613 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions combined against Indiana, Michigan State and Northwestern. 

Against Clemson, Fields went 22-of-28 for 385 yards with six touchdowns and one interception in Ohio State's 49-28 win. 

Trey Lance (No. 19 to the Washington Football Team) and Mac Jones (No. 21 to the Indianapolis Colts) round out the five quarterbacks McShay projects to go in the first round. 

The last draft to have five quarterbacks taken in the first round was 1999. Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith were the first three picks overall. Daunte Culpepper and Cade McNown followed at No. 11 and 12, respectively.