Mac Jones, Trey Lance, DeVonta Smith Among Players to Accept 2021 NFL Draft Invites

With the NFL holding an in-person draft this year, some of the top prospects have accepted an invitation to attend the event in Cleveland. 

Per the NFL communications department, Alabama teammates Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith and North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance are among the first group of players to accept the league's invite:

Each of the 10 players who has accepted a draft invite are expected to be selected in the first round. 

Either Jones or Lance could end up being the first player from the group off the board. The Crimson Tide quarterback has frequently been connected to the San Francisco 49ers at No. 3 overall. 

Lance is a bit of a wild card simply because he only played one game last season before the Bison postponed their football schedule until the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He's been mentioned as a possible option for the 49ers, but NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah had him going No. 4 to the Atlanta Falcons in his most recent mock draft. 

Smith and LSU's Ja'Marr Chase, who will also be at the draft, will most likely be the top two wide receivers off the board in some order. The Cincinnati Bengals (No. 5 pick) and Miami Dolphins (No. 6) both have a need at the position. 

As of right now, Alabama will have the most representatives at the draft. Jones, Smith, cornerback Patrick Surtain II and defensive lineman Christian Barmore will all be in Cleveland. 

The 2021 NFL draft will take place from April 29-May 1 from various locations in downtown Cleveland, including FirstEnergy Stadium, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center.