NFL Draft 2021: Trey Lance, Top Challengers to Trevor Lawrence for No. 1 Pick

The 2021 NFL draft is expected to be loaded with top-end talent. While Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is widely tipped to be at the top of the draft class, there is no guarantee that he'll still be the No. 1 prospect by next April.

A year ago, Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa seemed like the clear-cut No. 1 draft choice, but that's not where he finished. While an injury played a role in Tagovailoa's fall, LSU's Joe Burrow may have still claimed the No. 1 slot had Tagovailoa been healthy.

Similarly, it might not require an injury or struggles from Lawrence for another prospect to claim the No. 1 spot in next year's draft. Here, you'll find some prospects who could potentially steal that honor away from him—along with the teams that might take them.

First, though, a look at what Round 1 might look like if Lawrence doesn't get the nod at No. 1. The draft order is determined by the latest Super Bowl odds from Caesars Palace in reverse order (coin flips used to settle ties).

2021 NFL Mock Draft

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (250-1 odds): Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

2. Washington (150-1): Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

3. Carolina Panthers (125-1): Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

4. Miami Dolphins (100-1): Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU

5. Cincinnati Bengals (100-1): Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami

6. New York Jets (100-1): Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama 

7. Arizona Cardinals (60-1): Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State

8. Detroit Lions (60-1): Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

9. Atlanta Falcons (60-1): Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas 

10. Miami Dolphins [from Houston] (55-1): Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

11. Denver Broncos (50-1): Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama

12. Chicago Bears (50-1): Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

13. New York Giants (50-1): Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State

14. Los Angeles Chargers (45-1): Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama

15. Cleveland Browns (35-1): Tyler Shelvin, DL, LSU

16. Tennessee Titans (30-1): Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

17. Las Vegas Raiders (30-1): Richard LeCounte, S, Georgia

18. Jacksonville Jaguars [from Rams] (30-1): Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama

19. Minnesota Vikings (28-1): Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford

20. Indianapolis Colts (25-1): JaCoby Stevens, S, LSU

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (25-1): Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

22. Buffalo Bills (25-1): Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia

23. New England Patriots (20-1): Jay Tufele, DT, USC

24. Philadelphia Eagles (20-1): LaBryan Ray, DL, Alabama

25. Green Bay Packers (16-1): Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU

26. Dallas Cowboys (13-1): Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State

27. New Orleans Saints (13-1): Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia

28. Seattle Seahawks (12-1): Wyatt Davis, OL, Ohio State

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-1): Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State

30. San Francisco 49ers (15-2): Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame

31. Baltimore Ravens (7-1): Creed Humphrey, IOL, Oklahoma

32. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1): Caden Sterns, S, Texas

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

If the Jacksonville Jaguars end up with the No. 1 pick, it will likely mean that quarterback Gardner Minshew II hasn't panned out as a franchise quarterback. If so, Jacksonville will probably be looking at a signal-caller at No. 1.

However, Lawrence might not be the pick. Some draft experts, including NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah, believe that North Dakota State's Trey Lance is a superior quarterback prospect. While Lance had some eye-popping numbers in 2019—2,786 passing yards, 1,100 rushing yards, 42 total touchdowns, zero interceptions—it goes beyond the numbers for Jeremiah.

Jeremiah said the following on the Ryen Russillo Podcast:

"There's a maturity to the way he plays the game. He takes the layups that are there. He's selectively aggressive ... when he gets his shots he takes them. When I saw the no turnovers, I was like, 'maybe this guy is just a check-down Charlie,' but no—he fits balls in tight windows. He can drive the football."

Given the rise of dual-threat quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson in the NFL, another special season from Lance could indeed make him the most attractive quarterback option in 2021.

3. Carolina Panthers: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

Ron Jenkins/Associated Press

So, what happens if a team that already has a franchise quarterback—or believes that it does—winds up picking first overall? This is a scenario Luke Easterling of Draft Wire recently examined. Easterling had Washington taking Oregon's Penei Sewell with the top pick in a recent mock draft.

Sewell would make some sense for Washington if the team is sold on Dwayne Haskins as its quarterback of the future. He might make even more sense for the Carolina Panthers should they end up with the top pick but get good results from journeyman quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Carolina inked Bridgewater to a three-year, $3 million deal this offseason. If he shows flashes of being the same guy he was in 2019—he went 5-0 as a starter with the New Orleans Saints—the Panthers could look to add a long-term anchor at left tackle to protect him.

Sewell is arguably one of the best tackle prospects we've seen in recent years. Jeremiah recently compared him to Pro Bowler Taylor Lewan in a piece for NFL.com.

"Lewan has proven to be one of the league's best offensive tackles when he's dialed in and focused, making the Pro Bowl in three of his six seasons. I see the same potential for Sewell," Jeremiah wrote.

Sewell would also be a logical pick if a team who just drafted a quarterback early, like the Cincinnati Bengals or Miami Dolphins, land the top pick.

8. Detroit Lions: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

In this mock, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is the third quarterback off the board. However, he is a candidate to outperform Lawrence in 2020 and to take the No. 1 spot away from him. This past season, Fields had an impressive campaign with 3,273 yards passing, 484 yards rushing, 51 total touchdowns and three interceptions.

As is the case with Lance, ball-security and scoring production are big selling points with Fields. A Burrow-like season could put him ahead of Lawrence on many draft boards.

Fields—and other quarterbacks, for that matter—could be a target for the Detroit Lions, should they claim the top pick next April. While Detroit has a tremendous quarterback in Matthew Stafford, he is coming off an injury-plagued season and has already been the subject of trade speculation.

Stafford played just eight games in 2019. NFL Network's Michael Silver reported back in February that some believe that Stafford would like to be dealt:

If Stafford forces his way out of Detroit, battles injuries once again or simply commands too much trade attention to ignore, Detroit could make a quarterback its first selection in 2020.