2021 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Nation's Elite Prospects

Once Trevor Lawrence finishes his Clemson Tigers career, he should begin researching places to live in the Jacksonville metro area. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars are locked into the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Lawrence has been viewed as the reward for having the league's worst record all season long. 

Jacksonville's record can still be matched by the New York Jets, but the Jags will earn the top pick regardless of what happens in Week 17 because of their strength of schedule.

The Jets are guaranteed to pick second after a handful of victories by some of the worst franchises in the NFL over the last few weeks. 

After Jacksonville and New York, there are four teams with four wins, four 5-10 teams and five squads sitting at 6-9. 

2021 1st-Round Mock Draft

Brian Blanco/Associated Press

1. Jacksonville: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

2. New York Jets: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

3. Miami (from Houston): Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU 

4. Atlanta: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

5. Cincinnati: Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami

6. Philadelphia: Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama

7. Detroit: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

8. New York Giants: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

9. Carolina: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern

10. Denver: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

11. Dallas: Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan

12. Los Angeles Chargers: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

13. Minnesota: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

14. New England: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

15. San Francisco: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

16. Las Vegas: Wyatt Davis, OL, Ohio State

17. Arizona: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

18. Indianapolis: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

19. Washington: Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas

20. Chicago: Joseph Ossai, LB, Texas

21. Jacksonville (from LA Rams): Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

22. Cleveland: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

23. Miami: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama

24. Baltimore: Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State

25. Tennessee: Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama

26. Tampa Bay: Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State

27. New York Jets (from Seattle): Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan

28. Pittsburgh: Creed Humphrey, OL, Oklahoma

29. New Orleans: Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa

30. Buffalo: Azeez Ojulari, LB, Georgia

31. Green Bay: Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame

32. Kansas City: Jayson Oweh, DE, Penn State

Latest draft order via Tankathon.com.

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

Brian Blanco/Associated Press

Fans of struggling franchises have fawned over Lawrence's NFL potential for years.

The Clemson junior is viewed as one of the most complete quarterback prospects of the last decade and has been locked into the No. 1 overall pick by many since September. 

Lawrence has at least one more game left in college to impress the Jacksonville front office. He could play again if Clemson beats the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl. 

He started his career with back-to-back 3,000-yard seasons and should hit that mark as a junior if he plays twice in the next two weeks. 

Jacksonville's quarterback situation has been a mess all season with head Doug Marrone alternating between Mike Glennon, Gardner Minshew II and Jake Luton. 

With a new general manager and potentially a new head coach coming in, Jacksonville needs a fresh start at the position.

Lawrence is the perfect prospect to start a rebuild with, and a move to northern Florida may be more beneficial to his development than dealing with the outside pressure of playing in the New York market. 

The Jaguars will not contend for AFC South titles right away, but Lawrence should put them in that direction if he lives up to the hype.

Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

The Jets have two clear paths they can choose from in the offseason.

One is to get rid of Sam Darnold and Adam Gase and start a new offensive rebuild with another quarterback-head coach combination.

The other is to keep Darnold no matter who the head coach is and draft more protection for him in the form of Oregon Ducks offensive tackle Penei Sewell. 

Drafting Sewell would not be the popular move in the New York market, but it could be a sensible one to shore up the offensive line for a decade with him and Mekhi Becton. 

Sewell is one of the handful of top-tier prospects who opted out of the collegiate season, so front offices will have to evaluate the tape from his first two seasons at Oregon. 

If Gase gets fired and the new head coach sees enough in Darnold to give him another shot at the starting job, Sewell and LSU Tigers wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase would be the best options at No. 2. 

In that scenario, the Jets would give Darnold one more year to prove himself in a new system, but there may not be enough patience for that inside the organization given how poorly the team performed in 2020. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.