2021 NFL Draft: List of Top Prospects, Sleepers and Final 1st-Round Mocks

After months of anticipation, projections and predictions, the 2021 NFL draft has arrived. A wave of fresh talent will be entering the league during the first round Thursday night.

By this point, most football fans know what names to expect to hear called early in the draft. It's highly unlikely that any player other than Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is the first one taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars to kick off draft night.

But there are always trades and surprises during the NFL draft, especially during the opening round. There won't be anybody who correctly predicts each of the first 32 selections. And some sleeper prospects will emerge during the latter half of the round.

Here's a final first-round mock draft, followed by a look at some of the top prospects and sleepers who could be drafted Thursday night.

1st-Round Mock Draft

Steve Luciano/Associated Press

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

2. New York Jets: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

3. San Francisco 49ers: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

4. Atlanta Falcons: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

5. Cincinnati Bengals: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

6. Miami Dolphins: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama

7. Detroit Lions: Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU

8. Carolina Panthers: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

9. Denver Broncos: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

10. Dallas Cowboys: Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern

11. New York Giants: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

12. Philadelphia Eagles: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

13. Los Angeles Chargers: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

14. Minnesota Vikings: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC

15. New England Patriots: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

16. Arizona Cardinals: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

17. Las Vegas Raiders: Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU

18. Miami Dolphins: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

19. Washington Football Team: Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State

20. Chicago Bears: Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida

21. Indianapolis Colts: Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan

22. Tennessee Titans: Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern

23. New York Jets: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

25. Jacksonville Jaguars: Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame

26. Cleveland Browns: Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami

27. Baltimore Ravens: Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU

28. New Orleans Saints: Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss

29. Green Bay Packers: Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia

30. Buffalo Bills: Jayson Oweh, DE, Penn State

31. Baltimore Ravens: Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama

Lawrence, Top QBs Headline This Year's Class

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

The Jaguars are about to get their new franchise quarterback in Lawrence, who has long been expected to be the first player taken in the 2021 NFL draft. But the former Clemson star isn't the only signal-caller who's likely to bring excitement to the league as a rookie this year.

The New York Jets will likely take BYU's Zach Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick, and the San Francisco 49ers should take a quarterback with the No. 3 selection (most likely Alabama's Mac Jones).

North Dakota State's Trey Lance and Ohio State's Justin Fields are potential top-10 picks too. But it's possible they could go to teams that aren't slated to be picking that early and will be looking to trade up once the draft gets underway.

The quarterback class is headlined by Lawrence, though. As ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. recently noted, Lawrence "can be a superstar."

Rousseau Could Still Live Up to Initial Hype

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

At one point, defensive end Gregory Rousseau was expected to be selected during the first half of the opening round. Now, many mocks show him falling deep into the second half, if not into the second round. For teams in those positions, they may be getting a sleeper prospect in the Miami product.

In 2019, Rousseau had a breakout showing for the Hurricanes, as he compiled 54 tackles, 15.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 13 games, while also earning first-team All-ACC honors. Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season, though, so he hasn't played in a competitive game in more than a year.

"Such a tough evaluation," one NFL general manager told Peter King of NBC Sports. "But I can’t unsee what I saw in 2019. He was a man that year."

Rousseau is a boom-or-bust prospect. He might not be able to recapture his pre-pandemic form. However, there's also a chance he does. And if that is the case, one team is going to be getting a steal Thursday or Friday.

Barmore May Be Defensive Sleeper Late in 1st Round

Matthew Hinton/Associated Press

Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore had an impressive showing in the final game of his college career. As the Crimson Tide rolled Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship in January, Barmore had five tackles (two for a loss) and one sack while being a force on the defensive line.

It was the culmination of a big year for Barmore, who built off his solid debut season at Alabama by recording 37 tackles, eight sacks and three forced fumbles as a redshirt sophomore. The 6'5", 310-pound lineman has the potential to produce similar results in the NFL.

However, Barmore likely won't hear his name called early Thursday night, and it's also possible he won't hear it until Friday. Many mock-drafters are projecting him to get picked late in the opening round. One potential fit could be with the Super Bowl-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who own the 32nd and final selection on Thursday.

"Barmore's explosive first step, violent hands and upper-body power are the ingredients of a three-down defender with the versatility to play a number of positions in an even or odd front as an impactful rookie starter," NFL Media's Lance Zierlein wrote in a scouting report.

Because of that, wherever Barmore ends up going to start his professional career, he could quickly make an impact for a team's defensive line—and do so in a big way.