2021 NFL Draft: Immediate Do-Overs We Would Love to See
We'll forgive you if Aaron Rodgers rumors threw a wrench into your draft night. But the show had to go on!
Thirty-two players heard their names called as first-round selections in the 2021 NFL draft Thursday night. There was no shortage of pre-draft buzz, nor a lack of excitement on Day 1 of the three-day event.
Things went as expected as Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the first two picks—Trevor Lawrence to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Zach Wilson to the New York Jets. After that, however, there was plenty of drama.
Here are some immediate draft do-overs we would like to see. Some of these choices will be based on prioritizing certain needs over others, while others are about a possible failure to move up or down the draft board so as to maximize value.
Carolina Panthers: Help Your New Quarterback
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There seemed to be at least a strong rationale for each of the first seven picks in the NFL draft. But the Carolina Panthers pulled off a head-scratcher at No. 8.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Carolina had conversations about trading back and about moving up. Instead, the Panthers stayed put and drafted South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn, the first defensive player selected.
Listen, this is no disrespect to Horn. He is one of the best cornerbacks in the class. The former Gamecocks star excels in man coverage and makes good breaks on the football. Horn could be an excellent asset at outside corner opposite Donte Jackson.
But the Panthers, since they didn't take a quarterback, appear to be making at least some sort of commitment to new signal-caller Sam Darnold. Why not, then, be aggressive in giving him protection and bolstering the offensive line?
Maybe the Panthers had Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell in mind before the Detroit Lions took him at No. 7. But Carolina still could have gotten an elite offensive lineman in Northwestern standout Rashawn Slater.
Slater, like Sewell, opted out of the 2020 season. But he was terrific for the Wildcats as a guy who could play all along the offensive line. Carolina signed right tackle Taylor Moton to the franchise tender. Slater could have played left tackle, or perhaps filled one of the guard spots.
The Panthers absolutely have defensive needs. However, protecting the quarterback feels more important with Darnold taking over under center, especially given his struggles with lackluster O-line units in New York.
Denver Broncos: Take Justin Fields
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I know, I know. The Denver Broncos just added another quarterback through their acquisition of former Panthers signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater. Yet, adding another top quarterback still made sense for Denver.
The third year of Bridgewater's deal with the Panthers was voided when he was traded to the Broncos, per Spotrac. He would not appear to be the long-term answer.
General manager George Paton said the team is still "really high" on incumbent starter Drew Lock (h/t Nick Shook of NFL.com). But Lock has a long way to go in terms of decision-making with the football and efficiency in the pocket. He might not be the answer, either.
Why not take Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields?
The Buckeyes star was efficient at Ohio State (70.2 completion rate in 2020) and has an excellent deep ball. He would have been incredibly intriguing in an offense with receivers Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick taking the top off as well as tight end Noah Fant commanding the seams. Plus, Fields would be able to work through reads with Jerry Jeudy exhibiting brilliant route-running and K.J. Hamler capable of making plays in the slot.
Not to mention, Fields is incredibly mobile. He ran a 4.44 40-yard dash and can get downhill when he takes off. He might have been invaluable as a guy who extends plays and allows his receivers to create space.
Patrick Surtain II is an NFL-ready cornerback. But Denver added depth there by signing Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller. It would have been exciting to see the Broncos roll with Fields.
Dallas Cowboys: Trade Further Back
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The Dallas Cowboys were hungry for a cornerback on Thursday night. They then watched Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II go in consecutive picks before they were on the clock.
This seemingly created a dilemma for the Cowboys. Dallas needed defensive playmakers, especially up front. It also could have gone offensive line. Or, Jerry Jones and Co. could just as easily have decided to trade back.
The Cowboys opted for the latter, trading back two spots to No. 12 and ultimately taking Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
On the one hand, Parsons almost certainly would not have been on the board had the Cowboys decided to move farther down. Jones also went with his usual credo of taking the guy his draft room deems the best available.
However, was linebacker a more pressing need than adding to the defensive line or beefing up their offensive line?
The Cowboys played it safe with the first trade back. They might have missed a chance to get a massive haul of picks from the Chicago Bears, who instead swapped with the New York Giants to take Justin Fields at No. 11.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Chicago gave up the No. 20 pick in addition to a fifth-rounder in this year's draft. The Bears also sent the Giants a first- and forth-round pick in 2022.
Perhaps Dallas should have negotiated that kind of deal, moving closer to the 20th spot and either taking one of the top edge rushers or an interior lineman like Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore.
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Arizona Cardinals: Stockpile Draft Picks
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The Arizona Cardinals were one of the teams somewhat lacking in draft capital entering the first round.
Arizona has just six total picks in the draft. The Cardinals do not have third- or fourth-round selections. They have just one pick in the sixth and seventh rounds.
Thursday night offered general manager Steve Keim an opportunity to trade back in an effort to accumulate more picks. Like the Cowboys, Arizona’s top need appeared to be at the cornerback position, but the top two guys—Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II—were both long gone by the time Arizona was on the clock.
Keim could have been aggressive in seeking trade partners to move out of the 16th pick. Instead, the Cardinals chose to stay put and take Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins.
Now, Collins should be an interesting piece for Arizona's defense. He is an athletic 'backer who can get into the backfield or drop into coverage. Collins had four interceptions last season in addition to 4.0 sacks and 7.4 tackles for a loss.
The Golden Hurricanes standout gives the Cardinals even more versatility after they spent last year's first-round pick on Isaiah Simmons. He also figures to be an interesting replacement (of sorts) for Haason Reddick.
Still, it feels like Collins might still have been available had the Cardinals moved back. If not, they could have pivoted to Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Either way, the Cardinals would have benefited from adding draft capital.
Las Vegas Raiders: Leatherwood over Darrisaw?
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The Las Vegas Raiders came into the draft with a very clear need for upgrades on the offensive line.
Las Vegas' O-line is a project after all the offseason moves. The Raiders traded 2019 Pro Bowl right tackle Trent Brown to the New England Patriots. They also sent multiple-time Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson to the Cardinals.
It shouldn't have been a surprise when the Raiders selected an offensive lineman Thursday night. Yet, general manager Mike Mayock and Co. certainly did have a surprise in store when they drafted Alabama offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood.
Leatherwood very well might have been available in Round 2. He was Mel Kiper Jr.'s No. 62 prospect heading into the draft. He was Kiper's 10th-ranked tackle.
Granted, Mel doesn’t know everything. Leatherwood gained plenty of experience at Alabama. He was the 2020 Outland Trophy winner as the most outstanding interior offensive lineman. The track record is indicative of a guy who can come in and compete at a high level.
However, Leatherwood spent most of his time in Tuscaloosa as the left tackle. He figures to move to offensive guard in Las Vegas. But the Raiders just as easily could have filled their own hole at right tackle by taking Virginia Tech right tackle Christian Darrisaw.
The Hokies standout was terrific in 2020. He did not allow a single sack, posting a 95.6 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus. That grade was the highest from a Power Five offensive tackle since 2014, per Andrew Erickson of PFF.
It seems questionable for the Raiders to take Leatherwood over Darrisaw, especially given Leatherwood may well have been available on Day 2.
New York Giants: Prioritize Offensive Line over Wide Receiver
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The New York Giants appeared to be a destination for Alabama wide receiver and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith at No. 11. However, the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles jumped the Giants and drafted Smith instead.
It seemed New York, after moving down nine spots, might pivot away from wide receiver and address a need at offensive tackle with a number of top options still available. Instead, the Giants still went with a pass-catcher, selecting Florida's Kadarius Toney.
Toney gives Giants quarterback Daniel Jones yet another weapon after New York signed Kenny Golladay in free agency. Toney had 70 receptions for 984 yards in 2020, notching 14.1 yards per reception and hauling in 10 touchdowns. He can take the top off with his speed and also make an impact in the return game.
That said, wide receiver is a pretty deep position once again this year. The Giants probably could have nabbed one of the better pass-catchers in the class with the No. 42 pick. Alternatively, New York would not have the chance to take the best remaining offensive lineman in Darrisaw, who went 23rd to the Minnesota Vikings.
Now, veteran tackle Nate Solder will be back. The Giants also appear to have a lot of faith in 2020 first-rounder Andrew Thomas. But would it have hurt to take someone like Darrisaw?
Thomas might not be the answer at left tackle. Yes, he's still very young. There's time to grow. But he allowed 10 sacks in 2020 and had a 62.4 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus.
Darrisaw could have provided competition for Thomas, allowing Solder to move to his more natural left tackle spot and ultimately giving Jones the best protection possible.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Go Defense at No. 25
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The Jacksonville Jaguars' first pick was a no-brainer. They made the obvious choice by selecting Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Jacksonville's second selection, however, came as a bit of a surprise. It decided to take Lawrence's teammate, running back Travis Etienne.
The Tigers star running back is an absolute burner who can break off big runs at the drop of a hat. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry in four seasons at Clemson. Etienne is also capable of making an impact as a pass-catcher, averaging at least 11.7 yards per reception in each of the past two seasons.
Etienne should provide a nice change of pace to James Robinson. But was backfield depth really a pressing need for Jacksonville?
The Jaguars had the second-worst scoring defense in the NFL last season. That unit also ranked 31st in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), per Football Outsiders.
This team desperately needed playmakers at basically any level of the defense. Multiple top defensive prospects were still available, including Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Christian Barmore and TCU safety Trevon Moehrig.
Perhaps new head coach Urban Meyer wants to see what he has with some of the current guys on defense. The Jaguars figure to add more on that side of the ball before the draft ends Saturday. But Jacksonville might have been better off getting a top defender in Round 1.
Buffalo Bills: Address the Running Game
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The Buffalo Bills definitely needed some pass rushers. Gregory Rousseau would seem to fill that void.
With 15.5 sacks, Rousseau was second only to Chase Young in 2019. But the tape appears to show a guy who got his numbers cleaning up and taking down quarterbacks who held the ball too long. Plus, Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season and subsequently had an uninspiring pro day.
The former Miami Hurricanes star could eventually help the Bills, possibly moving inside with his size. But he might be more of a project, which is not the most impactful move for a team hungry to contend for a Super Bowl right now.
Given some of the more talented and projectable pass rushers were already off the board at No. 30, Buffalo might have used its pick to improve the rushing attack.
The Bills ranked 20th in both rushing yards and yards per carry in 2020. Neither Devin Singletary nor Zack Moss was overly impressive. Even though Najee Harris and Travis Etienne were both off the board at this stage, North Carolina back Javonte Wiliams was still available.
Ian Rapoport noted some teams regarded Williams as the best RB prospect. He rushed for 1,140 yards on 7.3 yards per carry and also showed growth as a guy who could make plays in the passing game.
Josh Allen fell flat in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs in part because Buffalo failed to establish the ground game. The Bills likely would prefer to take some of the onus off him going forward.
Taking running backs in the first round can be hit or miss, but Williams might have been worth the gamble for Buffalo.
All stats obtained via Pro Football Reference or Sports Reference, unless otherwise noted.
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