National Football League

NFL Mock Draft 7.0

Updated Jul. 20, 2021 12:10 p.m. ET

By Jason McIntyre
FOX Sports Betting Analyst

The Super Bowl is complete, and we’ve got our 2021 NFL draft order – for now.

A flurry of exciting moments could be on the way in the coming weeks, ones that make the Jared Goff-Matt Stafford trade look like an appetizer instead of the main course.

At least half a dozen draft boards will be in flux – many of those in the top 10 – until there is some sort of end to the Deshaun Watson saga.

The good news for us, the content creators, is that it might last right up until April’s draft.

With that, let's jump into my latest Mock Draft:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson (Previous rank: 1)

2020 season stats: 3,153 passing yards, 24 passing TDs, 69.2 completion percentage

You’re not trading this pick for Deshaun Watson. You’re just not. No, you can’t talk me into it.

2. New York Jets – Zach Wilson, QB, BYU (2)

2020 season stats: 3,692 passing yards, 33 passing TDs, 73.5 completion percentage

Feels like the draft will hinge on what happens with Watson. If he is traded to the Jets, then perhaps the Texans take back Sam Darnold or start anew with a QB at No. 2. If the Jets keep the pick, it’s Wilson.

3. Miami Dolphins (via Houston) – Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon (3)

The Dolphins saw the value of a left tackle in the playoffs. Tampa faced a backup LT against Green Bay and took advantage. You can’t take a wide receiver here. Sewell never allowed more than one pressure in a game in his college career.

4. Atlanta Falcons – Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan (4)

2020 season stats: 2 sacks, 16 total tackles

The Falcons keep saying that Matt Ryan is their future QB, and as a result, I’m keeping Paye here for now. I have him as the best edge rusher in the draft. There isn’t a need at tackle, and this is too rich to draft a cornerback. A trade down would be ideal.

5. Cincinnati Bengals – Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida (5)

2020 season stats: 43 receptions, 770 receiving yards, 12 receiving TDs

There was much clamoring for a lineman after Pitts was slotted here last time, but the guess is the Bengals take care of that in free agency.

6. Philadelphia Eagles – Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU (6)

2020 season stats: N/A (opted out of the season)

2019 season stats: 84 receptions, 1,780 receiving yards, 20 receiving TDs

No change. Not a huge fan of taking a receiver this early, but the Eagles are desperate given their injuries the past two seasons.

7. Detroit Lions – Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State (15)

2020 season stats: N/A (opted out of the season)

2019 season stats: 5.0 sacks, 109 total tackles, 4 fumbles forced, 1 fumble recovered, 5 passes defended

Let’s see what happens with Kenny Golladay in free agency. If he isn't retained, you’ll hear a lot of chatter about a WR. But new GM Brad Holmes arrives after nearly two decades in L.A., where the Rams recently found value in WRs after the first round – Van Jefferson (second round), Cooper Kupp (third) and Josh Reynolds (fourth) – and previously flopped taking a small receiver early (Tavon Austin).

8. Carolina Panthers – Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State (7)

2020 season stats: N/A (one exhibition game played)

2019 season stats: 2,786 passing yards, 28 passing TDs, 66.9 completion percentage; 1,100 rushing yards, 6.5 yards per carry, 14 rushing TDs

If Watson doesn’t end up in Carolina, it’ll come down to Justin Fields or Trey Lance. I give Lance the slightly higher upside, but part of that might be that he hasn’t started 20 college games and doesn’t turn 21 until May.

9. Denver Broncos – Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State (8)

2020 season stats: 2,100 passing yards, 22 passing TDs, 70.2 completion percentage

When the music stops in the free-agency game of musical QB chairs, the Broncos might not have a man under center. Unless you believe Drew Lock is the guy, you have to roll the dice with the fourth QB off the board.

10. Dallas Cowboys – Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern (10)

No change. The issue for Dallas is what to do if Slater is off the board, which is becoming increasingly possible. Then, you’d have to go defense.

11. New York Giants – Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech (11)

2020 season stats: N/A (opted out of the season)

2019 season stats: 4 INTs, 1 TD, 20 total tackles

There will be cries for an offensive player here, but maybe the problem isn’t the guy calling the plays or the skill position players. What if it’s the QB?

12. San Francisco 49ers – Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama (12)

2020 season stats: 35 total tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 1 TD

Fourth straight mock draft with the 49ers taking Surtain. It sounds like Richard Sherman is leaving. New DC DeMeco Ryans is an Alabama grad.

13. Los Angeles Chargers – Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT, USC (13)

Second straight mock draft with the USC lineman headed to protect Justin Herbert.

14. Minnesota Vikings – Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami (9)

2020 season stats: N/A (opted out of the season)

2019 season stats: 15.5 sacks, 54 total tackles, 2 fumbles forced, 1 fumble recovered

No change.

15. New England Patriots – Mac Jones, QB, Alabama (NR)

2020 season stats: 4,500 passing yards, 41 passing TDs, 77.4 completion percentage

I’ve held off on putting Jones in a mock draft. He has only 16 college starts, and this season, the SEC was terrible, and Alabama had by far the most talent. Jones will be 23 years old by Week 1, and he showed well at the Senior Bowl. Belichick probably goes big in free agency, but Jones is not a bad fallback option, allowing Belichick to spend elsewhere.

16. Arizona Cardinals – DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama (16)

2020 season stats: 117 receptions, 1,856 receiving yards, 23 receiving TDs

Is he a top-10 talent? Perhaps. But I keep coming back to this: Rank the four most important positions in the NFL. I’ve got QB, OT, DE, CB. For the Cardinals, monitor the Patrick Peterson situation. If he bolts, this might have to be a CB.

17. Las Vegas Raiders – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Edge/LB, Notre Dame (14)

2020 season stats: 1.5 sacks, 55 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered, 3 passes defended

Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden have drafted five Clemson players the past two years, including two from Alabama and none from Notre Dame. But JOK ends the streak.

18. Miami Dolphins – Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama (18)

2020 season stats: 28 receptions, 591 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs (played four games before suffering an injury, returned briefly during national championship)

2019 season stats: 33 receptions, 560 receiving yards, 6 receiving TDs

No change for Miami, which shouldn’t reach for a WR in the top five.

19. Washington Football Team – Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota (19)

2020 season stats: 36 receptions, 472 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs

Washington just signed Taylor Heinicke to a two-year extension to compete with *someone* for the starting job, so it seems highly unlikely that this team will be in the market for a QB here.

20. Chicago Bears – Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama (28)

2020 season stats: 6 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 3 passes defended, 27 total tackles

New defensive coordinator Sean Desai is a Vic Fangio disciple, and expect him to be pounding the table for a run stopper as the talented Akiem Hicks, whose play has declined the past two seasons, approaches 32 years old.

21. Indianapolis Colts – Jaelan Phillips, Edge, Miami (32)

2020 season stats: 8 sacks, 1 INT, 3 passes defended, 45 total tackles

Watching what Tampa Bay was able to do to Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes has me wondering if the edge rushers are all moving up the board for contenders. That includes Indy.

22. Tennessee Titans – Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina (22)

2020 season stats: 2 INTs, 6 passes defended, 16 total tackles

No change. That’s four straight mock drafts with the Titans grabbing Horn.

23. New York Jets – Azeez Ojulari, Edge, Georgia (17)

2020 stats: 8.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 passes defended, 27 total tackles

Joe Douglas had teams in Philly and Baltimore with fearsome edge rushers, and Robert Saleh’s defense needs one.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers – Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech (20)

Gotta love how Ben Roethlisberger is willing to restructure his deal to help the team.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LA Rams) – Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State (25)

You really can’t go wrong with the QB-OL first-round combo. Urban Meyer’s Jaguars are going to be dangerous if they can protect Trevor Lawrence.

26. Cleveland Browns – Jayson Oweh, Edge, Penn State (26)

2020 season stats: 1 pass defended, 38 total tackles

2019 season stats: 5.0 sacks, 2.0 fumbles forced, 21 total tackles

The knock on Jayson Oweh is lack of production – not a single sack last season – but his testing and measurements will be off the charts. Combine that with his size, and there's no way he isn't going in the first round.

27. Baltimore Ravens – Joseph Ossai, LB, Texas (27)

2020 season stats: 5 sacks, 54 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovered, 2 passes defended

The Ravens have to pay Lamar Jackson, and as a result, they could lose two or three of their best edge rushers in free agency. There will be cries for a receiver here, but that doesn’t seem on-brand for the Ravens, given the disappointment Hollywood Brown has been.

28. New Orleans Saints – Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa (29)

2020 season stats: 4 sacks, 54 total tackles, 2 fumbles forced, 1 fumble recovered, 2 passes defended

Drew Brees' restructuring his deal before his reported retirement is a massive step toward keeping most of the defense intact, but the Saints are going to lose Alex Anzalone in free agency.

29. Green Bay Packers – Elijah Molden, CB, Washington (NR)

2020 stats: 1 INT, 1 pass defended, 26 total tackles

Even though the Packers parted ways with DC Mike Pettine and might move away from the six-DB defense he preferred, there’s still a glaring need opposite Jaire Alexander.

30. Buffalo Bills – Carlos Basham Jr., Edge, Wake Forest (30)

2020 season stats: 5 sacks, 1 fumble forced, 28 total tackles

The Bills couldn’t get any pressure on Mahomes in the AFC title game. The Bucs set a Super Bowl record for pressures. That’s your offseason focus in Buffalo.

31. Kansas City Chiefs – Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State (NR)

No, it’s not an overreaction to the Super Bowl. The Chiefs have four linemen who are eligible for free agency, and as they just saw in the playoffs, depth matters. Radunz excelled at the Senior Bowl despite the Bison playing just one game due to COVID-19.