The 2020 NFL Draft is in the books and the football world is already excited about the 2021 NFL Draft. It’s now only a year away and the hype surrounding Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence is already at an incredible level.
Lawrence will enter the season as the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft (-305), according to SportsBettingDime.com. The 20-year-old’s resume is almost as impressive as his physical talent and NFL teams are dreaming of him becoming their franchise quarterback.
While Lawrence is the favorite right now, though, Joe Burrow’s meteoric rise from a potential Day 3 pick to the No. 1 spot in the 2020 NFL Draft shows how quickly things can change. It’s why we’ve got our eye on a few others in the field who could surprise as the No. 1 pick next year.
The rest of the Field(s): Lawrence is the most recognized player in the country and we’ve got him at the top spot in our first 2021 NFL Draft mock. However, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields leads an impressive field of top prospects.
- Justin Fields – +300 – If Fields can take a step forward as a passer and potentially beat Lawrence in a hypothetical College Football Playoff National Championship, his athleticism and arm talent could push him to the top spot.
- Penei Sewell – +400 – An offensive tackle hasn’t been drafted with the No. 1 pick since the Kansas City Chiefs took Eric Fisher in the 2013 NFL Draft. If a team with a young quarterback, such as the Washington Redskins or Washington Redskins, lands the No. 1 pick then Oregon’s elite tackle could be the top guy.
- D’Eriq King – +1600 – King transferred to Miami and could be the force needed to turn the program around. If he brings “The U” back to national prominence, he’ll merit consideration from NFL teams.
- Micah Parsons – +2500 – Expected to be the first defensive player drafted (+300), Parson’s athleticism and instincts at linebacker are unmatched. If a team like the New York Giants lands the No. 1 pick, we could see Parsons being a potential target.
- Jamie Newman – +3300 – Our favorite among the options, Newman brings tantalizing potential as he demonstrated this past season at Wake Forest. Already a potential top-20 pick, bringing a national title home to Georgia could push him to the top of draft boards.
NFL fans loved getting excited about the prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft and for a good reason. From what we saw in college football during the 2019 season, though, it’s very possible the 2021 draft class could be even better.
We’ll be keeping an eye on who could be the potential No. 1 pick throughout the upcoming college football season. It will also be fun to watch an incredible class at wide receiver that could see more than six receivers drafted in the first round.