NFL Mock Draft: Post Super Bowl LV edition

The 2020 season is officially in the books and all eyes are on the offseason. For the Eagles, signs are pointing towards a Carson Wentz trade on the near horizon. For the first official mock draft of the offseason, we are assuming Carson Wentz is shipped off to the Bears for (at least) their first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. A lot can change between now and April 29th, but here is how the first round could shake out.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars- Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback, Clemson: This pick is the only lock of the draft. While we might hear some noise casting doubt, the Jaguars grab the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck and never look back.
2. New York Jets- Zach Wilson, Quarterback, BYU: The battle for second quarterback taken in this draft will be contentious. It seems the league is going to be high on Zach Wilson given his big arm and ability to hit any window on the field. The Jets start a rebuilding process with their new coach, a new offensive coordinator and a talented young quarterback.
3. Miami Dolphins (From Houston Texans)- Ja’Marr Chase, Wide Receiver, LSU: The Dolphins experienced a quick turnaround under Brian Flores and now they have to take the next step. Ja’Marr Chase will step into the Miami offense as Tua Tagovailoa’s most talented pass catcher and give them the dynamic threat they need.
4. Atlanta Falcons- Trey Lance, Quarterback, North Dakota State: While the Falcons need to plan for the future, they still have Matt Ryan under center for the short term. This means they can groom the talented, young Trey Lance into their signal caller once Matt Ryan decides to end his Hall of Fame career.
5. Cincinnati Bengals- Penei Sewell, Offensive Tackle, Oregon: The Bengals have a bright future with Joe Burrow at quarterback. They just need to protect him. Penei Sewell is a special player at the offensive tackle position. Size, athleticism and a polished pass blocking skill set will give Cincinnati a much needed talent along their offensive line.
6. Philadelphia Eagles- Justin Fields, Quarterback, Ohio State: If Carson Wentz is out, then a rookie quarterback is on the table. While the NFL’s view on him is unclear, Justin Fields is the second best quarterback in this class. His intelligence, accuracy and athleticism makes him a threat in all phases of playing the quarterback position. The Eagles are hitting a hard reset with Nick Sirianni and Company. Justin Fields will help give the Eagles a great foundation to build their offense around.
7. Detroit Lions- DeVona Smith, Wide Receiver, Alabama: The Lions are entering into a new era and looks to be in an interim phase with Jared Goff at quarterback. With no top signal callers left to draft in the top ten, they should take one of the best playmakers in the class. Whenever their franchise quarterback comes in the future, he’ll be lucky to throw to DeVonta Smith.
8. Carolina Panthers- Rashawn Slater, Offensive Lineman, Northwestern: The Panthers have a talented offensive roster that they could keep improving by adding Rashawn Slater to their offensive line. Slater can play inside and out, giving them flexibility to play him wherever. The Panthers obviously need a long term quarterback, but they can keep building a great offense until that player comes along.
9. Denver Broncos- Patrick Surtain II, Cornerback, Alabama: With Vic Fangio coaching, defense could be the priority in the draft this year. Patrick Surtain II’s combination of size, physicality and pro-readiness makes him a great fit for Fangio’s defense.
10. Dallas Cowboys- Caleb Farley, Cornerback, Virginia Tech: The Cowboys defense was a disaster last year. With the quarterback situation likely stabilizing this offseason, the Cowboys need to address stopping opposing offenses. Caleb Farley will be a great addition to a young secondary.
11. New York Giants- Kwity Paye, Defensive Lineman, Michigan: The Giants continue to get more physical on defense with he versatile Kwity Paye. Paye would be as versatile as he would be disruptive.
12. San Francisco 49ers- Kyle Pitts, Tight End, Florida: Kyle Shanahan loves moving players around on offense. Who better for that philosophy than Kyle Pitts? Pitts can line up inline, in the slot and on the outside. Shanahan having George Kittle and Kyle Pitts to call plays for would make that offense very hard to match up with.
13. LA Chargers- Micah Parsons, Linebacker, Penn State: Brandon Staley loves keeping offenses off balance with defenders who can line up all over the place. Micah Parsons’ athleticism means he can cover, defend the run, blitz from anywhere on the field and even play as a pure pass rusher. Giving Staley another weapon on defense is a good way to set up this Chargers team for success on that side of the ball.
14. Minnesota Vikings- Christian Darrisaw, Offensive Tackle, Virginia Tech: The Vikings could stand to get stronger and younger up front. Christian Darrisaw is a high upside offensive lineman that could start immediately at either tackle spot for the Vikings.
15. New England Patriots- Jaylen Waddle, Wide Receiver, Alabama: The Patriots were extremely lacking on offense last year. Without a viable threat at receiver, the whole passing game stalled and the rest of the team suffered. Jaylen Waddle’s injury history and lack of college production means he is a risk, but his upside is enormous as a big play threat.
16. Arizona Cardinals- Rondale Moore, Wide Receiver, Purdue: The Cardinals looked like world beaters early in the season with Kyler Murray connecting with DeAndre Hopkins. Defenses keyed in on Hopkins, the offense hit a wall midseason and the rest of the team followed. Arizona putting a playmaker like Moore in that offense is a sure way to keep defenses honest and give Kyler Murray another weapon.
17. Las Vegas Raiders- Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami: When it comes to sparks on the defensive side of the ball, the Raiders are lacking. Gregory Rousseau is massively gifted as a pass rusher and finally gives the Raiders a defensive player to get excited about.
18. Miami Dolphins- Wyatt Davis, Offensive Guard, Ohio State: The Dolphins continue upgrading their offense with a surefire star along the interior of the offensive line. Wyatt Davis and Austin Jackson would be some great building blocks for Miami’s line.
19. Washington Football Team- Alijah Vera-Tucker, Offensive Lineman, USC: Washington Football took advantage of a down year for the NFC East with a playoff berth. Drafting Alijah Vera-Tucker would keep them competitive when the division (likely) rebounds. Vera-Tucker can start at guard or tackle For Washington, giving them a quality starter wherever.
20. Philadelphia Eagles (from Chicago Bears in exchange for Carson Wentz)- Rashod Bateman, Wide Receiver, Minnesota: The Eagles need a top target in their passing game regardless of who is playing quarterback. Rashod Bateman was a steady presence in the Minnesota offense. His size, hands and route running made him a danger to all levels of the defense. Bateman would step into Philadelphia’s offense as their number one receiver and give Justin Fields a day one playmaker.
21. Indianapolis Colts- Christian Barmore, Defensive Tackle, Alabama: The Colts defense was a big part of their run to the playoffs in 2020. Adding a disruptive defender like Christian Barmore to their line would turn the unit from solid to dangerous. Barmore is a high upside pass rusher from the defensive interior and would pair with Deforest Buckner to cause a lot of problems.
22. Tennesse Titans- Trey Smith, Offensive Lineman, Tennessee: The Titans don’t really have a weak spot on their roster, so why not keep building on a strength? Tennessee loves winning the game up front and Trey Smith would be another mauler to add to their starting five.
23. New York Jets (From Seattle Seahawks)- Pat Freiermuth, Tight End, Penn State: Mike LaFleur built his offense around the tight end position in San Francisco and could do the same in New York. Pat Freiermuth is a classic tight end with great athleticism. He would be a great young piece to build the Jets’ offensive identity around.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers- Mac Jones, Quarterback, Alabama: The Ben Roethlisberger era seems to be coming to an end and the Steelers will have to plan for the next chapter. Mac Jones might not have the physical tools of some of his counterparts in this draft class, but he is a fantastic quarterback above the shoulders. Jones is a smart player, an accurate passer and a leader on and off the field. He would bring something different to Pittsburgh, but certainly a player who can win games.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (From Los Angeles Rams)- Jalen Mayfield, Center, Michigan: A great way to complement the new player under center is... a new center to... be under. Anyway. Jacksonville would be lucky to a talented, solid player like Jalen Mayfield in the middle of their offensive line.
26. Cleveland Browns- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Linebacker, Notre Dame: The Browns are coming off their best season in a long time and did so on the back of a mostly complete roster. While linebacker is a luxury pick for Cleveland, the can afford it. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is a rare athlete who can blitz, cover the slot and fly around the field against the run. He is a defensive wildcard more than a pure linebacker, but could thrive behind Cleveland’s strong defensive line.
27. Baltimore Ravens- Azeez Ojulari, Edge, Georgia: The Ravens desperately need to upgrade their pass rush and betting on a top end athlete like Azeez Ojulari could be worth the gamble. Ojulari’s high upside could be huge for a Ravens defensive line that really lacked a threat on the outside.
28. New Orleans Saints- Nick Bolton, Linebacker, Missouri: The Saints can keep adding to their talented defense with Nick Bolton. Bolton is smaller, but he is a physical and athletic player who can quarterback a defense.
29. Green Bay Packers- Jaycee Horn, Cornerback, South Carolina: The Packers’ defense was taken behind the woodshed in the playoffs and it’s clear they need a viable number two cornerback. Jaycee Horn is a physical cover cornerback who would be a great pairing with Jaire Alexander.
30. Buffalo Bills- Travis Etienne, Running Back, Clemson: The Bills offense is one of the most dangerous units in the NFL and they were making plays all of 2020 without a big plays threat at running back. Imagine what they could do with touchdown machine Travis Etienne in their backfield?
31. Kansas City Chiefs- Asante Samuel Junior, Cornerback, FSU: The Chiefs will be back in contention for the Super Bowl immediately, but its clear they cant solely rely on Patrick Mahomes to get them there. They need more quality players on defense and Asante Samuel Junior would be a difference maker in Kansas City.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Patrick Jones II, Edge, Pittsburgh: The Buccaneers defense was outstanding in 2020, but there is no doubt they could improve rushing the passer. Patrick Jones was a nonstop pass rusher at Pitt and would be a great fit on their defensive line.