2021 NFL draft: Best, worst picks of the 1st round
The first round of the 2021 NFL draft is officially in the books, and we saw plenty of wild action among the top 32 selections.
Which teams made the best picks of the night? Which ones left their fans scratching their heads?
Here are our picks for the best and worst selections of the first round:
BEST | QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars | No. 1 overall
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
You'd hope to make one of the best picks when you've got the No. 1 overall selection, and the Jags didn't get cute with this one. Lawrence is a rare prospect at the game's most important position, and likely a huge reason why Urban Meyer came out of retirement to take his first NFL head coach job. Duval got a special one here.
BEST | TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons | No. 4 overall
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The best player in this draft not named Trevor Lawrence? That's Pitts, a unicorn of a pass-catcher with rare athletic ability and the size to create serious matchup problems for opposing defenses. The Falcons didn't get the deal they wanted in a potential trade-down, so they took the most dynamic, dangerous non-quarterback in the class. This offense is gonna be fun to watch.
WORST | LB Zaven Collins, Arizona Cardinals | No. 16 overall
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Collins is an intriguing prospect, but the Cardinals seem to have a think for linebackers who don't have a clear position fit at the next level. We saw it happen last year with top-10 pick Isaiah Simmons, and they did it again in the top 20 here with Collins. They need to have a much better plan for Collins' fit in this defense than they did for Simmons last year, or they'll regret passing on a host of other prospects here for a player they just didn't need.
BEST | OT Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions | No. 7 overall
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Another team that probably would have traded down for the right price, the Lions stuck at their spot and made the smart pick, opting for the best tackle in an extremely deep class. Sewell has rare athletic ability for his size, and can play either guard or tackle. He was a steal outside the top five, and there could be at least a couple of teams that regret letting him get past them.
BEST | QB Justin Fields, Chicago Bears | No. 11 overall
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The Bears made the best move of the night, trading up nine spots to stop Fields' tumble out of the top 10. This team desperately needs a difference-maker at quarterback, and when he got close enough, they pulled the trigger and made a bold trade up the board. The price tag wasn't too steep, either, and this is the kind of trade that could transform the Bears from a decent team into a potential Super Bowl contender.
WORST | OT Alex Leatherwood, Las Vegas Raiders | No. 17 overall
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Leave it to the Raiders to have us all scratching our heads on draft night. Offensive line was clearly a huge need, but they passed up a host of more worthy options for Leatherwood, who was expected to be a Day 2 pick. His guard/tackle versatility and track record against top competition are attractive, but there were simply better options on the board at the same position.
BEST | LB Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys | No. 12 overall
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After the Cowboys lost out on the top two corners in this draft, they made the smart move to trade back, netting an extra third-round pick just to drop down two spots. Then they still landed the best defensive player in the class, getting a three-down playmaker in Parsons, who can instantly transform theie entire identity on that side of the ball.
BEST | OT Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers | No. 13 overall
(Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
The biggest need for the Chargers was a franchise left tackle to protect Justin Herbert, and the board couldn't have fallen better for them. Slater is a Day 1, plug-and-play starter at that spot, and he should have been off the board long before the Chargers picked at No. 13 overall. He's got all the tools to be a Pro Bowler early in his career.
WORST | WR Kadarius Toney, New York Giants | No. 20 overall
(AP Photo/John Raoux, Pool)
Giants GM Dave Gettleman traded down for the first ever, but he didn't make the most of the move. Getting a future first-round pick was huge, but this pick felt like a huge reach for a team that could have landed any number of worthy edge defenders, which was easily their biggest need. Toney is a fun, exciting playmaker, but offensive line was the bigger need on offense, and there would have been similar players available on Day 2.
BEST | QB Mac Jones, New England Patriots | No. 15 overall
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Patience paid off for the Pats, who let their quarterback of the future fall right into their lap instead of having to trade up. Jones may lack the top-end physical traits of the other top passers in this year's loaded class, but his accuracy, decision-making and anticipation should make him a quality starter at the next level.
BEST | CB Caleb Farley, Tennessee Titans | No. 22 overall
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Titans had needs at offensive tackle and wide receiver, but the value was simply too goo to pass up here, filling their biggest need on defense with a top-10 talent in Farley. He opted out of the 2020 college football season due to COVID-19, and back surgery likely left many teams wondering about his ability to stay healthy at the next level, but he's a stud prospect at a premium position. The Titans were wise to snatch him up this late in the first round.
WORST | EDGE Payton Turner, New Orleans Saints | No. 28 overall
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
The same team that traded a future first-round pick for Marcus Davenport a few years ago used this pick on a similar player, banking on the upside and intriguing physical traits Turner brings to the table. But with bigger needs at corner and linebacker, and after picking up Davenport's fifth-year option to play across from Cam Jordan, this felt like a luxury gamble for a team that needed a full-time starter elsewhere.
BEST | OT Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings | No. 23 overall
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The teams that win the draft are the ones who maximize the intersection of need and value, while maneuvering around the board and adding additional picks. The Vikings did all of that with this pick, moving back nine spots and adding more picks before picking the player who would have been ideal at their original spot. Darrisaw is a pro-ready left tackle who will be an immediate upgrade in Minnesota.
BEST | WR Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens | No. 27 overall
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This pick always made too much sense not to happen, but Bateman could have easily come off the board earlier. The Ravens were patient, and their guy fell right into their lap. Bateman's combination of size, physicality and athleticism is exactly what Lamar Jackson and this passing attack has desperately needed, and it can immediately give much-needed balance to the offense.
WORST | CB Eric Stokes, Green Bay Packers | No. 29 overall
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Aaron Rodgers wants out, but instead of giving him a wide receiver or an offensive lineman here, the Packers opt for corner. There's plenty to like about Stokes' athletic profile, but there's debate about whether or not he was even the best corner from his own team last year (Tyson Campbell). Stokes fits the mold of a Packers corner, and could end up being the ideal eventual replacement for Kevin King, but not giving Rodgers some help here was a questionable decision.
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