2021 NFL draft: The biggest steals in the second round

Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, 16 different players selected in the second round of the draft are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When the second round begins, it’s a highly attractive place for teams to be, because there’s still first-round talent out there, without the inevitable first-round contracts. From Jack Lambert to Howie Long to Brian Dawkins to Thurman Thomas to Brett Favre, it’s safe to say that getting a player in the second round is not a barrier to greatness.

So, a word of encouragement for all you second-rounders in the 2021 NFL draft: Just because the NFL decided you weren’t a first-round talent, doesn’t mean you can’t have a first-round — or even a Hall of Fame — impact at the professional. Here are the second-round picks in 2021 that we think could pop right off once the season begins.

New York Jets: Elijah Moore WR, Ole Miss (33rd overall pick)

(Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports)

When the 49ers selected Deebo Samuel out of South Carolina in the second round of the 2019 draft, current Jets head coach Robert Saleh was San Francisco's defensive coordinator, and current offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was San Francisco's passing game coordinator. The 49ers learned the value of a backfield gadget player who could also kill you with route awareness and deep speed, and in Moore, it could be said that the Jets now have their own Deebo Samuel in Moore. He was a screen and slot weapon in college, with 21 carries for 71 yards in his career. Expect LaFleur to put him all over the place in that offense.

Denver Broncos: Javonte WIlliams, RB, North Carolina (34th overall pick)

(Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)

That Williams was the third back taken in the 2021 draft was a shocker to me -- I had him as my No. 1 running back, and to be honest, it wasn't particularly close. I get that the Steelers appreciated Najee Harris' versatility, and the Jaguars coveted Travis Etienne's explosiveness, but if you want a franchise back who does everything at a high level and has a combination of power and contact balance that brings both Nick Chubb and Marshawn Lynch to mind, it's Williams -- who led the NCAA with 76 forced missed tackles as a runner in 2020 -- who brings that lethal skill set. The Broncos are still figuring out their long-term quarterback situation, but the backfield just got 10 gallons of juice.

Philadelphia Eagles: Landon Dickerson, OL, Alabama (37th overall pick)

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The Eagles' offensive line allowed the most sacks in the NFL last season with 39, and only the Jets' line allowed more total pressures (211) than Philly's 201. So, reinforcements along the front five in the draft would prove essential for this team in the draft. Dickerson would have likely been a first-round pick if healthy, but he's had a ton of season-ending injuries both at Florida State and Alabama, and he's currently recovering from an ACL tear. That said, there is no center in this class with Dickerson's combination of power, intelligence, and the versatility to dominate in both gap and zone concepts. The Eagles have Jason Kelce under contract for one more season, and Dickerson has experience at guard as well, so you can expect him to see the field, one way or another, as quickly as possible.

Las Vegas Raiders: Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU (43rd overall pick)

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The 2020 Jim Thorpe Award winner as the best defensive back in the nation, Moehrig was my top safety in the class, so this definitely classifies as a steal. Two safeties (Jevon Holland to Miami and Richie Grant Jr.) went before Moehrig, and as good as those players could be, Moehrig projects as the kind of safety who can do everything you want in coverage at the position in the modern NFL. The Raiders got all kinds of crap (and justifiably so) for selecting Alabama offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood with the 17th overall pick, but as much as an overdraft as that was, the Moehrig pick is just as much of a steal. Moehrig reminds me of Minkah Fitzpatrick in that you can put him all over a defense, or just make him a deep-third guy, and he has the potential to be a true eraser. The Raiders' secondary could use a whole lot of all of that.

Los Angeles Chargers: Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Florida State (47th overall pick)

(AP Photo/Mark Wallheiser)

Samuel undoubtedly dropped to the second round because some teams aren't sure if a 5-foot-10, 185-pound cornerback can dominate in today's NFL, though the 5-foot-10, 196-pound Jaire Alexander would love to debate that. In any event, Samuel proved to be more of a ballhawk and eraser through his three seasons with the Seminoles, topping out in the 2020 season by allowing 19 catches on 32 targets for 179 yards, 87 yards after the catch, one touchdown, three interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 46.2. He played just 15 snaps in the slot last season, so don't automatically put him there. He could excel outside in Brandon Staley's intelligent, diverse, zone-heavy schemes.

Arizona Cardinals: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue (49th overall pick)

(Pfoot Features)

In 2020, the Cardinals had 1,909 yards after the catch, which ranked 19th in the league -- the Chiefs ranked first with 2,517, and one can imagine Kliff Kingsbury looking enviously at Andy Reid's offense in which smaller, quicker receivers who can scoot after they get the ball find their skill sets maximized. With the addition of Rondale Moore, Kingsbury can be more tricky with short-area and intermediate route concepts, because Moore is a threat to house it from just about any route with his power and speed. Moore likely dropped to the second round because of his 5foot-7, 180-pound frame, but he plays a lot bigger -- and certainly a lot faster -- than that, and has drawn comparisons to Steve Smith.

New York Giants: Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia (50th overall pick)

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There have been questions about Ojulari's health (possible knee issues) which is the only reason he would have slipped to the second round. If that's all clear, the Giants just added a ton to a pass rush in desperate need -- outside of Leonard Williams, who plays all over the line, there's very little in the way of edge pressure. Ojulari will change that immediately -- he's a bit smaller than some edge defenders at 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds, but he brings tremendous bend around the edge, he's a strong run defender, and he has an advanced set of pass-rushing moves.

Cleveland Browns: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB/S. Notre Dame (52nd overall pick)

(Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

In my final mock draft, I had Owusu-Koramoah going to the Browns... with the 26th overall pick. To get a player of Owusu-Koramoah's excellence and versatility 26 picks later is not only an absurd example of player value, but it also fills two roles the Browns are trying to redefine -- linebacker and safety, because Owusu-Koramoah can play both. He's a plus thumper against the run, he can cover short and intermediate routes as a safety, and he's more than credible in the slot. It will be fascinating to see how Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods deploys Owusu-Koramoah, as the Browns will want to avoid the schematic schisms the Cardinals had with first-round defender Isaiah Simmons in 2020. The Simmons example may have been one reason Owusu-Koramoah dropped -- perhaps teams are more reluctant to go all-in on positionless defenders unless they know exactly how to use them?

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