Piece by: Adam Cichoski
1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence - Quarterback, Clemson
This is the one pick everyone’s written in pen since before the 2020 season began. Lawrence is as pro ready as they come. He doesn’t have pin point accuracy but he’s still very accurate and that’s his only real knock.
2. New York Jets - Zach Wilson - Quarterback, Brigham Young
I know, BYU fans are terrible, put away that BYU hate and watch the tape. This kid can ball, and these aren’t the same old Jets, Joe Douglass is making legitimately good moves this offseason. They made the right choice to trade Darnold. Even if he goes off next year, you gotta pay him and the Jets are trying to rebuild following the Gase era, Jets start over with Wilson.
3. San Francisco 49ers - Justin Fields - Quarterback, Ohio State
I don’t buy the Mac Jones hype, he’s clearly a step below the Top 4 in this class. Fields is a weapon in the passing game and running game and while he may be inconsistent at times he puts the ball where he wants to put it more regularly than any other quarterback in this draft. Imagine if RG3 never got hurt and was more accurate, he’s a great fit for Shannhan’s system.
4. Atlanta Falcons - Kyle Pitts - Tight end, Florida
The Falcons need defense but the value isn’t here at 4 and they lost a lot of leverage when the 49ers leapfrogged them for a quarterback. Hayden Hurst is fine but not special and with an aging Julio Jones that’s spending more and more time injured, the Falcons offense reloads with Pitts.
5. Cincinnati Bengals - Jamar Chase - Wide receiver, Louisiana State
Joe Burrow took Riley Reiff out to dinner to convince him to sign with Cincinnati. Why would Burrow do that? I think it’s because he wants to be reunited with his old favorite college target. The Bengals oblige.
6. Miami Dolphins - DeVonta Smith - Wide receiver, Alabama
In the same vein of the Bengals reuniting Burrow with his old college receiver, the Dolphins trade up to do the same with Tua. Smith also fills a hole in their offense. They have the athletic tight end, contested catch guy and speedster, Smith now fills the role of the crisp route runner who can play inside and out.
7. Detroit Lions - Penei Sewell - Offensive tackle, Oregon
The slide of Penei Sewell stops here. Slater may be more pro ready but Sewell’s upside is undeniable. He was dominating college players that were much older than him when he was only a 19-year-old kid. Lions pair Sewell with Taylor Decker to protect Jared Goff, who needs to stay upright to remain effective and trust a guy they like at receiver will be there in later rounds.
8. Carolina Panthers - Rashawn Slater - Offensive tackle, Northwestern
After trading for Sam Darnold, the Panther kicked the quarterback problem down the road for another year. Taylor Moton is the only good tackle on this team after Russell Okung left in free agency. Slater is the most pro-ready tackle and can play anywhere along the line.
9. Denver Broncos - Trey Lance - Quarterback, North Dakota State
The Broncos can’t roll into another season with Drew Lock. Lock has proven to be an inaccurate, lax player who only shows up in the fourth quarter. The Broncos are more stacked than you think on offense, while the Broncos have swung and missed on toolsy quarterbacks in the past, Lance is on another level and if he pans out he could be a steal at this pick.
10. Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Surtain II - Cornerback, Alabama
Trevon Diggs did some nice things by the end of last year, but the Cowboys still need help in the secondary. Surtain doesn’t have world class speed but he does everything else so well it doesn’t matter.
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