2021 NFL Draft

[Stripes 468]

I don't think it means anything. I think Mixon is just excited about the pick and throwing out big flashy names he likes. I don't mind.

[membengal 371]

You are over-thinking this TJ. He also said, get some linemen in FA and then Smith or Chase was what he wanted. Kinda like a lot of us on here. Runs off of doing FA right in terms of the line.

[membengal 371]

PFF's big board:

2021 NFL Draft: PFF's Top 100 Big Board | NFL Draft | PFF

Quote

 

1.  TREVOR LAWRENCE, QB, CLEMSON

Three straight seasons of grades over 90.0. What sets Lawrence apart in a loaded quarterback class is how quickly he sees the game. He is the only quarterback who has played 200 snaps against the blitz over the last three years and has graded over 90.0 on those snaps.

2.  ZACH WILSON, QB, BYU

Wilson possesses special arm talent and performed at an equally special level this past season. His lowest grade of the season still came in at 76.1.

3.  JUSTIN FIELDS, QB, OHIO STATE

Fields has had his hiccups this year, but don’t let that make you think he’s not an elite prospect in his own right. His blend of accuracy, arm talent and running ability doesn’t come along every year.

4.  PENEI SEWELL, T, OREGON

At 19 years old, Sewell had the single highest graded season we’ve ever seen from a Power 5 offensive tackle. Who knows what he could become when his body is fully developed?

5. JA'MARR CHASE, WR, LSU

Chase was doing what DeVonta Smith is doing this year when he was 19 years old, and he was doing it against guys like A.J. Terrell and Trevon Diggs, who are currently the best starters on their respective teams. His 24 deep catches that year is still the most we’ve seen in a single season.

6. MICAH PARSONS, LB, PENN STATE

The Penn State linebacker earned the second-highest run-defense grade we’ve ever given to a true sophomore. What the 240-plus-pounder can do as a blitzer is going to be a weapon in the NFL.

7. JAYLEN WADDLE, WR, ALABAMA

The “other” Alabama receiver is a freak athlete in his own right. If you extrapolated his four games out to a full season, he’d have gone for 75 catches, 1,671 yards and 12 scores.

8. DEVONTA SMITH, WR, ALABAMA

The Heisman Trophy winner. People will point to his frame and weight (175 pounds), but until someone can give me some examples on tape of it being an issue, I’m not too worried.

9.KYLE PITTS, TE, FLORIDA

I’m no fan of drafting tight ends early, but calling Pitts a tight end is selling him short. If he were solely a receiver, Pitts would be in this range because of his ability to beat one-on-one coverage.

10.  TREY LANCE, QB, NORTH DAKOTA STATE

The tools are prodigious. Offensive coordinators must salivate watching him flick it 60-plus yards downfield one play then outrun a safety on the next. But with just one season in a run-heavy offense against FCS competition, Lance is still a massive project as a passer.

11. KWITY PAYE, EDGE, MICHIGAN

Paye has everything you could want physically to be an every-down problem in the NFL. While he never put it altogether at Michigan, he’s shown he can take to coaching and has made strides every single year.

12. RASHAWN SLATER, T, NORTHWESTERN

Slater allowed all of five pressures back in 2019 before opting out in 2020. At only 6-foot-3, he may get stuck inside, but we think he’s more than athletic enough to hang on the edge.

13. CALEB FARLEY, CB, VIRGINIA TECH

He’s got the size and speed part of the position down pat and was pretty darn good at the coverage part when we last saw him in 2019. He allowed a passer rating of only 26.8 that season.

14. GREGORY ROUSSEAU, EDGE, MIAMI (FL)

Yet another opt-out. Rousseau has the tools to be a top-five pick, but it’s hard to bank on him after only one year of college football. His absurd length and versatility will be a selling point for teams.

15.  CHRISTIAN BARMORE, DI, ALABAMA

After a slow start to the season, Barmore turned it on at the end of the year. His performances against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff Semifinal and against Ohio State in the National Championship were two of the most impressive we saw from a defensive tackle all season.

16.  CHRISTIAN DARRISAW, T, VIRGINIA TECH

Darrisaw turned in the second-highest-graded season from a Power 5 tackle in a massive breakout 2020 season. He’s an easy people-mover that few are going through.

17.  PATRICK SURTAIN II, CB, ALABAMA

You won’t find a better combination of size, length and technique in the draft. All Surtain doesn’t have is the high-end speed you’d like when drafting a corner early.

18.  RASHOD BATEMAN, WR, MINNESOTA

Bateman can get off the line of scrimmage with ease then beat you with either his shake or his size. One of the best route-runners in college football, Bateman led the country in yards per route run from an outside alignment as a sophomore in 2019.

19,  JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH, LB, NOTRE DAME

The Butkus Award winner for the nation’s best linebacker. JOK has elite short-area quicks for a linebacker, and while 215 pounds may seem tiny, it’s the same weight that Darius Leonard played at this season for the Colts.

20.  JAYSON OWEH, EDGE, PENN STATE

Oweh can do things physically that other edge rushers can only dream of. With reported 4.3 speed, he can play both ends of an option play with ease. The Penn State product took a massive step forward this season as a run defender in his first season as a starter, earning an 89.8 grade in the process.

21.  NICK BOLTON, LB, MISSOURI

Bolton won’t tick every box physically, but this is a guy you want in the middle of your defense. He led the SEC in defensive stops in each of the past two seasons.

22.  CHRIS OLAVE, WR, OHIO STATE

Olave’s skill set is pretty similar to Rashod Bateman’s, only without the size. The combination of route-running and ball skills is still a winning one at any level, though, as he’s shown.

23.  TREVON MOEHRIG, S, TCU

At 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, Moehrig has a lot of prototypical physical tools for the position, and they’ve translated to the field. He led all college safeties in pass breakups in each of the past two seasons.

24.  JAYCEE HORN, CB, SOUTH CAROLINA

Horn has the athleticism and mindset of a man corner at the NFL level — he’s not going to back down from anyone. He allowed only eight catches from 24 targets for 116 yards across seven games this year.

25.  KADARIUS TONEY, WR, FLORIDA

He’s neck and neck with the man two spots down from him on this list when it comes to owning the title of “the most dangerous player in the draft with the ball in his hands.” Toney's balance, flexibility and explosion are exceptional. He’s broken 32 tackles on 80 catches over the past two seasons.

26. AZEEZ OJULARI, EDGE, GEORGIA

Ojulari was one of the biggest risers with his play in 2020. He’s the best pure speed rusher in the class and will threaten the edge against even the most athletic tackles in the league. He finished his redshirt sophomore season with a 91.7 pass-rushing grade.

27. RONDALE MOORE, WR, PURDUE

Moore never got a chance to prove that he can win as an outside receiver, but he’s shown more than enough from the slot to be a first-rounder. He led all receivers in broken tackles as a freshman in 2018.

28.  TEVEN JENKINS, T, OKLAHOMA STATE

Jenkins was a full-grown man on the right side for the Cowboys. You won’t have to watch too many plays before finding a rep of him putting a defender in the turf. He allowed only four pressures on 211 pass-blocking snaps this season.

29.  CARLOS BASHAM JR., EDGE, WAKE FOREST

Basham had a bit of a down year, but he notched 112 pressures in the two seasons prior. He’s a burly 285-pound edge who should be a pocket-pusher for years to come.

30.  MAC JONES, QB, ALABAMA

There’s not one play or throw from Jones that will make you go “wow,” but play in and play out he’ll get the ball where it needs to go on time. While not super toolsy, his command of the offense and position is impressive.

31.  ALIJAH VERA TUCKER, IOL, USC

Vera-Tucker’s quality play at tackle this past season made us feel even better about him on the inside. He earned an 81.8 overall grade and showed some fantastic ability to play in space.

32.  ZAVEN COLLINS, LB, TULSA

At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, Collins isn’t your typical off-ball linebacker prospect. He dominates backs in blitz pickup and can chase them down in space, as well. His 91.1 overall grade this past season led all linebackers in college football.

33.  WYATT DAVIS, IOL, OHIO STATE

Davis hasn’t been quite as consistent in 2020 as he was in 2019, but the talent is obviously still there. He’s allowed four sacks and hits combined over the past two seasons.

34.  SAMUEL COSMI, T, TEXAS

Cosmi has been one of the most tested tackles in the country and has improved every single year of his career. He allowed all of eight pressures on 368 pass-blocking snaps this past season.

35.  ASANTE SAMUEL JR., CB, FLORIDA ST.

Samuel was arguably college football's smoothest athlete at the position. He allowed only 179 yards in eight games and allowed a passer rating of only 46.2.

36. ALEX LEATHERWOOD, T, ALABAMA

Leatherwood is one of the best run-blockers in the country but still gives up the edge too much to be considered a first-rounder. He allowed 15 pressures this year after only allowing 10 in 2019.

37.  JAELAN PHILLIPS, EDGE, MIAMI (FL)

Phillips' injury history will have to be thoroughly vetted, as he retired from the game altogether in 2018 due to concussions. Healthy and on a Miami line that allowed him the freedom to attack, Phillips showed why he was once a five-star recruit. He racked up 36 pressures over his final seven games.

38.  TRAVIS ETIENNE, RB, CLEMSON

Etienne didn’t have his best season on the ground but reinvented himself as a vertical receiver. His 90.9 receiving grade and 588 receiving yards led all FBS running backs.

39.  WALKER LITTLE, T, STANFORD

Little has played all of one game since 2018. There’s no reason why he couldn’t be a quality NFL tackle, given his physical tools, but he’s so far removed from playing the game that it’s difficult to assess.

40.  TYSON CAMPBELL, CB, GEORGIA

Campbell is an ultra-smooth athlete who is still only scratching the surface of what he could be. Zone teams will love the fact that he’s missed only six tackles on 99 attempts in his career.

41.  PAT FREIERMUTH, TE, PENN STATE

Freiermuth isn’t your dynamic field-stretcher, but he should dominate the middle of the field with his size and ball skills. He was a focal point of the Penn State offense in his four games this season, recording 23 catches on 37 targets for 310 yards.

42.  AR'DARIUS WASHINGTON, S, TCU

At 5-foot-8, 179 pounds, Washington is not going to fit your prototype at the position. Still, he’s the most instinctive safety in the entire draft class. He allowed all of 157 yards in his coverage over two seasons as a starter.

43.  HAMSAH NASIRILDEEN, S, FLORIDA STATE

At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Nasirildeen could easily be viewed as a linebacker in the NFL, as well. He’ll be a tight end eraser either way. An ACL tear suffered at the end of the 2019 season will still need to be vetted, however, as we only saw him for two games in 2020.

44.  KYLE TRASK, QB, FLORIDA

The stats are out of this world, but the two men from Florida above Trask on this list are a big reason why. His relative lack of production outside the pocket and his performance against Oklahoma in the bowl game will be big knocks on him.

45.  CHAZZ SURRATT, LB, NORTH CAROLINA

Surratt only switched from quarterback to linebacker a couple of years ago. After all too often looking like a super athletic fish out of water in 2019, Surratt finally looked like a true every-down linebacker down the stretch in 2020. He only missed three tackles on 68 attempts over his final seven games.

46.  ALIM MCNEIL, DI, N.C. STATE

McNeil has the potential to be the holy grail — a nose tackle who can rush the passer. He’s got one of the best first steps in the entire draft class even though he weighs 320 pounds. He earned grades of 80.8 and 77.5 as a pass-rusher the past two seasons — mostly from a true 0-tech alignment.

47.  JACKSON CARMAN, T, CLEMSON

While Carman has been a bit up and down over the past two seasons, evaluators will keep coming back to his tape against Ohio State this year. On 49 pass-blocking snaps — most coming when Clemson obviously had to pass in the second half — against two NFL-caliber defensive ends, Carman allowed all of one pressure.

48.  ELIJAH MOLDEN, CB, WASHINGTON

Molden is another guy who won’t win any weigh-in but has the type of game that’s difficult to poke holes in. He allowed only 11 catches for 65 yards across 18 targets in four games this past season.

49.  ANDRE CISCO, S, SYRACUSE

Cisco is a straight-up roller coaster at the safety position. With 4.3 speed, Cisco had 26 combined picks and pass breakups in 24 career games. He also gave up six touchdowns in nine games in 2019 before tearing his ACL two games into 2020.

50.  Liam Eichenberg, T, Notre Dame
Liam Eichenberg has been one of the steadiest left tackles in college football over the past two seasons. He’s allowed only 27 pressures on over 900 pass-blocking snaps in that span. He may not wow with his perceived “upside”, but he’s technically sound at the position.

51-100:

LEVI ONWUZURIKE, DI, WASHINGTON

AMON-RA ST. BROWN, WR, USC

PAYTON TURNER, EDGE, HOUSTON

TERRACE MARSHALL, WR, LSU

TYLAN WALLACE, WR, OKLAHOMA ST.

JEVON HOLLAND, S, OREGON

JOSEPH OSSAI, EDGE, TEXAS

JAVONTE WILLIAMS, RB, NORTH CAROLINA

LANDON DICKERSON, IOL, ALABAMA

GREG NEWSOME, CB, NORTHWESTERN

KINGSLEY ENAGBARE, EDGE, SOUTH CAROLINA

MARVIN WILSON, DI, FLORIDA STATE

JOE TRYON, EDGE, WASHINGTON

RASHAD WEAVER, EDGE, PITTSBURGH

ELIJAH MOORE, WR, OLE MISS

JALEN MAYFIELD, T, MICHIGAN

TAY GOWAN, CB, UCF

DAVIYON NIXON, DI, IOWA

NAJEE HARRIS, RB, ALABAMA

SHAUN WADE, CB, OHIO STATE

SAGE SURRATT, WR, WAKE FOREST

PARIS FORD, S, PITTSBURGH

CREED HUMPHREY, IOL, OKLAHOMA

ROGER MCCREARY, CB, AUBURN

MICHAEL CARTER, RB, NORTH CAROLINA

TYLER SHELVIN, DI, LSU

JEREMY RUCKERT, TE, OHIO STATE

MONTY RICE, LB, GEORGIA

TOMMY TOGIAI, DI, OHIO STATE

KENNETH GAINWELL, RB, MEMPHIS

BRADY CHRISTENSEN, T, BYU

JABRIL COX, LB, LSU

TYREKE SMITH, EDGE, OHIO STATE

ABRAHAM LUCAS, T, WASHINGTON ST.

BRENTON COX JR., EDGE, FLORIDA

JAMIE NEWMAN, QB, GEORGIA

KHALIL HERBERT, RB, VIRGINIA TECH

CAMERON MCGRONE, LB, MICHIGAN

ERIC STOKES, CB, GEORGIA

BREVIN JORDAN, TE, MIAMI (FL)

JAELON DARDEN, WR, NORTH TEXAS

SHAKUR BROWN, CB, MICHIGAN STATE

DYLAN MOSES, LB, ALABAMA

BEN CLEVELAND, IOL, GEORGIA

TREY SMITH, IOL, TENNESSEE

TREY SERMON, RB, OHIO STATE

RICHIE GRANT, S, UCF

VENTRELL MILLER, LB, FLORIDA

BARON BROWNING, LB, OHIO STATE

CHUBA HUBBARD, RB, OKLAHOMA STATE

 

 

[TJJackson 336]

I know there are a number of you who think taking a WR at 5 would be a good thing - and I understand your reasoning, and I've little doubt that the two WRs mostly being discussed will be great WRs in the NFL

Here's the 3 (make that 4) main reasons (aside from GIMME A LINEMAN) why I think it isnt a good thing - or, more precisely, why I think it isnt the best way to go at this spot

in no particular order

1) we have two outstanding receivers already

Higgins and Boyd.  I know the NFL is becoming a passing first league with many many many 3WR alignments, and further, what other NFL team has 3 corners who can cover well enough to deal with 3 elite WRs?  Yea, I understand.  That said, a third high-end WR is for my way of thinking a luxury in a spot where we are already "rich" on a team which is "poor" in so many other spots - including but not limited to both the lines

2) The two WRs in discussion - Chase and Smith - both lack great speed

Neither of these two guys has the kind of speed that I believe the WR we need will have.   Ross was supposed to be that guy - world class speed that could stretch the field even on plays where he wasnt targeted.   The player that many draftheads see as the third WR off the board - Waddle - is more the type I think we should be targeting. 

3) The two WRs in discussion lack size

The typical successful Bengals WR is over 6 foot tall with some meat on their bones.  Chase is barely 6 foot, while Smith is two inches shorter.  Smith is also very lightweight,  barely 175 pounds; and I worry that his body will hold up to the pounding he'll take in the NFL

4) This WR class is very deep

I believe from what I am reading - from multiple sources - that we will be able to get a quality WR2 or WR3 (I see Boyd sorta kinda as WR3 because he seems to operate best out of the slot) as late as round 4.  Other needs, if we want a high quality player - will need to be addressed earlier.

I know many of ya'all disagree, and I'm fine with that.  I just wanted to present my side

also - GIMME A LINEMAN (but not Rosseau)

also 2:  If I was forced to choose between the two - gimme Chase even though he took 2020 off (for understandable reasons) because he is a bit bigger and hopefully this means his durability will be a bit better. 

[membengal 371]

You think Stefon Diggs is too small? Because - no, he isn’t. And chase is his size. C’mon now.

tyreke hill too small? Was marvin Harrison? Was steve smith? 

[membengal 371]

We don’t need a slot receiver - we have Boyd. Draft is deep in slot receivers. WAY less deep in guys who can play outside (that is, backfill for AJ).

[membengal 371]

Their most likely position to REACH is gonna be o-line. No reaching.

[TJJackson 336]

I get all that, honestly I do

I am also certain that drafting either one of the two WRs (or Waddle) will reap benefits for us

I maintain that the need is greatest on the lines; and yes, need is a factor in drafting. 

If (to use an exagerrated example) the BPA is WR at every opportunity to pick, it would not be wise to take a WR with all 7 (or in our case, 8) picks. 

Need does factor in

[TJJackson 336]

I will be far more accepting of a WR (and I hope Waddle is in consideration by that time) in early r1 if the Bengals not only re-sign Lawson and Daniels but also sign a quality player at EACH of the following positions: passrushing DE, ORT, and OG.  If they decide to move Williams to ORT or OG, and have made clear their intentions to do so, then they need to sign a quality OLT instead.  I like the man named Fred, but not to the point of settling on him as our starter at OLT........swing tackle, at least for now.

related aside: If they fail to re-sign WJ3, CB becomes a H U G E need that should be addressed in both FA and the draft.  Hopefully, they just do the right thing and re-sign WJ3. 

related aside 2: I keep reading that Alexander will sign elsewhere for 3M a year, and thats a bargain imo, so hopefully we can sign him for 3.5 to 4M per year for another 2-4 years

[membengal 371]

Get the two FA o-lineman I want and take BPA in round 1 - if that BPA is Chase or Smith, so be it. If that BPA is Sewell, so be it. But at least have filled in with two really good FA o-lineman. Otherwise this isn't gonna work. I don't care how good Sewell is - they can't expect to fix the line by just adding Sewell and expecting Pollack to work miracles with holdovers...

My dream Sewell scenario is where he falls to us at 5 when he have signed a RT and G  and Sewell's arrival kicks Jonah inside.  In that case you have LT - Sewell  LG Williams C RG (new guy) RT (new guy). 

[TJJackson 336]

C in such a case is still Hopkins or (in case Hopkins isnt healthy by then) Price?

[membengal 371]

Prob Price until Hopkins is back. Unless they find Creed Humphrey in round 2.  I don't think they can fill in 3 o-line spots in FA, and C has to take a backseat to what I want at G and RT for the money I want them to spend. Pollack wanted Price, stood on the table for him - was the reason we reached for him - and Price is thrilled Pollack is back. So, hopefully Price can hold the fort. 

[Stripes 468]

My top argument against a receiver at 5 is it's unlikely that even a hall of fame caliber receiver will promote winning as much as a pro bowl offensive tackle or defensive lineman (or quarterback). I don't think very bad teams really ought to be drafting skill positions so high. The Bengals don't share my view though and I can live with it. Also, if they just have zero confidence that [what I consider to be] the appropriate positions don't offer a good enough player at#5, then I wouldn't call for them to reach either.

Sewell vs. Chase/Smith is a no-brainer. It needs to be Sewell.

Not Sewell vs. Chase/Smith is not clear, and I'll trust them to do whatever they do.

[membengal 371]

Chase and Sewell gone in this PFF mock so I traded back twice in first round and then ended up hammering both sides of the line of scrimmage...

 

[TJJackson 336]

Mem: I was unable to read that list because of the size of the image

all: Skinny says we should address the OL in FA, and with regards to the 5th overall pick: either trade down or draft at a position other than OL

https://local12.com/sports/bengals/why-bengals-should-avoid-taking-sewell-or-any-offensive-lineman-with-fifth-pick-penei-cincinnati-nfl-draft-cedric-ogbuehi-billy-price

[membengal 371]

It wouldn’t let me attach a larger image. Will try again...nope.if you are on a phone you can enlarge it. Pity, you would have liked that one.

skinner writing what I’ve been saying at any rate - except for Sewell part. You can’t pass on Sewell because ogbuehi sucked.

 

 

[TJJackson 336]

The skinner piece left me kinda like hanging my mouth open.

The "dont take an OL in r1" part of it almost translates to "if the Bengals take a OL in r1, said OL will for that reason only suck in the NFL"

Which to flip the coin means said same OL will do well as long as some OTHER team drafts him

so......uhm.....yeah, you do you, Skinny

all that aside, I have been a fan of the tradedown since the beginning, since we need more than one player to turn this ship around

[membengal 371]

TJ - gonna type out the above just for you. I traded back twice in first round amassing four extra picks and picked at 29 and it went down like this:

Tevan Jenkins, T , Oklahoma state - 29 overall

Carlos Basham, Edge, WakeForest - 37 overall

A. Vera-Tucker , IOL, USC, 41 overall

Elijah Moore, WR, ole miss, 65 overall

Marvin Wilson, IDL, Florida state, 69 overall

Daviyon Nixon, IDL, Iowa, 73 overall

 Ben Cleveland, IOL, Georgia, 104 overall,

Patrick Jones II, Edge, Pitt, 130 overall

Kary Vincent JR, CB, LSU,    146 overall

TJ Carter, CB, memphis 185 overall

CJ verdell, RB, Oregon, 228 overall

Tarron Jackson, Edge, coastal Carolina,  230 overall

Jalen Virgil, Wr, App State, 246 overall 

[membengal 371]

I really liked that one, frankly.