5. Linebacker
Top prospects
- Micah Parsons, Penn State (#6)
- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame (#16)
- Nick Bolton, Missouri (#23)
The fact that this linebacker class ranks fifth is a testament to the quality of the other positions above it. It provides the ideal combination of top tier quality and legitimate depth, with 13 linebackers inside the top 120 of my Big Board. It also provides a versatile array of skillsets, with the top players each bringing something very different to the table.
Micah Parsons is the clear frontrunner and perhaps the best linebacker prospect since Luke Kuechly. He is an uber-athlete, with 4.4 speed and ideal sideline-to-sideline agility. He opted out in 2020 but that hasn’t hurt his stock. Last season he posted a PFF run defense grade 94.8, the second highest they have ever given. He is an elite tackler too and offers excellent versatility as a blitzer. Off-field problems may see him drop down draft boards, but there is no doubting his ability.
Owusu-Koramoah offers a completely different skillset to Parsons. He played the overhang role in Notre Dame’s defense and is the embodiment of the modern linebacker/safety hybrid. Bolton on the other hand is an old-school middle linebacker who loves getting downhill and stuffing the run. Zaven Collins is my LB4 and he brings a truly unique skillset as a 6’4″ 260 lbs linebacker who can play off the edge or cover in space to a high level.
4. Edge
Top prospects
- Kwity Paye, Michigan (#11)
- Gregory Rousseau, Miami (#18)
- Jaelan Phillips, Miami (#25)
It is fair to say that none of the edge rushers in this year’s class are the finished article and there is no standout prospect in the 2021 class like there was last year with Chase Young. Most of the big names are athletic freaks with limited college production but tremendous upside. That said, this year’s class far outweighs last year’s when it comes to depth and I have five edge rushers with first round grades.
Kwity Paye is my EDGE1 in the 2021 class. A member of Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, Paye has one of the craziest combinations of size and speed you will ever see. At 6’4″ and 277 lbs he offers versatility to play from the interior whilst running a sub 4.6 40-yard dash. Paye’s 6.37 three-cone would be the second quickest by any player in Combine history, regardless of position. He elevated his game in 2020, with 22 pressures on 138 pass rushing snaps.
The next two spots are both taken by Miami edge defenders. Rousseau was one of the season’s biggest opt outs after an impressive 2019 season that saw him finish with 16 sacks. He remains raw, but teams will love his upside. Jaelan Phillips is the former No. 1 overall recruit from 2017 and he is easily the most gifted edge in the 2021 class. His medical concerns are the only thing keeping him from being a top ten pick.
3. Offensive tackle
Top prospects
- Penei Sewell, Oregon (#3)
- Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech (#13)
- Rashawn Slater, Northwestern (#14)
It was always going to be difficult to compare favourably to the 2020 tackle class, but this one comes pretty close. This is another position that combines top end quality with legitimate depth. Teams will likely be able to pick up starting tackles well into the second round, with players like Liam Eichenberg and Dillon Radunz. In total I have eight tackles inside the top 50 of my Big Board.
Penei Sewell is for me the obvious frontrunner in this class. His tape as a sophomore in 2019 was some of the most dominant we’ve seen from a college tackle. He possesses special movement skills and is able to combine that with prototypical tackle strength. He is an elite pass protector, giving up just 15 pressures on 706 career pass blocking snaps. His 95.7 PFF run blocking grade led the nation in 2019.
After Sewell it is a pretty close contest between Darrisaw and Slater. Darrisaw is one of the most powerful linemen in this class and is coming off a First Team All-ACC season. Slater was another big opt out but was elite in 2019, neutralising the likes of Chase Young better than anyone. His limited length could see him move inside to guard, but he’s a great prospect regardless of position.
2. Quarterback
Top prospects
- Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (#1)
- Zach Wilson, BYU (#2)
- Justin Fields, Ohio State (#4)
Any class with Trevor Lawrence in was always going to rank highly, but he is the only quality prospect. This ranks even higher than last year’s class, which was considered by many to be one of the best we’ve seen in recent years. There are four quarterbacks inside the top ten of my Big Board and they account for three of the top four spots.
Lawrence is obviously the leading prospect and there isn’t much that can be said about him that hasn’t already been covered hundreds of times. He has been an elite prospect since starting as a true freshman in Clemson and is arguably the best quarterback prospect we’ve seen since Peyton Manning. The word “generational” can get thrown around in draft circles, but it was made for a player like Lawrence.
In any other year, the other three quarterbacks would probably be in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick. Zach Wilson came out of nowhere this season to be one of the most coveted draft prospects in the country. His combination of arm talent, accuracy, and mobility are genuinely elite. Fields is a more divisive prospect, but remains incredibly talented. His six touchdown performance against Clemson in the playoffs showed why he should still be considered one of the draft’s very best prospects.
1. Wide receiver
Top prospects
- Ja’Marr Chase, LSU (#5)
- Jaylen Waddle, Alabama (#7)
- Devonta Smith, Alabama (#9)
This is a rare group. What separates this year’s crop of wide receivers is the incredible depth available at the position. I have six wide receivers with first round grades and they account for 31 of the players in my top 200 Big Board. The fact that players like D’Wayne Eskridge and Jaelon Darden may still be available on Day 3 is testament to the depth.
The ranking of the top three wide receivers is still the subject of debate, but for me Ja’Marr Chase is still WR1. Like Penei Sewell, his draft stock hasn’t dropped at all as a result of his opt out. He is one of the most well-rounded receiver prospects we’ve seen in recent years and can win with speed, physicality, and route running. His 2019 tape was electric and he set SEC records for receiving yards and touchdowns.
Waddle and Smith are certainly not far behind though and they both offer different skillsets. Whilst Waddle wins with shiftiness and deep speed, Smith is one of the most polished route runners in this year’s class. This season he became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard in 1991. Both of them have the potential to be quality NFL receivers.
