Earlier today Maurice Jones-Drew published his 2021 Mock Draft 1.0. His mock draft last year got plenty of attention, with him predicting Justin Herbert as the No. 1 overall pick. There is nothing as surprising as that this time around, but there are plenty of interesting choices. Here are three of the best and worst moves from his latest mock. You can read the full list of picks here.
The best
The Patriots land Kyle Pitts at No. 15
It is always difficult to predict how things will go on draft day. It seems crazy that Kyle Pitts would fall as far as No. 15, but if he does this would be a slam dunk pick for New England. This is a roster that needs a tonne of investment and they have arguably the NFL’s worst receiving corps heading into 2021. They drafted two tight ends in the third round last year, but they combined for just five catches and 55 yards. Pitts would be the best receiver on this roster from Day 1, and it isn’t really close.
He was incredible in 2020, racking up 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in just eight games. Pitts didn’t register a single drop all season and his 17.9 yards per catch ranked second amongst draft-eligible tight ends. He also became the first tight end in history to be nominated for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the best receiver in college football. Pitts’ versatility and ability to win from a variety of alignments would immediate elevate New England’s offense.
The Raiders get Kwity Paye at No. 17
The Raiders’ defense was absolutely terrible last season. It all culminated in them firing defensive coordinator Paul Guenther after a Week 14 loss to the Colts. They have since hired Gus Bradley as his replacement, and any chance at playoff football will be reliant on Bradley turning things around quickly. His defense is one of the more blitz-averse in the NFL and he relies on his front four generating pressure. Right now, their leading edge is Maxx Crosby, who had 48 pressures in 2020. This still only ranked 32nd in the NFL.
Getting a player like Paye would immediately improve this defense. He offers the ideal combination of size and speed, running a reported 4.57 40-yard dash at 272 lbs. His 26.7 per cent pass rush win rate leads the 2021 class and would have ranked behind only Chase Young and Josh Uche in last year’s class. He would make a big difference to the Raiders’ defense from day one, and offers the versatility to be used from a variety of alignments if needed. I really like this pick.
Owusu-Koramoah lands in Cleveland
This pick is a little bit like Kyle Pitts to the Patriots. Although linebacker is not a hugely valuable position, it would be a major surprise to see Owusu-Koramoah drop as far as No. 25. If he did, that would be music to the ears of Browns fans everywhere, who could answer their obvious need at linebacker. The team struggled in coverage throughout 2020, and adding a player like Owusu-Koramoah would be a great way to start fixing the defense.
Owusu-Koramoah is a hybrid safety/linebacker prospect, playing the ‘overhang’ role in Notre Dame’s defense. Whilst he isn’t the biggest player, he showcases tremendous fluidity and movement in space and is comfortable lining up against slot receivers and tight ends in man coverage. He allowed just 214 yards in coverage all season, giving up a passer rating of 77.3.
The worst
The Cowboys take Jevon Holland at No. 10
This is possibly the most surprising pick of Jones-Drew’s mock draft. The Cowboys clearly need help on defense, but Holland is an odd choice. It is debatable whether or not he is worth a first round pick, let alone a top ten pick. According to GrindingtheMocks, Holland’s expected draft position is 58.8. At this point in the draft, Patrick Surtain and Jaycee Horn were both still on the board. Dallas could also consider investing in an offensive tackle, and Rashawn Slater would have been available. Taking Holland makes very little sense.
That is not to say that Holland is a bad player. He is just not what the Cowboys need right now. The Cowboys have hired Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator, who will run his version of the Seattle Cover 3 scheme. This asks a lot from the free safety, who needs to have good range and speed to patrol the middle of the field. Holland has some of the best instincts in the class, but he is definitely not a rangy safety. Jones-Drew suggested Holland could be used as a boundary or slot corner, but he lacks the athleticism to play that kind of role in the NFL. If Dallas need a single-high safety, they would be best targeting a player like Richie Grant in the second round.
The AFC East go all out for running backs
Jones-Drew had three running backs go in the first round for the second time in two years. He had the Dolphins selecting Najee Harris at No. 18, before the Jets and Bills took Travis Etienne and Javonte Williams with their respective picks. I would be amazed if anything like this actually happened on draft night. We have only seen three backs go in the first round twice in the last decade as teams are beginning to wise up on the value of running backs.
What makes these picks so bad is not simply that they are running backs, but that each team have far bigger holes to fill at far more valuable positions. The Dolphins could do with more investment along their offensive line and still lack a top tier pass rusher. The same can be said for the Jets, who could also do with more help at corner. The Bills’ roster is the most complete of the three, but they would be better served by investing in their offensive line. After all, this has a much greater influence on the running game than the individual back in the backfield.
The Colts take Alijah Vera-Tucker at No. 21
This is not a terrible pick, but it doesn’t make a tonne of sense either. Jones-Drew has the Colts selecting Vera-Tucker at No. 21, citing his ability to play both tackle and guard as a key benefit. In truth, there is some doubt about Vera-Tucker’s ability to hold up as a tackle in the NFL. Whilst he looked good after switching to the position this season, Vera-Tucker fell apart against Oregon and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the first NFL-level talent he had faced all season.
Still, he projects as a high ceiling guard in the NFL and is worthy of a first round pick. The problem is that this isn’t what the Colts need. They already have the NFL’s best left guard in Quenton Nelson and are unlikely to want to move him. Vera-Tucker may then be moved to right guard, but he hasn’t played there since a handful of games in his freshman season. Whilst this would no doubt improve their offensive line, it does nothing to fill the hole left by Anthony Castonzo at left tackle. They would be better to target a genuine tackle prospect, or consider trading for a player like Orlando Brown Jr.
