The 2021 NFL Draft may be unpredictable knowing that it is the first time since 1985 to be held without a scouting Combine.
The concerns of COVID-19 still influenced Pro Days, and the assessment of the prospects is that the college football season was not too difficult to figure out. In fact, half of the safest picks on this list are players who dropped out of the 2021 NFL season.
Defamation conference in some ways, but also the nature of the last two seasons. It said, seven players who would likely be drafted in the first round of this year’s draft as safe bets for NFL success.
SN broke seven of those players ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft:
MORE NFL DRAFT: Complete 7-Round Mock | Top 100 Big Boards
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
- Overall No. 1 on SN’s big board
Lawrence has been the No. 1 pick in this draft since Clemson of the Year. The 6-6, 220-pound quarterback passed for a productive career with 10,098 yards, 90 TDs and 17 interceptions, including three college football playoff appearances.
Lawrence will be the 25th quarterback selected with the No. 1 pick in the Super Bowl era, and with that, expectations increase. It is amplified for the first time in Jacksonville with a pair of NFL coaches Urban Mayer.
There are also four other possible first-round picks Lawrence will be compared to at the next level, and it always raises the stakes. However, Lawrence has been compared to generational prospects such as John Elway, Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. Lawrence should only succeed as per the other recent No. 1 position.
Penny Seawell, OT, Oregon
Pro Football Hall of Fame is influenced by Anthony Munoz Sewell, and this position has the most accolades possible.
The 6-6, 325-pound tackle allowed just one sack in his junior season before being ruled out in 2020, but he is generally considered the best offensive lineman in this class. He played left tackle as a lender but is also capable of playing the role of guard. He allowed just one sack in 1,376 college snacks with Oregon.
Since 2010, eight tackles have been selected with top-five picks. Five – Trent Williams (2010), Matt Kalil (2012), Eric Fisher (2013), Len Johnson (2013) and Brandon Shroff (2015) – made the Pro Bowl. . Sewell has the talent to join those other solid starting options at the next level.
Alija Vera-Tucker, OT, USC
- Overall No. 13 on SN’s big board
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremia said it happened out loud.
“I just think that if you are asking who are the safe picks that are just going to start one day and fill a role for the next decade, I think this kid has got that type of ability and makeup , ” Jeremiah said via USCFootball.com.
Vera-Tucker is one of the late picks in the draft, and his ability to be an effective guard and tackle has boosted his stock. At 6-4, 308 pounds, Vera-Tucker has a mix of size and agility that should make him a starter as a cheater. The squared position has depth, but pick a value regardless of where it falls in the first round.
Rashavan Slater, OT, Northwestern
- Overall No. 12 on SN’s big board
Slater gained attention for a breakout season in 2019 in which he allowed zero sacks and gave just one of 11 quarterback hits. This included an impressive performance against Ohio State’s Chase Young in the regular season.
However, he dropped out of the 2020 season, and is heavy on the draft class tackle. Slater is 6-4 and 315 pounds, and has played both tackle spots in college and could potentially have the ability to slide into the guard position.
The possibility of this flexibility means that Slater will be 1 starter a day in the NFL, and closing the year should not hurt that position.
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
- Overall No. 2 on SN’s big board
Chase ruled out of the 2020 season, opening the door for Alabama’s Jaylen Wadle and DeVonta Smith to jump into the best receiver conversation.
Chase – a 6-foot, 208-pound receiver – is every bit as good. He finished with 85 catches for 1,785 yards and averaged 21.0 yards per reception in 2019. This included 20 TDs with Joey Burrow at LSU.
Chase also played his best in the big games. Consider that season against Alabama and Clemson, Chase finished with 15 catches for 361 yards and three TDs. He was a major down-field threat, and there is no doubt that he could be WR1 in the NFL. Look at what Justin Jefferson did to Minnesota as a cheater.
Chase is able to create the same effect.
Gregory Russo, DE, Miami
- Overall No. 18 on SN’s big board
Russo is the third player on this list to be selected in 2020.
It was disappointing, knowing that he had 15.5 sacks and 19.5 hurricanes to deal with as a sophomore and was projecting a similar path as Ohio State’s Chase Young. Rousseau did not play much even after suffering a broken ankle in 2018.
While this could make the 6-5, 260-pound defensive end like a risky pick, Price’s falling out of the top-10, which makes him an even better pick. Russo spent the descent working with Kallis Campbell, and he profiles the same type of player – a defensive end that can generate pressure from the inside.
Jessie Horn, CB, South Carolina
- Overall No. 22 on SN’s big board
Horn likely won’t be the first cornerback selected – which will be Alabama’s Patrick Sartain II. Both defensive backs have NFL bloodlines, and they are going to be compared during his career.
The length of the horn is 6-1, 205 pounds and According to pro football focus The only receiver to get more than 50 yards when covered by the Horns in 30 games was Alabama’s Devonta Smith. This is an impressive statistic on which to build.
This experience will pay off against the SEC’s best receivers. The final two first-round defendants from South Carolina are Stephon Gilmore and Jonathan Joseph. Horn has a high standard to meet, but he should be a solid NFL cornerback.
Nazi Harris, RB, Alabama
- Overall No. 14 on SN’s big board
Harris – a 6-2, 230-pound junior – is known for his stubborn defenders in Alabama, but there is much to like about getting back through the Crimson Tide’s next pipeline.
Harris averaged 5.8 yards per carry over the past two seasons, but he also gave up 35 receptions per year. He is a good pass blocker, and he gets in the end zone. Harris made a total of 50 TDs in the last two seasons.
Nick Saban has done an outstanding job of developing his running back to suit the NFL game. Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake finished in the top 15 last season. Harris can be productive right now.
Will he push Harris in the first round? It can happen.
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