The final 2021 edition, maybe. Barring another trade involving a first round pick before Thursday, this should be my final mock draft.

There’s picks I’m extremely confident in, others that I’ve gone back and forth on, and still others that I’ve just basically thrown a dart on.

The top two picks are set in stone. They’ve been the same for weeks, and it would absolutely set the draft board on fire if either would end up differently.

After that, the Falcons at #4, Detroit at #7 and Carolina at #8 are the teams to watch as what they do will shape the draft. Stay put or trade down? Take a QB of the future if they’re there (which, in Atlanta’s case, one certainly will be)?

What teams will be willing to pay the price to move up for a QB, especially the fourth or fifth one off the board? The Niners gave up 2022 & 2023 first round picks to swap this year’s first round picks with Miami (#12 to #3), I think that’s the ballpark we’re looking at to move up to 4, slightly less to 7 or 8.

I’ll try to answer some of those questions in this mock. Here we go:

1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: This is the Peyton Manning of this class of QBs. Not only is Lawrence the consensus number one, he’s the generational talent that has been pegged as a number one overall pick since he set foot on Clemson’s campus.

2. NEW YORK JETS- Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: The Jets have been locked in on Wilson nearly as long as Jacksonville has been on Lawrence. In my opinion he might not even be the second best QB in this class, but he’s still a pretty solid choice and should have a great pro career.

3. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: Has the talk linking Jones to the Niners been nothing but a smokescreen? That’s not unheard of during draft season but my question is why the need for deception? Nobody can get in front of San Fran, everyone knows that Lawrence is going to Jacksonville and Wilson will head to New York. There is literally zero need for a smokescreen.

The latest reports say head coach Kyle Shanahan prefers Jones, while the scouting department prefers Trey Lance. In the end, I think the coach gets what he wants.

It’s not my choice, but SF has a championship caliber roster and Jones probably needs less pro seasoning than the others, even if his ceiling is considerably lower.

4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (From Atlanta)- Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: Nobody wants SF to take Mac Jones more than the Atlanta Falcons. The price for their number 4 pick will shoot through the roof.

In addition to NE, QB needy teams like Denver, Washington & Chicago should be willing to mortgage their future. Even teams like Pittsburgh and New Orleans that aren’t as desperate may kick the tires. There’s probably even some under the radar teams like Las Vegas or Tennessee that could be in the mix.

Justin Fields is worth it. I have him as the number two QB in the class, no offense to Zach Wilson. Watch his destruction of Clemson from January or some of the jaw dropping throws he made at his pro day. Lawrence and Wilson might be more can’t miss, but Fields’ ceiling is just as high.

The Patriots have been uncharacteristically aggressive this offseason. Missing the playoffs in the first post-Brady season will do that. They’ve upgraded the roster, but Belichick cannot put all his chips on Cam Newton. A couple first rounders plus other picks from an organization that hasn’t exactly been a draft day juggernaut doesn’t seem like too big a risk.

5. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon: Lots of chatter about reuniting Joe Burrow with Ja’Marr Chase or grabbing the best non QB talent in the class, Kyle Pitts, but Cincy needs to play this smart.

Burrow’s promising rookie season was cut short because of a knee injury. A knee injury he sustained because his offensive line was a sieve. Protecting the franchise QB has to be their top priority, the receiver class is deep, they can get weapons later.

6. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida: After trading down from #3 to #12, Miami traded back up to #6. All this means they’ve targeted someone they know won’t be available at 12.

There’s three players that fit this bill: Sewell, Ja’Marr Chase and Pitts.

Chase is generally considered the top WR in the class, but he’s not head and shoulders above the Alabama duo, at least one of which should be available at 12.

Sewell is considered the top tackle, but tackle isn’t a huge need for Miami, and there’s not much gap between him and the next couple tackles that they’d surely be able to land at 12.

Pitts is different. There is no other TE even in his universe, let alone orbit. TE isn’t a huge need for the Dolphins, they have Mike Gesicki after all, but Pitts is generational. He’s Jimmy Graham from his New Orleans days. A WR in a tight end’s body. A match up nightmare that will keep defensive coordinators up all night.

7. DETROIT LIONS- Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU: The Lions are a bit of a wild card here, with one first round worthy QB still on the board.

For starters, Jared Goff is not a franchise QB, so it may be tempting to get one. Even if they decide not to, there’s teams that would be eager to jump ahead of Denver.

Ultimately, I think the combination of value, need and talent will lead Detroit to take Chase. They lost both starting WRs in free agency, and Chase could be their new Calvin Johnson.

8. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (From Carolina)- Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State: First things first, Carolina did not trade for Sam Darnold only to immediately draft his replacement, so they’re out of the QB mix.

They could stay here and take an OT like Rashawn Slater or one of the Bama WRs, or hope that Pitts somehow slips to them, but the draft capital they could recoup is too good to pass up.

The market for this pick won’t be as robust as it was for Atlanta, but there should still be multiple teams bidding, ultimately I think Washington wins out.

They signed the ultimate bridge QB in Ryan Fitzpatrick who can hold the reins and lead this team back to the playoffs, while grooming Lance to lead the franchise into the future.

9. DENVER BRONCOS- Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State: Denver misses out on a QB because they balk at the steep price they’d have to pay. They’ll gamble that Drew Lock can take a step forward this season.

Parsons could be the QB for head coach Vic Fangio’s defense. It might be a bit of a surprise pick, but it wasn’t long ago that Parsons was considered a top five talent.

One final note, if SF passes on Mac Jones, this is the likely landing spot for him, in my opinion.

10. DALLAS COWBOYS- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama: Jerry Jones is said to be enamored with Kyle Pitts, but Dallas has no chance of landing him. Upgrading the offensive line has to be considered, but Dallas’ Achilles heel has been defense, particularly pass defense.

Surtain is a lock down corner that will vastly improve their secondary and take some pressure off the rest of the defense.

Outside the top two picks, this is as confident as I am about any of my picks.

11. NEW YORK GIANTS- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: The Giants brought in Kenny Golloday, but they still lack that game breaking, take the top off the defense WR they haven’t had since shipping out OBJ.

Waddle is that guy. I think he may be the most dynamic WR in the class. He’ll give opposing DCs nightmares.

Daniel Jones will have no excuses if he doesn’t take the next step this season.

12. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina: Philly fans are going to hate this pick, since Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith is still on the board, but this is the smarter play.

The WR class is deep, and Philly has a ton of picks, they’ll get a good one.

The NFC East has some talented pass catchers that the Eagles will have to deal with six times every season. Pairing Horn with Darius Slay could give Philly one of the best corner tandems in the NFL.

13. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern: LA should be ecstatic about how this board has fallen. I’ve mocked Slater to LA in every single mock draft, and there were times I thought they’d have to move up to secure him.

Much like Cincy, the Chargers have found their franchise QB in Justin Herbert, now they need to keep him upright. They can add weapons later.

14. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC: Part of me thinks Mike Zimmer is more inclined to draft defense here, particularly an edge rusher, but offensive line should be a higher priority.

Vera-Tucker excelled at tackle this past season, but he’s better suited to the interior, making him the top IOL in the class. This matches what should be considered the Vikings biggest need.

Don’t count out Minnesota trading down from this spot and going defense.

15. ATLANTA FALCONS (From New England)- Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan: The Falcons get a substantial haul to move down 11 spots.

CB is a bigger need, but with Surtain and Horn off the board, the value isn’t there. Atlanta goes with the top Edge rusher instead. Who that is is open to interpretation.

Paye is an athletic freak with tremendous upside. His athletic profile could make him very enticing to a team in desperate need of defensive help.

16. ARIZONA CARDINALS- DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama: The Cardinals get the gift of the first round as size concerns push the Heisman Trophy winner down the board.

Arizona has other, more pressing needs but pairing Smith with DeAndre Hopkins would make Kliff Kingsbury’s offense very scary.

17. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech: The Raiders could go several directions here, Edge or LB are certainly possibilities but Darrisaw represents the best value at this spot.

Jon Gruden wants an old school, smash mouth offense. That starts in the trenches. Darrisaw will step right into the spot vacated by Trent Brown.

18. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami-Fl: Dolphins fans would probably prefer Najee Harris here, and I’ve mocked him to Miami several times. But, they added a weapon earlier in the draft, now they’ll shift focus to defense.

Talent wise, Phillips is the top Edge in the draft, probably a top ten talent, but injury issues push him down the board.

The Dolphins will accept that risk and bring him across town from the U.

19. CAROLINA PANTHERS (From Washington)- Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech: Farley is another player that slips down the board because of injury concerns. Arguably the top CB in the class, and a top ten selection, if not for his offseason back surgery.

In an NFC South with multiple Pro-Bowl WRs, Farley’s talent is worth taking a risk on.

Carolina adds at least one future first rounder to move down 11 spots.

20. CHICAGO BEARS- Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: There is a better than average chance Chicago doesn’t pick in this spot. They are certainly in the mix to trade up for a QB, and they’re also a candidate to trade down seeking better value.

If they truly covet Jenkins, and as a fan I believe they should, they may even need to move up a couple spots to secure him.

The fit is perfect. Jenkins is a right tackle, which is the Bears weakest spot on the OL. He’d solidify it for the next decade and bring a mean streak to the offensive line they’ve lacked since Kyle Long’s departure.

There are some that would prefer a CB or WR at this spot, but Jenkins is the best fit and value without trading back.

21. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota: The Colts likely covet Teven Jenkins to replace Anthony Costanza, but Chicago scooped him up.

I’m not sure there’s another tackle worth taking at this spot. CB or Edge are possibilities, but I think Indy will opt to give Carson Wentz another weapon.

Bateman is a tier below the top three WRs, but I’ve compared him favorably to Allen Robinson in past mocks. Colts fans would not be disappointed.

22. TENNESSEE TITANS- Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern: Tennessee could have eyes for Bateman, or an Edge rusher here, but they’ll gladly scoop up Newsome, whose been one of the rising talents at CB.

This pick and the two previous picks are pretty interchangeable. I could see any of Jenkins, Bateman or Newsome landing in Chicago, Indy or Tennessee.

23. NEW YORK JETS- Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia: Jets fans probably prefer another offensive weapon for new franchise QB Zach Wilson, but new head coach Robert Saleh is a defensive guy.

The Jets have an early round two selection to go RB, WR or even OL, they’ll add an Edge rusher here.

I’ve had Ojulari as the first Edge off the board in a couple of mocks and this is about as far down the board as I’ve had him. He might not have the pure talent of Phillips or the huge upside of Paye, but his leadership qualities along with above average athleticism and talent make him a quality get.

24. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Landon Dickerson, IOL, Alabama: Pittsburgh needs to fix their offensive line, first and foremost. Longtime center and line anchor, Maurkice Pouncey, retired and Dickerson is the best center in the class.

He comes with injury concerns, but he’s tough as nails and a natural fit for the Steelers.

25. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU: I’ve mocked Moehrig to Jacksonville almost as long as I’ve had Trevor Lawrence there. The fit, value and talent are just perfect.

Jacksonville picks first in the second round where they’ll easily be able to grab a WR or OT.

26. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame: I was really tempted to put Alabama IDL Christian Barmore here, but Owusu-Koramoah is too talented to pass up.

He’s a hybrid LB/S that NFL DCs have started to embrace. He could help take Cleveland’s defense to the next level.

27. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Terrace Marshall Jr, WR, LSU: I’ve mocked an Edge rusher to Baltimore in almost every mock draft I’ve done. It is their biggest need since they lost both of their starters in free agency. But, they’ve acquired KC’s first round pick in the Orlando Brown trade, so now they have options.

Getting Lamar Jackson some more weapons is another priority, and Marshall would instantly become his number one.

He’s been overshadowed the past couple of years by Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, but Marshall is supremely talented and has a nose for the end zone.

28. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa: Saints are a hard team to pin down. They could go in several different directions with this pick. I’ve finally settled on them taking a tone setter on defense.

Collins is a throwback linebacker. Big and bruising. The Saints could use some more physicality on their defense.

29. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State: Packers fans would rather see a WR here, but it isn’t happening. Green Bay simply doesn’t take WRs in the first round. A corner is a possibility, but I’m going with improving Aaron Rodgers’ protection.

Radunz is a bit of a surprise first rounder, but he’s got all the makings of a foundational left tackle.

30. BUFFALO BILLS- Najee Harris, RB, Alabama: Buffalo was a win away from the Super Bowl last year and they’ve got a pretty solid roster with few holes.

Adding a workhorse RB, who is also an adept pass catcher, would take the Josh Allen led offense to another level.

31. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State: Baltimore gets their Edge rusher with their second first rounder, acquired from Kansas City in the Orlando Brown trade.

Oweh is raw, but athletically gifted. He could, and should develop into the Ravens next great Edge rusher.

32. MIAMI DOLPHINS (From Tampa Bay)- Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson: Some team always trades back into the back end of the first round to get that fifth year option on another player. A lot of analysts think that could be a team like Chicago to get the sixth QB off the board, but there’s no rule saying it has to be a QB.

Miami makes this move for several reasons. First, Etienne is a talented runner and receiver and they’d get a fifth year option on him. Second, they’ve got the third pick in round two so it won’t cost much to move up, and they’ve got picks to burn. And finally, Dolphins fans will really love that it screws the Jets, who have to be eyeballing Etienne early in the second round.

Tampa Bay is the defending champions and they brought everyone back from that squad. They can afford to trade out of the first round and add picks.

RECAP

Jacksonville and the New York Jets are locked in at #1 & #2, I’m supremely confident those are the picks.

I’m not so sure on San Francisco at #3. I would go Fields there, but everything I’m hearing says otherwise.

I’ve never been a believer that Atlanta would take a QB at #4, I think the smart play would be to trade down.

Cincinnati at #5 and the Los Angeles Chargers at #13 are in similar positions, second year franchise QBs they need to protect. I think Cincy should definitely go OT, though they could go WR. The Chargers might not have the choice depending on how the board breaks, but if they have a shot at Slater or Darrisaw they should take it.

I think Miami at #6 is focused on three players, Pitts, Chase and Sewell. Pitts is the priority, with the other two as fall back options.

Detroit at #7 and Carolina at #8 will both be fielding calls about their picks with at least one QB still on the board. Either could move down if the price is right. If Carolina stays put, I could see them taking Slater or one of the Alabama WRs at that spot.

Denver is certainly in the mix when it comes to QBs, but I think they’d prefer not to pay a premium and hope one falls to them at #9. They could also be in play for Teddy Bridgewater or Gardner Minshew if they strike out on first round QBs.

I’m locked on Dallas taking Surtain if he’s on the board at #10.

The Giants could go in several directions depending on how the board goes. They’re in play for Slater, Parsons or an Edge rusher at #11 as well as WR.

Eagles fans want a WR at #12, but I don’t think they’ll burn a first round pick on a WR in back to back drafts. CB is the right move, but Edge or OT is another possibility.

Vera-Tucker is a perfect fit for Minnesota at #14, I’d be more confident in that pick if Mike Zimmer wasn’t so defense oriented, and the Vikings D took a big step back last year.

New England has been super aggressive this offseason and I’d be very surprised if they stay at 15. If they don’t land a QB, one of the Alabama WRs could be their target.

I have little confidence in my picks for Arizona at #16 or Las Vegas at #17. Both teams could go in multiple directions.

Miami is a bit of a wildcard not only at #18, but for the whole draft. They have the ability to land a bunch of talent in this draft.

Washington at #19 and Chicago at #20 are in similar positions. Both could move up for a QB, both could be in the OT or WR market. Chicago could also go CB.

Indianapolis at #21 and Tennessee at #22 are probably looking at the same group of players and what they do really depends on what Chicago does and who is left on the board.

The Jets are much like the Dolphins in that they have enough picks to add some serious talent in this draft. They’re in play to take the first RB off the board at #23.

I feel Pittsburgh has to go OL at #24, but an Edge to replace Bud DuPree is a possibility.

I’m nearly as confident in Jacksonville’s pick at #25 as I am in their pick at #1. It just makes too much sense.

Cleveland at #26 and Buffalo at #30 both have pretty solid rosters that just need minor tweaks, best player available is apt for both.

Baltimore at #27 and #31 will almost surely take at least one Edge rusher, they could possibly double dip at the position.

New Orleans at #28 and Green Bay at #29 could both go WR or CB if the value is there.

Tampa Bay at #32 is certainly in best player available mode, and could very well trade out of the first round.

That’s it for now. Can’t wait for Thursday!

This will be my final Chicago Bears focused mock draft of 2021. I considered several factors, and debated whether to post several different mocks with different scenarios.

Like any mock draft, a Bears mock draft hinges on the QB position. I wish I knew the mind of Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy. I wish I knew exactly how much leeway the Bears ownership has given their football brain trust in what could be their final draft together.

Will the Bears go all in on a move up in the first round to acquire a possible franchise QB? Will they bide their time and make a less significant, albeit still a major investment on the fourth or fifth QB off the board? Will they wait and take a chance on a day two QB?

I don’t honestly have the answer to any of those questions. All I can offer is what I hope they will do. I’ll add a couple caveats before presenting my final Bears mock draft.

First, everything depends on what San Francisco does with the #3 pick. If the 49ers do what many insiders believe they will and take Alabama QB Mac Jones at that spot, I think it would be in the Bears interest to be on the phone with the Atlanta Falcons about the number four pick.

The cost to move from #20 to #4 will be steep. You can bank on it costing both 2022 & 2023’s first round picks, and probably additional picks. SF paid that to Miami to move from 12 to 3, Atlanta will expect a similar haul. To complicate matters, and raise the price, Chicago will not be alone in this pursuit. Denver, New England and Washington could all be in the market and all have earlier picks than Chicago, if any are willing to add that third first rounder, Chicago will be forced to up the ante.

Is the price worth it? Maybe only for one guy. In my opinion, Justin Fields is the number 2 QB in this class, no disrespect to Zach Wilson. I’d be willing to sacrifice our first round picks until 2024 to get him. I would rather not lose our second and third rounders this year, but any other additional picks I’d consider. I think Fields is the Deshaun Watson of this class, he has the proven track record but for some reason is not given to respect I feel he deserves.

If the Niners pass on Fields at #3, Chicago should do everything in their power to move up to grab him.

If, on the other hand, San Francisco selects Fields or Chicago is outbid for the #4 pick, there is still a scenario where I’d be okay with the Bears trading up for a QB.

That scenario would involve Trey Lance falling out of the top ten. This could happen if SF takes Jones and Denver trades up to #4 for Fields. Cincinnati & Miami at 5 & 6 aren’t taking QBs, and likely aren’t trading out of those spots. Detroit at 7 and Carolina at 8 may take Lance if he’s there, but I’m doubtful. Detroit has Jared Goff and a dozen holes. They would be better served filling those needs than taking a QB this year. As for Carolina, they made the move for Sam Darnold and they have other needs as well. I see them going in a different direction.

Atlanta at 9 (after trading with Denver) is intriguing. I still think their biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball, and that Matt Ryan has some good football left in him. They could look to trade down again or take the top defensive player in the draft. For the sake of speculation, we’ll assume they do the latter.

We’re now to number 10. Dallas has signaled a willingness to trade down, and I think it’s more likely if Atlanta poaches Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II, who I believe the Cowboys have their sights set on. The Giants at #11 and Philly at 12 could also be willing trade partners. The key would be getting ahead of New England.

A move like this would still cost us next year’s first rounder, but probably not much more. If we can land Lance with a pick swap and 2022’s first, I’m all in.

I would not support a trade up for Mac Jones nor would I likely take him if he’s available at #20 for our pick. I’ve never been on board the Jones train, and I don’t see much difference between him and the next tier of QBs. Personally, I’d prefer to pass on Jones in the first and focus on OT or CB, I’d look to day two of the draft to find a QB to groom behind Andy Dalton.

And now, my final Chicago Bears seven round mock draft:

ROUND ONE, Pick #20- Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: None of the trade up scenarios I mentioned came to pass, and I had some trade down offers but none that blew me away. I’ve zeroed in on Jenkins for awhile now, and would dearly love to add him to our offensive line.

He may strictly be a right tackle, but that is our biggest need on the line and he would solidify that spot for years to come. He plays with a mean streak our line has lacked since Kyle Long’s departure. I couldn’t be happier with this pick.

ROUND TWO, Pick #64- Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue: Chicago has the 52nd pick currently, but I wasn’t enamored with anyone on the board and was open to trading back. It actually took a couple moves to end up at #64, but along the way I added a third rounder (#92) and fifth rounder (#176) this year, plus Kansas City’s 2022 fourth round pick. In addition to the 52nd pick, I sacrificed pick #204 and next year’s fifth rounder.

The big key for me was adding that extra third round pick, I was thinking it might come in handy in my pursuit of a QB.

After finally landing at #64, I found Rondale Moore just sitting there. I’ll be frank, I was targeting a CB in round two, but Moore is too enticing to pass up. A slot receiver with home run potential. The Tyreek Hill that Matt Nagy has been missing.

ROUND THREE, Pick #83- Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M: I’ve had my eye on Mond for awhile. Of the second tier of QBs, I feel Mond has the most upside. He’s got a strong arm and good athleticism. He’s been seasoned against the best competition in college football in the powerful SEC and has never looked outmatched. If we’re not getting a first round QB, Kellen Mond should be our next target.

ROUND FOUR, Pick #115- Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan: As it turned out, I didn’t need that extra third rounder to land my QB, so I moved down from #92 to #115. I was able to add a seventh round pick this year (#238) and Denver’s 2022 fourth rounder. I sacrificed next year’s seventh round pick as part of this move.

I wanted to address CB earlier, but the board didn’t work that way. Thomas is a pretty solid day three selection though. Had he not opted out of the 2021 season due to COVID concerns, he could have easily found himself going in the first 2 rounds. The lack of recent game tape slides him down the board, and Ryan Pace could have himself another day three gem.

ROUND FIVE, Pick #164- Michael Menet, C, Penn State: Sam Mustipher did a great job for us down the stretch in 2020, and he deserves the chance to lock down the starting gig, but it would be smart to bring in some competition. At the least, it could save us from moving Cody Whitehair or James Daniels to center because of injury. Both have been much better as guards. Menet possesses starting upside.

ROUND FIVE, Pick #176- Zech McPhearson, CB, Texas Tech: The Bears parted ways with both Kyle Fuller and Buster Skrine this offseason. They signed Desmond Trufant to man the outside, but he’s merely a place holder. Thomas could eventually take that spot. Slot corner is a different story. Our current options in the slot are underwhelming, to say the least. McPhearson is strictly a slot corner, with some impressive traits. Worth using the extra fifth we picked up from TB earlier.

ROUND SIX, Pick #208- Frank Darby, WR, Arizona State: We picked up a dynamic slot receiver earlier, so our starting receiver corps is set. This pick is about depth and a contingency should we not lock up Allen Robinson long term. Darby has the upside to eventually move into a starting role on the outside.

In all honesty, after selecting Moore in the second round, it was my plan to find an X receiver later, I had my eye on Illinois WR Josh Imatorbhebhe, but he was selected before I got the chance. Darby offers enough potential to be a fine consolation prize.

ROUND SIX, Pick #221- Patrick Johnson, EDGE, Tulane: I wanted to come out of this draft with another Edge rushing prospect, if for no other reason than to add depth. I’ve looked closely at later round edge prospects and Johnson has stood out to me, mainly but not limited to the fact that he’s a true 3-4 outside linebacker. We won’t have to try to force a square peg into a round hole. He’ll offer value as a designated pass rusher early on and could eventually become an every down player.

ROUND SIX, Pick #228- Isaiah McDuffie, LB, Boston College: LB is probably Chicago’s area of least need. Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan comprise one of the better inside linebacker duos in the NFL and they have decent depth. Trevathan has lost a step over the years and Smith has yet to play a full season without missing some time, however. McDuffie adds depth and can be a solid, if unspectacular, pursuit LB if needed. If nothing else, he brings special teams value.

ROUND SEVEN, Pick #238- Cary Angeline, TE, NC State: Bears don’t currently have a seventh round pick, I acquired this from Dallas earlier.

Another tight end drafted by Ryan Pace?! Yes, I’m afraid so. Matt Nagy’s offense utilizes different types of TEs, and neither Cole Kmet nor Jimmy Graham offer the blocking skills that Angeline brings. He’s also an adept short yardage pass catcher.

In summary, it’s probably not realistic to think Chicago has much chance to move up to grab Justin Fields. Trey Lance probably isn’t falling out of the top ten, and I’m not willing to pay the price to move up as far as it would take. That’s not to say Ryan Pace isn’t willing to, but I hope not.

If Jenkins had been off the board at #20, I’d have probably explored a trade down more closely. Texas OT Samuel Cosmi or Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley would be my late first round targets.

If we don’t land a tackle in round one, I’d look for North Dakota State OT Dillon Radunz or Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg in round two. Florida State CB Asante Samuel Jr. is another round two target.

Depending on how the draft goes, Chicago may need to use their second rounder on QB. If we miss out on Mond, Stanford’s Davis Mills or Florida’s Kyle Trask are options, though I’d only take Trask in the third round.

I would have liked to add some defensive line depth, but the board never really worked out for that. Texas A&M IDL Bobby Brown III & BYU IDL Khyiris Tonga are later round names to watch.

I considered a second OT with a late sixth rounder or that acquired seventh round selection. Josh Ball of Marshall is a name to watch there.

In every previous Bears mock draft, I’ve had them taking a safety at some point, but that was before they re-signed Tashaun Gipson. At the right value, it could happen, but safety is one of Chicago’s lower priorities now.

I passed on some interior offensive lineman because I’d rather find one capable of playing center. I think Whitehair and Daniels are fine, capable guards, with Whitehair especially having Pro-Bowl capabilities. Other day three centers I’ve looked at include Jimmy Morrissey of Pittsburgh and Stanford’s Drew Dalman.

Running back isn’t a need, but there are some intriguing day three possibilities. If Virginia Tech RB Khalil Herbert makes it there, he would be worth a pick. Michigan RB Chris Evans and Oregon State RB Jermar Jefferson would also be fine day three picks.

Finally, I already mentioned Josh Imatorbhebhe, but there are two other day three WRs that interested me. Tamorrion Terry of Florida State & UAB’s Austin Watkins.

That’s it for the Chicago focused mock draft. Feel free to comment and give me your ideas for your own teams. I’ll put out my final first round mock before Thursday, until then… BEAR DOWN!

For my first, and only, full seven round mock draft I am not considering any trades. This would simply be too time consuming. For this reason, especially in the first round, the picks are not what I think will actually happen, just simply what would happen if those teams stayed where they are.

Also, unlike my previous mock drafts, I will not comment on every single pick, not even in the first round. I’ll only comment on what I deem to be important or noteworthy picks.

Stay tuned for my final mock draft sometime next week. For now, I present my only seven round mock draft of 2021, a true labor of love.

ROUND ONE

1. Jacksonville Jaguars- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

2. New York Jets- Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

3. San Francisco 49ers- Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: Jones isn’t who I would pick, but all signs point to him being the choice of the 49ers.

4. Atlanta Falcons- Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State: I fully expect Atlanta to trade down, but if they stay here it’s only because they love a QB. Lance makes more sense because he’d need a year of seasoning learning from a consummate pro like Matt Ryan.

5. Cincinnati Bengals- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

6. Miami Dolphins- Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

7. Detroit Lions- Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU

8. Carolina Panthers- Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern

9. Denver Broncos- Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: Denver won’t get this lucky on draft night. If they want a QB, they’re probably going to need to move up.

10. Dallas Cowboys- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

11. New York Giants- Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

12. Philadelphia Eagles- Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina: Been mocking WRs to Philly all year, but I’m getting the sense CB might be a higher priority.

13. Los Angeles Chargers- Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

14. Minnesota Vikings- Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC

15. New England Patriots- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: The Patriots are one of the prime teams to watch for trading up for a QB, especially if SF doesn’t take Jones.

16. Arizona Cardinals- Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

17. Las Vegas Raiders- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

18. Miami Dolphins- Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

19. Washington Football Team- DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama: WFT is another team to watch for trading up for a QB.

20. Chicago Bears- Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: As a Bears fan, I have to state this would be a perfect scenario in round one.

21. Indianapolis Colts- Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern

22. Tennessee Titans- Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami-Fl

23. New York Jets- Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia

24. Pittsburgh Steelers- Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina

25. Jacksonville Jaguars- Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU

26. Cleveland Browns- Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan

27. Baltimore Ravens- Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State

28. New Orleans Saints- Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

29. Green Bay Packers- Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota: As a Bears fan, I have to say I hate this scenario.

30. Buffalo Bills- Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia

31. Kansas City Chiefs- Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama

ROUND TWO

33. Jaguars- Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas

34. Jets- Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida

35. Falcons- Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri

36. Dolphins- Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss

37. Eagles- Terrace Marshall Jr, WR, LSU: Perfect scenario for Philly, lock down corner in the first, stud WR in the second.

38. Bengals- Landon Dickerson, IOL, Alabama

39. Panthers- Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State

40. Broncos- Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State

41. Lions- Levi Onwuzurike, IDL, Washington

42. Giants- Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington

43. 49ers- Creed Humphrey, IOL, Oklahoma

44. Cowboys- Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame

45. Jaguars- Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

46. Patriots- Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky

47. Chargers- Ronnie Perkins, EDGE, Oklahoma

48. Raiders- Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama

49. Cardinals- Wyatt Davis, IOL, Ohio State

50. Dolphins- Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami-Fl: Possible steal here. I’ve had Rousseau going in the first round in several mocks.

51. Washington- Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan

52. Bears- Asante Samuel Jr, CB, Florida State: Again, as a Bears fan, I couldn’t be happier with this pick.

53. Titans- Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson

54. Colts- Daviyon Nixon, IDL, Iowa

55. Steelers- Brady Christensen, OT, BYU

56. Seattle Seahawks- Carlos Basham Jr, EDGE, Wake Forest

57. Los Angeles Rams- Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa

58. Ravens- Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas: Ravens double dip at Edge, but they did lose both starting Edge rushers in free agency.

59. Browns- Aaron Robinson, CB, Central Florida

60. Saints- Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina

61. Bills- Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State

62. Packers- Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

63. Chiefs- Milton Williams, IDL, Louisiana Tech

64. Buccaneers- Quinn Meinerz, IOL, Wisconsin-Whitewater

ROUND THREE

65. Jaguars- Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami-Fl

66. Jets- Elijah Molden, CB, Washington

67. Houston Texans- Tommy Togiai, IDL, Ohio State

68. Falcons- Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame

69. Bengals- Nico Collins, WR, Michigan

70. Eagles- Jevon Holland, S, Oregon

71. Broncos- Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State

72. Lions- Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse

73. Panthers- Josh Myers, IOL, Ohio State

74. Washington- Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana

75. Cowboys- Richie Grant, S, Central Florida

76. Giants- Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia

77. Chargers- D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan

78. Vikings- Janarius Robinson, EDGE, Florida State

79. Raiders- Payton Turner, EDGE, Houston

80. Raiders- Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford

81. Dolphins- Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

82. Washington- Davis Mills, QB, Stanford: If WFT doesn’t trade up for a QB in the first round, Mills is a likely target. Can learn the ropes from veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick.

83. Bears- Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M: Bears are taking a QB in this draft, and without a fourth round pick they need to do it here to get anyone with the upside to possibly take over the starting role.

84. Eagles- Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson

85. Titans- Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa

86. Jets- Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina: Potential home run pick for the new look Jets offense. Offers skills in the passing game as well as running the ball.

87. Steelers- Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami-Fl

88. Rams- Stone Forsythe, OT, Florida

89. Browns- Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC: One of my favorite non-first round WRs. Could eventually replace OBJ, if Cleveland were to part ways with the mercurial star.

90. Vikings- Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State: Another pick I hate, in my capacity as a Bears fan.

91. Browns- Trey Smith, IOL, Tennessee

92. Packers- Olaijah Griffin, CB, USC

93. Bills- Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State

94. Chiefs- Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota

95. Buccaneers- Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

*96. Patriots- Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio State

*97. Chargers- Hunter Long, TE, Boston College

*98. Saints- Marlon Tuipulotu, IDL, USC

*99. Cowboys- Jay Tufele, IDL, USC

*100. Titans- Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas

*101. Lions- Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan

*102. 49ers- Keith Taylor Jr, CB, Washington

*103. Rams- Ben Cleveland, IOL, Georgia

*104. Ravens- James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati

*105. Saints- Jordan Smith, EDGE, UAB

ROUND FOUR

106. Jaguars- Tyler Shelvin, IDL, LSU

107. Jets- Deonte Brown, IOL, Alabama

108. Falcons- Tyree Gillespie, S, Missouri

109. Texans- Victor Dimukeje, EDGE, Duke

110. Browns- Alim McNeill, IDL, NC State

111. Bengals- Hamilcar Rashed Jr, EDGE, Oregon State

112. Lions- Ar’Darius Washington, S, TCU

113. Panthers- Trill Williams, CB, Syracuse

114. Broncos- Jaylen Twyman, IDL, Pittsburgh

115. Cowboys- Cameron Sample, EDGE, Tulane

116. Giants- Aaron Banks, IOL, Notre Dame

117. 49ers- Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse

118. Chargers- Divine Deablo, S, Virginia Tech

119. Vikings- Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina

120. Patriots- Kyle Trask, QB, Florida: I fully expect the Patriots to be in the mix for a first round QB, if they miss out, Trask could be their guy.

121. Raiders- Marvin Wilson, IDL, Florida State

122. Patriots- Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue

123. Eagles- Kendrick Green, IOL, Illinois

124. Washington- Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Oklahoma

125. Vikings- Chatarius Atwell, WR, Louisville

126. Titans- JaCoby Stevens, S, LSU

127. Colts- Dayo Odeyingbo, EDGE, Vanderbilt

128. Steelers- David Moore, IOL, Grambling

129. Seahawks- D’Ante Smith, OT, East Carolina

130. Jaguars- Patrick Jones II, EDGE, Pittsburgh

131. Ravens- Talanoa Hufanga, S, USC

132. Browns- Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama

133. Saints- Robert Hainsey, OT, Notre Dame

134. Vikings- Osa Odighizuwa, IDL, UCLA

135. Packers- Adetokunbo Ogundeji, EDGE, Notre Dame

136. Chiefs- Frank Darby, WR, Arizona State

137. Buccaneers- Daelin Hayes, EDGE, Notre Dame

*138. Cowboys- Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State

*139. Patriots- James Wiggins, S, Cincinnati

*140. Steelers- Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State

*141. Rams- Tre Brown, CB, Oklahoma

*142. Packers- Walker Little, OT, Stanford: An absolute steal getting Little late in the fourth round. I hate the Packers!

*143. Vikings- Rodarius Williams, CB, Oklahoma State

*144. Chiefs- Rashad Weaver, EDGE, Pittsburgh

ROUND FIVE

145. Jaguars- Seth Williams, WR, Auburn

146. Jets- Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan

147. Texans- Marco Wilson, CB, Florida

148. Falcons- Chauncey Golston, EDGE, Iowa

149. Bengals- Richard LeCounte III, S, Georgia

150. Eagles- Jonathon Cooper, EDGE, Ohio State

151. Panthers- Joshuah Bledsoe, S, Missouri

152. Broncos- Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa

153. Lions- Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville

154. Jets- Kenny Yeboah, TE, Ole Miss

155. 49ers- Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State

156. Dolphins- Caden Stearns, S, Texas

157. Vikings- Monty Rice, LB, Georgia

158. Texans- Dazz Newsome, WR, North Carolina

159. Chargers- Kary Vincent Jr, CB, LSU

160. Cardinals- Bryce Thompson, CB, Tennessee

161. Bills- Javian Hawkins, RB, Louisville

162. Raiders- Jamien Sherwood, S, Auburn

163. Washington- Charles Snowden, LB, Virginia

164. Bears- Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn

165. Colts- Brendan Jaimes, OT, Nebraska

166. Titans- Tedarrell Slaton, IDL, Florida

167. Raiders- Marlon Williams, WR, Central Florida

168. Vikings- Shaka Toney, EDGE, Penn State: I keep giving the Bears’ division rivals players I like.

169. Browns- Darrick Forrest, S, Cincinnati

170. Jaguars- Thomas Graham Jr, CB, Oregon

171. Ravens- Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina

172. 49ers- Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR, Illinois

173. Packers- Khyiris Tonga, IDL, BYU

174. Bills- Patrick Johnson, EDGE, Tulane

175. Chiefs- Trey Hill, IOL, Georgia

176. Buccaneers- Shakur Brown, CB, Michigan State

*177. Patriots- Wyatt Hubert, EDGE, Kansas State

*178. Packers- Sadarius Hutcherson, IOL, South Carolina: Another player I like to a team I hate. Ugh.

*179. Cowboys- Kylen Granson, TE, SMU

*180. 49ers- Malcolm Koonce, EDGE, Buffalo

*181. Chiefs- John Bates, TE, Boise State

*182. Falcons- Deommodore Lenoir, CB, Oregon

*183. Falcons- Pooka Williams, RB, Kansas

*184. Ravens- Bobby Brown III, IDL, Texas A&M

ROUND SIX

185. Chargers- Khalil Herbert, RB, Virginia Tech: Absolute home run. Will give LA a great one-two punch in the backfield.

186. Jets- Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford

187. Falcons- Tony Fields II, LB, West Virginia

188. Patriots- Drew Dalman, IOL, Stanford

189. Eagles- Tommy Kraemer, IOL, Notre Dame

190. Bengals- Rachad Wildgoose Jr, CB, Wisconsin

191. Broncos- Cornell Powell, WR, Clemson

192. Cowboys- Jack Anderson, IOL, Texas Tech

193. Panthers- Tre’ McKitty, TE, Georgia

194. 49ers- Adrian Ealy, OT, Oklahoma

195. Texans- Brady Breeze, S, Oregon

196. Giants- Demetric Felton, WR, UCLA

197. Patriots- Joshua Kaindoh, EDGE, Florida State

198. Chargers- Drake Jackson, IOL, Kentucky

199. Vikings- Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia: Newman has the physical tools to develop into a starter, but may end up a career back up.

200. Raiders- Jermar Jefferson, RB, Oregon State

201. Giants- Tariq Thompson, S, San Diego State

202. Bengals- Chris Evans, RB, Michigan

203. Texans- Joshua Ross, LB, Michigan

204. Bears- Damar Hamlin, S, Pittsburgh

205. Titans- Quintin Morris, TE, Bowling Green

206. Colts- Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa

207. Chiefs- Dan Moore, OT, Texas A&M

208. Bears- Austin Watkins, WR, UAB

209. Rams- Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas

210. Ravens- Tay Gowan, CB, Central Florida

211. Browns- Avery Williams, CB, Boise State

212. Texans- Jaylon Moore, OT, Western Michigan

213. Bills- Christian Uphoff, S, Illinois State

214. Packers- Manny Rugamba, CB, Miami-OH

215. Titans- Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forest

216. Steelers- Cade Johnson, WR, South Dakota State

*217. Buccaneers- Michael Strachan-Charleston, WR, West Virginia

*218. Saints- Justin Hilliard, LB, Ohio State

*219. Falcons- Brandon Smith, WR, Iowa

*220. Packers- Paris Ford, S, Pittsburgh

*221. Bears- Tristen Hoge, IOL, BYU

*222. Panthers- Josh Palmer, WR, Tennessee

*223. Cardinals- Garret Wallow, LB, TCU

*224. Eagles- Naquan Jones, IDL, Michigan State

*225. Eagles- Pro Wells, TE, TCU

*226. Jets- Drew Himmelman, OT, Illinois State

*227. Cowboys- Camryn Bynum, CB, California

*228. Bears- Chris Rumph II, EDGE, Duke

ROUND SEVEN

229. Saints- Miller Forristall, TE, Alabama

230. 49ers- Alaric Jackson, OT, Iowa

231. Dolphins- Tarron Jackson, EDGE, Coastal Carolina

232. Titans- Brady White, QB, Memphis

233. Texans- Brady Davis, QB, Illinois State

234. Eagles- Ernest Jones, LB, South Carolina

235. Bengals- Tre Norwood, CB, Oklahoma

236. Bills- Josh Ball, OT, Marshall: Huge player with high upside. Could be a steal.

237. Broncos- DJ Daniel, CB, Georgia

238. Cowboys- Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas: Cowboys take a flyer on a home state QB.

239. Broncos- Aashari Crosswell, S, Arizona State

240. Eagles- Tim Jones, WR, Southern Mississippi

241. Chargers- Shemar Jean-Charles, CB, Appalachian State

242. Patriots- Samuel Cooper- Merrimack, IOL, Maine

243. Cardinals- Dax Milne, WR, BYU

244. Washington- Chris Wilcox, CB, BYU

245. Steelers- Rakeem Boyd, RB, Arkansas

246. Washington- Zach Davidson, TE, Central Missouri

247. Cardinals- Earnest Brown IV, EDGE, Northwestern

248. Colts- Nick Pickett, S, Oregon

249. Jaguars- Trevon Grimes, WR, Florida

250. Seahawks- Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State

251. Buccaneers- Kayode Awosika, OT, Buffalo

252. Rams- Jamar Watson, EDGE, Kentucky

253. Broncos- Robert Jones, IOL, Middle Tennessee

254. Steelers- Shane Buechele, QB, SMU

255. Saints- Feleipe Franks, QB, Arkansas

256. Packers- Elijah Mitchell, RB, Louisiana: Mr. Irrelevant 2021.

* denotes compensatory pick

Putting out my first April mock a little earlier than I had planned because two things have happened that have me rethinking things.

First, the New York Jets pulled the trigger and traded Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers. It was a forgone conclusion that the Jets were taking a QB at number 2, with or without Darnold on the roster. This trade doesn’t change that at all.

What this trade does do is possibly take the Panthers out of the QB market and certainly out of the bidding war for the number 4 pick. Sure, Carolina could still select a QB if one falls to eight, but I’m inclined to think they’re rolling with Darnold for now.

The question that lingers is what happens with Teddy Bridgewater? Where does he wind up and does it take that team out of the QB derby? It’s too early to tell, right now.

The second thing that happened that has caused me to rethink things is that Adam Schefter reported that San Francisco is locked in on Mac Jones at #3. In my opinion this is a mistake, but Kyle Shanahan did attend Jones’s pro day instead of Justin Fields’s. I trust Schefter, if he’s reporting it there has to be some validity.

So, what that means is the draft really starts with the fourth pick, currently held by the Atlanta Falcons. The phones are probably already ringing off the hook in Atlanta and they should be answering. Unless they are absolutely in love with Fields or Trey Lance, they should recoup a hefty haul of draft picks to move down.

I now present my first mock draft of April, 3 weeks until draft day.

1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

2. NEW YORK JETS: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU- Lock this one in now.

3. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama- While I disagree with the pick, and the price paid to acquire him, Jones is probably the most NFL ready of the QBs. His upside is lower, but he could step in if Jimmy G goes down with injury again, and the Niners could still be a Super Bowl contender.

4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (From Atlanta): Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State- After missing the playoffs in their first post-Brady season, New England spent big in free agency. They brought back Cam Newton, but Bill Belichick can’t feel overly comfortable that he can get back to the playoffs with him.

Lance is raw, but packs some serious upside. Fields might be the safer pick, but I think New England will trust Josh McDaniels to develop Lance.

THE TRADE: NE acquires #4 from ATL in exchange for #15 & #46 in this draft plus their 2022 first & 2023 first.

5. CINCINNATI BENGALS: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon- I just feel that Cincy needs to protect Joe Burrow before giving him more weapons, besides the WR class is deep.

6. MIAMI DOLPHINS: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida- Miami traded back up to sixth because there is someone they covet that won’t be there at #12. There are other solid tackles after Sewell, there’s not a lot of separation between the top three WRs, but there is only one Pitts. A WR in a TE’s body. Best TE prospect in a long time.

7. DETROIT LIONS: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU- Lions are a sleeper to take a QB, Fields offers much more upside than Jared Goff, but Detroit has many more pressing needs. None more so than receiver, as they lost their top two WRs in free agency.

8. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (From Carolina): Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State- Ryan Fitzpatrick is the QB you get to groom your next franchise guy. WFT makes the move to get that guy.

THE TRADE: WFT acquires #8 from CAR in exchange for #19 & #51 in this draft plus their 2022 first.

9. DENVER BRONCOS: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State- Denver doesn’t pay the premium to ensure they land one of the top five QBs, and they could be a potential landing spot for Bridgewater or Jimmy Garrapolo should SF move him. Alex Smith is also a possibility.

Either way, Denver pivots to defense and gets Vic Fangio a quarterback for his D.

10. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (From Dallas): Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern- I’ve mocked Slater to the Chargers in every one of my mocks, but I think they’ll have to move up to make it happen. The Giants at #11 may be looking at him, and there are teams behind them that could leapfrog LA for him. Need to protect Justin Herbert.

THE TRADE: LAC acquires #10 from DAL in exchange for #13, #47 & #118 in this draft.

11. NEW YORK GIANTS: Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia- With Slater off the board, the Giants go Edge rusher. Ojulari offers the best combination of athleticism, potential and polish among the top players at his position.

12. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama- This could be a CB, and probably should be, but I feel like Philly has got to find a true number one receiver. Waddle isn’t as polished as his Crimson Tide teammate, DeVonta Smith, but he is bigger and more dynamic.

13. DALLAS COWBOYS (From LA CHARGERS): Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama- Smart play for the Cowboys, who need to address their D. Trade down 3 spots, get the top corner in the draft.

14. MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC- Tucker excelled playing tackle at USC, but he’s better suited at guard, making him the top guard in the class and fitting Minnesota’s biggest need on offense.

15. ATLANTA FALCONS (From New England): Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina- Atlanta recouped a HAUL to move down 11 spots, then adds a potential lockdown corner to their porous defense.

16. CAROLINA PANTHERS (From Arizona): DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama: Carolina uses picks acquired from WFT to move up and grab the Heisman Trophy winner.

THE TRADE: CAR acquires #16 from ARZ in exchange for #19 & #51 in this draft.

17. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech- Jon Gruden gets a replacement for Trent Brown.

18. MIAMI DOLPHINS: Najee Harris, RB, Alabama- Nothing helps a young QB more than a solid running game. Harris reunites with college teammate Tua Tagovailoa.

19. ARIZONA CARDINALS (From Washington through Carolina): Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame- Arizona adds an extra second rounder to move back three spots. Cardinals feel like a perfect landing spot for this hybrid LB/S.

20. CHICAGO BEARS: Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State- Bears just don’t have the firepower to move up for a QB. WR & CB are possibilities but Chicago can’t pass up Jenkins. He’ll bring a mean streak to the OL that’s been missing since Kyle Long retired (since returned to KC).

21. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (From Indianapolis): Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan- Pittsburgh jumps a couple teams in the Edge rusher market to land the raw, but physically gifted Paye to replace Bud DuPree.

THE TRADE- PIT acquires #21 from IND in exchange for #24 & #87 in this draft.

22. TENNESSEE TITANS: Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern- The Titans add a rising CB prospect to their shakiest unit.

23. NEW YORK JETS: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson- Etienne can be for the Jets and Zach Wilson what Le’Veon Bell was supposed to be for Sam Darnold. A complete, three down back.

24. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (From Pittsburgh): Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota- Colts add a third rounder to move down three spots and grab the top WR on the board.

25. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU- Been mocking Moehrig to Jacksonville almost as long as Lawrence. Like the fit and value for the top safety in the class.

26. CLEVELAND BROWNS: Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami-Fl- Injury history prevents Phillips from being the top Edge rusher in the class. If healthy, he’ll make a scary combo with Myles Garrett.

27. BALTIMORE RAVENS: Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State: Baltimore might look at OT or WR here, but they lost both starting Edge rushers to free agency and Oweh is an athletic freak , if raw.

28. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech- Farley falls down the board because of injury concerns, New Orleans happily scoops him up.

29. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas- I go back and forth with the Packers’ pick. Protect Rodgers or give him another weapon. I’m leaning OT right now because the receiver class is deep.

30. BUFFALO BILLS: Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia- Buffalo addresses their biggest area of concern.

31. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky- I’ve had KC going offensive line in every mock up until now. The OL value just isn’t there and KC could use an explosive run stuffing linebacker on their defense.

32. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama- This is a case of best player available actually filling a ‘need’, not that the defending champs need much.

I’m preparing myself to eventually do a full seven round mock draft a week or so before draft day (April 30). I’m starting with a three round mock, not involving speculated trades as that is simply too difficult.

Of course, this makes some of my picks in Mock 2.1 moot, but when possible I’ve tried to keep them the same.

Without further ado, my first three round mock draft of 2021:

ROUND ONE

1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: No change expected here.

2. NEW YORK JETS- Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: Nearly as locked in as the first pick.

3. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State: Not buying the Mac Jones rumors, Lynch and Shanahan can’t be that stupid. Lance makes much more sense.

4. ATLANTA FALCONS- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama: Atlanta should absolutely trade out of this spot unless they’re intent on taking a QB (they shouldn’t be). This is too high for Surtain, but I’m betting on a trade down and Atlanta taking the top CB or Edge rusher on the board.

5. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon: Reuniting Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase is enticing, but Cincy should protect the franchise QB before adding weapons.

6. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU: This pick could be Sewell if Cincy opts for Chase, or trades out of the 5 spot. Miami may also look at Kyle Pitts.

7. DETROIT LIONS- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: Defense should be a higher priority, but the Lions do need to give Jared Goff someone to throw to.

8. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: I doubt Carolina lands Fields without moving up, but if they stay at 8, this pick will still be a QB, Mac Jones.

9. DENVER BRONCOS- Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State: Denver may possibly move up for a QB, but if they stay at 9 and the first four are off the board, they’ll pivot to defense.

10. DALLAS COWBOYS- Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina: Could see Dallas go offensive line here, but defense makes the most sense.

11. NEW YORK GIANTS- Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida: If the Giants land Pitts to go along with free agent signee Kenny Golloday, Daniel Jones has no excuses for not making a giant leap in year three.

12. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama: Philly has to be happy Smith is still on the board, could go CB if he’s not.

13. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern: Chargers are another team happy to see the run on QBs as it pushes a top ten talent down to them.

14. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC: My instincts say Minnesota will go defense here, but my head says Vera-Tucker is the smarter play.

15. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: I don’t think Bill Belichick will waste draft capital to move up for Jones, but if he’s there at 15, it makes sense.

16. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Najee Harris, RB, Alabama: With the top two corners off the board, Arizona opts to replace Kenyan Drake instead.

17. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech: Raiders could have their pick of edge rushers, but opt to replace Trent Brown instead.

18. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Jaelen Phillips, EDGE, Miami-Fl: With Harris off the board, Miami goes with the top Edge rusher. If the Dolphins land Sewell at #6, they could go WR here.

19. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM- Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: Washington is a candidate to move up for a QB, but I feel they’ll stand pat and add a mauler to their O-Line.

20. CHICAGO BEARS- Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota: They may pounce if Jones is still on the board, they’ll certainly pounce if Jenkins is. Could go CB, but Bateman offers the top value and fit here.

21. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern: I’m thinking Edge, corner or receiver here, Newsome represents the best value.

22. TENNESSEE TITANS- Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia: Titans are probably eyeing the same group of players that division rival Indy is, they land the top edge rusher on the board.

23. NEW YORK JETS- Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson: Jets continue their offensive make over.

24. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan: If Paye reaches his potential, Pittsburgh will have a scary pass rushing tandem.

25. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU: Jacksonville goes defense with their second first round selection.

26. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame: Dynamic defender represents best player available.

27. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State: Baltimore goes either edge or WR here. Oweh is raw, but a freakish athlete.

28. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech: Farley’s injury status pushes him further down than his talent warrants. New Orleans happily scoops him up.

29. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU: Packers give Aaron Rodgers a true second option after Davante Adams.

30. BUFFALO BILLS- Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia: Bills add another CB with an eye on a rematch with Mahomes and KC.

31. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas: KC jettisoned both starting tackles from last season.

32. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama: Another disruptive force for a championship defense.

ROUND TWO

33. JAGUARS- Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida

34. JETS- Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky

35. FALCONS- Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri

36. DOLPHINS- Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina

37. EAGLES- Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa

38. BENGALS- Elijah Moore, WR, Mississippi

39. PANTHERS- Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame

40. BRONCOS- Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State

41. LIONS- Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State

42. GIANTS- Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington

43. 49ERS- Landon Dickerson, IOL, Alabama

44. COWBOYS- Levi Onwuzurike, IDL, Washington

45. JAGUARS- Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama

46. PATRIOTS- Ronnie Perkins, EDGE, Oklahoma

47. CHARGERS- Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami-Fl

48. RAIDERS- Wyatt Davis, IOL, Ohio State

49. CARDINALS- Creed Humphrey, IOL, Oklahoma

50. DOLPHINS- Daviyon Nixon, IDL, Iowa

51. WASHINGTON- Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

52. BEARS- Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan

53. TITANS- Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson

54. COLTS- Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina

55. STEELERS- Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky

56. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Asante Samuel Jr, CB, Florida State: Seattle’s first pick of the draft is a corner with a great pedigree.

57. LOS ANGELES RAMS- Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State: The Rams’ first pick is the second best TE in the class.

58. RAVENS- Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas: Ravens double down on Edge rushers with the player I mocked to them in the first round in my last mock.

59. BROWNS- Aaron Robinson, CB, Central Florida

60. SAINTS- Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

61. BILLS- Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami-Fl

62. PACKERS- Brady Christensen, OT, BYU

63. CHIEFS- Milton Williams, IDL, Louisiana Tech

64. BUCCANEERS- Carlos Basham Jr., EDGE, Wake Forest

ROUND THREE

65. JAGUARS- Tommy Togiai, IDL, Ohio State

66. JETS- Elijah Molden, CB, Washington

67. HOUSTON TEXANS- Jevon Holland, S, Oregon: Houston is a mess. Disgruntled franchise QB who faces potentially serious legal trouble. The face of the franchise requested and received his release. They need help on both sides of the ball and at every level. Holland represents best player available.

68. FALCONS- Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame

69. BENGALS- Nico Collins, WR, Michigan

70. EAGLES- Richie Grant, S, Central Florida

71. BRONCOS- Davis Mills, QB, Stanford: Unless they trade up, I don’t think the Broncos will land a QB in the first round. If not, grabbing Mills in the third to compete with Drew Lock makes sense.

72. LIONS- Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse

73. PANTHERS- Quinn Meinerz, IOL, Wisconsin-Whitewater

74. WASHINGTON- Kyle Trask, QB, Florida: Washington waits until day two to grab another young QB to learn the ropes behind Ryan Fitzpatrick.

75. COWBOYS- Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana

76. GIANTS- Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State

77. CHARGERS- D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan

78. VIKINGS- Josh Myers, IOL, Ohio State

79. RAIDERS- Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

80. RAIDERS- Janarius Robinson, EDGE, Florida State

81. DOLPHINS- Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson

82. WASHINGTON- Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia

83. BEARS- Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M: Bears grab a QB with upside to groom behind Andy Dalton.

84. EAGLES- Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State

85. TITANS- Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa

86. JETS- Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC: Love this pick and fit. Will quickly become Zach Wilson’s favorite target.

87. STEELERS- Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina: Great third round find for a team desperate to improve their running game. Effective in the passing game as well.

88. RAMS- Payton Turner, EDGE, Houston

89. BROWNS- Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami-Fl.

90. VIKINGS- Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State

91. BROWNS- Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State

92. PACKERS- Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford

93. BILLS- Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

94. CHIEFS- Trey Smith, IOL, Tennessee

95. BUCCANEERS- Ben Cleveland, IOL, Georgia

96. (C) PATRIOTS- Olaijah Griffin, CB, USC

97. (C) CHARGERS- Keith Taylor Jr., CB, Washington

98. (C) SAINTS- Marlon Tuipulotu, IDL, USC

99. (C) COWBOYS- James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati

100. (C) TITANS- Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota

101. (C) LIONS- Jay Tufele, IDL, USC

102. (C) 49ERS- Ar’Darius Washington, S, TCU

103. (C) RAMS- Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan

104. (C) RAVENS- Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse

105. (C) SAINTS- Jordan Smith, EDGE, UAB

(C) Represents compensatory picks

The first wave of free agency is over. The Bears didn’t land the big fish, Russell Wilson, and instead settled on Andy Dalton as QB1. I’m actually okay with this, so long as they find a taker for Nick Foles. A quarterback room of Dalton/Foles makes no sense to me, and moving Foles would free up some much needed cap space. I also think it is vital for Ryan Pace to select a QB in this draft, not necessarily in the first round, where it will likely take a costly trade up to land one, but more than a late round flier. A Day Two prospect with upside would be ideal, and I’ve had one in mind for awhile, as you’ll see.

Allen Robinson has signed his franchise tag, meaning the Bears have their best offensive player back for one more year at least, unless they package him in a trade. Regardless, his future in the Windy City is uncertain at best. Rumors have been flying about the Bears shopping Anthony Miller and neither Javon Wims nor Riley Ridley have shown enough to warrant an increased role in the passing game. WR isn’t the Bears biggest need, but it is a need and one that should be addressed fairly early. It’s a deep and talented class of receivers, even a late round flier could have a potential impact.

The Bears precarious cap situation precipitated some painful moves, none more painful than the release of CB Kyle Fuller. Pace did sign Desmond Trufant to replace him, but CB should be addressed in the draft too. Another safety to pair with Eddie Jackson wouldn’t be out of line, either, though there is a chance Tashaun Gipson returns, if the price is right.

It’s my opinion that, outside of QB, the Bears most pressing need is offensive tackle. Bobby Massie has already been released, German Ifredi has returned on a team friendly deal but neither he nor left tackle Charles Leno are more than decent, capable starters. The tackle class is fairly deep, compared to years past, so Chicago should certainly select one no later than Day Two.

Now, I present my second Chicago Bears full seven round mock draft (with trades):

FIRST ROUND, Pick #22- Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota: Five QBs are off the board already, I would have taken Bateman, who reminds me a lot of Allen Robinson, at #20, but Tennessee came knocking with an offer. Moving down two spots, adding another third rounder and getting my guy is a win.

SECOND ROUND, Pick #52- Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Florida State: I was monitoring the QB situation, but none have gone off the board in the second round. I would have considered another trade down or adding a tackle here, but Samuel was too good to pass up. A corner with a great pedigree to pair with last year’s second rounder, Jaylon Johnson, could give Chicago their best corner tandem since the heyday of Tillman/Jennings.

THIRD ROUND, Pick #83- Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame: Still monitoring the QBs and comfortable enough with the extra third round pick I added earlier, I’m thrilled to find Eichenberg still on the board. He’ll start on day one at right tackle and could eventually replace Leno on the left side.

THIRD ROUND, Pick #87- Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M: What I was watching for happened, Davis Mills went with the 86th pick, so I called Denver, which held the 87th (which they had acquired from Pittsburgh in an earlier deal). It cost the 100th pick and next year’s third rounder, but I landed a QB I really like. Mond has good size, a strong arm and great athleticism. I think with good coaching he could develop into a quality starter. I would have pulled the trigger in round two if I needed to, but luckily I landed him in the third.

ROUND FIVE, Pick #164- Shaka Toney, EDGE, Penn State: At this point, I’m pretty pleased with my draft. I’ve addressed our four biggest needs without reaching or selling the farm, so I didn’t feel the need to try to acquire a fourth round pick. Edge rusher isn’t one of the Bears biggest needs, we do have Khalil Mack and you have to think Robert Quinn has to be better this season. Toney represents an intriguing prospect though. He doesn’t possess the measurables or attributes of his more celebrated Nittany Lion teammates, but he has consistently outproduced them. May only be a designated pass rusher, but you can never have enough of those,

ROUND SIX, Pick #204- Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana: I’m in best player available mode at this point in the draft and when it also meets a need, bonus points. Johnson has the potential to become Eddie Jackson’s long term running mate on the back end, at worst he becomes depth and a core special teamer.

ROUND SIX, Pick #208- Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State: Pure upside with this pick. Terry has everything you could want in a receiver, size, speed, hands, he just never put it all together at FSU.

ROUND SIX, Pick #221- Dan Moore, OT, Texas A&M: A big and skilled lineman that can play tackle or guard. Not the most athletic player, but a solid depth piece. Bonus, he blocked for our newest QB in college.

ROUND SIX, Pick #228- Isaiah McDuffie, LB, Boston College: With our final pick, I add a tough play making LB, that may have maxed out his potential. Will be a core special teamer and capable of spelling Roquan Smith or Danny Trevathan in a pinch.

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with this mock draft. I think I added three starters with the first three picks, and a possible future starter at QB. My later round picks all offer intriguing potential and scheme fits, I’m most excited about adding Toney and Terry who both have the physical gifts to become late round gems.

Of course, the whole thing depends on Kellen Mond, did we find our future QB or just a career back up? I really like the upside he offers and I think we have the coaching in place to maximize his potential.

Less than a month until Draft weekend, I can’t wait!

As always, thanks for reading.

The first of the draft dominoes has fallen with San Francisco moving up to the number 3 spot, Miami moving down to 12 then back up to number 6 and Philadelphia moving down to 12.

Quarterbacks will, most certainly, go 1-2-3 and likely fourth, as well. The Deshaun Watson wildcard is still out there, but with the allegations against him (and I’m not commenting on the veracity of the allegations just on their effect on his trade market), the likelihood of a Watson trade is diminished.

As many as five teams could be vying to move up into the top five for a QB, but I think it will likely come down to Carolina or Denver. Which one will cough up a package similar to what the 49ers did?

1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: No words necessary.

2. NEW YORK JETS- Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: 95 percent certain this is the pick. Five percent chance the Jets either go with a different QB or trade out of this spot.

3. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State: The Niners didn’t give up the bounty they did to move up not to take a QB. They also didn’t do this without having a specific QB in mind, all signs point to that QB being Lance.

4. DENVER BRONCOS (from Atlanta)- Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: First things first, Atlanta should absolutely trade out of this spot. Matt Ryan still has years of quality football ahead and they can demand a king’s ransom from a more QB needy team. Let the bidding war begin.

I think the winner of that bidding war will be the Broncos. Teams like Washington and Chicago are too far down in the draft order and can’t offer as much. New England is not likely to sacrifice assets to move up, leaving only Denver and Carolina. Of the two, Denver is probably more desperate. Drew Lock is not the answer and the new GM will want to make a splash. It’ll be costly, but the Broncos will land their franchise QB.

5. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon: There’s a temptation to reunite Joe Burrow with his college teammate Ja’Marr Chase, but protecting the franchise QB should be a higher priority.

6. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU: After trading down to number 12, then trading back up to six, Miami has to be targeting a specific player they know won’t be there later. It could be a tackle, but it seems more likely to be the top WR in the class.

7. DETROIT LIONS- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: The Lions lost their top two WRs to free agency, so even though their defense needs work, grabbing a dynamic, game breaking WR is the more likely route.

8. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida: After striking out in their bid for one of the top 4 QBs, Carolina could explore a trade down, but they’d be better served giving Teddy Bridgewater more weapons. Number 8 is high for a TE, but Pitts is more of a hybrid TE/WR. A match up nightmare.

9. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (from Denver through Atlanta)- Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern: Atlanta trades down a second time, accruing more future assets. The Chargers should be targeting protection for Justin Herbert and they should be wary of Dallas, so they’ll jump ahead of them to secure Slater.

10. DALLAS COWBOYS- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama: If Slater was still on the board, Dallas might be tempted to upgrade the offensive line, but defense is the better move. Not only is Surtain the best defensive player on the board, he’s the top corner in the draft.

11. ARIZONA CARDINALS (from NY Giants)- Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina: Arizona needs a replacement for Patrick Peterson and there are a couple teams ahead of them that might go cornerback, so the Cardinals make the move up to grab their guy.

12. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama: The Eagles move down 6 spots and still land the Heisman Trophy winner. Will this satisfy Philly fans?

13. ATLANTA FALCONS (from LA Chargers)- Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State: Through two trade downs, Atlanta has added a war chest of future assets. Now they address their atrocious defense by adding a tone setting linebacker.

14. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia: Mike Zimmer wants to fix his defense and he starts with what I have as the top edge rusher in the class, at the moment.

15. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: I mentioned in my introduction that I didn’t think New England would trade up for a QB, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t take one. So long as no team leap frogs them (I honestly don’t think any will) and Jones is there at 15, I like the fit. The Belichick-Saban connection is tight.

16. NEW YORK GIANTS (from Arizona)- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame: The Giants trade down and take a dynamic defender in hybrid LB/S Owusu-Koramoah.

17. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech: Jon Gruden wants a ground and pound offense and that starts in the trenches. Darrisaw is the top OL on the board.

18. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Najee Harris, RB, Alabama: Miami added the top WR in the class earlier, now they add the top RB. The Dolphins are giving Tua all the tools to succeed.

19. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM- Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC: Tucker proved capable of playing tackle at USC and Washington should try him there, but he may be better suited to play guard. Either way, Washington has upgraded their offensive line.

20. CHICAGO BEARS- Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota: The Bears need a QB, but I think they’re more likely to add one on day two. Tackle might be a higher priority, but the value isn’t there at number 20. Allen Robinson’s future in Chicago is uncertain, so picking an ARob clone to either pair with him or replace him is very enticing.

21. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: With Bateman off the board, the WR value isn’t there for the Colts. Defense is a possibility but a road grader at OT seems more likely.

22. TENNESSEE TITANS- Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU: The value isn’t there at WR, so this pick has to be defense. Titans pass up on an edge rusher to bolster their back end with the top safety in the class.

23. NEW YORK JETS- Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan: The Jets could go several different directions with this pick. I opted to give them the best edge rusher and best player on the board.

24. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State: Steelers could opt to upgrade their offensive line or take a running back, but with the loss of Bud Dupree in free agency, pairing the athletic freak in Oweh with TJ Watt seems like a perfectly Pittsburgh move.

25. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas: The Jaguars got their franchise QB, now they need to protect him.

26. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Jaelon Phillips, EDGE, Miami-Fl: Phillips would be a top ten pick on pure talent, injury history pushes him down the board where the Browns eagerly pair him with Myles Garrett to give opposing QBs nightmares.

27. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas: The Ravens lost both starting edge rushers in free agency and while I have others ranked higher, Ossai seems like he was born to be a Raven.

28. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern: The Saints don’t have any real pressing needs, so they go best player available and pair Newsome with Marshon Lattimore.

29. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU: It’s high time the Packers give Aaron Rodgers a reliable second option to Davante Adams.

30. BUFFALO BILLS- Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech: Buffalo is thrilled to see Farley on the board at this point.

31. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri: The Chiefs addressed their offensive line in free agency, but could still use more. However, the value isn’t there at this point. Instead they address their defense with a aggressive run stuffing LB.

32. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama: The defending champions go best player available and address one of their few needs.

More dominoes are likely to fall in the coming weeks. Will any team jump up to number 4 before the draft? Will Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson get trades? How about Sam Darnold or Jimmy Garappalo? I’ll update whenever a major move takes place.

As always, thanks for reading.

The first round of the NFL Draft hinges on Quarterbacks and what teams are desperate enough to make the big move.

There are several teams in the QB market in the first round. Obviously, Jacksonville and the New York Jets are well positioned to grab a franchise QB with the first two picks, but others may need to make a trade to get themselves into position.

As I see it, the teams most likely to trade up for a QB are the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Washington Football Team & the Chicago Bears.

To a lesser extent, teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints and the reigning champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could take a QB if one falls to them or make a minor move to acquire one,

The elephant in the room, of course, is Deshaun Watson. Houston has to realize that Watson is adamant about never playing another down in a Texans’ uniform. They’ll trade him, preferably to a team with a top ten draft pick and they may still need to trade up further to get a replacement. I address this in this mock, as you will see.

All that being said, I present my first post- free agency mock draft of 2021:

1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: Done. This pick is a lock.

2. NEW YORK JETS- Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: Jets could throw the whole draft for a loop if they decide to stick with Sam Darnold. They won’t, the new regime will start fresh with a new franchise QB, and I don’t believe they’re serious players in the Watson sweepstakes.

*TRADE ALERT*

Miami trades the third overall pick to Houston for a package including the eighth overall pick, which Houston acquired from Carolina as part of the package in exchange for Deshaun Watson.

3. HOUSTON TEXANS- Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State: Houston ships Watson to Carolina for a bevy of picks and QB Teddy Bridgewater. With Philly and Atlanta ahead of them, and others jockeying to move into position, the Texans flip some of the picks acquired to Miami and move up to get their new franchise QB. Lance can sit behind Bridgewater for a year to learn the ropes, his upside is HUGE.

*TRADE ALERT*

The Atlanta Falcons trade the fourth overall selection to the Denver Broncos for a package including the ninth overall pick.

4. DENVER BRONCOS- Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: The phone in Atlanta will be ringing off the hook, ultimately Denver gives Atlanta the best return and grabs their franchise QB. They have to have seen enough from Drew Lock to know he’s a decent back up at best, time to take another shot.

5. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon: The run on Quarterbacks allows Cincy’s preferred target to fall to them at #5. They need to protect Joe Burrow, they can find him weapons later in the draft.

6. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida: Philly could pounce if Justin Fields is still available, but I don’t see them trading up. They’ll stick with Jalen Hurts at QB and bring in a high end back up like Philly hero Nick Foles. The Eagles will likely ship out Zach Ertz on draft night and Pitts would fit in nicely as a hybrid TE/WR and overall match up nightmare.

7. DETROIT LIONS- Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU: The Lions lost their entire receiving corps to free agency, lucky for them they have their pick of a deep and talented class of wide receivers,

8. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: Dolphins trade out of the three spot and add more draft capital, then scoop up Tua Tagoviola’s former Crimson Tide teammate, who may be the most dynamic player in the entire draft.

9. ATLANTA FALCONS- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama: Atlanta trades down and adds the top corner in the draft to a porous defense.

*TRADE ALERT*

The Dallas Cowboys trade the tenth overall selection to the Los Angeles Chargers for a package including the thirteenth overall selection.

10. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern: In the first non quarterback related trade, the Chargers target a stud tackle and jump 3 spots to secure him.

11. NEW YORK GIANTS- Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama: The Giants have to give Daniel Jones the weapons to succeed. (As I was writing this, NY signed Kenny Golloday, which may get me to rethink this pick in later mocks)

12. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers- Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech: Niners will explore a trade up for a QB, but ultimately decide the price is too high. Instead, I think they’ll trade a later round pick or two to the Jets and bring in Sam Darnold to compete with Jimmy Garrapolo. With their first round pick, the Niners snag a replacement for Richard Sherman.

13. DALLAS COWBOYS- Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech: The Cowboys should be addressing defense, but rebuilding their offensive line is another priority. Darrisaw is simply too good to pass up here.

14. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia: The Vikings offensive line needs help, but Mike Zimmer prides himself on defense and Minnesota’s was lacking in 2020.

15. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State: Parsons is a top ten talent, but character concerns and fit push him down the board. Bill Belichick won’t hesitate to add another piece to his defense.

16. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Najee Harris, RB, Alabama: Cardinals lost Kenyan Drake in free agency, so they nab his replacement here.

17. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: Jon Gruden would love to have a ground and pound offense and that starts in the trenches. Jenkins would add a mean streak to the Raiders’ offensive line.

*TRADE ALERT*

The Miami Dolphins trade the eighteenth overall selection to the Chicago Bears for a package including the twentieth overall pick.

18. CHICAGO BEARS- Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: Chicago is picking a QB in this draft. They’ll explore a trade up into the top ten for a shot at Lance/ Fields but ultimately don’t have enough draft capital to outbid Houston or Denver. They may be content to look at second or third round prospects (Trask, Mills, Mond), but when Jones gets within range they pull the trigger to leapfrog Washington and grab their potential franchise QB.

19. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame: With Jones off the board, Washington goes best player available and selects an enticing hybrid LB/S to add to an already stellar defense.

20. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson: Miami does it again, trades down a couple spots, adding draft capital and then adds another weapon to Tua’s supporting cast. Etienne is a fantastic rusher and accomplished pass catcher, the Dolphins offense could make great strides in 2021.

*TRADE ALERT*

The Indianapolis Colts trade the twenty first overall selection to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a package including the twenty seventh overall pick.

21. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan: The Ravens lost 2 edge rushers in free agency, when Paye slips out of the top twenty Baltimore swings the deal to scoop him up.

22. TENNESSEE TITANS- Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina: The Titans had eyes for Paye but get thwarted by Baltimore, instead they add a potential lock down corner.

23. NEW YORK JETS- Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota: Jets could go offensive line here, but Bateman is too good to pass up. They give Zach Wilson a potential number one receiver to grow and learn with.

24. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC: The Steelers lost Bud Dupree in free agency, but rebuilding their offensive line trumps adding another edge rusher. Vera-Tucker could be a day one starter at guard or tackle.

25. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas: Have to protect the new franchise QB and Cosmi is the best tackle on the board.

26. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami-Fl: The Browns go best player available and pair Phillips with Myles Garrett to form a potentially lethal edge rushing duo.

27. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern: The Colts trade down and add a corner to an already solid defense.

28. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami-Fl: Drew Brees retired but New Orleans won’t trade up or reach for a QB. They lost Trey Hendrickson in free agency and find his replacement here.

29. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU: The Packers could upgrade Aaron Rodgers’ protection but opt to give him another weapon instead.

30. BUFFALO BILLS- Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama: Best player available scenario for Buffalo and they snag a disruptive force for their defensive line.

31. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan: The Chiefs made some moves in free agency to bolster Patrick Mahomes’ protection, another addition is not out of order.

32. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU: The Super Bowl champs go best player available and add the best safety in the draft to a stellar defense.

There are still plenty of free agency moves to come, and dominoes to fall in the QB carousel. Also, as pro days progress we should get a better idea of how teams view certain prospects. I’ll do another mock in a few weeks, and probably a seven round mock for some select teams.

Thanks for reading, as always.

Doing a mock draft with projected trades prior to free agency is an exercise in futility. You pretty much have to speculate on what free agents wind up where, especially with quarterbacks, but also including wide receivers, running backs and other key positions.

I decided if I was going to do a mock with trades prior to the start of free agency (March 17), I was going to be BOLD with my projections. In doing so, I’ve made predictions on how the QB carousel plays out along with a couple other high profile players.

Without further ado, I present my first mock draft of 2021 with projected trades.

1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: No need to get too crazy here. This pick is set in stone.

2. NEW YORK JETS- Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: Most view NY as the most likely landing spot for Deshaun Watson should he force Houston to trade him. It makes sense, the Jets have the most draft capital with which to pry him away from the Texans. However, if everyone thinks this could happen, then it’s not bold enough. Instead the Jets stand pat and use this pick to draft their franchise QB. This pick changed from my first mock, but I’m becoming convinced NY is enamored with Wilson.

3. HOUSTON TEXANS (Projected trade w/ Miami)- Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU: Admittedly, this BOLD trade idea did not originate with me. The credit goes to Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports, but as soon as I saw it the idea became cemented in my mind.

In my version, Houston would acquire this pick, the 81st pick in this draft & Miami’s 2022 first round pick PLUS Tua Tagoviola in exchange for Deshaun Watson. In my mind, it makes total sense. Houston might get a bigger draft haul from the Jets, but they would still need to draft a QB. Here they get a second year, possible franchise QB plus a decent draft haul, which they can use exclusively to improve Tua’s surrounding cast.

For Miami, I doubt they’d move on from Tua after only one year UNLESS it was for a superstar like Watson. Deshaun Watson would instantly make the Dolphins a Super Bowl contender AND they would still hold on to their other first round pick in this draft.

4. ATLANTA FALCONS- Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: I’ve rejected the idea of Atlanta using this pick to grab Matt Ryan’s replacement, but here I’m projecting a BOLD move that is entirely of my own making. What if the Falcons were to trade Ryan? I’ll address that a bit later.

5. DENVER BRONCOS (Projected trade w/Cincinnati)- Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State: Some team is going to make the move to this spot to grab the last of the big 4 quarterbacks. In this case, I’m thinking Denver. Drew Lock is not the answer and the Broncos need to get ahead of Carolina & Philadelphia to ensure themselves of getting Lance. They pay a premium to move up four spots, but they may finally have their next franchise QB.

Trade details: Denver acquires this pick in exchange for the #9 & #235 picks this year plus next years first and third round picks.

6. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama: Rumor has it Philly covets Fields but they won’t get him without trading up. They might be better served giving the reins fully to Jalen Hurts, acquiring a veteran back up (Nick Foles?) and improving the supporting cast. Addressing the offensive line wouldn’t be the worst idea, but adding the Heisman trophy winner to last year’s first round pick Jaelen Raegor would vastly improve their receiving corps.

7. DETROIT LIONS- Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan: Detroit’s entire receiving corps are set to hit free agency and I had the Lions addressing the position in my first mock, but Paye wasn’t available at #7 in that one. Defense has been the Lions’ Achilles heel, adding a dynamic pass rusher is the right move.

8. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State: I don’t see the Panthers paying the steep price it would require to move up for a QB, not with Teddy Bridgewater in the fold. Parsons filling their Luke Keuchly void would be a good step in returning Carolina’s defense to relevancy.

9. CINCINNATI BENGALS (Projected trade w/ Denver)- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon: Cincy trades down 4 spots for a nice draft haul AND still lands the player they would likely have taken at #5. Sewell is the best tackle in the draft and protecting franchise QB Joe Burrow trumps giving him more weapons, for now.

10. DALLAS COWBOYS- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama: One way or another, Dak Prescott will remain in Dallas for at least 2021, meaning the Cowboys most pressing needs are on the defensive side of the ball. A shutdown corner is always a welcome addition.

11. NEW YORK GIANTS- Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida: Yes, NY has Evan Engram at TE, but Pitts is so much more than just a TE. He’s a WR in a tight end’s body. Some think he may be the best pass catcher in the draft. The Giants need to give Daniel Jones more reliable targets.

12. ATLANTA FALCONS (Projected trade w/ San Francisco)- Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech: Here’s the BOLD move I alluded to earlier. Atlanta ships Matt Ryan to San Fran in exchange for this pick, pick #156 this year and a third rounder next year. Atlanta can sign a veteran bridge QB until Fields is ready to take over (Ryan Fitzpatrick or Andy Dalton would make sense) and use this pick to help their porous defense.

San Francisco is only a year removed from a Super Bowl appearance with an erratic and oft-injured Jimmy Garrapolo at QB. The 49ers boast a solid roster that was decimated by injuries last year. They don’t need to groom a young QB, they need a solid veteran QB to take the reins. Remember this, Matt Ryan was the NFL MVP the last time he was in a Kyle Shanahan offense.

13. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern: LA found their franchise QB in Justin Herbert, now they need to protect him.

14. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami-Fl: Offensive line is a possibility, but it feels like Mike Zimmer would love to improve his defense. This is the same position I had the Vikings addressing in my first mock, but a different player. I’ve become convinced that most scouts have Rousseau higher than Joseph Ossai.

15. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: I had NE taking Mac Jones in my first mock and he’s still available here, but two things have changed. First, I think Belichick will bring back Jimmy G, either by trade or free agency should San Fran release him and Waddle is available at this spot. No matter who plays QB for the Patriots they need better receivers.

16. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina: The Cardinals could have their pick of the best RBs in the draft here, or improve Kyler Murray’s protection, but Horn feels like a natural fit for the Arizona defense.

17. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: First, the Raiders will not trade Derek Carr, so no need to reach for a QB here. Second, LV could go in several directions with this pick but a hybrid LB/S like Owusu-Koramoah seems like the kind of player Jon Gruden would love.

18. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota: Miami made the BOLD move to acquire Deshaun Watson and I’m going to boldly predict they land RB Aaron Jones in free agency. Their offensive line is decent and can be addressed later in the draft. Their defense is solid. What they could use is another pass catcher for Watson. Bateman is a solid WR with a high floor and high ceiling.

19. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM- Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech: My BOLD prediction for the Football Team is that they’ll sign Cam Newton in free agency, reuniting him with Ron Rivera. I think Washington really likes Taylor Heinecke, who showed promise late in the season and won’t look to make a big splash at QB. Instead they’ll conserve their resources for this year and improve other areas. Darrisaw is a plug and play tackle that could alleviate the possible loss of Brandon Scherff. This is the same position, but a different player, that I had Washington addressing in my first mock, reflecting a change in my thinking of player rankings.

20. CHICAGO BEARS- Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT, USC: I don’t think Chicago has the draft capital to move up for a QB nor trade for a veteran like Watson or Carr. I also think they’re unlikely to move Nick Foles’ contract, so they may be stuck with him. What I think the Bears will do at QB is acquire Sam Darnold from the Jets.

Carson Wentz was traded for a third round pick and a conditional second rounder. Darnold’s price should be lower. I’m thinking a conditional third rounder and one of Chicago’s three sixth rounders this year could get it done. The hope for the Bears is that Darnold wins the starting job and shows signs of being the QB Mitchell Trubisky never would be. If he fails, a new regime in Chicago would be better positioned to draft a franchise QB next year.

I also need to address Allen Robinson. Somehow, someway he’ll remain in Chicago through 2021, so no need to go WR here. This pick should therefore be used to improve the offensive line. With Darrisaw gone, the Bears nab the versatile Vera-Tucker instead.

21. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida: Indy addressed their biggest issue by acquiring Carson Wentz from Philly and they did so without relinquishing this pick. The Colts are a solid team with very few holes. TY Hilton may leave in free agency, so a complimentary receiver next to Michael Pittman could be in order.

22. TENNESSEE TITANS- Azeez Ojulari. EDGE, Georgia: Tennessee has to get better defensively. I had them taking Rousseau in my first mock, but he’s off the board here. Ojulari is next on the list of Edge rushers.

23. NEW YORK JETS- Najee Harris, RB, Alabama: The Jets landed their new franchise QB earlier, now they need to give him weapons. WR is possible, but the position is deep in this draft. Nothing helps a young QB like a solid running game, Jets have their pick of the litter at RB.

24. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas: Ben Roethlisberger will most likely come back for one more season and the Steelers took a flyer on Dwayne Haskins so I don’t see them drafting a QB this year. Pittsburgh’s running game was practically non-existent last season and they may lose Alejandro Villenueva in free agency, they need to improve their blocking.

25. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama: The Jags got their franchise QB, now they need to keep him upright. Same position but different player as my first mock as my player rankings evolve.

26. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Ifeatu Melifownu, CB, Syracuse: Cleveland actually has very few glaring needs. A solid corner opposite Denzel Ward would be a nice addition.

27. ATLANTA FALCONS (Projected trade w/ Baltimore)- Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama: The Falcons make another BOLD move trading Julio Jones and the 183rd pick in this draft to Baltimore for this pick and a third rounder next year. Atlanta uses the pick to nab the top interior defensive lineman in the draft.

Baltimore would likely have used this pick to draft a WR, instead they give Lamar Jackson a reliable, future Hall of Fame pass catcher.

28. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: It feels like Drew Brees will retire. Sean Payton may say he’s fine with Taysom Hill as his starter, but he can’t pass up Jones here.

29. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Travis Etienne- RB, Clemson: I predicted that Aaron Jones would take his talents to South Beach, so RB becomes a need for the Packers. Getting Etienne, who is a decent pass catcher, would allow the Aaron Rodgers led offense to not miss a beat.

30. BUFFALO BILLS- Joesph Ossai, EDGE, Texas: Buffalo has a solid team with no glaring weaknesses. You can never have enough Edge rushers. Ossai wasn’t available here in my first mock, the Bills pounce on him now.

31. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: KC absolutely has to improve Patrick Mahomes’ protection. Jenkins was off the board in this spot in my first mock, the Chiefs don’t hesitate.

32. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State: The champs seem likely to lose Shaq Barrett in free agency. Replacing him with a freak athlete like Oweh isn’t a bad consolation prize.

I may attempt a three round mock before free agency, or I may not. I may just relax and see how things unfold on March 17.

As always, thanks for reading.