2021 NFL Mock Draft: Will Bears select a quarterback?

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson QB
2. New York Jets: Zach Wilson, BYU QB
3. Carolina Panthers (trade up with Miami Dolphins): Justin Fields, Ohio State QB
4. Atlanta Falcons: Penei Sewell: Oregon OT
5. Cincinnati Bengals: Ja'Marr Chase, LSU WR

At No. 4, the Falcons could go in a variety of directions, and that decision will help determine how the rest of the top 10 picks play out.

Matt Ryan is still one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, but he'll turn 36 before next season, so it's far from a guarantee that he'll still be at that level by the time the Falcons are ready to return to contention. In this mock, the division rival Panthers leapfrog the Falcons to take Justin Fields, the third quarterback in as many picks. Still, the Falcons could consider a quarterback at No. 4 or move up a pick or two if they're especially intrigued by Fields or Zach Wilson.

With Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage and Hayden Hurst, pass catchers aren't an especially pressing need in Atlanta. Still, the Falcons are probably in a position where they should take the best player available. If that's Kyle Pitts, Ja'Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle or DeVonta Smith, so be it.

But offensive tackle is a need in Atlanta, and you can argue that Oregon's Penei Sewell is the best player on the board at pick No. 4. Sewell, who opted out of his junior season, can protect Ryan in the short-term and most likely his successor for many years after that.

6. Philadelphia Eagles: Kyle Pitts, Florida TE
7. Detroit Lions: Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech CB
8. Miami Dolphins (trade down with Carolina Panthers): Jaylen Waddle, Alabama WR
9. Denver Broncos: Patrick Surtain II, Alabama CB
10. Dallas Cowboys: Rashawn Slater, Northwestern OT

After trading Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Lions selected former Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. It's too early to write Okudah off, but during his nine game-rookie season, Pro Football Focus graded him at just a 42.5 out of 100.

The Lions are in a complete rebuild, but if they've lost any faith in Okudah, cornerback is perhaps the most pressing need on their roster. Even if they still believe Okudah will develop into a star, they don't have an answer across from him. So while a bit unconventional, there's a strong case to be made for new general manager Brad Holmes using another top-10 pick on a cornerback.

For much of the year, Alabama's Patrick Surtain II was viewed as the top cornerback prospect in the nation, though a different consensus appears to be building among draft experts. PFF, The Draft Network and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Media all have Virginia Tech's Caleb Farley ranked as the top cornerback in this class. Jeremiah believes Farley is the No. 5 overall prospect, saying that he "has all of the ingredients to be a No. 1 cornerback at the next level." That type of player is a good place to start for Holmes and new coach Dan Campbell.

11. New York Giants: Gregory Rousseau, Miami edge rusher
12. San Francisco 49ers: Alijah Vera-Tucker: USC guard
13. Los Angeles Chargers: DeVonta Smith, Alabama WR
14. Minnesota Vikings: Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech OT
15. New England Patriots: Micah Parsons, Penn State LB

With Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in the fold, wide receiver isn't the biggest issue that the Chargers need to solve. That said, in a division with Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Tim Patrick, Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant and Darren Waller, you're going to need a bounty of pass catchers to have a chance. So if a potential star wideout falls into Chargers general manager Tom Telesco's lap, he'd be wise to pounce on the opportunity.

The further we've gotten removed from DeVonta Smith's dominant season at Alabama, the less you've heard about him potentially being the top receiver in this class. LSU's Ja'Marr Chase, who opted out of the 2020 season, will likely be the top player taken at the position. And increasingly, it appears that Smith's former college teammate Jaylen Waddle could leapfrog him and being the second wide receiver taken.

Smith's build -- 6-foot-1, 175 pounds -- may be a cause for concern for some teams, but he had 12 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns in the first half of Alabama's victory against Ohio State in the national championship. Some guys just have it. While the Chargers may not be able to top Patrick Mahomes and the bevy of weapons in Kansas City, Justin Herbert having Smith, Allen and Williams at his disposal would be terrifying for opposing defensive coordinators.

16. Chicago Bears (trade up with Arizona Cardinals): Mac Jones, Alabama QB
17. Las Vegas Raiders: Kwity Paye, Michigan edge rusher
18. Miami Dolphins: Travis Etienne, Clemson RB
19. Washington Football Team: Trey Lance, North Dakota State QB
20. Arizona Cardinals (trade down with Chicago Bears): Jaycee Horn, South Carolina CB

There are some who believe that North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance has star potential in the NFL. The problem is that the 20-year-old Lance doesn't have an extensive body of work for teams to be sure of that when they make the franchise-altering decision to draft a quarterback in the first round.

Lance had a Cinderella 2019 season, throwing 28 touchdowns with zero interceptions while rushing for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns. North Dakota State, a Division 1-AA powerhouse, won its third consecutive FCS national championship, with Lance being named the game's MVP.

The problem for Lance is that North Dakota State had its season moved to the spring because of COVID-19, a campaign he's not participating in. North Dakota State did play one showcase game in the fall, a contest that saw him throw two touchdowns with one interception while rushing for 143 yards and two touchdowns in a 39-28 victory against Central Arkansas. But if Lance doesn't find success at the NFL level, it will be difficult to justify his selection given how little experience he has at the collegiate level.

A scout told Mike Giardi of NFL Network that, "His arm isn't Josh Allen's, but it's in the conversation." It took Allen until his third year to harness his arm and play at an elite level, but he looked like a Hall of Fame-caliber player in 2020. Giardi added there's a belief that Lance would benefit from being a backup for at least a portion of the 2021 season, something that would be feasible in Washington with both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Taylor Heinicke under contract. With an elite defense and some exciting young skill position players, Washington could be the NFC East's best team this decade if Lance eventually reaches his ceiling.

21. Indianapolis Colts: Kadarius Toney, Florida WR
22. Tennessee Titans: Jalen Mayfield, Michigan OT
23. New York Jets: Jaelan Phillips, Miami edge rusher
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame OT
25. Jacksonville Jaguars: Rashod Bateman, Minnesota WR

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster are back, but make no mistake, the Steelers have some retooling to do.

Outside linebacker Bud Dupree departed in free agency, and between the retirement of Maurkice Pouncey and the potential departure of Alejandro Villanueva in free agency, the Steelers need to address the offensive line that will protect the 39-year-old Roethlisberger.

Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network called Notre Dame's Liam Eichenberg "an NFL-ready starting left tackle," which could make him a good fit if the Steelers' salary cap situation prevents them from retaining the aforementioned Villanueva.