For much of the 2020 NCAA season, Ohio State's Justin Fields was seen as likely to be the No. 2 overall pick behind Clemson's Trevor Lawrence. Instead, BYU's Zach Wilson has emerged as the second quarterback likely to be taken in the 2021 NFL Draft, and it's far from a certainty that Fields will even be the third quarterback taken.
Hall of Fame executive Gil Brandt, now with NFL Media, said a couple weeks ago that Fields "is all over the place in terms of where teams have him placed on their boards." Brandt went on to say that while one team believes Fields is the fifth-best player in this year's class, another had a fourth-round grade on him.
How far could Fields fall? In our latest Audacy Sports 2021 NFL Mock Draft, Fields does drop out of the top five, but I'm not anticipating a slide like the ones Aaron Rodgers and Johnny Manziel experienced on their draft nights.
With Trade Up, 49ers Take Mac Jones
Mac Jones had a monster season at Alabama.
(Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence: Quarterback, Clemson
2. New York Jets - Zach Wilson: Quarterback, BYU
3. San Francisco 49ers - Mac Jones: Quarterback, Alabama
4. Atlanta Falcons - Kyle Pitts: Tight End, Florida
5. Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell: Offensive Tackle, Oregon
Many were skeptical when NBC analyst Chris Simms, a good friend of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, said he thought San Francisco traded up with Alabama's Mac Jones in mind. However, that once-farfetched theory has quickly become a distinct possibility. Both Jones and Justin Fields had pro days last Tuesday, and 49ers brass (including Kyle Shanahan) chose to watch Jones in person. Perhaps he's playing three-dimensional chess, but Shanahan later said, "now that you move up to three, you don't have to hide as much." Shanahan may ultimately prefer Trey Lance, but it's hard to envision the 49ers taking Fields over Jones at this stage.
Fields Falls, But It May Be a Blessing in Disguise
Justin Fields lands with the Broncos in our latest 2021 NFL Mock Draft.
(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
6. Miami Dolphins - Ja'Marr Chase: Wide Receiver, LSU
7. Carolina Panthers (trade up with Detroit Lions) - Trey Lance: Quarterback, North Dakota State
8. Detroit Lions (trade down with Carolina Panthers) - Jaylen Waddle: Wide Receiver, Alabama
9. Denver Broncos - Justin Fields: Quarterback, Ohio State
10. Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Surtain II: Cornerback, Alabama
You'll see Fields is the fifth quarterback selected in our latest mock, though in terms of fit, it might not be the worst thing for him. While landing in the same division as Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr is far from ideal, Fields would be joining an offense that already features Courtland Sutton (returning from a torn ACL), Tim Patrick, Jerry Jeudy and Melvin Gordon, giving him a chance to thrive early in his career. Frankly, though, it's difficult to tell whether the Carolina Panthers - known to be looking for a long-term solution at quarterback - prefer Fields or Lance.
Eagles Miss Out on Wide Receiver, Take Cornerback Instead
Caleb Farley is drafted by the Eagles in our latest NFL Mock Draft.
(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
11. New York Giants - DeVonta Smith: Wide Receiver, Alabama
12. Philadelphia Eagles - Caleb Farley: Cornerback, Virginia Tech
13. Los Angeles Chargers - Rashawn Slater: Offensive Tackle, Northwestern
14. Minnesota Vikings - Gregory Rousseau: Edge Rusher, Miami
15. New England Patriots - Micah Parsons: Linebacker, Penn State
After trading down six picks, it would leave an especially sour taste in the mouths of Eagles fans if the team didn't end up with an impact offensive weapon in the first round. But that's exactly what happens in our latest mock with the division-rival New York Giants taking the last of this year's Big Four pass-catchers one pick ahead of Howie Roseman and company. With Smith off the board, I see the Eagles pivoting to cornerback by drafting Virginia Tech's Caleb Farley to play across from Darius Slay. There are quite a few outlets who have Farley as the top-rated cornerback in this year's class - heck, NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah says he's the fifth-best player at any position. Farley's two back procedures could prevent him from going in the Top 10, but the guess here is he'll still go in the top half of the first round.
Bears Add Another Wideout For Andy Dalton
Kadarius Toney is drafted by the Bills in the latest NFL Mock Draft.
(Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
16. Arizona Cardinals - Jaycee Horn: Cornerback, South Carolina
17. Las Vegas Raiders - Christian Darrisaw: Offensive Tackle, Virginia Tech
18. Miami Dolphins - Kwity Paye: Edge Rusher, Michigan
19. Washington Football Team - Alijah Vera-Tucker: Offensive Guard, USC
20. Chicago Bears - Kadarius Toney: Wide Receiver, Florida
Having Andy Dalton as your unopposed starter heading into 2021 may not be ideal, but Ryan Pace could set Chicago up with a strong receiving corps as the team continues its search for a franchise quarterback. Franchise-tagged veteran Allen Robinson is back for at least one more season while teammates Darnell Mooney and Anthony Miller were also productive in 2020. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN raves about Toney's playmaking ability, both as a receiver and a return specialist.
Colts Find Another Weapon for Carson Wentz
Rashod Bateman is drafted by the Colts in our latest NFL Mock Draft.
(Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
21. Indianapolis Colts - Rashod Bateman: Wide Receiver, Minnesota
22. Tennessee Titans - Jalen Mayfield: Offensive Tackle, Michigan
23. New York Jets - Travis Etienne: Running Back, Clemson
24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Liam Eichenberg: Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame
25. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jaelan Phillips: Edge Rusher, Miami
It's possible the Colts won't employ a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver in 2021, but instead a collection of good, steady options for Carson Wentz in his debut season with Indianapolis. T.Y. Hilton is back, but the 31-year-old has gone over 1,000 yards just once in his last four seasons. There's a lot to like about Michael Pittman Jr. and Zach Pascal, though neither have emerged as No. 1 receivers. Nyheim Hines is a tremendous pass-catching option out of the backfield, though he'll have to compete with Jonathan Taylor and Marlon Mack for backfield snaps. This is my roundabout way of saying that while the Colts have some nice pieces in place, they're certainly not set on pass catchers, either in the long or short-term. Wentz's ability to bounce back in Frank Reich's offense will determine Indy's success in 2021, and adding another weapon in Minnesota's Rashod Bateman, who averaged 16.3 yards per catch in college, can only help in that regard.
Browns Stay Put, Find Linebacker
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah heads to Cleveland in our latest NFL Mock Draft.
(Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
26. Cleveland Browns - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: Linebacker, Notre Dame
27. Baltimore Ravens - Trevon Moehrig: Safety, TCU
28. New Orleans Saints - Zaven Collins: Linebacker, Tulsa
29. Green Bay Packers - Nick Bolton: Linebacker, Missouri
30. Buffalo Bills - Najee Harris: Running Back, Alabama
31. Kansas City Chiefs - Teven Jenkins: Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma State
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Joe Tyron: Edge Rusher, Washington
The Browns could use another edge rusher, which is why we projected them to move up a few picks and snag Jaelan Phillips in last week's mock. This time around, Phillips comes off the board one pick before the Browns' turn at the podium, forcing them to pivot to Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network says "the more you watch, the more you love" Owusu-Koramoah, who tallied 24.5 tackles for loss over his final two seasons in South Bend.
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