I’ve been working on this Mock Draft for a while now but the NFL seems to throw a wrench into it every so often by trading QBs. I even held it a bit just to hedge against Deshaun Watson getting trading and now there’s even talk of Russell Wilson being moved. Apparently, anything can happen these days at QB (Tom Brady did just win a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). This is an even more interesting draft cycle than last year because there isn’t going to be a combine (last year’s combined occurred just before the pandemic took hold). The Senior Bowl did take place but this year teams will rely heavily on school pro days (most of those were cancelled last year due to Covid-19). There are lots of new coaches, lots of new general managers and QBs changing teams left and right, making a mock draft is basically like nailing Jell-O to the wall. There are only two things I think I can count on; the Jaguars are taking Trevor Lawrence (even they aren’t dumb enough to screw that up) and I’ll likely be upset either by the pick Bill Belichick makes at #15 or at the fact he trades down and still picks someone I don’t like. Anyway, enjoy this Mock Draft, it should be outdated in 3…2…1…
2021 NFL Mock Draft 1.0
1. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15): Trevor Lawrence QB Clemson
The Jaguars were terrible at exactly the right time, franchise saviors don’t come around very often and here sits Trevor Lawrence. Now the team has hired Urban Meyer as their coach and he’s running things for all intents and purposes. Not only is Meyer all in for Lawrence but owner Shad Khan isn’t going to pass on the best QB prospect in a couple of decades and a true face of the franchise player. Lawrence is as good of a QB prospect as there has been since Peyton Manning, some say Andrew Luck but I’m saying Manning. He has all the physical gifts teams covet, his mental makeup is unquestionable and he’s the type of leader every franchise desires. Some players might wilt under the pressure of being a franchise savior, not Lawrence. He has been in the spotlight since his high school days as an elite recruit and he spent three years at Clemson knowing anything less than a National Championship was considered a failure, pressure is nothing new to him. There is no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to the NFL draft but Lawrence comes as close as you can get.
2. New York Jets (2-14): Zach Wilson QB BYU
I’m putting Wilson second in this mock draft but I’m not convinced, yet, he’ll be headed to the Jets. I think he rises to the 2nd pick but I think the Jets could trade it away to a team looking for a new young QB (Atlanta, Carolina, Denver). The Jets hired Robert Saleh as their new head coach and he is the anti-Adam Gase. Saleh is a defensive minded coach who is a leader and a motivator. He is bringing 49ers passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur with him to run the offense. I think that could be good news for Sam Darnold and I think the Jets may see if they can parlay this pick into some more help for Darnold and the team overall. Wilson has the size and the arm teams are looking for and I could see a team moving up to get him. If the Jets can get a top 10 pick in this draft and pick up another 1st next year or more picks this year it would be a great move. If the new coaching staff can un-Gase Sam Darnold he still has plenty of talent and potential, if they think he’s a lost cause, they can just draft Wilson themselves and send Darnold off in a trade. This one is still up in the air.
3. Miami Dolphins (from Houston): Ja’Marr Chase WR LSU
The Dolphins spent a lot of draft capital on the offense last year getting Tua Tagovailoa at QB and then drafting multiple linemen to protect him. That was a solid start but Tua struggled at times this season. Coming off his knee injury and not having an off season or full training camp didn’t help but neither does his lack of weapons on offense. DeVante Parker has always looked the part of a #1 WR but he’s only sporadically played like one. Parker is also a pending free agent the Dolphins might not want to pay the going rate. Chase has been out-of-sight/out-of-mind after opting out of LSU’s season. He has lost some ground to Heisman trophy winner DeVonta Smith but I still think Chase gets drafted before Smith. Smith is a dynamic player but so is Chase and Chase is bigger WR and brings more physicality to the position.
4. Atlanta Falcons (4-12): Justin Fields QB Ohio St.
Matt Ryan will be 36 next year and while he can still play at a high level the end isn’t too far away for him. If the team doesn’t make a move for Wilson, Fields is a Georgia native who is extremely skilled but he needs some polish. He isn’t a finished product and taking a year or two to learn from a pro like Ryan would probably do his development a ton of good. Fields is an excellent prospect with great athleticism and a rocket for an arm. His biggest issue is processing defenses. Like a lot of college QBs his offensive system makes it easier on him than the NFL will be and when in doubt he uses his legs to get out of trouble. New head coach Arthur Smith did wonders with Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee and he could develop Fields while Ryan is still around. Drafting a QB of the future isn’t a bad idea when you’re picking in the top five and your current QB is 36.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1): Penei Sewell OT Oregon
Another top prospect coming off an opt out season, Sewell is one of the better OT prospects in a long time. He has all the qualities of an elite LT and the scary thing is he just turned 20 back in October. The Bengals made Joe Burrow their franchise player last season and then he got hurt. Playing behind a horrible offensive line is not good for an elite QB prospect. Drafting Sewell would mean they can plug him in at LT and move Jonah Williams to either RT or inside to guard. The team may have to move up to even get Sewell because he might not last this long. I’m not predicting trades in this mock draft but the QBs dominate up top so he falls here. This is the best choice for the team’s overall future. There are some that think Sewell might not end up at LT long-term, I’m not one of those people.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (4-11-1): Rashawn Slater OL Northwestern
The Eagles were a dumpster fire last season as the Carson Wentz era unraveled and Jalen Hurts stepped in at QB. They traded Wentz to the Colts and now they need to surround Hurts with better talent. After years of having a strong offensive line, age and injury have taken its toll. Jason Peters seems to have finally reached the end of the road, Andre Dillard, Brandon Brooks, and Lane Johnson all had injury issues. Slater has the versatility to play LT if the team feels Dillard isn’t the future there but if Dillard proves to be the guy then Slater will be an excellent OG. New head coach Nick Sirianni was brought in to get this team headed in the right direction and he knows the best thing you can do for a QB is build a solid line to protect him. Sirianni had one of the best lines in Indianapolis and while Slater isn’t the sexy pick, he’s an extremely important one.
7. Detroit Lions (5-11): DeVonta Smith WR Alabama
So, the Lions and Rams pulled off one of the biggest trades I’ve ever seen in the NFL. It’s not often you see two starting QBs traded for each other. It’s a new era in Detroit with Matthew Stafford off to LA and new GM Brad Holmes and new head coach Dan Campbell have to build an offense around Jared Goff. I think they will pass on a QB for now unless someone falls here or they decide to cash in some of the draft capital from the trade to move up. Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola are all free agents this off season and Jared Goff is going to throw a lot of incompletions next season if the Lions don’t get some receivers to catch his passes. Smith just became the first WR to win the Heisman Trophy in 30 years and rightfully so. He was excellent and when Alabama lost his best running mate at WR, Jaylen Waddle, Smith just got better. He was basically uncoverable all season and his footwork, technique and route running are all top-notch and he should make an immediate impact.
8. Carolina Panthers (5-11): Micah Parsons LB Penn St.
The Panthers could pull the trigger on a new QB but they have Teddy Bridgewater signed for two more years and guys like Trey Lance and Mac Jones are not on the same level as prospects as Micah Parsons. Parsons is another guy who opted out of the season but he’s an athletic freak with incredible instincts and can play multiple positions. I think Matt Rhule will see Parsons as the missing piece to their defense. Parsons would join Shaq Thompson in the LB corps and he would bring as much versatility as Thompson. Parsons can line up at MLB or OLB and he would be equally as effective and he’s a three-down LB, a rarity in today’s game. He can blitz off the edge and get to the QB and I’ve sure DE Brian Burns would appreciate the help putting pressure on opposing QBs. The Panthers spent all of their draft picks on defense last season and Parsons would solidify that side of the ball for the future. This choice might simply be because I’m not as enamored with Trey Lance as others.
9. Denver Broncos (5-11): Kwity Paye DE/OLB Michigan
Bradley Chubb is an emerging force for the defense but Von Miller will be 32 next season, he’s coming off a serious injury and he’s very expensive. The Broncos defense works better with two pass rushers and while Malik Reed looks like a nice player Paye looks like an immediate impact player. He is big, fast and physical and he’s just scratching the surface of his talent. The team also needs help at CB so Patrick Surtain II and Caleb Farley will be in play here and lots of mock drafts will have a QB here. I wouldn’t be surprised if they take a CB here but I would be surprised if they take a QB. I don’t see Trey Lance or Mac Jones being an immediate upgrade over Drew Lock and I think if they move away from Lock, they are more likely to go after a veteran alternative, those are dwindling fast unless they can pull off a miracle trade for either Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson.
10. Dallas Cowboys (6-10): Patrick Surtain II CB Alabama
The team fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan after the season and while I never thought Nolan was a great choice for the position blaming him for their terrible defense is like handing a mechanic a toothbrush and being upset he can’t rebuild your engine with it. They spent a lot of draft capital over the years stacking their offense, time for the defense to get some help. They drafted Alabama CB Trevon Diggs in the second-round last year, this time they go for his more talented former teammate. Surtain is a fantastic player with unbelievable technique and outstanding physical gifts, he has good genes (his father was a long time NFL CB). He’s a legitimate #1 CB and he would be the replacement for Byron Jones they team didn’t find last season.
11. New York Giants (6-10): Azeez Ojulari OLB Georgia
There’s always that guy who no one is really talking about right now who ends up going higher than anyone expected. My pick this year is Ojulari. He’s an athletically gifted LB from Georgia who is a bit small for your typical rush LB but he’s so fast and athletic that he just makes plays. He can come off the edge and use speed or power to beat his man and that makes him a matchup nightmare. The Giants defense needs to generate pass rush and in general just make plays, Ojulari does that. He isn’t a household name but I think teams are going to come around after they get a better look at the plays he made and once they see his athleticism up close.
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-10): Caleb Farley CB Virginia Tech
Richard Sherman was the 49ers #1 CB again this year at the age of 32. He’s not really a #1 CB anymore but on a team that has a bunch of #3 CBs he stands out. The problem is Sherman is a free agent this off season, he’ll be a 33-year-old CB next year and he just made $8 million this year. Even if the 49ers could to bring him back, most of their other CBs are free agents too and they really should restock the position with some talent. Farley opted out of Virginia Tech’s season but he checks all the boxes you want in a CB and he’s a talented player. CB isn’t a very deep position at the top of this draft and there’s a pretty big drop off after Surtain and Farley. Farley is worth the investment and fills a major need.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (7-9): Christian Darrisaw OT Virginia Tech
The Chargers have found their QB of the future in Justin Herbert, now they have their new head coach in former Rams DC Brandon Staley. Herbert outplayed most expectations as a rookie, including mine, but imagine how good he could be if the Chargers actually fixed their offensive line. Darrisaw might not be the next Orlando Pace but he’s a legitimate 10-year starting LT in the NFL. He’s big, physical, athletic and experienced. He would be a massive upgrade over basically anyone who has started at LT for the Chargers for several years. Investing in some protection for Herbert is the smart play.
14. Minnesota Vikings (7-9): Alijah Vera-Tucker OL USC
The Vikings will be looking for cap space this off season and LT Riley Reiff is a prime candidate to be let go. The team drafted Ezra Cleveland last year as the heir apparent at LT but he ended up starting inside at OG some this year. If Cleveland does move outside the team needs someone to replace him inside. Vera-Tucker played LT at USC and while he may be able to do so in the pros most projections have him sliding inside to guard. He would be a great athletic match at LG next to Cleveland at LT and the Vikings need to keep their offensive line strong considering how much they rely on the run game.
15. New England Patriots (7-9): Kyle Pitts TE Florida
This would be a dream scenario for the Patriots as Kyle Pitts is an amazing playmaker at TE. I don’t actually believe he will fall this far because he’s legitimately one of the 7 or 8 most talented players in this draft, the problem is finding a spot where he fits before this. Not many teams in the top 14 here are going to prioritize the TE position. So many teams already have good young TEs (San Francisco, Denver, Detroit, LA Chargers, Philadelphia, NY Giants). The teams that need TEs (Jacksonville, NY Jets, Cincinnati) are picking high enough to take more important positions. Pitts is a certainly worthy of a top 10 pick. He’s an athletic freak who will be a matchup nightmare. He’s not another Rob Gronkowski for the Patriots, he’s more along the lines of Jimmy Graham early in his career. The Patriots need playmakers and Pitts is one of the best in the entire draft, he instantly makes the offense better regardless of who plays QB. If Pitts isn’t here, I would be more than happy to see the Patriots take Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle.
16. Arizona Cardinals (8-8): Jaycee Horn CB South Carolina
Patrick Peterson is a free agent this off season and even if the Cardinals can bring him back, they aren’t exactly stacked at CB. Dre Kirkpatrick was signed early in the year to a one-year deal as a stop-gap, he’s not exactly the future at the position. Horn is big and physical CB who still needs some refinement but he’s the next guy after Surtain and Farley. This team could look at an edge rusher considering Haason Reddick is a free agent and Chandler Jones only has one year left on his contract. However, the pass rushers in this draft are all pretty raw so a CB would help them out a lot sooner.
17. Las Vegas Raiders (8-8): Daviyon Nixon DT Iowa
It’s possible the Raiders go for a new QB and let Derek Carr go but they should really try to run it back on offense and fix a defense that is severely undermanned. DTs Jonathan Hankins and Maliek Collins are pending free agents and the team can do better. They need to juice their pass rush and Nixon is a penetrating DT who will play the run and collapse the pocket. Having him on the inside would also help take the pressure off the edge rushers and that would help the pass rush overall. Nixon only started eight games at Iowa but he made them count and he looks like a terror to deal with on the inside of the defensive line. The Raiders are like the other teams in the AFC West trying to catch up to the Chiefs, the problem is if they don’t fix their defense, they could end up chasing the Chargers very soon and the Broncos if they ever figure out their QB position.
18. Miami Dolphins (10-6): Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah LB Notre Dame
The Dolphins signed Elandon Roberts to be their ILB next to Jerome Baker last off season but he had a very underwhelming year. Baker was phenomenal and Owusu-Koramoah could be a speedy playmaker inside just like him. While both players are a bit undersized, they play with such speed and intensity it’s hardly noticeable. Brian Flores likes versatile LBs and these guys do a bit of everything. Baker had seven sacks playing as an ILB so Owusu-Koramoah’s blitzing ability could be put to good use. The Dolphins were disappointed to miss the playoffs but they won 10 games and an impact defender would certainly help them in their quest to make the playoffs next year.
19. Washington Football Team (7-9): Trey Lance QB North Dakota St.
As well as Taylor Heinicke played in the playoff game, he’s not likely to be a real candidate to be the QB of the future. Solid backup choice but not the guy you build around. Clearly, Ron Rivera likes Kyle Allen too but again, he’s a backup, not a starter. Alex Smith made a comeback for the ages from an injury that nearly cost him his leg but he’s going to be 37 next year, and it sounds like he’s moving on. This team dumped Dwayne Haskins and they need a new QB. I can see Rivera signing Cam Newton as a temporary starter and that would be a great bridge to Trey Lance. Lance is making the leap from North Dakota St. to the NFL and he’s less experienced than Carson Wentz was when he did it. It’s possible someone really likes Lance’s potential and he never makes it this far but I’m not sold. Taking Lance and not rushing him into the starter role would be a wise move, as long as Rivera is making the call, it can happen; if ownership gets involved disaster will ensue.
20. Chicago Bears (8-8): Mac Jones QB Alabama
If the Bears don’t make a massive move to get Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson (doubtful in my estimation) then they are left with a pretty ugly veteran market to pick through at QB. Cam Newton, Alex Smith, and Ryan Fitzpatrick are not exactly exciting choices. Mac Jones doesn’t have the wow factor of Trevor Lawrence or Zach Wilson but he’s a good player who likely still has room to improve. A lot of people see him as a guy who has maxed out his talent and was a product of playing with great players. I’ll concede playing with guys DeVonta Smith and Najee Harris is a plus but I don’t think he’s maxed out his potential. He only played about a season and a half for Alabama after Tua got hurt two years ago. He has a strong arm, good anticipation and he was highly accurate for the Crimson Tide. I think he’s an upgrade over Mitch Trubisky and if the Bears get him some help up front, he can be a quality NFL starter.
21. Indianapolis Colts (11-5): Jalen Mayfield OT Michigan
The Colts made a bold move to trade for Carson Wentz with the expectation that Frank Reich can fix whatever went wrong with him in Philadelphia. The first thing to realize about what went wrong in Philly was the offense fell apart around Wentz and while he didn’t rise above it, he wasn’t the sole cause of the problems. The Colts also lost LT Anthony Costanzo to retirement this off season and replacing him would mean solidifying the line in front of Wentz. When Wentz was good for the Eagles, he had one of the best offensive lines in the league in front of him. Mayfield isn’t the most pro-ready OT in the draft but he’s got plenty of potential and I think the Colts’ coaching staff would do great things with him. The Colts already have RB Jonathan Taylor, WR Michael Pittman Jr, and a couple of solid options at TE so Wentz won’t have a lot of excuses if he fails in Indianapolis.
22. Tennessee Titans (11-5): Jaelen Phillips OLB Miami
The Titans were terrible at rushing the passer this season and they still went 11-5, imagine if they could actually get to the QB. Their desperation made them sign Jadeveon Clowney who ended up being a disappointment and then getting hurt (I can’t figure out why teams think he’s worth signing). They need someone who can give them something right now so I’m going with Jaelen Phillips. All the other top edge rushers are pretty raw and will need some time to develop. Maybe Phillips’ ceiling isn’t as high as other guys but he can help right now and he fits any scheme, meaning Mike Vrabel can deploy him any way he sees fit. He would be an immediate upgrade off the edge.
23. New York Jets (from Seattle): Jaylen Waddle WR Alabama
Regardless of who the Jets line up at QB next year that guy is going to need some playmakers. The Jets have been piecing together their WR group for too long and they need to invest heavily to make it better. Last year my favorite WR was an Alabama WR named Jerry Jeudy, this year both DeVonta Smith and Waddle are my two favorite WRs and they both happen to be from Alabama. Waddle is a total speed demon who can play inside or out and runs great routes. He isn’t the biggest WR standing only 5’10 but he makes up for it with his ability to get open and his fantastic hands. The only issue is the ankle injury he suffered during the season and tried to return from in the National Championship game. He didn’t look good hobbling around and I hope he didn’t set his recovery back by trying to play. The Jets got their “big” WR last year in Denzel Mims, now they get the speedy one they need to take the top off the defense.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): Christian Barmore DL Alabama
The Steelers have holes on the offensive line and an aging defensive line. Alexandro Villanueva is a free agent and Maurkice Pouncey just retired. The Steelers are not a team that generally reaches to fill need so I would expect them to take the best player available and Barmore has had a breakout season. He’s still young as just a third-year sophomore and he only recently became a starter. The best thing about him is his versatility on the defensive line. At Alabama they play multiple fronts meaning their defensive linemen are well versed in lining up all over the place. The Steelers have run a three-man line for as long as I can remember and you need inside/outside versatility to be productive in that alignment. Barmore is not a finished product but he would learn a lot playing behind Cameron Heyward and Tyson Alualu.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LA Rams): Liam Eichenberg OT Notre Dame
The Jaguars have a number of needs on the offensive side of the ball and after snagging Trevor Lawrence #1 overall it would be wise for Urban Meyer to give him a chance to be successful. LT Cam Robinson has been a disappointment and he ended the season injured so it’s time to move on. Eichenberg isn’t an elite LT prospect, he’s not the next Jonathan Ogden or Orlando Pace, but he’s pretty good and he can step in immediately and at this stage of the first-round teams will sometimes reach for an OT when they really need one. This might also be a decent place to grab a RB if the team really likes Najee Harris or maybe Lawrence’s Clemson backfield mate Travis Etienne. They started James Robinson most of the year, and while he did fine for an undrafted free agent playing with a bad offense, he can be improved upon and he’s also injured. Eichenberg is the next best tackle and you can never go wrong protecting the face of the franchise.
26. Cleveland Browns (11-5): Gregory Rousseau DE Miami
The Browns need to address a few areas and while it is completely possible they look for a WR, I’m not convinced they are going to give up on Odell Beckham Jr. just yet. That leaves the defense with the biggest need. Their secondary needs some help but the value just isn’t available here when compared to the pass rushers. The Browns have Myles Garrett but Olivier Vernon tore his Achilles and he’s going to be a free agent. Adrian Clayborn is nice depth if he’s back next year but he’s aging. The team seems to be in the running for free agent JJ Watt but they could come up short. Rousseau looked like a top 10 pick going into the season and then he decided to opt out and I think he falls a bit, that’s good news for the Browns. Rousseau is a twitchy athlete who would bookend Garrett quite well and if the Browns generate some more pass rush perhaps their secondary won’t look so bad.
27. Baltimore Ravens (11-5): Creed Humphrey OC Oklahoma
I desperately want to give the Ravens a WR here but there is so much depth and talent at the position I think they wait unless one of the top guys like Waddle falls here. There isn’t as much top talent on the interior of the offensive line and even less specifically at center. Starting center Matt Skura had a number of issues this season and he’s just not good enough overall to overcome so many mistakes. Humphrey has been on NFL teams’ radars for years and while there are those not as enamored with him as they once were, he’s a plug-and-play center who would make the overall interior offensive line even better for the Ravens. This team relies on the run game and they need to be stout in the middle of the offensive line to stay that way. It’s not a sexy pick for the offense but the Ravens usually do the right thing before the sexy thing.
28. New Orleans Saints (12-4): Kadarius Toney WR Florida
Kadarius Toney isn’t a name we have heard a lot coming into the draft because there are bigger names at WR. However, Toney is one of the elite playmakers in the draft and he’s an extremely versatile athlete who makes plays all over the field. He was a high school QB who went to Florida and became a WR/RB to start off because they just weren’t sure what to do with him. Once they figured it out, he spent most of his time lining up at WR but he’s a guy you can play from pretty much anywhere. He will fit right in with Sean Payton’s guys in New Orleans. Imaging an offense that has Taysom Hill, Alvin Kamara and Kadarius Toney. The Saints might have some other needs but they don’t actually have a great option opposite Michael Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders is aging. And Thomas had serious injury and other issues this season. Toney is an all-around playmaker and an all-around good idea for the Saints offense.
29. Buffalo Bills (13-3): Jason Oweh DE Penn St.
The Bills have three DEs on the wrong side of 30; Jerry Hughes, Mario Addison, and Trent Murphy, and none of them had an overwhelming season this last year. The team drafted AJ Epenesa last season but he’s a power end, he isn’t a speed rusher. Oweh is raw and needs some time to develop but he’s a young player with plenty of potential. Sean McDermott knows a thing or two about developing pass rushers and while a CB would be a solid pick here too, the value is in Oweh, the pass rusher. I could make a solid argument for drafting an OG given the position isn’t exactly stacked for the Bills and if they look that way, Ohio St. OG Wyatt Davis would be a very good choice.
30. Green Bay Packers (13-3): Zaven Collins LB Tulsa
I could make a compelling case that the Packers should take LSU WR Terrance Marshall as he is great value here and despite what the front office thinks they do need to get Devante Adams some help. If the team loses C Corey Lindsay in free agency and Creed Humphrey is here, I could make that argument too. However, given their apparent opposition to drafting a WR early and the fact Humphrey is off my board already, I’m giving them a LB they can use to replace Christian Kirksey inside. Kirksey was a free agent they signed last year but they already let him go after a disappointing season marred by injury. Collins is a versatile playmaker who can line up at any of the LB spots and gives the defense some fresh looks. The team has never been keen to spend money at ILB so here they get a late first-round rookie that won’t break the bank but will certainly pay off with his play.
31. Kansas City Chiefs (14-2): Samuel Cosmi OT Texas
A major factor in the Chiefs Super Bowl loss to the Buccaneers was the fact that they had neither of their starting OTs for the game as both Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz were injured. Schwartz was injured earlier in the season and they were able to patch the hole at RT well enough but losing Fisher in the AFC Championship game was too much to overcome. Fisher and Schwartz are both over 30, coming off injuries and coming into the last year of their contracts. The Chiefs roster isn’t getting any cheaper so they need to make plans moving forward. Fisher probably won’t be available for much of next season if any of it. Cosmi is a long, lean OT who needs to add some strength but he’s has years of starting experience at Texas at both RT and LT and that will come in handy. This would be another example of a team reaching a little for an OT but it’s completely justified here. The Chiefs can’t risk Patrick Mahomes’ health on the guys they had fill in at the Super Bowl and Fisher and Schwartz aren’t long-term solutions no matter what.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5): Joseph Ossai OLB Texas
Jason Pierre-Paul isn’t getting any younger and Shaq Barrett isn’t getting any cheaper so the Bucs need to find another pass rusher. As long as Tom Brady is back next season the offense should be fine and the while the defense plays great under Todd Bowles, they need to plan moving forward. The defense is predicated on the pass rush of JPP and Barrett, Ossai would be a nice addition and can either supplement those two or replace one of them. He’s an athletic player who bounced between DE and OLB at Texas until this last year where they used him very effectively as a pass rusher. Ossai is raw but he can be very good player pretty quickly under Todd Bowles.
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