With the 2020 season coming to a close, a year of uncertainty is concluded with Tom “Better than Bill” Brady winning his 7th Super Bowl. Yes, the senior citizen did it again, besting Patrick and even Jackson Mahomes at his ‘home’ stadium in Tampa Bay. With franchise faces already on the move (sorry Goff), this virtual offseason is going to be a good one. Now with the 2021 offseason officially in full swing…

Questionable Lock Presents Mock Draft #2 of the 2021 Offseason

#1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: QB Trevor Lawrence

  • Nothing changes here. The Jaguars pair one of the best quarterbacks in college football history with one of the best coaches in college football history. With starting receivers in DeDe Westbrook, D.J. Chark, and Laviska Shenault Jr., Lawrence has a decent starting cast of receivers to deal some real damage in 2021. With tremendous hype surrounding him, Lawrence will be dealing with media and public pressure like never before as the expectation is for him is: Offensive Rookie of the Year or Bust. Recent rookie success stories in Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow will only add to this pressure. While the ceiling is “to the moon” for Lawrence, hopefully the hype and pressure don’t cave in the floor from underneath him.

#2. NEW YORK JETS: QB Justin Fields

  • Reports indicate that the Jets are shopping Sam Darnold at the moment. Whether the Jets can salvage anything worthwhile is the biggest question here. The former first round pick never seemed to have a real chance in New York, so perhaps a change of scenery is best for everyone. But just how much could New York get for a quarterback who has proven little to nothing in an NFL offense at this point? With the intention of taking a quarterback here, the decision then shifts to OSU’s Justin Fields or BYU’s Zach Wilson. After picking several quarterback busts in the last decade, the Jets go with the safest option here and select 6’3 227 lb Justin Fields. While no OSU quarterback sounds ‘safe’ these days, Fields’s ability to stretch the field with his cannon of an arm and his wins over top-notch college opponents beats out Wilson’s high ceiling and lone star season at BYU. While Wilson seems like a multi-year project, FIelds could be a week 1 starter in 2021.

#3. MIAMI DOLPHINS: WR Devonta Smith

  • The Dolphins cannot afford to miss with this pick. Let me rephrase that, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagavailoa cannot afford for the Dolphins to miss with this pick. Pairing up Devonta with his former college quarterback gives the Dolphins room to “audition” Tua for another year, as talks of getting Deshaun Watson have gone south. While offensive tackle is a perpetual need for this franchise, the Dolphins grab their hopeful-franchise quarterback one of the most deadly weapons in this draft. While fellow WR Ja’Marr Chase has more size and strength on the somewhat-slim Smith, look for the Dolphins to capitalize on the chemistry between Tua and his former Alabama star wide-out.

#4: ATLANTA FALCONS: QB Zach Wilson

  • In hindsight, putting Rousseau this high was definitely a REACH on my part. While Atlanta has a glaring need on the defensive front, I am not so sure that the new administration is looking to fill that need with a PRIME top five draft position. Instead, new head coach Arthur Smith can go get his quarterback and have him learn under a former league MVP in Matt Ryan for a year or two. While Wilson may be a reach in the top 5, the ability to learn NFL offenses from one of the best pocket-passers in recent history in Matty Ice could ultimately make Wilson’s career.

#5: CINCINNATI BENGALS: OT Penei Sewell

  • While the Bengals will be inevitably enticed to add Ja’Marr Chase here, they ultimately will do what they must to protect their star quarterback. Adding a versatile lineman like Oregon’s Penei Sewell will bolster an offensive line that only has one proven starter on it in Jonah Williams. Standing 6’6 and weighing around 330 pounds, Sewell would add an immediate impact on the left side of this offensive line. If the Bengals added a veteran lineman in free agency like Joe Thuney, then this unit could be one of the best in football in 2021.

#6: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: WR Ja’Marr Chase

  • For a team strapped by the cap and lacking in identity, building through the draft is an absolute must for the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a quick fall from grace for the Eagles, who have had a tumultuous time putting a winning product on the field since their magical 2017 season. With Pederson and now Wenz on the outs, this team is searching for an alpha to uplift their struggling offense. Insert LSU record-breaking wideout Ja’Marr Chase. Arguably the best receiver in the draft, Chase is 35 pounds heavier than Devonta Smith despite being an inch smaller. The Eagles need an identity to build around and they would be foolish to pass up on a sure-fire stud in Chase.

#7: DETROIT LIONS: LB Micah Parsons

  • The pick stays the same here despite the Lions blockbuster trade to acquire two first round picks, a third round pick, and QB Jared Goff by sending away all-time franchise leader Matt Stafford. While the ‘popular’ mock pick here is a quarterback, Detroit’s future draft assets give them time to sit and wait on a franchise quarterback with Goff filling the need at the moment. In order to revitalize this defense, the Lions select Penn State LB Micah Parsons. The best available player on the board, Parsons is a do-everything defender with edge rusher like quickness. Parsons recorded 109 total tackles, 52 solo tackles, 5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles at Penn State in 2019.

#8: CAROLINA PANTHERS: TE Kyle Pitts

  • There will be less reaching in this draft for quarterbacks than most people think. For starters, North Dakota St. QB Trey Lance played one decent game this year before his season was cancelled, and without a combine, teams will rely on existing tape. With six years remaining on his contract, head coach Matt Rhule can afford to pass on a quarterback with this selection and add a once-in-a generational talent at tight end. Pitts was the University of Florida’s primary receiver this season, securing 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 scores despite being lined-up beside fellow projected first rounder Kadarius Toney. Pitts was the best tight end in CFB this year by far and his 6’6 frame 246 lb frame makes him an ideal NFL tight end prospect. Line Pitts up in an offense that already features Christian Mccaffrey, and this offense is one piece away from contention.

#9: DENVER BRONCOS: CB Caleb Farley

  • Broncos fans probably had some fun Sunday watching Patrick Mahomes fail to muster anything meaningful in Super Bowl 55. But the problem is that Mahomes will be back…and back, and back again. With big question marks surrounding the future of LB Von Miller, the Broncos need to retool in a big way. This starts with adding the best corner in the draft in Caleb Farley. The First-Team All ACC selection would add a dominant presence in a backfield that certainly lacks one. The Broncos will have no shot at winning their division if they cannot at least make Mahomes think twice about launching the ball 35 yards+ down the field every game. Here, the Broncos fill one of their many holes on head coach Vic Fangio’s defense.

#10: DALLAS COWBOYS: OL Rashawn Slater

  • Dallas Cowboys champion tail back Emmit Smith does not believe the Cowboys are as “tied” to Dak Prescott as reports would suggest. While the Dak v. Jerry contract dilemma isn’t going anywhere, the Cowboys need to address an offensive line depth issue that caused the team to fall from 4th best to 27th worst in terms of offensive line production last season. Key lineman Zack Martin (618 snaps) and Tyron Smith (154) missed significant time, while La’el Collins missed the entirety of the 2020 season. The Cowboys struggled to find any success with their reserves and drafting Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater is necessary whether they choose to build around Dak or try to return Zeke to prime form.

#11 NY GIANTS: WR Jaylen Waddle
#12 SF 49ERS: CB Jaycee Horn
#13 LA CHARGERS: OL Christian Darrisaw
#14 MINN VIKINGS: DE Kwity Payne
#15 NE PATRIOTS: QB Mac Jones
#16 AZ CARDINALS: CB Patrick Surtain II
#17 LV RAIDERS: DE Gregory Rousseau
#18 MIA DOLPHINS: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
#19 WSH FBT: OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
#20 CHI BEARS: QB Trey Lance
#21 IND COLTS: OL Wyatt Davis
#22 TENN TITANS: DE Azeez Ojulari
#23 NY JETS: RB Najee Harris
#24 PITT STEELERS: DT Christian Barmore
#25 JAX JAGUARS: S Jevon Holland
#26 CLE BROWNS: LB Joseph Ossai
#27 BAL RAVENS: WR Rashod Bateman
#28 NO SAINTS: LB Zaven Collins
#29 GB PACKERS: CB Assante Samuel Jr.
#30 BUFF BILLS: DE Jayson Oweh
#31 KC CHIEFS: OL Samuel Cosmi
#32 TB BUCS: DE Patrick Jones II