Freaky Friday: Mock Draft
March 26, 2021
Now that Free Agency is just about over, many teams shift their focus back to the draft as it is fast approaching and on April 29, many teams will look to make franchise moves and draft a star.
So, let’s shift our focus over to the draft as well. Today will be Serrano Mock Draft 1.0.
Jacksonville Jaguars No.1 select Trevor Lawrence QB Clemson
Probably the easiest part of anyone’s mock draft would be that the Jags select Trevor Lawerence. Arguably the best quarterback in this year’s draft the Jags may have found the franchise QB they have been looking for.
New York Jets No. 2 select Zach Wilson QB BYU
The argument of the century, will the Jets keep Sam Darnold or will they draft a rookie? I have the Jets trading Darnold to WFT for this year’s second-rounder and a 2022 third-rounder.
BYU’s Wilson is yet another top-tier QB in this draft and had an amazing 2020 season, where he lit it up with 32TDs and only 3INTs. Wilson took a huge leap forward in his development and has the potential to cause real trouble in the NFL. The question now is can he continue to make strides or was that a one-hit-wonder?
With that said, for many, it’s either Justin Fields out of Ohio State or Zach Wilson.
Either way, the Jets select their franchise quarterback for the future, and GM Joe Douglas and Head Coach Robert Saleh get a clean slate with a fresh rookie contract.
Miami Dolphins No.3 Select Jamar Chase WR LSU
Before I had the Dolphins trading back to No. 8, but they may very well get jumped for a wideout. While they are in a great position to trade, the Dolphins went 10-6 last season and need weapons on the offense to help out their young QB in Tua. Chase would provide a dynamic weapon and would help support Mike Geiscki and Devante Parker. Chase opted out in 2020, but in 2019 he was the best WR during that season and he posted 20TDs and over 1,700 yards. Parker was injured most of last season, and outside of that, the Dolphins were stretched thin. With Parker, Chase, Will Fuller, and Gesicki watch out for the Dolphins.
*Trade Alert*: Panthers and Falcons swap
Carolina Panthers No.4 select Justin Fields QB Ohio State
It may very well cost another first-round pick to trade up here, but the benefits would outweigh the cost especially if the Panthers feel this is their franchise guy. Fields is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback with tremendous arm talent and extreme toughness. He displays great leadership skills and is a kid who just keeps fighting. Fields is very talented and has more consistent play at the position over the last two years even though this past year was cut short.
Cincinnati Bengals No. 5 select Penei Sewell T Oregon
Joe Burrow got torn up last season, literally. The Bengals have to protect their franchise QB and at 20-years-old, Sewell is over 325lbs and 6”6ft tall he is a monster at the Tackle position. At such a young age, Sewell has so much potential and with an o-line that needs help, Sewell could potentially provide a foundational piece to the Bengals o-line.
Philadelphia Eagles No. 6 select DeVonta Smith WR Alabama
A team that could select a QB, but for now they should stick with Jalen Hurts and see what he can bring to the table and at least give him a chance, otherwise, the Eagles wasted a second-round pick. The Eagles could use a number one wideout and yet again they were decimated at the position. Smith provides speed and a player they haven’t had in a long time. This should be the obvious choice for them at wideout, especially because they haven’t done well in the past with Wideouts. The Heisman Trophy winner, while only 177lbs, will provide Jalen Hurts with a dynamic down-the-field weapon, something the Eagles haven’t had since DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick.
Detroit Lions No. 7 select Jaylen Waddle WR Alabama
Let’s face it, the Lions are a mess and could honestly go anywhere in this draft with this pick. The Lions lost practically the entire receiving core from 2020 and they need a guy they can develop and have for years to come. They may be taking a chance on Waddle after a season where he had a torn Achilles, but in the four games he did play in 2020, he was on pace to have a 1,000-yard season and in four games he already surpassed his 2019 receiving yard stat.
Atlanta Falcons No.8 (from Panthers) select Micah Parsons LB Penn State
They seemed to be in almost every game last year and their offense can be very electric at times, they just couldn’t finish out games and the game against the Lions just sums up the season for them. A defense that needs some more help and a player that could provide that is Parsons. A player who ran a 4.39 on his pro day and he is an all-around linebacker who was graded highly against stopping the run.
Denver Broncos No. 9 select Trey Lance QB NDSU
Drew Lock may not be the QB of the future for the Broncos and with the pieces in place, Denver may just need the right QB. A 2020 opt-out, Lance last played a full season in 2019. The dual-threat lit it up for 28 TDs and 14 rushing TD’s.
At 6”4 226lbs, the NDSU QB is a monster at the position, but he has only played one season, but with so much upside the Broncos could groom him for a year and if Drew Lock doesn’t work out, Lance will be ready.
Dallas Cowboys No. 10 select Patrick Surtain CB Alabama
If there was ever a bigger need, that would be at the corner position for the Cowboys. This defense was not well last year and they need help in the secondary, one of the reasons for them signing Safeties Malik Hooker and Keanu Neal.
Surtain was locked down at his position and many QBs just chose not to throw it his way, wisely. Right now the Cowboys need help at corner and it will add well to Trevon Diggs and Surtain might be that guy.
New York Giants No. 11 select Rashawn Slater T Northwesterner
With Payne and Slater on the board, I chose to give Big Blue Slater. I like the Giants defense and they could use another pass rusher, but this offense is ready to rock, and for Daniel Jones to play his best, he needs protection and Slater can provide that. This guy even front squatted over 400lbs. The Giants are getting a premium rookie lineman at eleven.
San Francisco 49ers No. 12 select Caleb Farley CB VT
The 49ers lost a couple of key players to the cornerback position and to give this d-line time to attack the QB, the 49ers need a man-man coverage corner. At 6’2 Farley who stock may fall due to his back injury, but in 2019 he had 4INTs and 12 pass breakups in ten games. Farley was also named the first-team All-ACC Honoree.
Los Angeles Chargers No. 13 select Kyle Pitts TE Florida
A team that lost Hunter Henry in Free Agency, and with Pitts still on the board at 13, the Chargers would be wrong not to take the 6”6 tight end who can line up almost anywhere on the offense. With 12TDs and 770 yards, Pitts was all over the place for the Gators and was the main focus for the opposing defense.
Minnesota Vikings No. 14 select Christian Darrisaw T VT
The Vikings need to fix their offensive line and they need a mover and a staple at the tackle position. Darrisaw was first-team All-ACC and second-team All-American. A team that is built on play-action and the run game with Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook, and for that to work they have to address the o-line, and when Cousins drops back, to make sure he doesn’t get hit because he was sacked 39 times.
*Trade Alert* Patriots move back to No. 20
Chicago Bears No. 15 select Mac Jones QB Alabama
An opportunity that I feel like the Bears would have to jump on. The Pats usually are a team that trades down anyway and with Jones there the Bears need a way to solve their QB issues. Jones had a breakout season with Bama in 2020 and took the team to a National Championship and secured the title. With 41TDs, 4INTs, and almost 4,500 yards Jones had an amazing season.
The question will be, how will he play without Saban, his offensive line, and his star weapons? I think the biggest question will be how he performs under pressure. I saw glances when watching him, where he struggled under pressure, but that’s harder to evaluate when your entire offensive line enters the draft.
Next week a 2.0 will come out. The quarterbacks and where they go in this draft will shape the way the other teams draft and the way players fall, we will see how it all unfolds.
The rest of the Mock 1.0 is pictured above.
Check out https://www.pff.com/draft/nfl-mock-draft-simulator to build your mock draft!