It is that time of the year again, when the greatest talents the U.S. college system has to offer find out their future in one of the greatest leagues in the world. Some spectators will be allowed in Cleveland, meaning we will not experience another trip to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s basement like last year, and some of the top draft prospects have also been invited.

Despite question marks over the importance of the Draft, it is always fun for writers and experts to predict who each team will take, with last season’s worst-performing team getting the first selection. This mock draft will encompass both what I think should happen, and what I think will happen but, regardless of the eventual outcome, all of the top prospects will influence the league in some way.

While last week’s events showed that British sports fans are not enamoured with American-style sports, the draft always contains controversy and drama, making it well worth tuning in for.

1st Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars select Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

This is, without doubt, the obvious pick. Lawrence is a generational talent, along the lines of Andrew Luck, whose only chance of failure is if Jacksonville cannot build around him. The week before last year’s draft, we did not know who would be taken at number one, but there are no such questions this year.

2nd Pick: New York Jets select Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

This pick seems unlikely, with every reporter suggesting that it will be Zack Wilson. However, Wilson seems to be an error-prone passer, similar to Sam Darnold, only with a rookie contract. Fields appears to be another top talent, leading Ohio State to a national championship final, but could be a safer pick with better athleticism and playmaking ability.

3rd Pick: San Francisco 49ers select Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

Once again, the general consensus is that the 49ers will take Mac Jones, but if Zach Wilson falls then they should take him ahead of the Alabama quarterback. Wilson may be flawed but his upside is huge, with some people comparing him to the likes of Brett Favre. Out of the top five quarterbacks in the draft, Jones has the worst arm and is the worst athlete, yet many believe he is ready to win now, which may be what Kyle Shanahan wants.

4th Pick: Atlanta Falcons select Kyle Pitts, TE Florida

Some people have Atlanta taking a quarterback here, but that notion seems ridiculous when few of their failures over recent years have been Matt Ryan’s fault. Pitts is one of the greatest tight end talents to ever come out of college and, paired with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, it would give the Falcons one of the best receiving corps in the league.

5th Pick: Cincinnati Bengals select Rashawn Slater, OT Northwestern

The Bengals took Joe Burrow with the first pick last year and, despite an injury, the quarterback had a successful first season in Cincinnati. Slater and Penei Sewell are the standout linemen in this year’s draft, and Slater fills the biggest hole in this Bengals side: at right tackle. Out of all the teams with a top nine pick, Cincinnati are probably the happiest with their quarterback situation, meaning that they have the opportunity to take the best available player here.

6th Pick: Miami Dolphins select Ja’Marr Chase, WR LSU

Miami have, riskily in some people’s eyes, decided to stick with Tua Tagovailoa and thus must give him as many weapons as possible. Chase is widely considered to be the top receiver in a stacked class, despite sitting out the 2020 season, and will pair nicely with Will Fuller and Jarvis Landry to improve the Dolphins’ offence. 

7th Pick: Detroit Lions select Jaylen Waddle, WR Alabama

There is a chance that the Lions may trade away this pick, but they need to give Jared Goff some help. Goff is coming from one of the best teams in the league and it would be criminal to not surround him with top receivers and a good offensive line. With the loss of Kenny Golladay to the Giants, the Lions should pick Waddle, an excellent pass-and-run talent who will provide some explosiveness to their offence.

8th Pick: Carolina Panthers select Penei Sewell, OT Oregon

Having recently traded for Sam Darnold, the Panthers need to find a way to protect him, a luxury that he did not have in New York. Sewell is known for his strength and agility in the line and would help Darnold, or any other future quarterback, significantly. With the roster that the Panthers have, including star, dual-threat running back Christian McCaffrey, they may look to work on their offensive line to allow their stars to shine.

9th Pick: Denver Broncos select Trey Lance, QB North Dakota State

The Broncos will be hoping that either Lance or Fields drops this far as many view them as better fits than either Wilson or Jones. Lance is still quite a raw talent, but will get the opportunity to sit behind Drew Lock for a year, since he had limited experience at college. The Broncos have some top players on their offence, and if Lance reaches his potential, this could become a great team. A risk with, potentially after Lawrence, the highest ceiling of anyone in this draft.

10th Pick: Dallas Cowboys select Patrick Surtain II, CB Alabama

The sensible thing for the Cowboys to do would be to take a cornerback, either Surtain or Jaycee Horn. Yet, as we have previously seen with Jerry Jones, the Cowboys like to take attractive pieces in the first round. It seems they have fixed their offence, and decided to pay quarterback Dak Prescott, meaning that improving their defence may lead to success in the future.

The draft remains one of the most exciting days in the NFL calendar and this year will be no different. There is no doubt we will see some drama and shocks on the 29th April, despite the first selection seeming an absolute certainty.

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