# 2021 NFL Draft (created Thu, Apr 29, 2021, updated Mon, May 3, 2021) The first round of the NFL draft will be held on Thu, Apr 29, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio, starting at 8:00 p.m. EDT. => https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_NFL_Draft => https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2021-nfl-draft-ranking-position-groups-from-best-to-worst-with-wide-receivers-leading-the-way/ => https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/category/nfl-draft/ ### Mon, May 3, 2021 Sun, May 2 Tony Grossi story: => https://thelandondemand.com/news/2021/may/02/browns-defensive-heavy-offseason-puts-pressure-coo/ > GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski had a two-year plan to upgrade their roster -- offensive-heavy in 2020 and defensive-heavy in 2021. Browns draft picks: ``` Rnd Pick 1 26 Cleveland Browns Greg Newsome II CB Northwestern 2 52 Cleveland Browns Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah LB Notre Dame 3 91 Cleveland Browns Anthony Schwartz WR Auburn 4 110 Cleveland Browns James Hudson OT Cincinnati 4 132 Cleveland Browns Tommy Togiai DT Ohio State 5 153 Cleveland Browns Tony Fields II LB West Virginia 5 169 Cleveland Browns Richard LeCounte S Georgia 6 211 Cleveland Browns Demetric Felton WR UCLA ``` =================================== ### 12:02 a.m., Fri, Apr 30, 2021 Not fooling around. With the 32nd pick, Tampa Bay chose Joe Tryon, LB, Washington. That's it for the first round. ### 12:00 a.m., Fri, Apr 30, 2021 With the 31st pick, the Ravens chose Jayson Oweh, LB, Penn State. ### 11:51 p.m. With the 30th pick, the Bills chose Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami. He's tall, lean, but still big. He's in Cleveland. He's headed to a good team. ### 11:44 p.m. With the 29th pick, the Packers chose Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia. I may as well hang on for three more picks. How many SEC players have been chosen in the first round? ### 11:40 p.m. With the 28th pick, the Saints chose Payton Turner, DE, Houston. Browns GM Andrew Barry and head coach Stefanski are holding a presser. I have the volume down, and I'm not paying attention. Packers up next, and their pick is in. ### 11:33 p.m. With the 27th pick, the Baltimore Ravens chose Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota. Not too shabby to get to play with Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. ### 11:26 p.m. With the 26th pick, the forthcoming 2021 AFC North champions, the Cleveland Browns chose CB Greg Newsome, Northwestern. Tony Grossi: "It's a great pick." Cle got its CB. Hopefully, he can start or play a lot this season. Tony was surprised that Newsome was still available. ### 11:24 p.m. cont ABC is not showing the Browns fans. Now they are showing the throng of Cle fans. ### 11:24 p.m. Punkinhead, Browns fan, will be on stage for the CLE pick. And the pick is in. ### 11:23 p.m. Ravens pick 27th and 31st. ### 11:22 p.m. BROWNS time!!! Any wide receivers left?? ### 11:19 p.m. Jags have the next pick. With the 25th pick, the Jags chose RB Travis Etienne, Clemson. The Browns are up. ### 11:15 p.m. The Ravens select 31st. I don't think that I will stay up to the end tonight. Hopefully, CLE does not trade down, unless they trade out of the first round. But then I might need to stay up to see if CLE trades back up into the first round. ABC won't show rounds 2 and 3 tomorrow night. But it's cool that they are showing round 1. ### 11:10 p.m. The Squealers pick next. The pick is in. With the 24th pick, Pitt chose Najee Harris, RB, Alabama. Damn good player. The 6th Alabama player chosen tonight. Amazing. The Steelers will have a couple good RBs this season. And they have a couple good WRs. If Ben is healthy, Pitt will be tough again. As long as Big Ben and Tomlin are leading Pitt, the Squealers will always be tough. ### 11:07 p.m. With the 23rd pick, the Minnesota Vikings, Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech. Pretty wild. Two straight Va Tech players. ### 11:01 p.m. With the 22nd pick, the Titans chose Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech. Most of the players tonight are with family and friends at home. QB Wilson was in Cleveland. Poor Farley was alone in his room at home because he recently tested positive for Covid-19. ### 11:00 p.m. When interviewed on ABC, Kwity said that his Mom was retired from work now. ### 10:52 p.m. With the 21st pick, the Colts drafted DE Kwity Paye, Michigan. Cool name. He was born in a refugee camp in Guinea. He immigrated to the U.S. when he was six months old. Heck of a story. Kwity's Mom lived in Liberia, but when civil war irrupted, she fled to Sierra Leone, which did not work out well, and she fled to Guinea. ### 10:44 p.m. I'm now watching the draft on ABC, over the air, while also listening to KNR. I wonder how many years ABC has been showing the first round. With the 20th pick, the Giants chose Kadarius Toney from Florida. ### 10:39 p.m. With the 19th pick, Washington chose LB Jamin Davis, Kentucky. ### 10:32 p.m. With the 18th pick, the Dolphins chose DE Jaelan Phillips, Miami. ### 10:28 p.m. With the 17th pick, the Raiders chose OT Alex Leatherwood, Alabama. That's the 5th Alabama player chosen thus far. Matt Fontana said that Mac Jones is the 11th player that Belichick drafted who played for Sabin in college. ### 10:21 p.m With the 16th pick, the Arizona Cardinals chose LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa. ### 10:15 p.m. With the 15th pick, the New England Patriots chose Mac Jones, QB, Alabama. All evening as Jones fell down the draft board, Jerrod said that the farther down the draft that Jones gets selected, the better off Jones will be because he will probably be going to a better team than Lawrence and Wilson who were drafted by the Jags and Jets. Jerrod said that Jones might have a better career than those other top QBs because of the situation that Jones is entering. Cam Newton is still in New England. It's amazing that Jones played college football under Nick Sabin, and now he will play in the NFL under Bill Belichick. In 1994, Belichick was the Browns head coach, and Sabin was an assistant. ### 10:12 p.m. Rizzo said that Mac Jones's phone was ringing. New England is up next. ### 10:11 p.m. KNR crew is spitballing that the Browns might trade up to take New England's pick, which is next. New England likes to trade down. The Jets chose OG Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC. ### 10:06 p.m. The Jets have traded up. The 14th pick was Minnesota's. The Jets's 2nd first round pick was at 23rd. With the 2nd pick, the Jets choose QB Zach Wilson, Brigham Young. Grossi guessed that the Jets would choose a defensive player with the 14th pick. ### 10:02 p.m. With the 13th pick, the Chargers took OT Rashawn Slater, Northwestern. ### 9:53 p.m. With the 12th pick, Dallas chose LB Micah Parsons, Penn State. ### 9:51 p.m. Dallas has the 12th pick. The Pats have the 15th pick. Will New England move up to take Mac Jones, assuming New England is interested in a QB. ### 9:44 p.m. The 11th pick has been announced. Chicago Bears chose QB Justin Fields, Ohio State. Interesting. ESPN analysis called Fields "a work in progress." Apparently, the Bears gave up a lot to move up to take Fields. They gave up next year's number one draft pick. A few years ago, the Bears chose Mitch Trubisky who played high school ball in northeast Ohio. The Bears had one great year under Mitch, followed by two tough years, and the Bears gave up on Mitch already. Fields played an amazing game versus Clemson in the playoff semifinals back in January. I did not see the game. I listened to it on the radio. The Bears are making a big gamble for a "work in progress." The joke is that the Bears stadium will be known as Soldier Fields. Good one. That will be the name if Justin plays well. He's going to what I think is a decent team. I don't consider the Bears to be a team that is rebuilding from scratch, like the Browns three years ago. ### 9:43 p.m. KNR crew believes that the Bears will draft QB Justin Fields, and they think that if that occurs, then the Pats might make a move to draft Alabama QB Mac Jones. ### 9:40 p.m. The Bears have traded up to take the 11th pick. ### 9:37 p.m. The 10th pick announced. Philly chose WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama. It's a big night for Alabama, again. Two Alabama WRs chosen in the top-10. Alabama's star QB is still available. I guess that the Giants might have been eyeing Smith because it was announced that the Giants might be looking to trade down. ### 9:36 p.m. I wonder why Philly traded up two spots? Dallas won't be drafting a QB, since the Cowboys signed Prescott to a big contract. Maybe Philly thought that the Giants would choose a QB, assuming that Philly will choose a QB. ### 9:32 p.m. Dallas traded the 10th pick to the Eagles. !?!?!? Both teams are in the same division. But Philly had the 12th pick, so not a big move. These WERE the next three picks, all NFC East teams. 10. Dallas Cowboys 11. New York Giants 12. Philadelphia Eagles ### 9:30 p.m. It has been believed that CLE would draft a cornerback with the 26th pick, but if a good WR is available, then maybe CLE will choose that position. For CLE's current roster, Peoples-Jones is the only WR under contract for the 2022 season. ### 9:27 p.m. Aaron Goldhammer thinks that Denver will take LB Micah Parsons, Penn State. Goldhammer is a Broncos fan. The 9th pick has been announced. Denver Broncos, CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama. Grossi said that Dallas, who picks next, wanted one of the two CBs that have been chosen. ### 9:24 p.m. Matt Fontana reported that some NFL insider said that the 49ers had a brief conversation about obtaining Rodgers, but it appears that GB shot down the idea quickly. If GB ditches Rodgers, the Packers might prefer that Aaron goes to an AFC team. ### 9:22 p.m. Denver is up next. No definitive news yet about Denver obtaining Rodgers. Recently, the Broncos obtained QB Terry Bridgewater. ### 9:20 p.m. 8th pick, Carolina chose CB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina. ### 9:12 p.m. The 7th pick was made by the Lions. OT Penei Sewell, Oregon. Lions QB is Goth from the Rams after Detroit traded Stafford to the Rams earlier this year. ### 9:10 p.m. Rizzo chatted about how the players were dressed well in suits, and then Tony said: > "This is how the draft is for the Steelers every year." The Browns pick at 26th. ### 9:05 p.m. The 6th pick was announced. Miami Dolphins, WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama. The first six picks are all offensive players. That's how I would do it if I was a GM and had a top-10 draft pick. The rules favor the QB and pass catchers, especially receivers. Waddle gets to play with his college QB at Miami. ### 8:59 p.m. The 5th pick has been made. Cincy, WR Ja'Marr Chase, LSU. It's hard to pass up a top-notch WR from LSU. Next six picks: ``` 6 Miami Dolphins -- from Philadelphia 7 Detroit Lions 8 Carolina Panthers 9 Denver Broncos 10 Dallas Cowboys ``` ### 8:55 p.m. Cincy up next. I wonder if they will take an offensive lineman to help protect their franchise QB Joe Burrough who was taken first overall last year. Tony's latest mock: > 5. Cincinnati Bengals: OT Penei Sewell, Oregon > Rare tackle prevails over best-in-class receiver. ### 8:50 p.m. 4th pick selected by Atlanta. TE Kyle Pitts, Florida ### 8:42 p.m. Third pick announced. San Fran selected QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State. A little surprise, since San Fran has Jimmy G. I assume that since Jimmy G has missed most of two of the last three seasons to injuries that Lance is suppose to be SF's decent backup QB. In 2019 when Jimmy G was healthy, the 49ers went to the Super Bowl. Before the draft, some chatter existed about the 49ers possibly trading Jimmy G. This is an interesting pick by San Fran. Apparently, Lance's psychological testing with SF was "off the charts." QB Mac Jones, Alabama is still available. ### 8:34 p.m. The second pick announced: New York Jets select QB Zach Wilson, Brigham Young. A fan for each team will sit in Goodell's chair when that team's pick is announced. Jets drafted Darnold in 2018 when the Browns drafted Baker. Maybe Lawrence and Wilson will be top-16 QBs, but I'm glad that the Browns have an experienced Baker Mayfield. ### 8:28 p.m. Goodell announced the first pick. QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson to the Jags. KNR played Mel Kiper's description of Lawrence. Mel said that Trevor was his 4th highest rated QB of all-time, after John Elway, Andrew Luck, and Peyton Manning. That's some kind of rating. It's unfortunate that Luck's career was shortened due to injuries. ### 8:17 p.m. Goodell announced that the draft was officially open. I'm streaming KNR's broadcast, which is delayed by 30 to 50 seconds, compared to the normal, over-the-air radio broadcast. ### 8:13 p.m. cont Goodell is on the stage, encouraging the crowd to boo him, which is now a draft tradition. Goodell introduced on the stage Jarvis Landry, Bernie Kosar, and Joe Thomas. Crowd chanting "Bernie, Bernie, Bernie." Goodell brought his big leather chair from home, which is what he sat in, during last year's draft. The chair is on stage. Hilarious. ### 8:13 p.m. First five teams to pick: 1. Jacksonville Jaguars 2. New York Jets 3. San Francisco 49ers 4. Atlanta Falcons 5. Cincinnati Bengals ### 8:08 p.m. This is interesting. => https://sports.nbcsports.com/2021/04/29/how-to-watch-nfl-draft-2021-live-stream-online-without-cable-tv-channel-start-time-full-schedule/ > Once again, ESPN, NFL Network, ABC and ESPN Deportes will air the draft live on broadcast television this year. > ABC will have their own coverage with a college football-led team. Hosts and analysts on ABC will include Rece Davis, Maria Taylor, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Todd McShay, Jesse Palmer and David Pollack. I did not know that ABC, over the air, aired the first round of the draft. ### 8:01 p.m. I'm streaming WKNR, which is what I've done for the past several years during draft night of the first round. This afternoon, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers told GB that he wanted out. => https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/04/29/report-aaron-rodgers-has-told-packers-he-does-not-want-to-return-to-green-bay/ Apparently, the Broncos are the most likely team to obtain Rodgers. => https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/04/29/report-packers-open-to-the-reality-of-trading-rodgers-with-broncos-most-likely-partner/ ### 10:41 a.m. Draft order ``` Pick No. NFL team 1 Jacksonville Jaguars 2 New York Jets 3 San Francisco 49ers -- from Houston via Miami 4 Atlanta Falcons 5 Cincinnati Bengals 6 Miami Dolphins -- from Philadelphia 7 Detroit Lions 8 Carolina Panthers 9 Denver Broncos 10 Dallas Cowboys 11 New York Giants 12 Philadelphia Eagles -- from San Francisco via Miami 13 Los Angeles Chargers 14 Minnesota Vikings 15 New England Patriots 16 Arizona Cardinals 17 Las Vegas Raiders 18 Miami Dolphins 19 Washington Football Team 20 Chicago Bears 21 Indianapolis Colts 22 Tennessee Titans 23 New York Jets -- from Seattle 24 Pittsburgh Steelers 25 Jacksonville Jaguars -- from L.A. Rams 26 Cleveland Browns 27 Baltimore Ravens -- from Kansas City 28 New Orleans Saints 29 Green Bay Packers 30 Buffalo Bills 31 Baltimore Ravens 32 Tampa Bay Buccaneers ``` ### 10:25 a.m. The Browns draft 26th. This morning, I've been listening to AM 850 WKNR. => https://thelandondemand.com/wknr Tony Grossi's final mock draft. => https://thelandondemand.com/news/2021/apr/28/browns-mock-draft-100-barring-trade-highest-ranked/ > Final thoughts on the Browns' draft: > They need a cornerback capable of starting in 2021. Need that player badly. > GM Andrew Berry has been aggressive all transaction season. I don't expect him to back off and be passive on draft night. I would expect him to try to move up and nab one of the top four cornerbacks, but he won't mortgage this draft or anything high in 2022. > If he's unable to fill that large need with a draft pick, Berry still has some options in trade or free agency. So if the first round is devoted to another position, stay tuned. > I don't think Berry trades back from No. 26. If he stays at No. 26 and the top four cornerbacks are gone, the options come down to developmental edge rusher, defensive tackle, hybrid linebacker or wide receiver. > I can't get out of my head the belief that somehow New England's actions indirectly will affect what the Browns do. > My hunch is that Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore will be the highest-ranked defensive player on the board if the Browns are forced to pick at No. 26. If they take him, they may have to trade up in the second round for a cornerback. > I vacillate on what the Browns would do if Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley slides to No. 26. It would be up to their medics' evaluation of his back issue. I imagine the inability of Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams to avoid injuries would be the deal-breaker against gambling on Farley. Tony's mock draft: 1. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Wire to wire winner of the No. 1 spot. Last time: Lawrence. 2. New York Jets: QB Zach Wilson, Brigham Young They close their eyes and see Patrick Mahomes. With their vision, better hope it's not actually Ken O'Brien. Last time: Wilson. 3. San Francisco 49ers: QB Mac Jones, Alabama Followed by a trade of Jimmy G. to Bill B. Last time: Justin Fields. 4. Atlanta Falcons: TE Kyle Pitts, Florida Matt Ryan contract locks him in for two more years. Last time: Pitts. 5. Cincinnati Bengals: OT Penei Sewell, Oregon Rare tackle prevails over best-in-class receiver. Last time: Ja'Marr Chase. 6. Miami Dolphins: WR Ja'Marr Chase, LSU They benefit from Bengals' choice of tackle. Last time: Trey Lance (Panthers). 7. Detroit Lions: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama Like everyone else, they need to score more points. Last time: Sewell. 8. Carolina Panthers: QB Justin Fields, Ohio State Trade of Teddy Bridgewater creates immediate competition with Sam Darnold. Last time: Waddle (Dolphins). 9. Denver Broncos: QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State But Bridgewater addition doesn't dissuade Broncos from adding another QB. Last time: Micah Parsons. 10: Dallas Cowboys: CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama Defensive-starved team gets first defensive player of draft. Last time: Jones (Patriots). 11.New York Giants: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State Last time: DeVonta Smith. 12.Philadelphia Eagles: WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama Last time: Surtain. 13.Los Angeles Chargers: OT Rashawn Slater, Northwestern Last time: Slater. 14.Minnesota Vikings: DE Kwity Paye, Michigan Last time: Paye. 15:New England Patriots: CB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina Last time: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Cowboys). 16.Arizona Cardinals: LB Zaven Collins, Tulsa Last time: Horn. 17.Las Vegas Raiders: OG Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC Last time: Caleb Farley. 18.Miami Dolphins: DE Azeez Ojulari, Georgia Last time: Ojulari. 19.Washington Football Team: OT Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech Last time: Darrisaw. 20.Chicago Bears: OT Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State Last time: Newsome (Browns). 21.Indianapolis Colts: CB Greg Newsome, Northwestern Last time: Jaelan Phillips. 22.Tennessee Titans: WR Rashod Bateman, Minnesota Last time: Bateman. 23.New York Jets: DE Jaelan Phillips, Miami Last time: Gregory Rousseau. 24.Pittsburgh Steelers: RB Travis Etienne, Clemson Last time: Jenkins. 25.Jacksonville Jaguars: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah, Notre Dame Last time: Christian Barmore. 26. Cleveland Browns: DT Christian Barmore, Alabama Highest-ranked defensive player on board - from an SEC school - prevails over developmental edge rushers. Last time: Vera-Tucker (Bears). 27.Baltimore Ravens: DE Jayson Oweh, Penn State Last time: Oweh. 28.New Orleans Saints: CB Asante Samuel, Florida State Last time: Elija Moore. 29.Green Bay Packers: LB Jamin Davis, Kentucky Last time: Davis. 30.Buffalo Bills: RB Najee Harris, Alabama Last time: Harris. 31.Baltimore Ravens: OT Alex Leatherwood, Alabama Last time: Leatherwood (Chiefs). 32.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: S Trevon Moehrig, Texas Christian Last time: Etienne. -30- ``` dir : 2021/04/29 ```