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ESPN staff
The order for the top 18 picks in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft is set, with the Jacksonville Jaguars lifting No. 1 and the New York Jets picking No. 2. Could both teams be thinking quarterback with their bricks? The NFL’s fourth-quarter draft, Mel Kiper Jr., – Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) and Justin Fields (Ohio State) – went out in the College Football semifinals Friday night, with Fields and the Buckeyes coming the crop.
Both Jaguars and Jets – along with the Miami Dolphins – have two first-round picks in this version. The Dolphins finished the overall pick at No. 3 – thanks to the Houston Texans ’trade for last year’s offensive attack by Laremy Tunsil – and the No. 18 selection. The Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals round out the top five picks.
The 2021 NFL draft will be held in Cleveland, with the first round on April 29th. Tours 2 and 3 will be on 30 April, and Tours 4 through 7 will be on 1 May. The draft will be broadcast on ESPN and the ESPN App.
Check out the top 18 points below, with numbers 19-32 predicted from the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI), which processes the order by imitating the rest of the season 10,000 times.
Jacksonville has been selected in the top 10 of the first round 19 times as it enters its 27th season, but has never had a No. 1 overall pick. The last team to make the playoffs was the year it received the overall pick at No. 1 of the 2013 Chiefs. The Jaguars have taken three quarterbacks in the first round – Byron Leftwich (No. 7 to total in 2003), Blaine Gabbert (No. 10 in 2011) and Blake Bortles (No. 3 in 2014).
The Jets just missed out on their second overall pick at No. 1. They used their No. 1 total overall to pick Keyshawn Johnson’s wide receiver in 1996. The Jets have finished second. selected twice, wide receiver Johnny “Lam” Jones (1980) and running back Blair Thomas (1990). New York was reportedly targeting Anthony Munoz with the second election in 1980 but reportedly gave it up because of a physical failure. The Bengals finished third to Munoz and made 11 Pro Bowls. Jones never made the Pro Bowl.
The Dolphins, who had three selections for the first round in 2020, have two first-round picks this year. All of their first round selections from 2011 were in the league in 2020, but only one from pre-2019 remains with Miami (DeVante Parker, No. 14, 2015).
This is the Falcons ’first top-10 pick since 2015 and the first-best pick in their five since they drafted quarterback Matt Ryan No. 3 in total in 2008. Atlanta has drafted two Halls of Famers with five main picks: Claude Humphrey (No. 3, 1968) and Deion Sanders (No. 5, 1989).
The Bengals are lifting in the top five for the 17th time in licensing history and the second year in a row. They have used their last four first rounds to select offensive players, but only two of them were starters for Cincinnati in 2020 (quarterback Joe Burrow and offensive striker Jonah Williams).
This is the Eagles’ first top-10 pick since they selected quarterback Carson Wentz No. 2 overall in 2016. In fact, they look set to move on from Wentz in favor of Jalen Hurts in the second round of 2020.
The Lions are lifting in the top 10 for the third year in a row and 26th time in Super Bowl time. Could they be looking for a 2009 No. 1 fan pick Matthew Stafford?
The Panthers have a choice within the top 10 for just the second time since 2012. They hit big with the other, choosing Christian McCaffrey No. 1 running back. 8 in total in 2017.
The Broncos are picking up in the top 10 for just the second time since 2011. Bradley Chubb Pass-rusher was their No. 5 pick overall in 2018. He has 20.5 sacks in his career and made the Pro Bowl this season.
Five of the Cowboys ’first eight rounds have represented Dallas in the Pro Bowl, but there are only three left with the team – guard Zack Martin, running back Eseciel Elliott and Leighton Vander Esch , line assistant. This is the Cowboys ’highest draft since capturing Elliott with the fourth pick in 2016.
Four of the Giants’ last six rounds are players around whom they hope to be able to pick up their offense, although 2018 No. 2 select Saquon Barkley returns from ACL torn in 2021. Quarterback Daniel Jones (2019) and Evan’s tight end Engram (2017) had some injury cases that prevented them from 2020. Rookie’s offensive attack Andrew Thomas is a plug-and-play starter this season.
When the 49ers selected wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk with the second of two first-rounds last year, this was the first time they had selected a skill-setting player in the first round since 2012. In that same race they chose four defensive boundaries.
It’s a joy for the Chargers not to need a quarterback, as they seem to have hit gold with last year’s No. 6 pick, Justin Herbert. The token caller from Oregon set a record for TD passes with a rookie and had multiple TD passes in seven consecutive games, another rookie record.
The Vikings make the top selection in the first round since picking Trae Waynes No. 11 cornerback overall in 2015. Of their bricks at the first round before 2018, only Harrison Smith (2012) and linebacker Anthony Barr (2014) are still wearing the purple.
The Patriots have the top pick in the first round since 2008, when they selected linebacker Jerod Mayo 10th overall. He was Rookie Defender of the Year and played his entire eight-year career in New England, making two Pro Bowl teams.
Of the 10 selections the first round of the Cardinals has made over the past 10 years, four are not even in the league. Five of them are still owned by Arizona. The other is 49ers backup quarterback Josh Rosen.
The Raiders, who have made five first-choice picks over the last two drafts, are just one first-pitcher this year. Each of these five had previously been in a different position, but none of these elections dealt with a line or offensive line.
How the dolphins use the second of their first two rounds will largely depend on what they do with their first one. They have needs at wide disposal, offensive line and runback.
FPI projections for selected numbers 19-32
19. Washington Football Team (7-9)
20. Mathain Chicago (8-8)
21. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15; from 10-6 LAR)
22. Indianapolis Colts (11-5)
23. Cleveland Browns (11-5)
24. Tennessee Titans (11-5)
25. Baltimore Raven (11-5)
26. New York Jets (2-14; from 12-4 SEA)
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
29. Bilean Buffalo (13-3)
30. New Orleans Saints (12-4)
31. Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)
32. Green Bay Packers (13-3)
(FPI forecasts are on Sunday night after Washington’s win)