NFL Draft 2021: the top 10 in every position | Touchdown Actu (NFL Actu)

The regular season ends in a few days! The opportunity, in this Christmas period, to deliver the top 10 of the editorial staff on each position. Between confirmation and ramp-up, an overview of the forces involved with, for certain positions, the preferential role in parentheses.

QUARTERBACKS

1. Trevor Lawrence (Clemson)
2. Justin Fields (Ohio State)
3. Zach Wilson (BYU)
4. Kyle Trask (Florida)
5. Trey Lance (North Dakota State)
6. Mac Jones (Alabama)
7. Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati)
8. Shane Buechele (SMU)
9. Brock Purdy (Iowa State)
10. Sam Ehlinger (Texas)
Other players mentioned : Dustin Crum (Kent State), D’Eriq King (Miami FL), Jamie Newman (Georgia), Kellen Mond (Texas A&M).

The plebiscite remains global for Trevor Lawrence, also due to a slight slack from Justin Fields in the second half of the season. The Buckeyes quarterback remains on a sad performance in the Big Ten conference final and will have to reassure in the playoffs, and during the draft process. Behind, the positions seem to be on stand-by, with a fairly tight gap and the emergence of Desmond Ridder, a precious quarterback in Cincinnati’s great season in 2020.

RUNNING BACKS

1. Travis Etienne (Clemson)
2. Najee Harris (Alabama)
3. Javonte Williams (North Carolina)
4. Kenny Gainwell (Memphis)
5. Chuba Hubbard (Oklahoma State)
6. Jarret Patterson (Buffalo)
7. Master Teague (Ohio State)
8. Michael Carter (North Carolina)
9. Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota)
10. Javian Hawkins (Louisville)
Other players mentioned : Kylin Hill (Mississippi State), Brenden Knox (Marshall), Trey Sermon (Ohio State), Zamir White (Georgia), CJ Marable (Coastal Carolina), Rakeem Boyd (Arkansas).

Behind Travis Etienne and Najee Harris, the chasm still seems noticeable, but North Carolina’s beautiful offensive season has turned heads, with the emergence of runner Javonte Williams, a stronger double of Michael Carter, and able to bounce back after leaving Ohio State. Injuries and inconsistent performances cost points to Chuba Hubbard, who saw a dazzling Jarret Patterson swoop down on him in Buffalo.

RECEIVERS

1. DeVonta Smith (Alabama)
2. Ja’Marr Chase (LSU)
3. Jaylen Waddle (Alabama)
4. Rashod Bateman (Minnesota)
5. Rondale Moore (Purdue)
6. Chris Olave (Ohio State)
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown (USC)
8. Terrace Marshall (LSU)
9. Kadarius Toney (Florida)
10. Tylan Wallace (Oklahoma State)
Other players mentioned : Sage Surratt (Wake Forest), Dyami Brown (North Carolina), Elijah Moore (Ole Miss), Ty Fryfogle (Indiana).

A big candidate to become the first Heisman Trophy receiver, since 1991 DeVonta Smith has been a major player in Alabama’s excellent offensive season. What to put a little more pressure on Ja’Marr Chase in the spring. Behind, the places 5 to 10 are quite tight, with varied profiles, ranging from the possession receiver (St Brown, Marshall, Olave) to the speedster (Toney, Wallace, Moore).

TIGHT ENDS

1. Kyle Pitts (Florida)
2. Pat Freiermuth (Penn State)
3. Brevin Jordan (Miami FL)
4. Hunter Long (Boston College)
5. Charlie Kolar (Iowa State)
6. Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin)
7. Nick Eubanks (Michigan)
8. Jeremy Ruckert (Ohio State)
9. Matt Bushman (BYU)
10. Kenny Yeboah (Ole Miss)
Other players mentioned : Trey McBride (Colorado State), Braden Galloway (Clemson), Tre ‘McKitty (Georgia), Cary Angeline (NC State), Kylen Granson (SMU).

Kyle Pitts is of course still popular and it is not the premature end of the season of Pat Freiermuth that has changed this state of affairs. Note the good progress of Hunter Long, capable of being a major asset in the development of the air attack on Boston College and the nice rebound of Kenny Yeboah, a weapon at the reception as formidable at Temple as at Ole Miss. .

OFFENSIVE TACKLES

1. Penei Sewell (Oregon)
2. Christian Darrisaw (Virginia Tech)
3. Liam Eichenberg (Notre Dame)
4. Samuel Cosmi (Texas)
5. Rashawn Slater (Northwestern)
6. Alex Leatherwood (Alabama)
7. Dillon Radunz (North Dakota State)
8. Jalen Mayfield (Michigan)
9. Teven Jenkins (Oklahoma State)
10. Walker Little (Stanford)
Other players mentioned : Darian Kinnard (Kentucky), Jackson Carman (Clemson).

The top 7 divides, with the exception of the first two which are Penei Sewell, expected during the draft process, and Christian Darrisaw, in constant boom in view of his services at Virginia Tech. Rashawn Slater continues to progress and Alex Leatherwood continues to question his concrete position among the pros, in a class that could see at least 5 or 6 tackles drafted from day one.

The versatile Rashawn Slater is a real rock in the duel.

GUARDS / CENTERS

1. Creed Humphrey (C, Oklahoma)
2. Wyatt Davis (G, Ohio State)
3. Trey Smith (G, Tennessee)
4. Alijah Vera-Tucker (G, USC)
5. Josh Myers (C, Ohio State)
6. Drake Jackson (C, Kentucky)
7. Deonte Brown (G, Alabama)
8. Landon Dickerson (C, Alabama)
9. Zion Johnson (L, Boston College)
10. Ben Cleveland (G, Georgia)
Other players mentioned : Tyler Linderbaum (C, Iowa), Jack Anderson (C, Texas Tech), Nolan Laufenberg (L, Air Force), Trey Hill (C, Georgia), Aaron Banks (L, Notre Dame), Tommy Kraemer (L, Notre Lady).

Creed Humphrey and Wyatt Davis remain the two safe values, respectively at the center and guard positions. But don’t be fooled: Trey Smith and Alijah Vera-Tucker seem mostly set back due to their versatility. Alabama is not represented at the playmaker level, because with Deonte Brown on guard and Florida State former Landon Dickerson, the Tide could invite two offensive linemen in the first three rounds of the 2021 draft.

EDGE RUSHERS

1. Gregory Rousseau (Miami FL)
2. Kwity Paye (Michigan)
3. Joseph Ossai (Texas)
4. Azeez Ojulari (Georgia)
5. Carlos Basham Jr. (Wake Forest)
6. Patrick Jones II (Pittsburgh)
7. Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan)
8. Quincy Roche (Miami FL)
9. Jaelan Phillips (Miami FL)
10. Tarron Jackson (Coastal Carolina)
Other players mentioned : Shaka Toney (Penn State), Jayson Oweh (Penn State), Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati), Patrick Johnson (Tulane), Victor Dimukeje (Duke), Joe Tryon (Washington), DeAngelo Malone (Western Kentucky).

Gregory Rousseau is still holding the rope, at a time when his two partners from Miami, Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche, signed up for the draft. They still have some work to do to undermine the good odds of Kwity Paye and Joseph Ossai, as well as that of Azeez Ojulari, expected as the main edge rusher 34 pure. The great season of Coastal Carolina benefits Tarron Jackson, incisive in many key moments of the Chanticleers season.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

1. Jaylen Twyman (Pittsburgh)
2. Jay Tufele (USC)
3. Christian Barmore (Alabama)
4. Darius Stills (West Virginia)
5. Tyler Shelvin (LSU)
6. Jordan Davis (Georgia)
7. Marvin Wilson (Florida State)
8. Levi Onwuzurike (Washington)
9. Tedarrell Slaton (Florida)
10. Davyion Nixon (Iowa)
Other players mentioned : Alim McNeil (NC State), CJ Brewer (Coastal Carolina), Haskell Garrett (Ohio State).

The writing is still as divided on the prospect number 1 on the position, but the ability to bring on the rush benefits Jaylen Twyman and Jay Tufele. Nose tackles (Tyler Shelvin, Jordan Davis, Tedarrell Slaton) are necessarily penalized in the current NFL but have something to impress by April.

LINEBACKERS

1. Micah Parsons (Penn State)
2. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Our Lady)
3. Zaven Collins (Tulsa)
4. Dylan Moses (Alabama)
5. Nick Bolton (Missouri)
6. Jabril Cox (LSU)
7. Chazz Surratt (North Carolina)
8. Jack Sanborn (Wisconsin)
9. Cameron McGrone (Michigan)
10. Paddy Fisher (Northwestern)
Other players mentioned : Pete Werner (Ohio State), Baron Browning (Ohio State), Amari Gainer (Florida State), Max Richardson (Boston College), Merlin Robertson (Arizona State).

Global status quo with a Micah Parsons above the rest, thanks to his incredible athletic abilities, and the sparkling duo Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah-Zaven Collins. A promising time in their respective programs, Jack Sanborn and Paddy Fisher must show a larger facet than that of a simple run stopper among the pros.

The son Asante Samuel, ready to take over from the former Patriot.

CORNERBACKS

1. Patrick Surtain II (Alabama)
2. Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech)
3. Eric Stokes (Georgia)
4. Jaycee Horn (South Carolina)
5. Shaun Wade (Ohio State)
6. Asante Samuel Jr. (Florida State)
7. Paulson Adebo (Stanford)
8. Tyson Campbell (Georgia)
9. Elijah Molden (Washington)
10. Derion Kendrick (Clemson)
Other players mentioned : Shemar Jean-Charles (Appalachian State), Deommodore Lenoir (Oregon), Josh Jobe (Alabama), TJ Carter (Memphis).

Already registered for the draft, the top quartet seems pretty well defined, even if Shaun Wade could compensate for a mixed season with explosive training camps. A time considered in the first round, Tyson Campbell left a lot of feathers, especially during the SEC conference duel, against the offensive steamroller of Florida.

SAFETIES

1. Trevon Moehrig (TCU)
2. Paris Ford (Pittsburgh)
3. Jevon Holland (Oregon)
4. Richard LeCounte (Georgia)
5. Andre Cisco (Syracuse)
6. Bubba Bolden (Miami FL)
7. Hamsah Nasirildeen (Florida State)
8. Caden Sterns (Texas)
9. Richie Grant (UCF)
10. JaCoby Stevens (LSU)
Other players mentioned : Kolby Harvel-Peel (Oklahoma State), Ar’Darius Washington (TCU), Talanoa Hufanga (USC), Shawn Davis (Florida), Ifeatu Melifonwu (Syracuse), Tariq Thompson (San Diego State).

The season was eventful for safeties which still impress little, especially by the seasons « boycotted » (Holland), shortened (Ford) or marked by injuries (LeCounte, Cisco). This little game tightens positions and a prospect like Hamsah Nasirildeen, too often seen as a simple athletic phenomenon, showed interesting things at the end of the season, to claim to return to the top 60 of the final plateau.

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