It’s official NFL mock draft season. Let’s start with my preliminary projections for the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, starting with the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 1.
This is going to be one of the most interesting designs since I started covering them over 40 years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about extraordinary changes in the preparation process. There is no NFL combination. Pro days are limited to teams. This week’s Senior Bowl is the only event where coaches, scouts and front office execs can meet prospects – through Plexiglas.
A year ago it was all about Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow and his rise to the top. In the end, there was little drama surrounding the choice of the Cincinnati Bengals for number 1. This year? Let’s just say the concept starts with the New York Jets at number 2. There will be a lot of drama over the next three months until round 1 starts on April 29.
Let’s take a look at the choices. The draft order for picks 1-30 is set and we are using ESPN’s Football Power Index to project picks # 31 and 32. I’ll be on shows all day, culminating in our SportsCenter Special: Mel Kiper’s NFL Mock Draft 1.0 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and the ESPN app.
