Mel Kiper delivers a shocking pick at No. 2 in latest 2021 NFL mock draft
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Okay, so it’s hard to say any pick is “shocking” in a January mock draft, but this might be the closest thing.
The latest 2021 NFL mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the predictable selection of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but things get wild at the next spot.
Kiper has the New York Jets not only passing on the rest of this year’s quarterback class, but spending the No. 2 overall pick on Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
Here’s Kiper’s explanation for the selection:
This is where the intrigue in the draft begins. Will the Jets stick with quarterback Sam Darnold for another year, or will they take Zach Wilson or Justin Fields? (Or maybe even trade for Deshaun Watson?) The good news for general manager Joe Douglas and new coach Robert Saleh is that they have three months to figure it out. This is a huge decision, and Douglas and Saleh have to be 100% sure that Wilson or Fields is an upgrade over Darnold.
My feeling right now is that yes, Darnold’s stats are ugly, but he’s only 23 and he has had no offensive talent around him for three years. Do the Jets really want to move on from him and watch him thrive elsewhere? That’s why they could give him a one-year audition under Saleh, pick the Heisman Trophy winner at No. 2, and give Darnold one more shot to put all of his talent together. Smith is the true No. 1 target Darnold hasn’t had.
The biggest question with this projection isn’t necessarily the decision to stick with Darnold and pass on the rest of this year’s quarterback class, but rather the choice of Smith, who isn’t even the consensus No. 1 player at his position in this draft.
Despite his incredible campaign in 2020, one that ended with Smith becoming the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard, many consider LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase to be the better NFL prospect at the position. There’s no denying his incredible production and the areas of his skill set at which he excels, but concerns about Smith’s slim frame and durability at the next level would make him a somewhat risky pick at the No. 2 overall spot.
Chase lands with the Miami Dolphins at the very next spot in Kiper’s mock, followed by BYU quarterback Zach Wilson (No. 4 overall, Atlanta Falcons) and Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell (No. 5 overall, Cincinnati Bengals).
Two more quarterbacks join Lawrence as top-10 picks in Kiper’s projection, with Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance coming off the board with back-to-back selections, landing with the Detroit Lions at No. 7 overall and the Carolina Panthers at No. 8 overall, respectively.
To check out Kiper’s full first-round projection at ESPN.com, click here.
