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Writer's pictureMegan Dorr

Mock Top 10 Draft Picks

The NFL Draft is less than one week away. This year it will not be held virtually, but still will not be the same as it was pre-corona. Here is my mock draft picks for the top ten picks.


1. Jacksonville- Trevor Lawrence QB Clemson

This pick is a no brainer. Trevor Lawrence was the top recruit in his high school class and did nothing to lose that top spot in his three years at Clemson. As a true freshman he led Clemson to a National Championship and only has two career losses, both coming in the 2019 and 2020 Playoffs. Lawrence will start his NFL career with a coach who is beginning his as well. It will be interesting to see what Urban Meyer can do with Lawrence and how long it will take them to find success.


2. New York Jets- Zach Wilson QB BYU

The Jets brought in a new coach and after trading away Sam Darnold are in need of a new quarterback as well. Zach Wilson seems like the best fit for what the Jets want and where the future of the NFL is heading. Wilson is very mobile and has made some insane throws on the run. He put his BYU team on his shoulders for much of last season. This pick seems likely to work out in the long run, but Wilson could struggle if he has to start Week 1. These quarterbacks need time to adjust from college to the NFL and throwing Wilson out to the dogs right away with a weak Jets team around him does not seem like a good idea.


3. San Francisco- Justin Fields QB Ohio State

Many experts are predicting the 49ers to take Mac Jones with this pick, but how could a team take Jones over Fields. Yes, Jones had one of the best seasons by a quarterback number wise, but he was surrounded by the best playmakers and it’s not like the competition they faced in the SEC was really that good. Fields is a better pick because he is so much more athletic than Jones. He can scramble for yards and is fine out of the pocket. Landing in San Francisco is the best scenario any quarterback in this draft could ask for. Fields would not have to start right away and could have a year to sit behind Jimmy G and learn from him, like Mahomes did with Smith.


4. Atlanta- Kyle Pitts TE Florida

If Atlanta wanted they could draft a quarterback at this spot to prepare for Matt Ryan’s eventual retirement, but if they want to win now, the best prospect is Kyle Pitts, the tight end from Florida. Thanks to Travis Kelce and George Kittle, tight ends are making a comeback in the NFL. Pitts is one of the best TE prospects in years thanks to his size, 6’6 and 245 pounds, and versatility. He can block and then turn around and take control of a 50-50 ball. With Pitts, Atlanta’s offense would be ready to compete again.


5. Cincinnati- Penei Sewell OT Oregon

If the Bengals don’t take Sewell here it is going to be pretty disappointing. Although reuniting Burrow with Ja’Marr Chase sounds like a fun idea, the much smarter choice is to take Sewell. The Bengals already have some offensive weapons for Burrow like last year’s pick Tee Higgins, but the protection around Burrow is not strong at all. High draft pick offensive tackles have a much higher success rate than wide receivers. Despite weighing 331 pounds, Sewell can move with a quickness no one would expect. The Bengals can always find another top wide receiver through free agency or later draft picks, but when will they have a chance to get another top offensive tackle to protect Burrow.


6. Miami- DeVonta Smith WR Alabama

The Dolphins have it pretty good because they already have a solid defense and don’t need a quarterback. It would make sense for them to take one of the top offensive playmakers to better their offense. It makes sense for the Dolphins to take DeVonta Smith, the Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama, to reunite him with former Alabama teammate Tua Tagovaila. Despite being small, Smith is exceptional at getting separation and was one of the best punt returners in the country. The Dolphins would be getting an immediate impact with Smith.


7. New England *Predicted Trade with Detroit* -Mac Jones QB Alabama

Bill Belichick never trades up in the draft, but he also has never found himself in the position the Patriots are currently in. After the Brady divorce, the Patriots struggled and Belicheck had to spend big in free agency to try to get the Patriots back to the top of the AFC again. Mac Jones has many similarities to Tom Brady and Belechick is very good friends with Nick Saban, so this pick just makes sense. Jones could sit a year behind Newton, then be ready to be the starter next season. This is a bold prediction since the Patriots never trade up, but it could happen.


8. Denver *Predicted Trade with Carolina*- Trey Lance QB North Dakota State

Denver is not happy with Drew Lock as their starter and will be looking for an upgrade in this draft. They currently have the eighth pick but no one is sure what Carolina is going to do, so trading up to make sure they can get the last top quarterback makes sense. It seems like Lance will likely be the last one left on the board because of his limited sample size and where he went to college. Lance played just 19 games at North Dakota State and only had one game this season because of COVID. In his first 18 games he had no interceptions, which put him on many NFL radars, but in that 19th game with all the scouts there, he threw an interception and showed some weaknesses. Lance has a lot of potential, but because he has not played that many games and they have been against weak competition, no one knows what to expect out of him. Carson Wentz also came out of North Dakota State, but has had a controversial NFL career. Denver will still take a gamble on Lance because he is very mobile and could end up being a star, but this pick could also end up being a bust in three years.


9. Carolina *Predicted Trade with Denver*- Ja’Marr Chase WR LSU

This draft is so quarterback heavy upfront that Carolina could still have a wealth of great options in front of them even trading down to the ninth pick. If Ja’Marr Chase is still on the board there is no way the Panthers can pass him up. Chase opted out in the fall, but was an instrumental part of LSU’s 2019 National Championship team. Ja’Marr Chase is a very talented wide receiver who uses his strength to cause separation and gain extra yards after the catch. If Chase falls to Carolina, their offense combination of Darnold, Chase, and McCaffery (if he can stay healthy) will make them an actual threat in the NFC South.


10. Dallas- Patrick Surtain CB Alabama

Dallas needs defense. That much was obvious last season, especially when their offense couldn’t do anything without Dak Prescott. The Cowboys were planning to address some of these needs in the first round of last year's draft, but when CeeDee Lamb was still there at 17 they could not resist him. Maybe Lamb will do better this season, but in his rookie year he did not play as well as experts predicted he would. The Cowboys need to make sure they do not repeat that mistake again and stick to a defensive player. Patrick Surtain, the cornerback from Alabama, is the best defensive player in this draft due to his large size and athletic abilities. Drafting Surtain would help Dallas improve their struggling defense.


Look out for my reaction to each teams picks next week once the Draft is done.

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