Super Bowl LV is nearly two months in the rearview mirror and the NFL free agency period has begun. As teams look to add missing pieces during this time, the NFL draft is a chance to seriously build for the future with newly-eligible talent. The 86th annual meeting will take place in Cleveland, Ohio from April 29-May 1. Let's run down the top prospects in this NFL mock draft.
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
At 6'6" and 220 pounds, Lawrence has the size and athleticism needed at the quarterback position. He has displayed a cannon arm, elusiveness, great leadership skills and is a one in a generation talent. He will be the top selection in the draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
2. DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Smith has a good combination of quickness, route-running, and speed that instantly makes him a big-play threat every time he touches the ball. There is a reason he was the Heisman Trophy winner and flat-out dominated all competition in the College Football Playoffs.
3. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Chase is very similar to Smith, but has a bit more size at 200 pounds versus 175 pounds. He can line up outside or inside and beat defenders with a combination of explosiveness, speed, and toughness on contested balls.
4. Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
Easily the second-best quarterback coming out behind Lawrence, Wilson displayed a powerful arm during his breakthrough campaign of 2020. He also has great football smarts and rarely makes the wrong decision reading defenses.
5. Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Pitts has tremendous size at 6'6" and 240 pounds and has an ultra-high ceiling. His route-running is precise, is very athletic and can play receiver. He is a potential match-up nightmare for both defensive backs and linebackers. His blocking needs improvement, which should come in time.
6. Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
The first non-skilled position player on the board, Sewell is an excellent run blocker and has shown good footwork in pass protection. At 6'5" and 325 pounds, Sewell has the size and athleticism to have a potentially long career as a starting left tackle in the NFL.
7. Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
They don't call Penn State "Linebacker U" for nothing. Parsons can cover sideline-to-sideline with his great athletic ability, and a solid combination of coverage and run-stopping skills. He should continue the list of linebackers from Penn State who went on to stardom in the NFL.
8. Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
The third best quarterback in this season's draft class, Fields is a dual threat because of his combination of agility and throwing skills. He not only will avoid the rush, but can scamper down the field for substantial gains. His arm is also strong enough to make the tight throws in coverage.
9. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Another top-notch talent coming out of Alabama, Waddle has strong route-running abilities to go along with good hands and speed to stretch the field. His skillset is set that he can line up anywhere on the field, which potentially will create nightmares for defenses.
10. Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Farley is the top-rated cornerback in this year's draft class. At 6'2" and 210 pounds, he has good size and can use his frame and hands to win contested battles down the field. Although he opted out of last season, he showed enough in 2019 to vault to mid-to-top first round status.
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