2021 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Trade Up, Draft Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah At No. 52

April 30th, 2021 at 7:49pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Cleveland just got one of the highest-rated players left on the board. The Browns traded up with the Panthers to nab the 52nd overall pick, and used it to take Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Owusu-Koramoah was expected by many to be a first-rounder, and it’s pretty shocking that he fell all the way to 52.

Here’s the breakdown of the trade:

Browns Receive

No. 52
No. 113

Panthers Receive

No. 59
No. 89

Owusu-Koramoah went 19th overall in Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com’s final mock draft. Dane Brugler of The Athletic had him as the 15th-best player overall on his board. He received all kinds of accolades last season, including winning the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

He was also a unanimous All-American, and won the Butkus Award for the nation’s top linebacker. It’s unclear why he slipped as far as he did, but many people think the Browns got a steal with this pick.

He only played two years at Notre Dame, and won’t turn 22 until November. Cleveland has been steadily adding to their defense all offseason, signing guys like safety John Johnson and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to big contracts in free agency. Linebacker was one spot they still needed help, and now they’ve got it.

Cardinals Draft Purdue WR Rondale Moore

April 30th, 2021 at 7:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals used the No. 49 pick in the draft to select wide receiver Rondale Moore. Depending on Larry Fitzgerald‘s big decision, the Purdue product could be in line for a significant role in 2021.

Moore dominated as a freshman in 2018, totaling 1,471 scrimmage yards and 14 touchdowns en route to Big Ten freshman of the year acclaim. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury ended the Boilermaker’s second season after just four games. Rather than enter the NFL only on the strength of his abbreviated underclassman run, the 5-foot-9 standout returned for one more year.

This summer, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler tabbed Moore as his No. 3 wideout prospect for the 2021 class. He wound up playing just three games this past year, but he made the most of them, going off for 35 catches and 270 yards.

Moore is a big-play threat who can make plays in space, and also has been an elite return specialist. His selection could be a sign that Fitzgerald is planning to hang up his cleats.

Arizona also signed A.J. Green this offseason, and this move is only pouring more fuel on the fire that Fitz is leaning toward retirement. With DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk also in tow, Kyler Murray is going to have quite the receiving group at his disposal in 2021.

49ers Trade No. 43 To Raiders; Raiders Select TCU S Trevon Moehrig

April 30th, 2021 at 7:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Another trade! The 49ers are sending the 43rd overall pick to the Raiders, who will use it on TCU safety Trevon Moehrig.

Here’s the breakdown of the trade:

Raiders Receive

No. 43
No. 229

49ers Receive

No. 48
No. 121

Moehrig is a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, and many pundits — like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. — considered him to be the best safety in the 2021 class. He is a definite playmaker, having recorded nine takeaways over the past two seasons. He also earned the Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive back. He is at his best when asked to play a single-high, “centerfielder” role.

Still, no matter what role Moehrig is put into, his defensive coordinator should appreciate the player’s versatility. While he’ll have to improve his hands a bit in the NFL to play a position besides safety, he could eventually see time as a bruising slot corner.

It was a pretty big surprise that both Oregon’s Jevon Holland and UCF’s Richie Grant went ahead of him, as Moehrig was widely expected to be the first safety off the board. It’s quite possible the Raiders made this move specifically to get ahead of the Cowboys at 44, as many believed Dallas could be targeting Moehrig.

Giants Trade No. 42 To Dolphins; Dolphins Pick OT Liam Eichenberg

April 30th, 2021 at 6:59pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Dave Gettleman just can’t stop trading back. After getting dragged this cycle for seemingly never trading down, the Giants GM has now done it in the first and second-rounds. New York has traded the 42nd overall pick to the Dolphins. Miami used the pick on offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg from Notre Dame.

Here’s the breakdown of the trade:

Dolphins Receive

No. 42

Giants Receive

No. 50
2022 third-rounder

Not a bad deal for the Giants. They got an extra 2022 first-rounder on Thursday, and now picked up a free third-rounder for moving down eight spots. Gettleman is quieting the critics in a hurry.

Eichenberg is continuing what appears to be the start of a run on offensive linemen, as the Bears just drafted Teven Jenkins moments ago. Miami drafted Austin Jackson in the first-round last year to be their left tackle, and now Eichenberg can potentially slide in as the right tackle.

NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah had Eichenberg going at the end of the first-round, and he had a real chance to go on Day 1. He was first-team All-ACC and a consensus All-American in 2020. He’s got great size, and Miami clearly felt he was going to go in the next few picks if they were willing to give up a third-rounder to move up.

Falcons Trade No. 35 To Broncos; Broncos Take Javonte Williams

April 30th, 2021 at 6:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have traded their early second-round choice to the Broncos. With the No. 35 overall pick, the Broncos have selected UNC running back Javonte Williams.

Here’s the breakdown of the trade:

Broncos Receive

No. 35
No. 219

Falcons Receive

No. 40
No. 114

The Broncos needed backfield help after letting Phillip Lindsay walk in free agency, and Williams was widely considered the top running back left. Williams, Najee Harris, and Travis Etienne were universally regarded as the top three backs, with many teams having them ranked in different orders.

As Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets, there were strong rumors that the Dolphins wanted Williams at 36, so Denver wanted to leapfrog them to get their guy. Williams broke out as a sophomore in 2019 with 933 yards and five scores, but took his game to a new level this past season.

He was electric for UNC in 2020, rushing for 1,140 yards (7.3 YPC) and 19 touchdowns. He added 25 catches for 305 yards and another three touchdowns. He’ll immediately start pushing Melvin Gordon for touches.

Jaguars Draft Georgia CB Tyson Campbell At No. 33

April 30th, 2021 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars kicked off the second round by drafting cornerback Tyson Campbell from Georgia.

After taking Clemson stars Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne on Day 1, the Jaguars entered Round 2 with cornerback, offensive line, defensive line, and tight end as their most pressing needs. They opted to bolster the secondary. Campbell will now join a very young cornerback group in Jacksonville that has a lot of potential. The Jags just drafted C.J. Henderson ninth overall last year.

Just a few short years ago the Jaguars had a dynamic cornerback duo with Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye, and they’re looking to rebuild that. They also signed Shaquill Griffin away from the Seahawks with a big contract in free agency, so the position has the chance to soon be a strength again.

Plenty of people thought Campbell would go in the first-round, and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah had him going 28th to the Saints in his final mock draft. Campbell became a starter as a true freshman at Georgia, and is seen as having strong physical tools. He had 20 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, an interception, and five passes defended in ten games last year.

Draft Notes: Fields, Giants, Saints, Cowboys

April 30th, 2021 at 5:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Penei Sewell loomed as the Panthers‘ first-round target, but when the Lions selected the Oregon tackle, Albert Breer of SI.com notes the team moved into a Jaycee Horn-vs.-Justin Fields debate. The Panthers’ need at cornerback — in a division featuring the likes of Michael Thomas, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin — helped steer them to Horn. Fields, who went three picks later after the Bears traded up for him, was in the mix. The Panthers did not want to force a quarterback investment, Breer adds. While GM Scott Fitterer indicated the Panthers could take a quarterback even after trading for Sam Darnold, the team expressed considerable interest in Deshaun Watson prior to off-field issues squashing his trade market. A Fields pick would have made revisiting that pursuit more difficult. It cannot be assumed the embattled Texans quarterback will be available anytime soon, but the Panthers did not take themselves out of a potential market Thursday night.

Entering Round 2, here is the draft latest:

The Eagles were correct in assuming the Giants were planning to select DeVonta Smith at No. 11. Big Blue would have taken the Alabama superstar there, Breer notes. Howie Roseman engineered an intra-NFC East trade-up with the Cowboys, moving up two spots for Smith. The Eagles, whose Week 17 quarterback strategy came under fire re: the Giants’ unusual playoff pursuit, saw another move of theirs affect Big Blue. Philly pair Smith with 2020 first-rounder Jalen Reagor. The Giants still took a wideout at No. 20 (Kadarius Toney).
Prior to the Bears executing a successful trade-up with the Giants, moving from No. 20 to No. 11, they discussed a likely similar deal with the Cowboys, per Breer. The Cowboys did not want to take themselves out of adding a player on whom they placed a first-round grade; sliding down to 20 may well have done that. Dallas ended up with Micah Parsons at 12.
The Giants were busy at No. 11. Ahead of Dave Gettleman‘s first-ever trade-down (in nine drafts as a GM), he heard from the Vikings and Saints, Breer adds. The Saints, who had already seen top targets Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II drafted, were linked to quarterbacks as well. New Orleans did offer one future first-round pick but did not include a second future first-rounder in its trade-up proposals. As a result, the Saints did not come particularly close to trading up Thursday. After the Chargers drafted Rashawn Slater, the Vikings ended up trading down.
After the Ravens traded their second-round pick to the Chiefs in the Orlando Brown deal, Eric DeCosta does not expect to move back into the round, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Ravens did not make any trades Thursday night, winding up with Rashod Bateman and Odafe Oweh.
Some teams are not comfortable with Alabama center Landon Dickerson‘s medcials, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). The Steelers are one of the teams a bit leery on Dickerson, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. Pittsburgh saw 11-year center Maurkice Pouncey retire this offseason. While the team has multiple lower-profile replacement candidates — B.J. Finney and J.C. Hassenauer — Dickerson will enter the NFL as a high-end prospect, albeit one coming off a December ACL tear.

Jets Receiving Interest For No. 34 Pick

April 30th, 2021 at 4:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets added two presumptive starters in Round 1, drafting Zach Wilson and trading up for Alijah Vera-Tucker. They have a prime opportunity to add a third 2021 first-stringer to this mix at No. 34 overall.

However, significant interest has developed for that selection, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Jets will be tempted to move down and accumulate additional draft choices, a prospect the team is considering, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter).

The Jaguars hold the No. 33 pick and are not expected to trade out of that position, Rapoport adds, giving the Jets some additional leverage at 34. The Jets have two third-round picks — Nos. 66 and 86, the latter choice coming in last year’s Jamal Adams trade — and certainly have needs additional selections would help them address.

Teams at the top of Round 2 have the luxury of taking calls to move down, with other franchises interested in players who unexpectedly were not chosen in Round 1. Players like linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, safety Trevon Moehrig and wide receiver Elijah Moore each ranked in Scouts Inc.’s top 25 players; Owusu-Koramoah resided as a top-15 player going into the draft. They figure to be off the board early tonight, and the Jets may opt to benefit from other teams’ interest.

Saints Tried To Trade Up For Jaycee Horn, Patrick Surtain II

April 30th, 2021 at 2:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints ended up bolstering their defensive end corps in the first round, but the four-time reigning AFC South champions spent extensive time Thursday night attempting to trade up for a cornerback.

Jaycee Horn appealed most to the team, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan (subscription required). New Orleans’ trade efforts to move into the top 10 centered on Joe Horn‘s son, but teams were not eager to move out of their positions that high in the draft. Most did not entertain the Saints’ pre-draft offers.

The effort to trade into the top 10 also involved Patrick Surtain II, whom the Saints expected to be gone by No. 10 (Dallas). However, only one team picking that high entered into substantive discussions with the Saints, per Duncan. The Broncos ended up taking Surtain at No. 9 but had previously talked about moving down with the Saints. And “substantive” might be excessive here, with the Broncos wanting multiple first- and second-round picks to move down 18 spots. Viewing the Broncos’ counteroffer as unreasonable, the Saints did not entertain it and later watched as Denver selected the Alabama corner just after Carolina drafted Horn.

Three years ago, the Saints managed to pull off a somewhat similar trade. They moved from No. 27 to No. 14 to select Marcus Davenport. That deal cost the team a 2019 first-rounder and a fifth-rounder later in the ’18 draft. New Orleans ended up adding to its D-end crew Thursday by selecting Payton Turner, but the team has a clear need going into Friday’s draft portion.

Finding a corner to join Marshon Lattimore and C.J. Garnder-Johnson will be paramount for the Saints on Friday night. They are expected to add multiple players to this position by offseason’s end, per Duncan. New Orleans lost Janoris Jenkins in free agency. While Patrick Robinson remains on the team, the Saints have not used the veteran extensively in his second stint with the team.

Steelers Select Alabama RB Najee Harris At No. 24

April 29th, 2021 at 10:13pm CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers have been connected to first-round running backs throughout the pre-draft process, and everyone’s inkling proved to be correct. With the No. 24 pick, Pittsburgh selected Alabama running back Najee Harris.

Initially buried on the depth chart, the Alabama product broke out as a junior in 2019 with an average of 5.9 yards per tote. Then, he passed on the draft to turn in an even more impressive 2020 season. Harris helped the Tide capture yet another National Championship while racking up 1,466 yards on the ground with similar efficiency (5.8 ypc). Those totals, coupled with 43 grabs for 425 yards and 30 total touchdowns, positioned Harris as one of the strongest prospects in the ’21 class.

Harris was connected to a number of RB-needy squads throughout the pre-draft process. While the prospect may lack the explosiveness of the NFL’s top running backs, he’s a dependable back who can contribute in every aspect of the offense. Those skills should allow Harris to see the field immediately for his new team. This is especially true in Pittsburgh, as the team lost top running back James Conner earlier this offseason. Harris will likely take the veteran’s place atop the depth chart, with Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland, and Kalen Ballage serving as potential backups.

With this selection, Alabama has tied the 2004 Miami squad for most first-round picks in a single draft. Alabama’s count currently sits at six: Harris, WR Jaylen Waddle (No. 6, Dolphins), CB Patrick Surtain II (No. 9, Broncos), WR DeVonta Smith (No. 10, Eagles), QB Mac Jones (No. 15, Patriots), and OL Alex Leatherwood (No. 17, Raiders).

2021 NFL Draft News & Rumors