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2021 NFL Draft Results By Position

May 9th, 2021 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The 2021 NFL Draft made history with eight quarterbacks selected in the first three rounds. That was just enough to edge the previous record of seven QBs in the first three rounds, which had been achieved six times (most recently in 2012). However, there were only two more QBs taken in Rounds 4-7, making this a fairly light year on the whole for passers. For reference, there were 13 signal callers taken in 2018, 11 in 2019, and 15 (virtually) drafted in 2020.

Curious to see how the rest of the field panned out? After breaking it down pick by pick and team by team, here’s a look back at the 2021 NFL Draft, position by position:

Quarterback: 10

Running Back: 18

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This Date In Transactions History: 2014 NFL Draft

May 8th, 2021 at 10:10am CST by Ben Levine

The first-round of the 2014 NFL Draft took place seven years ago today. While there was plenty of hype heading into the first day of the draft, surely no one expected the first round to produce so many accomplished players. Among the 32 individuals who heard their name called on May 8, 2014, 17 of those players eventually earned Pro Bowl nods. That’s not shabby.

From a transactions standpoint, there were five trades completed on that Thursday evening, with the Browns and Vikings starring in a handful of the deals. While there were whispers that the first-overall pick could get traded from Houston, the Texans ultimately kept the selection and drafted Jadeveon Clowney at No. 1.

The first trade of the evening was between the Browns and Bills. Cleveland wanted to move back to select a cornerback, so they sent No. 4 to Buffalo for No. 9, a future first, and a future fourth. The Bills ended up selecting wideout Sammy Watkins. As the first round continued to progress, the Browns apparently didn’t feel comfortable staying at No. 9. So, they packaged that selection and a future fifth-round pick to the Vikings for the No. 8 pick, and they proceeded to select cornerback Justin Gilbert. The Vikings selected linebacker Anthony Barr with their new selection.

The Saints later got into the action, acquiring the No. 20 pick from the Cardinals to select receiver Brandin Cooks. New Orleans sent Arizona No. 27 and No. 91, with the Cards selecting safety Deone Bucannon with that first-round selection.

The Browns made another trade later in the night, this time in pursuit of a quarterback. Cleveland traded No. 26 and No. 83 to Philly in exchange for No.22…and the Browns ultimately selected quarterback Johnny Manziel. Really, the writing was on the wall with that selection; the team had previously drafted two other QB busts (Brandon Weeden, Brady Quinn) at that same spot in the draft.

The last trade of the evening once again featured the Vikings. Minnesota acquired the No. 32 pick from the Seahawks for picks No. 40 and No. 108. The Vikings used their new selection on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

It was surely an entertaining evening, with Cleveland serving as the star of the show. However, fast forward to today, and Browns fans are surely still shaking their head at how everything unfolded.

Poll: How Will Broncos Address QB Need?

April 24th, 2021 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The only two starting quarterbacks to retire after winning Super Bowls played for the same franchise. While the Broncos made the playoffs multiple times in the five years following John Elway‘s retirement — with the likes of Brian Griese and Jake Plummer operating as the team’s primary starters — they have hovered off the contention radar for most of their post-Peyton Manning stretch. No team has started more quarterbacks than Denver’s 10 (counting the Kendall Hinton game) since 2016.

This stretch has placed the Broncos back on the quarterback radar. Although their last foray into the first-round market careened off course quickly (Paxton Lynch in 2016), the Broncos’ three subsequent QB investments — Case Keenum, Joe Flacco and Drew Lock — largely struggled. Will this run of futility at the NFL’s premier position force the Broncos to acquire one of this year’s top QB prospects?

New GM George Paton has said multiple times this offseason the Broncos will acquire a quarterback to push Lock, but it is not certain that will be a rookie. Denver brass, however, did extensive work on this year’s top passer crop. Paton was at Justin Fields and Trey Lance‘s initial pro days, while offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur trekked to the second workouts held by the Ohio State and North Dakota State QBs. Other teams have viewed Denver as a stealth quarterback seeker as well.

Only two of the draft’s top five passing prospects will be available to teams picking after No. 3, with the 49ers moving up for a quarterback. Considering the needs of some teams picking outside the top 10 — the Patriots, Washington and Bears have been linked to trade-up maneuvers — and the not-impossible prospect of the Lions (No. 7) or Panthers (No. 8) jumping into the fray, it is possible the Broncos will be left out if they stand pat at No. 9. They are believed to have inquired about trading up, though Paton denied this. The Falcons (No. 4), Dolphins (No. 6), Lions and Panthers are all open to trades, creating opportunities for the Broncos and teams eager to trade in front of them.

Given the Broncos’ above-average defense and bevy of skill-position weapons, going into another season with Lock (29th in 2020 QBR) could lower the team’s ceiling — in a hot-seat year for Vic Fangio. But Fangio’s status could also push the team to trade for a veteran instead of hoping this year’s fourth- or fifth-best QB prospect can make an impact right away. Although the Broncos sat out the free agent market and passed on trades for Carson Wentz and Sam Darnold — after falling short for Matthew Stafford — veteran arms remain available.

Paton was with the Vikings when they drafted Teddy Bridgewater in the 2014 first round; Carolina has since given Bridgewater permission to seek a trade. Given Paton’s history with the 28-year-old QB, it would make sense if the Broncos were one of the teams interested. Gardner Minshew figures to be available — even though Urban Meyer denied it. The 49ers are holding out for a big offer to part with now-lame-duck starter Jimmy Garoppolo.

Lock has not been blessed with great circumstances, despite Denver drafting Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler in the first and second rounds last year. The pandemic nixed the young passer’s first offseason with Shurmur, and No. 1 receiver Courtland Sutton went down in Week 2 last year. But the 2022 quarterback class, as of now, has received far less hype than the past two drafts’ QB crops generated. The Broncos not making a move for Fields, Lance or Mac Jones next week could limit their options going forward.

How do you think the Broncos will play this? Will they prioritize acquiring another quarterback by trading up or hope one falls to No. 9? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this situation in the comments section.

This Date In Transactions History: Buccaneers Draft Two Future Hall Of Famers

April 22nd, 2021 at 9:50pm CST by Ben Levine

On this date in 1995, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a pair of decisions that ultimately resulted in a Super Bowl championship. On April 22, 1995, the Buccaneers used a pair of first-round picks on defensive end Warren Sapp and linebacker Derrick Brooks.

The Buccaneers actually had their eye on Sapp throughout the pre-draft process that year, and they probably would have selected at him No. 7 before ultimately moving back to No. 12. As former head coach Sam Wyche explained, the organization made the trade assuming that the Miami star would be selected in the top-five. When Sapp’s draft stock started to drop, the Buccaneers realized they still might get their guy despite the trade.

“[W]e would simulate one group of five players gone and another group of five players gone, and in every one of our mock drafts Warren Sapp was gone in the top five,” Wyche wrote on PewterReport.com. “We eventually decided to trade down to the 12th overall pick in the first round, but started to realize that we still might have a shot at drafting Sapp.

“There were rumors of drug use and him messing around and being a little bit of a fun guy in college, like all of us were, but they label certain people and Sapp got the label, and once that happens it can sometimes get out of hand like it did for Warren. Our scouts knew the players at all of the Florida schools very well because we had such a close geographical relationship and formed close and honest relationships with their coaches and trainers.

“We went through all of those checkpoints and everything came back positive. While we still had to see if he fell to us, we made the decision as a group that if Warren Sapp were still there when we picked at number 12 overall he would be a Buccaneer. Even at that point we all looked long and hard at each other to make sure we hadn’t forgotten anything, and we hadn’t, so we drafted Warren Sapp. We all liked him. I mean everybody – myself, Rich, Jerry Angelo – everybody. We really believed it was a great pick.”

So, with the No. 12 pick in the 1995 draft, the Buccaneers selected Sapp (much to the dismay of Jets fans…seriously, watch that video).

The Buccaneers weren’t done wheeling and dealing. The team later traded a pair of seconds (including one that they originally acquired in the trade that sent out No. 7) to the Cowboys for No. 28, selecting Florida State linebacker Derrick Brooks.

“Derrick Brooks was a much easier decision to make in terms of trading up from the second round to draft him with the 28th pick in the first round,” Wyche wrote. “We didn’t think he was going to be there, though, so that’s why we jumped at the chance to select him.”

How did the picks work out for Tampa Bay? For starters, Sapp and Brooks played major roles in guiding the Bucs to a victory in Super Bowl XXXVII. The two players combined for 18 Pro Bowls, 15 All-Pro nods, and a pair of Defensive Player of the Year awards. The Buccaneers also earned the distinction of being one of three teams (Bears in 1965 (Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers) and later the Ravens in 1996 (Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis)) to select a pair of Hall of Famers in the same round.

When the first round ended 26 years ago tonight, we’re sure the Buccaneers were thrilled with their selections. However, we doubt even they anticipated the kind of impact their two draft picks would have.

This Date In Transactions History: Raiders Trade Terrelle Pryor

April 21st, 2021 at 8:16pm CST by Ben Levine

When Terrelle Pryor was traded from the Raiders seven years ago today, many questioned whether he’d be able to stick around the NFL as a quarterback. Little did we know that the player would eventually transform into a 1,000-yard receiver.

Before we discuss that trade, let’s go back a bit. Following an autograph scandal and subsequent withdrawal from Ohio State, the former Big Ten star had to settle for the 2011 Supplemental Draft. The Raiders gave up a third-round to acquire the quarterback, and he later inked a four-year deal with the organization. Prior barely saw the field as a rookie, but he showed flashes during the 2012 season, tossing two scores and running for another on the ground.

He finally got a shot to start in 2013 following the Carson Palmer trade, and results were mixed. The Raiders went 3-6 in Pryor’s nine starts, with the quarterback completing only 57.4-percent of his passes for 1,798 yards, seven touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. However, he continued to show his talents on the ground, running for two more scores. During the 2014 offseason, Pryor found himself buried on the depth chart following the team’s signing of Matt Schaub. So, on April 21, 2014, the Raiders cleared a roster spot and saved a chunk of money by trading Pryor to Seattle for a seventh-round pick.

Pryor didn’t even make it to the regular season with the Seahawks, and he proceeded to bounce around the NFL a bit over the next few years, spending time with the Chiefs and Bengals. He spent time on the Browns roster during the 2015 campaign, and he got some recognition when he hauled in a 44-yard catch during the final game of the season.

He stuck around Cleveland for the 2016 season and proceeded to have a breakout campaign. Pryor played everywhere for the Browns: quarterback, wideout, safety. He was most productive at receiver, finishing the year with 1,028 yards from scrimmage and five scores (he also completed five of his nine passes). That performance earned him a one-year, $8MM deal from Washington, but he was unable to replicate his production from 2016, finishing the 2017 season with only 240 yards from scrimmage in nine games. Pryor had stints with the Jets, Dolphins, and Jaguars between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and he hasn’t been on an NFL roster since the end of the 2019 preseason.

While Pryor’s peak was brief, it was memorable. Pryor’s transformation from struggling quarterback to 1,000-yard wideout was one of the better comeback stories in recent NFL history, and that transformation was unexpected when Pryor was traded on this date in 2014.

What Are The Most Well-Traveled Draft Picks (Not Players) Of All Time?

April 21st, 2021 at 6:25pm CST by Ben Levine

We learned earlier this week that the Eagles were considering trades for the No. 12 pick. If Philly finds a trade partner, it will be the third time that the No. 12 selection has changed hands (San Francisco to Miami, Miami to Philly, Philly to final team) … and that draft pick would join some (um) distinguished company.

Dating back to 1994, there have been 10 first-round picks that have been traded three times:

  • 2019, 1.30: Giants (via Seahawks, via Packers, via Saints) selected CB Deandre Baker
  • 2018, 1.22: Titans (via Ravens, via Bills, via Chiefs) selected LB Rashaan Evans
  • 2016, 1.8: Titans (via Browns, via Eagles, via Dolphins) selected OT Jack Conklin
  • 2010, 1.24: Cowboys (via Patriots, via Broncos, via Eagles) selected WR Dez Bryant
  • 2003, 1.13: Patriots (via Bears, via Jets, via Washington) selected DE Ty Warren
  • 2002, 1.21: Patriots (via Washington, via Raiders, via Buccaneers) selected TE Daniel Graham
  • 2000, 1.12: Jets (via 49ers, via Washington, via Panthers) selected DE Shaun Ellis
  • 1997, 1.6: Seahawks (via Buccaneers, via Jets, via Rams) selected OT Walter Jones
  • 1996, 1.17: Lions (via Seahawks, via Oilers, via Raiders) selected LB Reggie Brown
  • 1994, 1.7: 49ers (via Rams, via Colts, via Falcons) selected DT Bryant Young

I was hoping for some Kevin Costner/Draft Day shenanigans, but alas. For what it’s worth, that grouping above combined for 15 All-Pro nods, 18 Pro Bowl appearances, and five Super Bowl championships (sure, the player accolades were via Jones and the championships were via the Patriots, but let me have this). The majority of these first-round picks started as future compensation; if No. 12 is traded again, it’d surely set some PFR-official record for timing (the pick first changed hands on March 23).

What’s the most traded draft selection, regardless of round? Three selections have switched hands five times (since 1994)

  • 2018, 7.250: Patriots (via Eagles, via Seahawks, via Patriots, via Seahawks, via Eagles) selected TE Ryan Izzo
  • 2010, 5.158: Saints (via Jaguars, via Raiders, via Patriots, via Broncos, via via Cowboys) selected C Matt Tennant
  • 2005: 4.126: Eagles (via Packers, via Panthers, via Seahawks, via Browns, via Broncos) selected OT Todd Herremans

I won’t review the accolades of that trio.

What can we take away from this exercise? Teams should consider hiring Sonny Weaver Jr. to break one of these records.

Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments!

PFR Originals: Falcons, Pitts, NFL Draft

April 18th, 2021 at 1:51pm CST by Zachary Links

In case you missed it, here’s a look back at the best of our original content:

This Date In Transactions History: Dolphins Acquire Junior Seau From Chargers

April 16th, 2021 at 11:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

For a three-year stretch in the mid-2000s, the Dolphins rostered three All-Decade defenders. Eighteen years ago Friday, Miami brought in Junior Seau to start on its Jason Taylor– and Zach Thomas-led defense.

On April 16, 2003, the Dolphins finalized a trade that brought Seau over from San Diego. It took only a conditional draft choice for the Dolphins to acquire the 13-year Chargers starter, who was 34 at the time of the trade. (That pick ended up becoming a fifth-rounder in 2004, which turned into future LaDainian Tomlinson backup and Falcons Pro Bowler Michael Turner.)

The 2003 offseason brought considerable change for the Chargers, who said goodbye to Seau and Rodney Harrison. While these two would end up teammates again in New England, Seau took a three-season detour. The Dolphins brought Seau over to join a defense that had ranked fourth in 2002; it ranked third in ’03, which turned out to be Seau’s best Miami season.

A Chargers first-round pick in 1990, the San Diego native became the greatest defender in franchise history. Seau ventured to 12 straight Pro Bowls from 1991-2002 and was a first-team All-Decade performer in the 1990s. The USC alum was the best player on the Bolts’ Super Bowl XXIX team, pairing elite tackling skills with pass-rushing ability that allowed him to put together three seven-sack seasons despite not working as a pure rusher. The Chargers, however, moved in a different direction in 2003, allowing Seau to seek a trade. The Bolts paid Seau around $2MM of a $2.7MM roster bonus, which was due the day before the trade was finalized.

Seau started 15 games for the ’03 Dolphins. He posted 96 tackles (12 for loss) and three sacks that season, a 10-6 Dolphins campaign that ended with the team just missing the playoffs. However, the Dave Wannstedt-run team could not generate momentum coming out of the season. The Dolphins started 1-9 in 2004 and fired Wannstedt. Seau battled through injuries — a pectoral tear in 2004 and an Achilles malady in ’05 — and was only able to log 15 games in that span. Prior to joining the Dolphins, Seau had not missed more than three games in a season.

The Dolphins released Seau in 2006, and he retired soon after. However, the Patriots pulled him out of retirement and used him as a starter in 2006. Seau played four more seasons, becoming one of the only NFL defenders to enjoy a 20-year career, before retiring for good in 2010. Tragically, Seau died by suicide in 2012. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2015.

Poll: Who Will Falcons Draft At No. 4?

April 16th, 2021 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

This year’s draft is almost certain to begin with Trevor Lawrence going to the Jaguars and Zach Wilson to the Jets, making the 49ers’ No. 3 overall pick the beginning of what promises to be a drama-filled top 10. Just behind San Francisco, however, a team faces a more complicated decision.

Picking in the top five for the first time in 13 years, the Falcons hold the No. 4 overall selection. They have a few intriguing options; each would represent drastically different paths for the franchise. After previously not being on the same page about the pick, new GM Terry Fontenot and new HC Arthur Smith are believed to be in agreement now. Which way should the franchise go?

Fontenot was believed to be leaning toward acquiring Matt Ryan‘s heir apparent. There are reasons to support this route. Ryan will turn 36 this year, has not made a Pro Bowl — in the easiest era for such an honor — since his MVP 2016 season, and the Falcons have a rare opportunity to draft one of this year’s prized QB prospects. While late-blooming prospects will likely emerge, the 2022 quarterback class is not currently rated highly. Drafting Trey Lance, Mac Jones or Georgia native Justin Fields — two will be available — would give the Falcons a player around whom the new regime could build. The Falcons proceeding in this direction would make this the first time a draft has started with four quarterbacks being chosen.

[RELATED: Who Will 49ers Draft At No. 3?]

When the duo was believed to be split, Smith was viewed as being in favor of selecting a player who could help a still-Ryan-centric team. With Ryan still an above-average quarterback, and the Falcons possessing needs elsewhere, a case certainly exists for the team to stay the course with its veteran passer. The Falcons having restructured Ryan’s contract earlier this year also would limit their benefit from a rookie-QB salary in 2022. The Jaguars and Jets have no veteran quarterback contract of note on their books, and the 49ers can part ways with Jimmy Garoppolo without much of a dead-cap hit. The Falcons have more than $40MM in Ryan signing bonus money prorated beyond 2021.

With the 49ers having traded up for a quarterback, the Falcons have the chance to take this year’s top non-QB prospect. Many experts believe that is Kyle Pitts, and many around the league expect the Falcons to draft the Florida tight end. Pitts said the Falcons are interested, and the 6-foot-6 pass catcher would team with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley to form an imposing aerial trio. The Falcons could also take Oregon tackle Penei Sewell. However, the team has 29-year-old left tackle Jake Matthews and used a first-round pick on right tackle Kaleb McGary in 2019.

Option 3 would be moving the pick. The Falcons are interested in moving down, likely eyeing the type of trade package the Dolphins received (three first-rounders and a third) to do so. Multiple teams have contacted the Falcons about moving up. Washington is believed to be high on Lance, while Broncos GM George Paton has been busy trekking to QBs’ pro days. The Bears are eager to acquire a long-term QB as well, though Washington and Chicago’s draft slots — Nos. 19 and 20 overall — would up Atlanta’s asking price.

So, how will the Falcons proceed? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

PFR Originals: NFL Draft, Garoppolo, Romo

April 12th, 2021 at 11:04am CST by Zachary Links

In case you missed it, here’s a look back at the best of our original content over the last week:

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