2021 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings

[HarveyWallbangers]

My QB Thoughts

The top tier is very good. I think the top 3 are legit top 5 picks most years. I think Lance is a legit top 10 pick most years. Like many, I'm not super high on Mac Jones. I have him more as a mid to late 1st round guy. After those guys it's a weak class. My #6 is Kellen Mond. If he were to drop to the mid rounds, the Packers might think about him. The guy has mobility, arm strength, and accuracy--but I think his unusual throwing motion throws people off. It's a bit like Aaron Rodgers at Cal. If you let him sit on the bench for a couple of years and let his release point become more natural, you might have something.

[Upnorth]

Harv, I know it's a year ago but where would love stack up against this year's qbs crop?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Harv, I know it's a year ago but where would love stack up against this year's qbs crop?

I would trade him for Lawrence, Fields, Wilson, and Lance. I probably would not trade him for Mac Jones. I would not trade him for any of the rest. He would be in a late round tier with Mac Jones for me.

[HarveyWallbangers]

My RB Thoughts

This is a weak RB class. There is no super elite RB (like Barkley or McCaffrey), and the depth is poor. I have a crush on Javonte Williams, and he is my #1 RB. Last year's class (Taylor, Swift, Edwards-Helaire, Dillon, Akers, Dobbins, Moss, Gibson) was much better. Najee Harris is a good all around RB, but I question his speed. I think he might be a high 4.6s guys. He's like a slower Le'Veon Bell. I like Khalil Herbert more than most--although I don't know if he's ideal for the Packers system. Other than that, not much. Trey Sermon looked great at the end of the year, but he played second fiddle at Oklahoma. Then, he transferred to Ohio State and didn't do much until the end of the year. There's some intrigure there, but not a good year if you need an RB.

[HarveyWallbangers]

My QB Rankings

1 Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (1)
2 Zach Wilson, BYU (1)
3 Justin Fields, Ohio State (1)
4 Trey Lance, NDSU (1)
5 Mac Jones, Alabama (1-2)
6 Kellen Mond, Texas A&M (3)
7 Davis Mills, Stanford (3-4)
8 Kyle Trask, Florida (4-5)
9 Jamie Newman, Wake Forest (6-7)

Others looked at (UDFA): Sam Ehlinger, Texas

Note: Guys in gray either aren't a scheme fit for the Packers or didn't meet the size/athletic threshold that I think the Packers have.

[HarveyWallbangers]

My RB Rankings

1 Javonte Williams, North Carolina (1-2)
2 Travis Etienne, Clemson (1-2)
3 Najee Harris, Alabama (1-2)
4 Michael Carter, North Carolina (3)
5 Trey Sermon, Ohio State (3-4)
6 Khalil Herbert, Virginia Tech (4)
7 Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis (4-5
8 Rhamondre Stephenson, Oklahoma (4-5)
9 Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (5)
10 Kylin Hill, Mississippi State (5-6)
11 Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana (6-7)
12 Jermar Jefferson, Oregon State (6-7)
13 Chris Evans, Michigan (7-FA)
14 Demetric Felton, UCLA (7-FA)

Others looked at (UDFA):
Javian Hawkins, Louisville
Jaret Patterson, Buffalo
Larry Rountree, Missouri

Note: Guys in gray either aren't a scheme fit for the Packers or didn't meet the size/athletic threshold that I think the Packers have.

[HarveyWallbangers]

My WR Thoughts

It's a solid class for WRs, but maybe not as good as advertised. Not as good as last year. There's not a lot of size this year compared to last year. Overabundance of slot or jet motion type WRs. Similar to last year, you have a consensus top 3 of an Alabama WR with speed (Ruggs vs Waddle), an Alabama WR with great production and route running but average measurables (Jeudy vs Smith), and a third WR with the entire package (Chase vs Lamb). Like last year, when I had Lamb #1, I have Chase #1.

In retrospect it seems like there are a few guys from last year who will be better than Ruggs and Jeudy. I think the same is a good possibility this year--with Rashod Bateman being my top other guy. He's similar to Justin Jefferson last year. Great college production and looks great on tape, but experts questioned their athleticism. Then, they both tested well. In fact, Bateman is an athletic clone to Jefferson.

Some guys that I'm higher on than most are Dyami Brown, D'wayne Eskridge (although I've soured on him slightly because of his hands), and Josh Palmer. Some guys that I'm lower on than most are Rondale Moore (mostly slot motion guy who I don't think you can take high), Nico Collins (looks like he'll have a hard time getting open in the NFL), Tutu Atwell (see Moore), and Sage Surratt (slow as molasses)

[Fritz]

From what little I've seen of Nico Collins at Michigan, and I don't watch much any more, I'd agree with your assessment of his inability to get open consistently.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I really should have the balls to bump Bateman into the top 3.

My WR Rankings

1 Ja'Marr Chase, LSU (1)
2 DeVonta Smith, Alabama (1)
3 Jaylen Waddle, Alabama (1)
4 Rashod Bateman, Minnesota (1)
5 Kadarius Toney, Florida (1-2)
6 Terrace Marshall, LSU (1-2)
7 Dyami Brown, North Carolina (1-2)
8 Elijah Moore, Mississippi (2)
9 Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State (2-3)
10 Rondale Moore, Purdue (2-3)
11 D'Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan (2-3)
12 Josh Palmer, Tennessee (3-4)
13 Amari Rodgers, Clemson (3-4)
14 Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC (3-4)
15 Anthony Schwartz, Auburn (4)
16 Cade Johnson, SDSU (4)
17 Nico Collins, Michigan (4)
18 Cornell Powell, Clemson (4-5)
19 Shi Smith, South Carolina (4-5)
20 Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Iowa (4-5)
21 Simi Fehoko, Stanford (4-5)
22 Seth Williams, Auburn (5-6)
23 Tamorrion Terry, Florida State (5-6)
24 Marquez Stevenson, Houston (5-6)
25 Jaelon Darden, North Texas (5-6)
26 Tutu Atwell, Louisville (5-6)
27 Josh Imatorbhebhe, Illinois (6-7)
28 Dazz Newsome, North Carolina (6-7)
29 Austin Watkins, UAB (6-7)
30 Frank Darby, Arizona State (7-FA)
31 Dax Milne, BYU (7-FA)

Others looked at (UDFA):
Trevon Grimes, Florida
Dez Fitzpatrick, Illinois
Sage Surratt, Wake Forest
Marlon Williams, UCF
Osirus Mitchell, Mississippi State
Tyler Vaughns, USC

I didn't mark any WRs as not a scheme fit because MLF/Gute seem to like the big WRs who can block on the outside, but they also like that smaller jet motion guy. Guys that probably don't meet the athletic threshold include Dazz Newsome, Frank Darby, Sage Surratt, Marlon Williams, Osirus Mitchell, Tyler Vaughns, maybe Amon-Ra St. Brown.

[Upnorth]

I have seen a couple mocks where both Jenkins and Bateman are available at 29. That is an amazing choice to make. I think of Bateman as a surefire pro bowler. But I also do Jenkins.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'd probably lean Bateman and then try to move up to get Radunz in round 2.

Thinking about it more, I'd probably rate Love above Jones this year. I knew there were some statistics not in his favor, but when you dig into the stats it gives you even more pause:

1) His pressure rate was historically low. No NFL QB has had a lower pressure rate--the only one that came close was Peyton Manning (I think in 2004). It was within 2% of Jones. Jones did well against the blitz, but Alabama is so disciplined that he rarely got pressured when he was blitzed.
2) A whopping 58% of his passes were RPOs, screens, or play action passes. That was the third highest rate in college last year.
3) His average depth of target was low.
4) His arm strength is pedestrian. It was exactly dead average for a COLLEGE QB. If Jones and Lawrence (who doesn't even have the strongest arm in this draft, that's probably Lance) both threw a 15 yard pass, when Lawrence's ball arrived, Jones ball would lag by 1 1/2 yards. That's considerable.
5) Small sample size. He played 13 college games. People are worried about Lance's 17 games, but apparently not Jones. Should be noted that Jones had considerably more pass attempts. Still, Jones did not have many college starts.

[call_me_ishmael]

I think Devonta is gonna fall. He is super talented and great but he's got the chicken legs.

[HarveyWallbangers]

My TE Thoughts

A generational talent in Kyle Pitts. The rest of the class is below average. I like Tommy Tremble a lot for the MLF system. When I originally added players to my spreadsheet, Matt Bushman was given a 4th round grade by somebody. In the updated standings nobody gave him higher than 7th round grade, but I kind of like him as a late round flier. He's not much of a blocker and has injury concerns, but he has some solid tape. Jacob Harris is a raw, athletic WR that is 6'5" 220 pounds--but some project him to move to TE. As a WR prospect, he's undraftable. As a TE prospect, he has potential. He has ridiculous measurables, so if he can gain weight and maintain some of the athleticism, he's worth a flier late. It will take a couple of years before he contributes. On the plus side, he was a willing blocker as a WR and even played inline at times at UCF.

[HarveyWallbangers]

My TE Rankings

1 Kyle Pitts, Florida (1)
2 Pat Freiermuth, Penn State (3)
3 Tommy Tremble, Notre Dame (3)
4 Brevin Jordan, Miami (3)
5 Hunter Long, Boston College (3)
6 Tre' McKitty, Georgia (4-5)
7 Jacob Harris, UCF (5-6)
8 Matt Bushman, BYU (6-7)
9 Kenny Yeboah, Mississippi (6-7)
10 Tony Poljan, Virginia (7-FA)

Note: Guys in gray either aren't a scheme fit for the Packers or didn't meet the size/athletic threshold that I think the Packers have.

[HarveyWallbangers]

My QB Rankings

1 Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (1)
2 Zach Wilson, BYU (1)
3 Justin Fields, Ohio State (1)

Messed this up. Went back and forth on Wilson vs Fields. I settled on Fields, but didn't update the spreadsheet.