Alright, with just a few days until the 2021 NFL Draft, there are just two pieces left to round out our “Pick or Pass” series: a big board and a seven-round mock draft. Here I’ll give you my list of the top 30 players on my board, broken down into tiers and with a clear line of when I go from “PICK” to “PASS.”
Tier 1
1) Trevor Lawrence
2) Penei Sewell
The Las Vegas Raiders don’t have a chance of getting either of these guys, but they’re on their own level as far as I’m concerned. Lawrence is a generational quarterback prospect, while the 20-year-old Sewell will be an All-Pro tackle for the next decade and a half.
Ncaa Football Cfp National Championship Ohio State Vs Alabama
Tier 2
3) Ja’marr Chase
4) Kyle Pitts
6) Rashawn Slater
7) Micah Parsons
This is the “one can dream” tier. I know the Raiders don’t need another pass-catcher, but if you had a chance at Chase, Pitts or Smith (they won’t), you send the pick in and figure everything out later. Slater is the second-best offensive lineman in the draft, and if you think he can stick at tackle, then he’d be a great fit. Finally, Parsons, while a luxury item at linebacker for a Raider defense with a lot of holes elsewhere, would be a steal at No. 17 if the off-the-field stuff checks out. Could the Raiders move up to grab a guy like Slater or Parsons? Depending on the cost, I wouldn’t be THAT opposed.
Tier 3
8) Christian Darrisaw
9) Patrick Surtain II
10) Jalen Waddle
Here’s where the realistic names start to surface. Darrisaw is a guy I really like and would love to see fall to No. 17. I didn’t talk much about Surtain, but like Parsons, he would be a best-player-available type pick as you can never have too many cornerbacks. Waddle is a notch below Smith and Chase for me, but still: if he’s there? Why not.
Tier 4
11) Justin Fields
12) Trey Lance
13) Zach Wilson
These three are the toughest to slot for a team like the Raiders, given that they already have a quarterback they like. Then again, if you think any of these guys can be a franchise quarterback, you’d have to consider it. None of this matters, though, because all three will be LONG gone by the time the Raiders are on the clock.
Tier 5
14) Christian Barmore
15) Jaelan Phillips
16) Gregory Rousseau
17) Teven Jenkins
18) Jaycee Horn
Here’s the realistic range of Raider picks. This is a group of guys that I’m not jumping up and down about, but it still gets a positive grade from me. We’re getting into the range of “I’d rather trade down,” but we’re not quite there yet. Horn didn’t get written up either, but like Surtain, I’ll never complain about having too many really good corners.
TRADE DOWN
Tier 6
19) Alijah Vera-Tucker
20) Greg Newsome
21) Levi Onwuzurike
22) Elijah Molden
23) Trevon Moehrig
24) Richie Grant
25) Jason Oweh
26) Jamin Davis
27) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
If these are the only names left on the board for the Raiders at No. 17, then I’d be praying for a trade-down. Not to say these guys wouldn’t make the Raiders better in 2021 — they absolutely would — but the value isn’t necessarily perfect, even if they plug a hole on the current roster. Newsome and Molden are two more corners, with Molden more of a slot corner / free safety type. I know a lot of people like Moehrig or Grant, but No. 17 is way too rich for my blood as I don’t think the gap between them and a guy like Holland (see below) is all that big.
Tier 7
28) Landon Dickerson
29) Caleb Farley
30) Jevon Holland
This is where we start talking about dream candidates for the second round. Dickerson is strictly an interior lineman and is coming off a major knee injury, while Farley was once thought to be the best cornerback in this draft before opting out last season and announcing he just recently had some sort of back procedure. Holland also opted out last season but is the type of play-making free safety the Raiders could desperately use alongside Johnathan Abram.
