Expectations are high when it comes to the NFL Draft. Fans expect their teams to make good moves in order to contend for a Super Bowl.
The 2021 draft class is loaded with talent at a variety of key positions. Many of these players will contribute a lot to their team, but only a few will change a franchise.
This article will break down the top five prospects in this year’s draft, and why they are a step above the rest.
The fifth best prospect in the draft is linebacker Micah Parsons. Parsons is listed as a linebacker, but the man can do it all on the football field. His combination of speed and explosiveness led him to dominate for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
At his pro day, Parsons ran a 4.39 seconds 40 yard dash. For a linebacker, that is rare to see. Parsons is still a bit raw when it comes to overall technique, but his athletic ability gives him so much upside that a team will take a chance on him very early in the draft.
Coming in as the fourth best prospect in the draft we have BYU quarterback Zach Wilson. Wilson will most likely be drafted second or third, but as far as an overall prospect goes, he belongs at fourth.
Wilson is undersized for a quarterback, but he makes up for it with his mobility and ability to throw the ball on the run. The biggest thing with Wilson is the improvement from 2019 to last season. He was much more consistent and he took care of the ball a lot better. Many NFL teams have taken notice of that which is probably why he is so high on everybody’s draft boards.
The third spot on this list is going to Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. Pitts is not just a tight end, he is the most versatile weapon in the entire draft. He is 6’5″, 245 pounds, and runs a 4.44 seconds 40 yard dash.
Watching Pitts at Florida was something to behold. Whenever Florida was in a bind, Pitts would come up with a big time catch for his team.
The only legitimate worry when it comes to Pitts is injuries. He missed a hand full of games last season due to a couple of nagging injuries, but nothing serious. If he is able to stay healthy, there is no telling what Pitts will do. He has superstar potential written all over him.
In the second spot, we have LSU Wide Receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Many football fans forgot about Chase due to the fact he sat out last season due to COVID-19 and preparing or the NFL draft.
The year before, Chase won the Biletnikoff award, which goes to the best pass catcher in College football, and he also tacked on a National Championship.
Many scouts and analysts were anticipating Chase’s pro day because they weren’t exactly sure what to expect after he skipped a whole season, but he didn’t disappoint.
Chase ran a whopping 4.38 seconds 40 yard dash and showed that he has improved during his long layoff. Chase is a masterful deep route runner and one of the best at going up and getting the football over the defender. He also shows tremendous strength and balance when it comes to absorbing hits and creating yards after contact.
Chase is going to make an impact in the league, it is just about getting him into the right system. Some analysts have speculated that the Cincinnati Bengals could reunite Chase with his National Championship quarterback Joe Burrow, but we will have to see.
Finally, at the number one spot we have none other than Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence is one of the greatest college quarterbacks of all time, and he is believed to be the future face of the NFL.
Lawrence’s ability to make quick reads and allow the receiver to create yards after the catch is unprecedented for a college quarterback. He has a high football IQ and is able to adjust on the fly as well as many pros.
Lawrence incorporated some running ability into his game over his time at Clemson, and he has become a legitimate threat to run with his large frame and surprising shiftiness.
There appears to be no flaws in Lawrence’s game, and he seems to have no bust potential, outside of an injury.
There are the top five prospects in this year’s draft. With a lot of exciting talent in this year’s draft, it will be interesting to see how the dominoes fall come draft night.
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