Perhaps the most notable NFL draft analyst out there, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is back with his first solo mock draft projections for the 2021 NFL draft. And with the Detroit Lions quickly shifting the primary need on the team from wide receiver to quarterback, Kiper’s first-round forecast for the Lions makes a nice fit.
Kiper has the Lions taking Ohio State QB Justin Fields with their first pick. The Buckeye standout is often projected in the top three picks, and now the Lions are focused on replacing Matthew Stafford.
Kiper’s justification for projecting Fields makes sense,
it appears that new general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell will go all-in on a rebuild, and so Fields could be the face of it. He had an up-and-down season, but we saw the flashes of his talent, particularly in his six-touchdown performance against Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal. Fields has superstar potential, but he’ll need help around him.
The players off the board for the Lions at No. 7:
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
