2021 NFL mock draft: 5 quarterbacks land in the top 15 picks
By Tommy Jaggi
NFL mock draft: Picks 20-24
46. . Wide receiver. Indianapolis Colts. Elijah Moore. 21. player
The Indianapolis Colts could look for a tackle to replace the recently retired Anthony Castonzo here, but perhaps they do this earlier in free agency. Instead, I have them going with Ole Miss wide receiver, Elijah Moore. The Colts found a solid player last year in Michael Pittman Jr., but T.Y. Hilton is 31 years old and is an unrestricted free agent. Moore is one of my favorite players in the draft. Though he’s on the small side, he has an elite ability to create separation and he catches everything thrown in his direction. He could be a safety blanket for Carson Wentz in 2021.
22. player. 35. . Edge defender. Tennessee Titans. Azeez Ojulari
It’s almost surprising that a player like Azeez Ojulari makes it this far, but this is not a great edge defender class, and I have teams capitalizing on deeper positions early. Still, Ojulari is my favorite edge player of this group. He’s not very big (6’3”, 240 lbs), but he is young and athletic with terrific bend and dip around the edge. He also had excellent production in the SEC. Ojulari could be a great pick at this point in the draft and he fills a need for Tennessee.
Jaycee Horn. 23. player. 30. . Cornerback. New York Jets
Jaycee Horn is my clearcut CB3 in the 2021 NFL Draft. He doesn’t quite have the athleticism as Caleb Farley or the technique and footwork of Patrick Surtain, but he’s easily the most physical cornerback in the draft class. This isn’t always a positive, as Horn was one of the most penalized players in college football last year. Still, he’s long and talented and performed very well against SEC wide receivers. He’s a long-time starting outside cornerback.
55. . Running back. Pittsburgh Steelers. Najee Harris. 24. player
As a Steelers fan, I would not be thrilled with this pick, as the running back position has been greatly devalued in recent years. Najee Harris is on the old side (23) and already has a good bit of tread taken off the tires with his 718 college touches. However, I can’t argue that he’s not good. Harris is a very comparable prospect to Steven Jackson coming out of Oregon State back in 2004. He’s a big do-it-all-for-you running back but lacks the breakaway speed to be a homerun threat at the next level. Still, Harris would be an immediate upgrade over anyone the Steelers have at the position.