Kevin Hanson's 2021 NFL Mock Draft 8.0

BY KEVIN HANSON (@EDSFootball)
Updated: Thursday, April 15th

Continuing my 2021 NFL mock draft, here are picks 17-32:

17. Las Vegas Raiders - Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State

The Raiders recently extended left tackle Kolton Miller through the 2025 season, but they traded right tackle Trent Brown back to New England earlier this offseason. While Jenkins has experience at left tackle as well, he was primarily a right tackle as a three-year starter for Oklahoma State. An absolute bully in the run game, he would slide in as a Day 1 starter opposite Miller.

18. Miami Dolphins - Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan

Emmanuel Ogbah led Miami with a career-high nine sacks, but the team parted ways this offseason with Kyle Van Noy (six) and Shaq Lawson (four), both of whom they had just added in 2020. Meanwhile, Ogbah is entering a contract year.

Paye is a freakish athlete that topped Bruce Feldman's Freaks' List heading into last season. Given the rare physical traits for his size and his tenacity, Paye's best football is ahead of him and his upside is through the roof if he can put it all together.

MORE: Our way-too-early 2022 NFL Mock Draft

19. Washington Football Team - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

As a linebacker-safety hybrid, Owusu-Koramoah is a defensive playmaker that would provide Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio with plenty of versatility. An explosive athlete with outstanding coverage range, Owusu-Koramoah had 24.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and an interception over the past two seasons.

20. Chicago Bears - Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL, USC

Given a lack of length (32 1/8" arms), Vera-Tucker is better suited to play guard at the next level, but he boosted his stock by how well he played when replacing Austin Jackson at left tackle for the Trojans last year. Vera-Tucker's movement skills, balance and versatility put him inside the top 20 of our 2021 NFL Draft Big Board.

MORE: Chicago Bears 2021 NFL Mock Draft Roundup

21. Indianapolis Colts - Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern

Since five offensive linemen are already off the board, the value on my big board doesn't align well with the Colts' need to draft a replacement for retired left tackle Anthony Castonzo. The best available offensive tackle is Jalen Mayfield (my 35th-ranked prospect), so it may make sense to target a different need here and then tackle in Round 2 as it's a deep position group.

Xavier Rhodes rebounded in a major way with the Colts last season and he's back on a one-year deal for his age-31 season. While he has missed multiple games every year at Northwestern, Newsome is scheme-diverse with excellent speed (sub-4.4 forty) and fluidity.

22. Tennessee Titans - Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

Tennessee's Derrick Henry-centric offense doesn't require Ryan Tannehill to throw often, but the passing attack has been efficient to keep opposing defenses honest. Only the Ravens and Patriots threw it less than the Titans in 2020, but they were tied for sixth in Y/A (7.9). Only the Packers (9.13%) and Seahawks (7.10%) had a higher TD% than the Titans (6.80%) in 2020.

While the Titans signed Josh Reynolds in the offseason, they lost Corey Davis as well as tight end Jonnu Smith. While all previous iterations of my mock had the Titans focused on the defensive side of the ball, wide receiver could be in play here as well. Timing faster than expected in the forty, Bateman is a polished and productive receiver that finished his sophomore (and last full season) with a 60/1,219/11 receiving line.

23. New York Jets - Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

The Jets signed Tevin Coleman to a one-year deal, but they figure to be one of the few teams that could consider drafting a running back in the first round. By adding a talented do-it-all type of back like Harris, it would help the Jets take some pressure off of Zach Wilson. The all-time career rushing leader in Alabama history, Harris rushed for 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns and added 43 receptions for 425 yards and four more scores last season.

MORE: A 'Bama defender is the No. 1 pick in our way-too-early 2023 NFL Mock Draft

24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia

Without a first-round pick in 2020, the Steelers have used their last seven first-round picks (2013-2019) on defense. One of those first-rounders (Bud Dupree, 2015) departed via free agency this offseason. While I don't think there's any chance that they let another of those first-rounders (T.J. Watt, 2017) hit free agency in 2022, he's currently scheduled to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal.

Leading the SEC with 9.5 sacks in 10 games last year, the 20-year-old redshirt sophomore closed his collegiate career with three sacks and two forced fumbles in Georgia's bowl game against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

MORE: Steelers have the most difficult 2021 NFL schedule

25. Jacksonville Jaguars - Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

Before his back surgery, Farley was in the mix to be the draft's CB1 and a top-10 pick. Back injuries are always tricky, but Farley is expected to be ready for the start of training camp. Given the rebuild going on in Duval County, the Jaguars can be patient with Farley as they are in no position to contend this year. Farley has an ideal combination of size (6-foot-2, 205 pounds), athleticism (sub-4.4 forty) and ball skills (six INTs in two seasons).

26. Cleveland Browns - Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa

The recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Award, the versatile Tulsa defender (6-4, 260) can rush the passer or drop in coverage. Collins had four sacks and four interceptions, two of which were returned for scores, in eight games this past season.

MORE: Cleveland Browns 2021 NFL Mock Draft Roundup

27. Baltimore Ravens - Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU

The Ravens have one of the league's best collections of cornerbacks, but they could use an upgrade at safety. The top safety prospect in this year's draft class, Moehrig offers positional versatility and has intercepted six passes over the past two seasons combined.

28. New Orleans Saints - Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida

When asked on NFL Network, Toney said that he models his game after Alvin Kamara. With the team releasing Emmanuel Sanders earlier this offseason, adding a versatile playmaker like Toney to the receiving corps would be a great fit for Sean Payton's offense.

MORE: 2021 NFL Draft Big Board: Top 200 Prospects

29. Green Bay Packers - Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky

Whether or not the Packers are willing to use their first-round pick on a linebacker, Davis has earned his share of Round 1 buzz and inside linebacker is one of the team's top needs. While inexperienced as a one-year starter, Davis had a breakout 2020 campaign (team-high 102 tackles) and he's a rangy, three-down linebacker with explosive athleticism and length.

MORE: Our way-too-early 2021 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings

30. Buffalo Bills - Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State

The Bills ranked middle of the league in team sacks (38, T-15th), but no player had more than five sacks in 2020. In addition, starting defensive ends Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison are both on the wrong side of 30. While the Bills drafted A.J. Epenesa in the second round last year, taking a swing on the immense upside of Oweh at the back of Round 1 makes sense.

Despite his lack of production (zero sacks in 2020 after posting five in 2019), Oweh has rare traits. As Bruce Feldman noted in his annual Freaks list, Oweh is "the most explosive one of the bunch" (of athletic freaks). The 257-pound defender ran a 4.36 forty with a 39.5-inch vertical at Penn State's Pro Day.

MORE: Buffalo Bills 2021 NFL Mock Draft Roundup

31. Kansas City Chiefs - Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas

Before the Chiefs released starting (but injured) tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, it would have been reasonable to slot a tackle here given how much pressure they allowed in the Super Bowl. With both tackles no longer on the roster, it's become even more of a pressing need for 2021 and beyond. While he lacks ideal length and strength, Cosmi was a three-year starter at Texas with experience at both right tackle (2018) and left tackle (2019, 2020) and possesses outstanding athleticism.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama

Along with all other 21 starters, Ndamukong Suh is back with the Bucs in an attempt to run it back for the Super Bowl champs. If Barmore slips to this point, he represents good value (19th on our big board) as a long-term replacement for the 34-year-old Suh.

The redshirt sophomore had 9.5 tackles for loss including eight sacks and three forced fumbles in 2020 and played his best football down the stretch. Six of Barmore's sacks came in the final six games of the season and Georgia edge rusher Azeez Ojulari was the only SEC defender to record more sacks in 2020.

Continue to 2021 NFL Mock Draft 8.0: Round 2

Go back to 2021 NFL Mock Draft 8.0: Round 1

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