The 2021 NFL Draft is in the books. Before you know it, all eyes will be back on the field, and the new season will be fast approaching. Until then, however, we now have 32 teams’ rookie classes to (prematurely) evaluate. Which clubs got significantly better over the weekend? Which ones may have stumbled? We’re glad you asked, because we’ve identified 15 of the most notable movers.
We present winners and losers* from the 2021 draft:
* = As of immediately following the draft. If you know anything about the NFL, it’s that draft classes cannot be accurately judged until literally years later. That’s how everyone views it on social media anyway, right?
Winners
Baltimore Ravens
Most notable picks:
- WR Rashod Bateman (1)
- OLB Odafe Oweh (1)
- OG Ben Cleveland (3)
- CB Brandon Stephens (3)
- CB Shaun Wade (5)
Lamar Jackson should be happy, because Bateman has the makings of a Day One starter out wide. Oweh and Cleveland, meanwhile, are physical freaks who could fill spots in the trenches sooner rather than later. And the Stephens-Wade duo gives them a couple well-built developmental prospects behind Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey at corner.
Carolina Panthers
Most notable picks:
- CB Jaycee Horn (1)
- WR Terrace Marshall Jr. (2)
- OT Brady Christensen (3)
- TE Tommy Tremble (3)
They may regret passing on Justin Fields in the first, but Horn brings a fighter’s mentality to a position of need. And at least Sam Darnold will have a legitimate supporting cast. If Marshall Jr. stays healthy, he can be a reliable No. 3 behind D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson. And both Christensen and Tremble offer loads of athleticism.
Chicago Bears
Most notable picks:
- QB Justin Fields (1)
- OT Teven Jenkins (2)
It feels premature to crown Chicago, of all teams, for its blockbuster move up, mainly because it’s badly misread or managed the QB spot before. But let’s face it: Fields was a top-five talent in this class, and he injects all kinds of play-making ability to a Bears QB room temporarily “headlined” by Andy Dalton. Jenkins is underrated, too, as a likely plug-and-play right tackle.
Cleveland Browns
Most notable picks:
- CB Greg Newsome II (1st round)
- LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2)
- WR Anthony Schwartz (3)
If you’re hesitant to call the Browns front-runners in the AFC North, don’t be. Cleveland added to a rock-solid roster with each of its first three picks. Newsome brings premium insurance to a CB spot often hampered by injury. Owusu-Koramoah can be a hybrid play-maker at the heart of the defense. And Schwartz offers even more juice to a receiving corps with three other high-end starters.
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Minnesota Vikings
Most notable picks:
- OT Christian Darrisaw (1)
- QB Kellen Mond (3)
- LB Chazz Surratt (3)
Darrisaw would’ve been totally acceptable at No. 14 overall, but the Vikings got him at No. 23 after a move down. That’s a starting left tackle right there, with more long-term upside than the departed Riley Reiff. Surratt is an athletic specimen for a LB corps that lost Eric Wilson. And Mond is the most intriguing of them all: A confident, rocket-armed project who can push or challenge Kirk Cousins.
New York Giants
Most notable picks:
- WR Kadarius Toney (1)
- OLB Azeez Ojulari (2)
- CB Aaron Robinson (3)
Dave Gettleman, take a bow. Toney was a bit too injury-prone to justify the No. 20 overall pick, but coupled with Ojulari, a consensus first-rounder who fell to the second, his addition looks even better. The Giants addressed almost every need (except the O-line) in this draft, and as an added bonus, they picked up a first, fourth and fifth in the 2022 draft thanks to Gettleman’s dealing.
Philadelphia Eagles
Most notable picks:
- WR DeVonta Smith (1)
- OL Landon Dickerson (2)
- CB Zech McPhearson (4)
- RB Kenny Gainwell (5)
Don’t look now, but Howie Roseman may have unearthed a handful of game-changers for his stripped-down Eagles. Smith instantly becomes the team’s No. 1 receiver and a surefire top target for QB Jalen Hurts. Dickerson has an injury history but looks like a potential Opening Day guard and future Jason Kelce successor. McPhearson and Gainwell both offer big-play upside.
San Francisco 49ers
Most notable picks:
- QB Trey Lance (1)
- RB Trey Sermon (3)
- CB Ambry Thomas (3)
It starts and ends with the QB, and the 49ers made the right choice after moving all the way up to No. 3. Lance may be raw, but he offers maybe the highest ceiling of any rookie signal-caller this side of Trevor Lawrence. And he’s a perfect fit for Kyle Shanahan with his running ability. Sermon, meanwhile, is a luxury addition who’ll pack some punch in a good backfield.
Washington Football Team
Most notable picks:
- LB Jamin Davis (1)
- OT Samuel Cosmi (2)
- WR Dyami Brown (3)
Man, Ron Rivera is really assembling a tough squad, isn’t he? Davis should step in right away as a leader on defense, Cosmi offers long-term support where Trent Williams once stood, and Brown gives them yet another chess piece on offense. These moves help them in 2021, with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm, but also bode well for the distant future.
Losers
Denver Broncos
Most notable picks:
- CB Patrick Surtain II (1)
- RB Javonte Williams (2)
Surtain gives them a premium plug-and-play corner at a spot already touting Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller. And Williams may be a fun bruiser for the backfield. But unless they have an Aaron Rodgers mega-deal up their sleeve, passing on Justin Fields forces them to hope for a Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater breakout. Also, why trade up for a RB when you’re already paying Melvin Gordon?
Green Bay Packers
Most notable picks:
- CB Eric Stokes (1)
- C Josh Myers (2)
- WR Amari Rodgers (3)
They added some dynamism at CB and WR, with Rodgers in particular bringing some long-awaited juice to the slot spot, but Myers — a traditional center — was arguably a reach in the second, even if Corey Linsley’s departure rang loud and clear. More importantly, they entered and left the draft without anything close to a resolution with Aaron Rodgers, who appears set on leaving town.
Indianapolis Colts
Most notable picks:
- DE Kwity Paye (1)
- DE Dayo Odeyingbo (2)
- S Shawn Davis (5)
- QB Sam Ehlinger (6)
Paye was an underrated find in the back half of the first, and he feels like the kind of guy to quietly log 10 sacks as a rookie. Davis could similarly take early reps at safety, and Ehlinger brings scrappy competition behind Carson Wentz. But goodness, they really needed some tackle help. Two straight pass rushers, with one all but a lock to miss most of 2021? Aren’t they in win-now mode?
Las Vegas Raiders
Most notable picks:
- OT Alex Leatherwood (1)
- S Trevon Moehrig (2)
Always good for a first-round reach, they spent No. 17 on Leatherwood despite clearer starting-caliber linemen like Darrisaw and Jenkins still sitting on the board. Moehrig, on the other hand, is an enticing free safety to pair with the feisty Johnathan Abram, but his addition would’ve made more sense had the Raiders not proceeded to draft two more safeties (!) later on.
New Orleans Saints
Most notable picks:
- DE Payton Turner (1)
- LB Pete Werner (2)
- CB Paulson Adebo (3)
- QB Ian Book (4)
Adebo has drawn high marks as a Day Two addition at corner, where they lost Janoris Jenkins, and Book could be an underrated piece of the QB competition. But they might’ve been able to snag him later. After a quiet free agency because of their own cap constraints, the Saints also felt shortchanged in the draft, leaving without a single surefire impact starter.
