With the 2021 NFL Draft rankings process underway, I begin my next set of prospects and that group is the quarterbacks. This is one of the more talented groups of signal-callers in the past decade, led by Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence. This is an athletic group that contains potential starters throughout and could be one of the strongest positions in the entire 2021 NFL Draft.
After ranking the wide receivers last week, the quarterbacks get their due this time around. Look below as I focus on my top-10 players at the position, with as many as six players with potential first-round grades. The NFL desperately needs an infusion of talent at the QB spot, and this group could carry some real difference-makers at the next level.
Trevor Lawrence leads the way as 2021 NFL Draft approaches
The crown jewel of the entire 2021 NFL Draft class, Lawrence is the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck. Lawrence is the prototype for size at the position and he is an extremely good athlete. The presumed top pick in the draft has the arm strength, poise, and accuracy to make any NFL throw.
As a starter for one of the top teams in the country since his true freshman season, Lawrence is battle-tested and ready to lead an NFL team for the next decade. Despite an impending labrum surgery that will sideline him for 3-4 months, he is the overwhelming favorite to be taken by Jacksonville at number one overall. He should be the face of the Jaguars’ franchise for a long time
2. Justin Fields – Ohio State
A former top recruit and transfer from the Georgia Bulldogs, Justin Fields is a terrific consolation prize as the potential number two pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has Cam Newton-type ability as both a rusher and passer and could become a superstar in the NFL sooner than later.
While Fields is praised as a top athlete, he can make extremely difficult throws look routine, even under consistent duress. He’s also an extremely strong open-field runner who can break tackles and finish off drives in the end zone. That dual-threat ability will make Fields extremely enticing this April.
3. Zach Wilson – BYU
Zach Wilson is another exciting quarterback prospect with plus athleticism and arm talent in the 2021 NFL Draft. He made great strides from 2019 to 2020 as a starter and has put himself squarely in the top-5 mix as a result. Wilson led the Cougars to a 10-1 regular-season record.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Wilson’s game is his poise and playmaking ability. This ability shines brightest in clutch and end-game scenarios. He has the “it” factor as a player that gives you confidence under center even in the bleakest of situations. Like Fields and Lawrence, Wilson should be a starter right away at the next level.
4. Trey Lance – South Dakota State
One of the tougher evaluations in the 2021 NFL Draft, Trey Lance is a polarizing prospect indeed. The film is limited on this redshirt-sophomore due to his decision to opt-out early on the 2020 college football season. He only played in one game this past season and completed a pedestrian 15-of-30 passes for 149 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
However, Lance also rushed for 143 yards and two more touchdowns in his lone contest of 2020. That dual-threat aspect has placed Lance squarely on the first-round map. He posted elite rushing stats in 2019 and shares Fields’ punishing ability as a runner in open space. Lance is a project with exciting tools that could be an elite long-term starter in the right system and an ounce of patience.
5. Mac Jones – Alabama
Another player with limited overall college production, Jones only started one full season as the heir to Tua Tagovailoa in Tuscaloosa. However, that one season was good enough to put Jones in the Heisman conversation and push Alabama to another College Football National Championship.
His 2020 passing numbers were elite, as he experienced a Joe Burrow-Esque rise as a junior this past season. His 4,500 passing yards broke the single-season mark in Alabama history and Jones decided to opt into the 2021 NFL Draft in January. He has starter upside as a potential late first to early second-rounder.
6. Kyle Trask – Florida
When speaking about Joe Burrow-Esque prospect rises, Trask of the Florida Gators is another name that comes to mind. Trask did an admirable job as an injury replacement in 2019 for the Gators, before exploding in 2020 as a full-time starter. Along with fellow first-round prospects Kadarius Toney and Kyle Pitts, Trask led one of the most explosive passing offenses in college football.
Trask bested both Jones and Wilson in the passing touchdown category in 2020, leading the nation with 43 total scores. He has excellent stature at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds with the arm strength and zip to make tight-window throws with regularity. He entered 2020 as a mid-rounder with upside and now looks to figure into the late first to early second round mix.
7. Jamie Newman – Georgia
One of the more significant transfer stories of the 2020 college football season ended before it even started, as Jamie Newman opted out before playing a down of Georgia football. The former Wake Forest star entered the year as the favorite to be the third quarterback taken, but now carries more questions than answers heading into the 2021 NFL Draft.
Newman has drawn favorable comparisons to Cam Newton as a dual-threat quarterback. He has great stature and the ability to make tremendous throws on the run or in the pocket. Even though he is a dangerous runner, Newman has a real chance to land as a starter in the NFL due to his passing ability. His absence from the 2020 season should not preclude him from being taken on the second day.
8. Kellen Mond – Texas A&M
As the architect behind a 9-1 season and a second-place finish in the SEC West, Kellen Mond led the Texas A&M Aggies to a very successful season in 2020. The former Aggie is another ultra-talented dual-threat QB in the 2021 NFL Draft class that scored 23 touchdowns in only 10 games this past season. Mond joined Texas A&M as one of the better recruits in the country for the 2017 recruiting cycle.
Despite the numerous prep accolades, Mond did not disappoint as a starter with the Aggies. He’s been one of the top players at the quarterback position the past two seasons and capped off a great career with an MVP performance in the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Mond is a prospect with long-term starting upside as a third or fourth-round pick and would fit great in a place like Atlanta or Carolina.
9. Sam Ehlinger – Texas
The second all-time leading passing yardage league behind only Colt McCoy, Sam Ehlinger has been a dependable player for the Longhorns. His great Texas career culminated with 26 passing touchdowns and another eight rushing scores for the 7-3 Longhorns in 2020. The dual-threat theme continues here with Ehlinger, as those eight rushing touchdowns were third-most among the 2021 NFL Draft-eligible quarterbacks.
Only Wilson and Notre Dame’s Ian Book finishes with more rushing touchdowns. I mentioned Ehlinger as a potential target for the Patriots this coming April, and he could be available for the team in the fourth round. With an improvement in his decision-making and patience, Ehlinger will be a solid developmental player for an NFL team.
10. K.J. Costello – Mississippi State
One of my favorite prospects at the position this season, Mississippi State’s K.J. Costello is a former transfer from Stanford with immense potential. Although his 2020 season fell short of the massive expectations, Costello remains one of the more significant sleeper quarterbacks available in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has the arm strength to make throws consistently downfield and the touch and timing to hit receivers on the sideline in tight spots.
At 6-foot-5, Costello is another player with the prototype size for the position. And while he may not possess the athleticism of some others on this list, he is more than capable of making plays with his feet when the pocket breaks down. His value remains unclear, but Costello could be selected anywhere from round four to the seventh round. With the right coaching, Costello could start for an NFL team one day.