4 best-value first-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft

1. Justin Fields

I’ve got to be honest: I have no idea how a player as talented as Justin Fields fell all the way to the 11th overall pick – at the quarterback position, no less. Despite being one of the highest-rated quarterbacks to ever come out of high school and with his dominant run at Ohio State, there were 10 teams that didn’t give Fields a second thought.

Their loss is Chicago’s gain. The Bears aggressively (and wisely) traded up from the 20th pick to pick 11 to grab their quarterback of the future. While they had to chip in their 2022 first-round pick to execute this trade, I have little doubts that it will all be worth it in the end.

Fields has a remarkably rare combination of arm talent, ball placement, and athletic tools – so much so that we haven’t seen a prospect quite like him before. Fields can make a touch pass 40 yards down the sideline just as easily as he can take off and run for 20 yards with his 4.46 speed (98th percentile). Though the Bears don’t have a great track record when it comes to the quarterback position, they haven’t had a prospect quite as talented as Fields. I’m banking on that talent panning out.

There are a few other players who I would consider to be of exceptional value in the first round, but these four stood above the rest. If my assessment of them is correct, they could turn out to be terrific players at the next level with long, successful NFL careers.