I typically avoid draft thoughts during the football season. I loathe the tanking crowd and tanking thoughts. NFL players don't play to lose. NFL coaches don't coach to lose. It's pointless to cheer and encourage it. Hoping that the Minnesota Vikings lose a football game is such an absurd thought. The Athletic's Dane Brugler released his new Top 50 2021 NFL Draft Prospects this week. I had to take a peak. Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell has been my dream "future Minnesota Viking" since I first saw him play as a freshman only two years ago. The only problem was that the Vikings would never play poorly enough to earn a shot at drafting him. And I'd never support the tanking job necessary to earn that shot. The Vikings terrible start to this season (1-5) had them on target to be in Sewell-drafting range. That was sure to change. I knew it then and I'm sure of it now. This post isn't about the Vikings flipping their terrible start and going on a run. This is about Brugler's top draft prospects. It's an intriguing list. While I only post the list here, Brugler's thoughts on each of the prospects can be found at The Athletic. Based on the rankings, Wyatt Davis, Alex Leatherwood, Samuel Cosmi, and Christian Barmore are some of the potential "future Vikings" on my mind now.
*-underclassmen
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson (6-5, 220)*
2. Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State (6-3, 218)*
3. Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon (6-6, 330)*
4. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU (6-0, 210)*
5. Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State (6-3, 244)*
6. Zach Wilson, QB, BYU (6-2, 212)*
7. Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech (6-2, 205)*
8. Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama (6-2, 205)*
9. Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida (6-6, 240)*
10. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama (5-10, 182)*
11. Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State (6-3, 225)*
12. Kwity Paye, edge, Michigan (6-3, 271)
13. Azeez Ojulari, edge, Georgia (6-2, 241)*
14. Gregory Rousseau, edge, Miami (6-7, 265)*
15. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame (6-2, 220)*
16. Derion Kendrick, CB, Clemson (6-0, 190)*
17. Jayson Oweh, edge, Penn State (6-5, 255)*
18. Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern (6-4, 308)
19. DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama (6-0, 172)
20. Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech (6-5, 315)*
21. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson (5-10, 212)
22. Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU (6-3, 203)*
23. Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina (6-1, 205)*
24. Joseph Ossai, edge, Texas (6-2, 255)*
25. Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri (6-0, 235)*
26. Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota (6-2, 210)*
27. Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State (6-4, 315)*
28. Aidan Hutchinson, DE/DT, Michigan (6-5, 277)*
29. Asante Samuel, CB, Florida State (5-10, 185)*
30. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT/OG, USC (6-4, 315)*
31. Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama (6-5, 310)*
32. Shaun Wade, CB/DS, Ohio State (6-1, 195)*
33. Trevon Moehrig, DS, TCU (6-1, 209)*
34. Carlos Basham, edge, Wake Forest (6-4, 274)
35. Alex Leatherwood, OT/OG, Alabama (6-5, 313)
36. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State (6-1, 188)*
37. Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue (5-9, 180)*
38. Jalen Mayfield, OT/OG, Michigan (6-5, 320)*
39. Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas (6-7, 310)*
40. Josh Myers, OC, Ohio State (6-5, 315)*
41. Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State (6-5, 260)*
42. Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia (6-2, 185)*
43. Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina (6-2, 227)
44. Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa (6-3, 259)*
45. Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame (6-5, 301)
46. Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama (6-3, 235)*
47. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC (6-1, 195)*
48. Jevon Holland, DS, Oregon (6-1, 200)*
49. Myjai Sanders, edge, Cincinnati (6-5, 255)*
50. Mac Jones, QB, Alabama (6-2, 215)*
***
The top of the draft pool is once again loaded with players from the SEC and Big 10. That's mostly due to the usual flood of athletic freaks from Alabama and Ohio State.
Alabama
Patrick Surtain II, CB
Jaylen Waddle, WR
DeVonta Smith, WR
Christian Barmore, DT
Alex Leatherwood, OT/OG
Dylan Moses, LB
Mac Jones, QB
The Tide simply reloads at receiver, and most positions, every single year.
Ohio State
Justin Fields, QB
Wyatt Davis, OG
Shaun Wade, CB/DS
Chris Olave, WR
Josh Myers, OC
Nearly a quarter of Brugler's Top 50 come from Alabama and Ohio State.
The Pac-12 is represented by four.
Penei Sewell, OT
Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT/OG
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR
Jevon Holland, DS
I might be alone in this but I think that Penei Sewell is better at playing offensive tackle than Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields are at playing quarterback.
Quarterback trumps every other position.
Speaking of Amon-Ra St. Brown, I wonder if we'll be seeing all of the receiving St, Brown brothers in the NFL. Equanimeous St. Brown is already there. He's playing catch with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. Amon-Ra St. Brown is rated nicely by Brugler. Osiris St. Brown could join him in the 2021 NFL Draft. I feel like I knew about these brothers because of their names before I ever saw them play football.
It's always interesting to see how Dane Brugler sees the draft prospects. I look forward to taking a closer look at a much more appropriate time. Like mid-February.
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