The Future of the NFL: A Look into the 2021 NFL Draft
The annual three-day NFL Draft is one of the most exciting drafts in major sports for many reasons. For starters, almost every year there is the franchise quarterback that struggling teams hope will lead them to a championship. Last year, it was LSU’s Joe Burrow; this year, it is Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence. While the top prospects are always exciting for the future of the league, the real beauty of the NFL Draft are the unknown players who go on to have surprisingly impactful careers. For instance, any New Englader can tell you about Tom Brady, who—after being drafted with the 199th pick in the sixth round—went on to become arguably the greatest quarterback of all time.
The NFL’s mixture of top stars, mid-round talent, and late-round sleepers creates an unpredictable league where any team, even one without franchise players, can make it deep into the playoffs. In the 2021 draft, the players to watch are quarterback Trevor Lawrence, a star caliber player; linebacker Jabril Cox, a mid-round talent that could develop into a great player; and quarterback Shane Buechele, a late-round sleeper who NFL teams needing aquarterback should keep an eye on. Here’s why:
Trevor Lawrence
It is no secret that Trevor Lawrence is the next big thing in football. The 6’6, 220 pound quarterback from Clemson has all the tools to make him the star that everyone believes he's destined to be. In his three-year career at Clemson, he threw for over 8,500 yards and 83 touchdown passes. Alongside these impressive stats, are Lawrence’s two ACC Championships, a National Title, and his only loss as a collegiate player that came in the 2020 National Championship game against LSU. Whether or not Lawrence goes with the first pick in the draft, he will have an immediate impact on the field and become a Super-Bowl winning quarterback in the NFL.
Jabril Cox
At the start of the 2020 season, Jabril Cox was an unknown name to many college football fans. The 6’4, 231 pounds linebacker transferred from North Dakota State to LSU for the 2020 season. Cox dominated at NDSU, finishing his three seasons with 258 tackles, 6 interceptions, and 14 sacks. Cox was also named a two-time FCS all-American during his time with NDSU. If Cox can maintain his impressive play at the highest level of collegiate football, as well as benefit from a higher level of coaching, then he could become a mid-round pick with the potential to develop into a solid player in the NFL.
Shane Buechele
Shane Buechele is a 6’1, 207 pound quarterback from SMU who is a potential sleeper pick for teams in need of a quarterback. While he is not as promising as players such as Trever Lawrence or Justin Fields, Buechele’s college stats showcase that he is a steady and mature quarterback who could succeed in the NFL. Buechele started his collegiate career at Texas, and had a very successful freshman season, throwing for 2,958 yards and 21 touchdowns. Despite this hot start, injuries caused Buechele to lose his starting role, and eventually forced him to transfer to SMU. In his two seasons at SMU, he threw for over 6,000 yards and 55 touchdowns. To put it simply, Buechele is a talented quarterback, and despite injury struggles that might cause teams to overlook him, he could be the next great late-round pick in this upcoming draft.
