RADIO
A Re-do of the opening round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Which teams made the best and works pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Read the top picks including Trevor Lawrence, Micah Parsons, Ja'Marr Chase, more.
With the 2026 NFL Draft slowly approaching, let's take a look back and re-draft the opening round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
In this redo, we will give each "original" holder of the pick their respective slot back, as if any "Draft Day" trades had not occurred. On Draft Day, several trades occured but in this re-do, the original owner of the pick "on draft day" will hold that selection.
What would the 2021 NFL Draft look like in 2026? Let's dive in!
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Pick 1: Jacksonville Jaguars
Original Pick - Trevor Lawrence, QB
New Pick - Trevor Lawrence, QB
The Jaguars will kick off the 2021 re-do draft the same way it began. While Trevor Lawrence has endured some growing pains throughout his career, he is still well worth the first overall pick in this class. In 2025, Lawrence took a major step forward, looking like a true franchise QB. With Liam Coen leading the charge, Lawrence had his best season, throwing for 4,007 yards with 29 passing scores and nine rushing scores.
Pick 2: New York Jets
Original Pick - Zach Wilson, QB
New Pick - Micah Parsons, LB
The Jets had one of the worst selections in the real draft with Zach Wilson. Instead, they will take the top defensive player on the board, Micah Parsons. Parsons immediately broke out on the scene with the Cowboys, logging at least 12.0 sacks in each season in Dallas. In 2023, he tallied a career-best 14.0 sacks. Late in the 2025 season, Parsons suffered a torn ACL and is likely to begin the 2026 season on the injured reserve.
Pick 3: San Francisco 49ers
Original Pick - Trey Lance, QB
New Pick - Penei Sewell, OT
The 49ers followed the Jets' selection with another poor choice in Trey Lance. However, the 49ers will get a chance to undo that mistake and take one of the best offensive tackles in the sport, Penei Sewell. Sewell has served as a leader of the Detroit offensive line since he reached the NFL. Per PFF, Sewell earned the highest Overall Grade among offensive tackles this past season.
Pick 4: Atlanta Falcons
Original Pick - Kyle Pitts Sr., TE
New Pick - Ja'Marr Chase, WR
The Falcons will still opt to take a playmaker in this spot, but will look to the WR position instead. Ja'Marr Chase has emerged as the game's top wide receiver and has been a game-breaking player for the Bengals since his rookie season. As a rookie, Chase caught 81 passes for 1,453 yards and 13 touchdowns. In 2024, Chase had the best season of his career, catching 125 passes for 1,708 yards and an eye-catching 17 receiving scores.
Pick 5: Cincinnati Bengals
Original Pick - Ja'Marr Chase, WR
New Pick - Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR
With Chase off the board, the Bengals will instead pivot to the No. 2 WR of this class, Amon-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown was initially a Day 3 selection in this class but will now climb to the start of the first round. While he had a slow start to his rookie season, St. Brown has since been a key player in the Detroit offense. Since 2022, St. Brown has caught at least 100 passes in each season and brought in a career-high 119 catches back in 2023.
Pick 6: Miami Dolphins
Original Pick - Jaylen Waddle, WR
New Pick - Patrick Surtain II, DB
While Jaylen Waddle would not have been a poor selection here, the Dolphins will instead take the top defensive back on the board, Patrick Surtain II. Surtain has emerged as an All-Pro defensive back for the Broncos and is widely viewed as the game's top pure coverage corner. This season, Surtian allowed a strong 66.5 Passer Rating Allowed and earned an elite 72.0 Overall Grade.
Pick 7: Detroit Lions
Original Pick - Penei Sewell, OT
New Pick - Jaylen Waddle, WR
The Lions will look to find their WR1 in the No. 7 slot. With Chase and St. Brown off the board, they will pivot to Jaylen Waddle. While Waddle has mostly played second-fiddle to Tyreek Hill for most of his career, Waddle has been one of the most elite No. 2 WRs in the sport and is more than capable of serving as a WR1. Waddle eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in each of his first three seasons and was on track to do so in 2025 before suffering a late-season injury.
Pick 8: Carolina Panthers
Original Pick - Jaycee Horn, DB
New Pick - Jaycee Horn, DB
The Panthers will make the same selection they did several seasons ago and add defensive back Jaycee Horn to their roster. Horn has become Carolina's No. 1 DB and turned into a career season in 2025 when the Panthers marched to the NFC South Title. In 2025, Horn totaled a career-best five interceptions while logging 37 tackles. Per PFF, Horn earned a solid 62.6 Coverage Grade and a 79.6 Passer Rating Allowed.
Pick 9: Denver Broncos
Original Pick - Patrick Surtain II, DB
New Pick - DeVonta Smith, WR
The Broncos will instead turn to the offensive side of the ball in this redo and take Alabama's DeVonta Smith. Smith, like Waddle, has typically operated as the No. 2 WR, sharing the field with A.J. Brown, but has been producing like a WR1. Smith has found the back of the endzone at least five times in all but one season and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in all but two. He tallied a season-high 1,196 yards with seven scores in 2022.
Pick 10: Dallas Cowboys
Original Pick - DeVonta Smith, WR (selected by Eagles)
New Pick - Creed Humphrey, OL
Creed Humphrey has become a key part of the Kansas City offensive line and will move up from his original No. 63 draft slot to the top-10. Humphrey has been named to four Pro Bowls and earned first-team All-Pro honors twice. Per PFF, the center placed first at his position in Overall grade (88.0) and was the best pass-blocker at the position (84.1 Overall Grade).
Pick 11: New York Giants
Original Pick - Justin Fields, QB (selected by Bears)
New Pick - Mac Jones, QB
The Giants will look to find their franchise QB in Mac Jones with the next pick. While Jones struggled after a somewhat successful rookie season in New England, he enjoyed a career resurgence in San Francisco in 2025. Filling in for injured Brock Purdy, Jones showed high-upside throwing for 2,151 yards with 13 scores over an 11-game stint.
Getting things rolling 👏
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/zNrxMT2Kjx
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 9, 2025
Pick 12: Philadelphia Eagles
Original Pick - Micah Parsons, LB (selected by Cowboys)
New Pick - Gregory Rousseau, DE
While the Eagles initially moved this pick to the Cowboys, they will hold the No. 12 spot in our redo and bolster their defensive line with Gregory Rousseau. Since logging just 4.0 sacks as a rookie, Rousseau has emerged as a legit playmaker in Buffalo, totaling at least 7.0 sacks in three of his last four seasons. In 2025, Rousseau earned the eighth-highest Overall Grade among all edge rushers (according to PFF).
Pick 13: Los Angeles Chargers
Original Pick - Rashawn Slater, OT
New Pick - Landon Dickerson, OT
The former second-rounder will move up to the middle of the opening round and head to Los Angeles. Dickerson has served in a lead role on the Philadelphia offensive line since making his pro debut. Dickerson has been named to three Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl during the 2024 campaign. This season, Dickerson remained an above-average blocker, earning the 30th-highest grade at his position (67.2 Overall Grade), according to PFF.
Pick 14: Minnesota Vikings
Original Pick - Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG (selected by Jets)
New Pick - Spencer Brown, OL
While Spencer Brown has still struggled in the passing game, he has developed into one of the game's premier run blockers and is worthy of a selection near the middle of the first round. In 2025, Brown posted an elite 84.6 Run-Blocking Grade on PFF, placing him seventh among all offensive tackles. However, his pass-blocking has reduced his overall production throughout his career.
Pick 15: New England Patriots
Original Pick - Mac Jones, QB
New Pick - Ernest Jones, LB
The Patriots will bolster their defense by adding a high-volume tackler in Ernest Jones out of South Carolina. Jones was an initial third-round pick (103 overall) and will see a nice boost in our redo. Throughout his five-year NFL career, Joins has posted three triple-digit-sack seasons, with a high of 145 in 2023. In 2025, Jones totaled 126 tackles for the Super Bowl Champions while earning an elite 75.6 Run Defense Grade on PFF.
Pick 16: Arizona Cardinals
Original Pick - Zaven Collins, LB
New Pick - Travis Etienne Jr., RB
Travis Etienne Jr. will look to be the long-term RB1 in Arizona. With the Jaguars, Etienne has hit the double-digit TD mark in two of his four professional seasons. In 2025, the former Clemson standout was highly effective, tallying a season-high 1,107 rushing yards with seven rushing scores and an additional 292 yards and six scores through the air.
Pick 17: Las Vegas Raiders
Original Pick - Alex Leatherwood, LB
New Pick - Rashawn Slater, OT
The Raiders will take the best offensive lineman on the board in Rashawn Slater. Slater has been named to two Pro Bowls throughout his time in Los Angeles. While he did not see the field at all in 2025 due to a knee injury, Slater was among the sport's top blockers in 2024. Per PFF, Slater earned the second-highest Overall Grade among tackles (91.1), the highest mark of his career.
Pick 18: Miami Dolphins
Original Pick - Jaelan Phillips, DE
New Pick - Nico Collins, WR
The Dolphins will turn their attention to the passing game and take the top WR on the board, Nico Collins. Collins fell toward the end of the third round in the real draft but will be a top-20 selection in the redo. While Collins had a slow start to his NFL career, he has since emerged as one of the game's top WRs. In each of the last three seasons, Collins has totaled 1,000+ yards with 21 total TDs.
Pick 19: Washington Commanders
Original Pick - Jamin Davis, LB
New Pick - Trey Smith, OL
The Commanders will turn to the two-time Pro Bowler for their opening round selection. Smith has won two Lombardi Trophies in Kansas City and will look to take on a leading role in D.C. The former sixth-round selection was one of the best true-value picks in the actual draft, as he has emerged as a viable starting lineman. Per PFF, Smith posted a strong 68.5 Overall Grade in 2025, the 27th-highest mark at his position.
Pick 20: Chicago Bears
Original Pick - Kadarius Toney, WR (selected by Giants)
New Pick - Quinn Meinerz, OG
The Giants received this pick in a trade and opted to select without Kadarius Toney. However, the Bears will hold it in this redo and look to the offensive line, selecting guard Quinn Meinerz. Meinerz struggled in his debut season but has since emerged as one of the game's top interior linemen. According to PFF, the Wisconsin-Whitewater product earned the highest Overall Grade among offensive guards (90.1) and an elite 92.1 Grade in the rushing game in 2025.
Pick 21: Indianapolis Colts
Original Pick - Kwity Paye, DE
New Pick - Kwity Paye, DE
The Colts will make the same selection they did back in 2021, adding defensive end Kwity Paye. Paye posted back-to-back 8.0 sack campaigns in 2023 and 2024 but saw his numbers regress in 2025. This past season, the Michigan product logged just 4.0 sacks with 39 tackles, which marked the second-lowest total of his career.
Pick 22: Tennessee Titans
Original Pick - Caleb Farley, DB
New Pick - Pete Werner, LB
The Titans will take the best linebacker on the board, Pete Werner, with the No. 22 selection. Werner initially went to the New Orleans Saints with the 60th overall selection. Throughout his five-year NFL career, Werner has hit the 80-tackle mark in all but one (his rookie season) and is making off a season-best 2.0 sacks in 2025. According to PFF, the linebacker was above-average in stopping the run, posting a strong 66.8 Grade.
Pick 23: New York Jets
Original Pick - Christian Darrisaw, OT (selected by Vikings)
New Pick - Najee Harris, RB
The Jets will find their next RB1 in Najee Harris, a pick earlier than where he went in the actual draft. Harris has been a reliable power back throughout his career and hit the 1,000-yard mark in each of his first four seasons. In 2025, Harris would suffer a season-ending injury in Week 2 as a Charger. With the Steelers (four seasons), Harris scored 34 total TDs while averaging 1,078 rushing yards and 287.3 receiving yards per season.
Pick 24: Pittsburgh Steelers
Original Pick - Najee Harris, RB
New Pick - Javonte Williams, RB
With Harris off the board, the Steelers will pivot to the next-best available running back, Javonte Williams. While Williams has dealt with numerous injuries in the early years of his career, he is coming off the best season of his career. With the Cowboys, Williams looked like an elite-level running back, totaling 1,201 yards with a season-high 11 touchdowns. He posted a strong 4.8 YPC and was rewarded with an extension ahead of free agency.
Javonte Williams goes 30 yards... touchdown!
NYGvsDAL on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/KSwB0wDIjm
— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025
Pick 25: Jacksonville Jaguars
Original Pick - Travis Etienne Jr., RB
New Pick - Nick Bolton, LB
Nick Bolton is coming off a career season and will slide into the bottom of the opening round in this redo. The original No. 58 overall pick, Bolton will join the Jaguar squad and serve as a lead linebacker. In 2025, Bolton emerged as a key part of the Kansas City defense and logged a career-best 154 tackles, 1.0 sack, and six deflections. Per PFF, the linebacker earned the highest Overall Grade at his position and 10th-best grade in the rushing game.
Pick 26: Cleveland Browns
Original Pick - Greg Newsome II, DB
New Pick - Osa Odighizuwa, DT
The defensive tackle will move up from the third round in this edition. Odighizuwa has emerged as a steady contributor on the interior of the Dallas defensive line. Since 2022, Odighizuwa has logged at least 3.0 sacks in each season. In 2025, he tallied 3.5 sacks with 44 total tackles. The UCLA product posted an elite 71.5 Run-Defensive Grade with an overall 65.9 Grade, placing him 41st among the 134 graded linemen.
Pick 27: Baltimore Ravens
Original Pick - Rashod Bateman, WR
New Pick - Dan Moore, OL
The Ravens will look to strengthen their offensive line in the No. 27 spot. Moore, out of Texas A&M, was initially selected with the 128th overall pick by the Steelers. He has played in a full-time role since his rookie season and has emerged as a reliable option in the passing game. Per PFF, Moore earned an above-average 62.5 Pass-Blocking Grade this past season with the Titans. However, he remained below the average marks in the rushing game, earning a much lower 59.1 Grade.
Pick 28: New Orleans Saints
Original Pick - Payton Turner, DE
New Pick - Kyle Pitts Sr., TE
The original No. 4 pick will slide to No. 28. While Pitts has shown immense upside at the time, he has yet to produce on a consistent basis. However, his recent 2025 campaign suggests the young tight end could be turning the corner. The former Florida standout enjoyed a career season in 2025, earning 88 receptions for 925 yards with five touchdowns. Throughout his five-year career, he posted a strong 11.4 YPR and caught 47 passes for greater than 20+ yards.
Pick 29: Green Bay Packers
Original Pick - Eric Stokes, DB
New Pick - Rhamondre Stevenson, RB
The former Day 3 selection out of Oklahoma will find a spot near the back end of the opening round. Stevenson, like Pitts, has at times shown solid upside but has had his fair share of struggles. During the 2024 season, he posted a career-high seven fumbles, which put his starting job into question. However, even though the Patriots drafted TreVeyon Henderson this past season, Stevenson still led the backfield, taking 130 carries for 607 yards and seven scores.
Pick 30: Buffalo Bills
Original Pick - Gregory Rousseau, DE
New Pick - Tre'Von Moehrig, S
The Bills will look to strengthen their secondary with Tre'Von Moehrig out of TCU. Moehrig has developed into an above-average impact player, especially when looking at his skills in the run game. Per PFF, the 26-year-old safety earned the 12th-highest grade among safeties this past season in that aspect of the game. However, his skills in coverage need work, as he earned a much lower 55.3 Grade, placing him well below the average mark at his position.
Pick 31: Baltimore Ravens
Original Pick - Odafe Oweh, LB
New Pick - Christian Darrisaw, OT
Darrisaw has played in only 17 games in his last two seasons, but has been a strong offensive tackle when active. In 2025, Darrisaw appeared in just 10 games for the Vikings but earned a strong 65.9 Overall Grade, placing him 47th among the 89 graded tackles. However, much of his production came in the passing game as he posted a strong 71.8 Grade, placing him 37th at his position.
Pick 32: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Original Pick - Joe Tryon, LB
New Pick - Jonathon Cooper, DE
The former seventh-round selection will conclude our redo of the opening round. Cooper joined the Broncos with the 239th overall selection, but will make the jump to the opening round. Cooper had a quiet start to his career but has emerged as an every-down contributor in the past three seasons. Since 2023, Cooper has posted three-straight seasons with 8.0 or more sacks. In 2025, Cooper totaled at least 50 tackles for their straight season and added a career-best four pass deflections.
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