The NFL Draft 2025 is pending in a little more than two weeks. Until then, we use the time to look into the past. In the draft 2021, five quarterbacks were drawn in round 1. That was probably a mistake. Sport.de is reorganized according to today’s knowledge.
The teams’ hopes were great when five quarterbacks went into round 1. Too many of them no longer start for the respective teams or in general in the NFL. We also now know how valuable one or the other high -affirmed Wide receiver from back then really was. And: a defensive superstar jumps into the top 3 in this re-draft.
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This is the first part of our re-draft series of the past five years on sports.de.
NFL re-draft 2021
1. Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence, QB
Original pick: Trevor Lawrence
This pick may not look as good in 2025 as maybe a year ago, but Lawrence is still the best quarterback in its class and the Jaguars urgently needed a new QB at the time.
2. Pick: New York Jets – Ja’marr Chase, WR
Original pick: Zach Wilson, QB
Quarterback was a huge problem for the jets at the time, no question. But none of the quarterbacks that were available at the time would improve this construction site. Accordingly, the pick here is the best wide receiver in its class, because such can also help to make the off -road fundamental better.
3. Pick: San Francisco 49ers – Micah Parsons, Edge
Original pick: Trey Lance, QB
We have been talking about Nick Bosa for years that Nick Bosa needs a congenial partner at the defensive front. Here is the solution! Parsons and Bosa would be a terrifying duo. And from today’s perspective, Parsons would also justify a trade up to be honest.
4. Pick: Atlanta Falcons – Nico Collins, WR
Original pick: Kyle Pitts, Te
Kyle Pitts is still waiting for his breakthrough. Collins, on the other hand, has become one of the best X receivers of the NFL and the Falcons were able to use one very well at the time. And Chase is already gone.
5. Pick: Cincinnati Bengals – Penei Sewell, OT
Original pick: Ja’marr Chase, WR
The discussion at the time was what would help more-the top receiver (chase) or the top tackle (Sewell). Since Chase is already gone, it will now be Sewell, who would keep Burrow free in the long term.
6. Pick: Miami Dolphins – Amon -Ra St. Brown, WR
Original pick: Jaylen Waddle, WR
Nothing against Waddle, but St. Brown is far more productive than Waddle, especially out of the slot. It would fit perfectly into the game of the Dolphins and the short, fast passes from Tua. St. Brown makes an enormous leap from Pick 112 to Pick 6 compared to Pick 6.
7. Pick: Detroit Lions – Rashawn Slater, OT
Original pick: Penei Sewell, OT
Sewell is out, then the next best tackle to keep the great strength of this offense, the O-Line, stable. Slater has also made an outstanding career so far.
8. Pick: Carolina Panthers – Christian Darrisaw, OT
Original pick: Jaycee Horn, CB
Nothing against horn, but what the Panthers really needed at the time would have been a strong Left Tackle. And Darrisaw is the third really good thing in the then class.
9. Pick: Denver Broncos – Patrick Surtain II, CB
Original pick: Patrick Surtain II
Surtain is one of the best cornerbacks of the NFL. So why change something?
10. Pick: Dallas Cowboys – Creed Humphrey, C
Original pick: Devonta Smith, WR (Eagles)
Nothing against Tyler Biadasz, but the gap after the departure of Travis Frederick was enormous. Humphrey, on the other hand, developed into the best center of the NFL early on and would be an enormous upgrade accordingly.
11. Pick: New York Giants – Devonta Smith, WR
Original pick: Justin Fields, QB (Bears)
The Giants originally pulled back to 20 Kadarius Toney after a trade. This time you choose a real upgrade to wide receiver.
12. Pick: Philadelphia Eagles – Landon Dickerson, OG
Original pick: Micah Parsons, LB (cowboys)
Dickerson pulled the Eagles to position 37 at the time. Since Smith is gone, it will now be position 12 for one of the most important O-liners of this team. Because as we know, nothing is more important than stable lines.
13. Pick: Los Angeles Chargers – Kyle Pitts, Te
Original pick: Rashawn Slater, OT
A good receiving Tight End would have been good at the face back then. At this point, the Chargers pull Pitt’s and possibly put it in the scene than the Falcons in the past four years.
14. Pick: Minnesota Vikings – Gregory Rousseau, Edge
Original pick: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG (jets)
Pass Rush was not a great strength of the Vikings at the time, accordingly Rousseau could help here and help to compensate for the longer failure of Danielle Hunter at that time.
15. Pick: New England Patriots – Jaycee Horn, CB
Original pick: Mac Jones, QB
The topic of quarterback will not be clarified in this draft, insofar as you prefer to reinforce the secondary with Horn, which recently signed a monster contract in Carolina.
16. Pick: Arizona Cardinals – Christian Barmore, DT
Original pick: Zaven Collins, LB
The defensive front of the cardinals was quite manageable at the time. Barmore turned out to be a real stroke of luck of the Patriots in round 2 and should therefore help the cardinals immediately.
17. Pick: Las Vegas Raiders – Alim McNeill, dt
Original pick: Alex Leatherwood, Ol
Leatherwood was one of the worst picks in the second Gruden era at the Raiders. Instead, the Raiders strengthen the defensive line on this attempt and ensure that Maxx Crosby gets pass-rush help for years. McNeill is now one of the best inside rusher in the league.
18. Pick: Miami Dolphins – Jaelan Phillips, Edge
Original pick: Jaelan Phillips
In the end you go to potential and Phillips has demonstrated it in recent years if he was not injured. Accordingly, he remains the pick of the Dolphins at this point.
19. Pick: Washington Football Team – Pat Freelermuth, TE
Original pick: Jamin Davis, LB
Freelermuth would have been a good addition to the middle for top receiver Terry McLaurin. So you would have had a better option in the field of the field a few years before Zach Ertz.
20. Pick: Chicago Bears – Kwity Paye, Edge
Original pick: Kadarius Toney, WR (Giants)
Pass Rush was not an acute topic at the time, but from today’s perspective we know that Khalil Mack only made seven games in that season due to injury and was then traded to the Chargers. So Paye would be a good long -term successor here.
21. Pick: Indianapolis Colts – Odafe Oweh, Edge
Original pick: Kwity Paye, Edge
Pass rush was already the right move at the time. However, since Paye is already gone, we are moving up, which this time makes ten places into the NFL earlier.
22. Pick: Tennessee Titans – Trey Smith, OG
Original pick: Caleb Farley, CB
In 2021, the Titans’s O-Line was not quite as bad, but we just know how bad it would be in the following years. So Smith is the right handle here to get improvement at an early stage.
23. Pick: New York Jets – Alijah Vera -Tucker, Ol
Original pick: Christian Darrisaw, DT (Vikings)
At that time it took a trade to 14 to get AVT, this time patience is enough. At that time he was able to play both Tackle and Guard and will continue to do the latter for the jets.
24. Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers – Talanoa Hufanga, S
Original pick: Najee Harris, RB
Nothing against Harris, but the fact that after the end of his rookie contract he has already gone without the use of the 5th Year option in the Offseason 2024, makes it clear why a running back is usually a reach so early. Hufanga, on the other hand, would have been a strong addition to Minkah Fitzpatrick in the Backfield of the Steelers.
25. Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars – Travis Etienne, RB
Original pick: Travis Etienne
Etienne completely missed his rookie season, but then played big. The plus for him is that he is also a good receiver from the Backfield and therefore more valuable than Harris, for example. Accordingly, you can leave this pick.
26. Pick: Cleveland Browns – Jevon Holland, S
Original pick: Greg Newsome II, CB
Newsome was not a revelation for the browns, accordingly should be preceded here. Holland gives the Browns a star in the safety position that is a little off.
27. Pick: Baltimore Ravens – Asante Samuel Jr., CB
Original pick: Rashod Bateman, WR
At that time, Cornerback was quite manageable at the Ravens, while Bateman needed a little to become a useful playstation for Lamar Jackson. In other words, if you wanted to, you could pull it later.
28. Pick: New Orleans Saints – Greg Newsome II, CB
Original pick: Payton Turner, Edge
Cornerback was also a large construction site at the Saints, especially because Marshon Lattimore was missing more often. Newsome would have been at least a good reinforcement here. Especially early in his career compared to Paulson Adbo, who took a little longer to develop into a good player.
29. Pick: Green Bay Packers – Osa Odighizuwa, DT
Original pick: Eric Stokes, CB
Stokes was a mistake. Accordingly, the packers switch to Odighizuwa, who recently extended a lot of money from the cowboys. He will be an important colleague at the front for Kenny Clark, whose side people were not necessarily worth mentioning at the time.
30. Pick: Buffalo Bills – Sam Cosmi, OT
Original pick: Gregory Rousseau, Edge
Pass rush should be approached later, so that O-Line is the focus and there would be Cosmi, who initially played tackle and was mostly a right guard in Washington, an upgrade compared to the then third-round pick Spencer Brown.
31. Pick: Baltimore Ravens – Quinn Meinerz, C
Original pick: Odafe Oweh, Edge
The ravens moved Tyler Linderbaum in Draft 2022 in real life. With Meinerz, they would get an even better center a year earlier.
32. Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaners – Jeremiah Owusu -Koramoah, LB
Original pick: Joe Tryon Shoyinka, Edge
That may not have been so clear at the time, especially after the strong appearance in the Super Bowl against the Chiefs, but Devin White was not a particularly good line backer – he is still not today. JOK would be a clear upgrade in all matters – run defense, pass rush and coverage. He would have been the perfect addition to Lavonte David.
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