2021 NFL Mock Draft Submissions

It feels like every year Miami has to go to London. Not fair. If they were smart, they would make every team play there each year. They could have two games for eight weeks during the middle of the season, with those four teams getting a bye week immediately following. Keeps things equal.

Dolphins have played 4 international games, Jacksonville has played 7 (8 and 5 after this season). Only the Packers haven't played an international game. Oakland played twice in Mexico - I think they are massively popular there. The Chiefs have also played in Mexico the last 2 years, against both LA teams. I'm thinking they're going to be using the most popular teams as they move to more locations.

Going forward it seems they have some kind of system to ensure every team hosts a game every 8 years.

More info here: https://www.nfl.com/news/ow...ing-plan

« Last edited by steelersrock01 on Aug 28th 2021 »

I get that the Jags and Phins are Londons two favorite teams, but they cannot just keep sending them there. More variety is definitely needed.

Let Miami be the Mexico Porpoises for a change. lol

Apparently the Jags actually volunteer to go to London every year. The owner owns a second-tier London soccer team, too.

If it was down to me the NFL pre season would be three games and the teams would take it in turns playing them in London, Mexico, wherever. The extra week before the NFL season would then allow every team to prepare for the start of the season so everyone is on level pegging. Having to travel to London or wherever during the season itself is a big disruption for the teams involved.

That makes sense, but it goes counter to the bigger idea that the NFL is trying to "grow the game" internationally. Having those international games played 75% nobodies who will be cut the next week isn't exciting.

Most NFL fans in Europe can't name you three or four players in a team, it's just the superstar quarterbacks like Brady, Mahomes and Rogers they have heard of. It's the glitz and glamour that attracts them to the game. Half the fans probably don't fully know the rules either. The NFL would just need to stipulate that each team's starters must play a certain number of downs and everyone is happy.

That's true, but if they see a preseason type game and get interested and go look at highlights of real games, they're either going to know they're being sold an inferior product or they're going to think the quality of the league is way down if they don't realize most of the players are backups.

Tricky one that, If I remember correctly the NFL advertises them as 'exhibition games' in Europe, regardless that they are live season games that count towards the playoffs.

At the end of the day I can see both sides, for the teams it's a distraction they can do without and the NFL wants to promote their product.In that case why don't the NFL send teams towards the end of the season when they have been eliminated from the playoffs.

It all comes down to money. Most things, sadly, do.

I just ask to make it fair. Miami and Jacksonville have done their part.

Funny enough my wife's parents live five minutes away from Wembley stadium in London and all the sports shops in the area only sell Jacksonville Jaguars merchandise, there's even a Jacksonville Jaguars shop there.

« Last edited by Sanzano on Aug 29th 2021 »

Yeah. It is definitely there home away from home. But you would expect that after they have gone there close to ten times. lol

Yeah, the owner volunteers for them to go every year. I guess it's a smart move to be the only team really trying to grow a fanbase in the UK. Even if most people don't care they can at least sell some gear as a novelty.

The Jags have needed it. They have not done well in Jacksonville for a while, but I think Lawrence will help change that.

Lawrence isn?t making much difference at the moment, the Jags need to give him decent help. It must be awful coming out of college touted as a generational type player who should end up in the Hall of Fame only to find yourself starting your NFL career on the worst team in the league. How many first pick in the first round quarterbacks have won a Super Bowl in recent times, the only ones I can think of are John Elway, Troy Aikman, and Peyton Manning, you are literally handicapped before you throw a ball.

« Last edited by Sanzano on Sep 25th 2021 »

Yeah, it usually takes a couple years for a team that picks #1 to build the rest of the team. Most recent ones that have made it are Jared Goff from the 2016 Draft, who lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2018, his third season. Carson Wentz was the #2 in that draft, and while they won the Super Bowl in 2017 Wentz was famously hurt and Foles led them in the playoffs.

Before that you have to go back to the 2011 draft with Cam Newton at #1, they made it to the SB in 2015 and lost to the Broncos.

Since then you've got Baker Mayfield from 2018 and Kyler Murray from 2019 that probably have the best shot at making it.

It's just really hard to make it to the Super Bowl, especially when you're drafted to a bad team and you've got Brady making it in one of the leagues almost every year.

« Last edited by steelersrock01 on Sep 26th 2021 »

Exactly. The Jags are clearly so bad across the board that Lawrence will not make much of a difference until those holes are filled. Cannot hurt this year since another high pick would be extremely helpful. They could trade out and stockpile picks or select the top OT or DE.

I don't understand why teams get their franchise quarterback first and then build around them. It doesn't make sense to me. To begin with you are placing the potential saviour of your franchise in a team with inadequate protection so there is a higher risk of them getting injured and by the time you have built your team around the player they could be six years into their NFL career and banged up and on a huge contract. Isn't it better to get the team in place first and then place your franchise quarterback last?

It is a QB League, so it will always be this way. Cannot hurt to build a team first, but the pressure on a coach and gm to succeed quickly is ehat drives drafting a QB.

Surely these GMs look back at history and see how these great NFL dynasties were created. Aside from the 70's Pittsburgh Steelers and the 90's Cowboys which were basically a couple of once in a lifetime drafts, most other teams are built up slowly. The quarterback sits on the bench for the first couple of seasons watching the pro and then takes over when he is ready. Young sat behind Montana and Rodgers sat behind Favre are the two most recent examples I can think of. Young did start from day one with the Bucs, but he was terrible, it was only because Bill Walsh saw something in him that he traded for him. He didn't like sitting behind Montana but when he did take over he found his way into the Hall of Fame.

I think the top quarterbacks in the draft at the moment are those below

SPENCER RATTLER
SAM HOWELL
MALIK WILLIS

I'm hearing rumors that Washington are interested in Makik Willis, does anyone know if he is he any good? I know absolutely nothing about him.