Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft is in the books. The day began with rumors of a Tim Tebow return and Aaron Rodgers‘ reported desire to part ways with the Green Bay Packers, and it ended with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selecting Washington edge defender Joe Tryon with the 32nd overall pick.
Instant analysis for all 32 of those first-round picks can be found here, but now the attention shifts to Day 2. There is still plenty of talent left on the PFF 2021 NFL Draft Board, which is headlined by Alabama's Christian Barmore, PFF’s 12th-ranked player.
Here is one player who should be on the radar for each NFL team entering Round 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft.
View PFF's 2021 NFL Draft position rankings:
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ARZ | ATL | BLT | BUF | CAR | CIN | CHI | CLE | DEN | DAL | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LVR | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WFT
Arizona Cardinals: WR Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
I wouldn’t have hated the value had the Cardinals selected Moore with their first-round pick. Needless to say, he would be a slam-dunk selection for Arizona on Day 2 even if it requires a trade up from 49th overall.
Moore brings an ideal blend of speed and quicks as a slot receiver who isn’t necessarily limited to the slot. He was uber-productive for Ole Miss this past season, putting up nearly 1,200 receiving yards in just eight games for the Rebels. He’s not in the same tier as rumored first-round target Jaylen Waddle, but he would provide a vertical threat to Arizona’s offense to pair with DeAndre Hopkins.
Atlanta Falcons: DI Christian Barmore, Alabama
The Falcons could potentially come away from the first two rounds in this draft with the fourth and 12th ranked players on PFF’s Big Board. They have needs across their defense, including difference makers on the interior defensive line alongside Grady Jarrett.
Barmore has rare flexibility for a man of his size and an ideal build to rush the passer from the interior. He was at his best on the biggest stage in the college football playoffs this past season, particularly in the semifinal matchup against Notre Dame (92.2 PFF grade). A weakness could quickly become a strength with his addition alongside improvement from 2020 second-round selection Marlon Davidson.
Baltimore Ravens: T Stone Forsythe, Florida
The Ravens are without a second-round pick following the Orlando Brown Jr. trade, meaning any offensive line help will have to come with one of their two selections at the back end of the third round.
Forsythe, PFF’s 82nd-ranked player overall, could be the top tackle available in that range. His grading profile in two starting seasons at Florida is relatively pedestrian, but Forsythe does have an intriguing combination of size and feet that could be worth a look for Baltimore late on Day 2.
Buffalo Bills: CB Kelvin Joseph, Kentucky
Buffalo did re-sign Levi Wallace this offseason, but they could still use some competition at the outside cornerback spot opposite Tre’Davious White.
Joseph has first-round athletic traits that are worth taking a chance on at the back end of Round 2 if he’s still available. He showed some of the best burst of any cornerback in this class on tape and played in a zone-heavy scheme in Kentucky. More consistent play in the NFL could lead to whoever ends up selecting Joseph on Day 2 receiving one of the steals of the draft.
Carolina Panthers: T Samuel Cosmi, Texas
The Panthers bypassed the tackle position in the first round. That means they are still in need of a starter to protect Sam Darnold’s blindside in his first year with the team. Luckily for them, the board seems to have broken favorably with multiple quality tackle options falling out of Round 1. Cosmi is one of them.
Cosmi earned an 82.8 pass-blocking grade in his first year of action with Texas in 2018, and that grade only went up in the two subsequent seasons. He also delivered one of the more absurd pro-day performances of any prospect this year. He would immediately step in as the favorite to win the left tackle job over the other options currently on Carolina’s roster.
Chicago Bears: WR Rondale Moore, Purdue
Chicago was undoubtedly one of the biggest winners of the first round, taking advantage of Justin Fields’ slide outside of the top 10. Now, it’s time to give him some more to work with on offense.
Moore’s size could continue to push him down boards in Round 2, but there are few wide receivers in this class more dynamic than he is with the ball in their hands. That was on full display in 2018 when Moore forced 37 missed tackles after the catch as a true freshman. Both Anthony Miller’s and Allen Robinson’s future with the team is uncertain, making this as good a time as any for Chicago to reload at the position.
Cincinnati Bengals: T Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State
The Bengals couldn’t script a better outcome for the first two rounds than for Jenkins to fall into their laps after selecting Ja’Marr Chase in Round 1.
Jenkins steadily improved each of his four seasons with Oklahoma State, capping off his collegiate career with a 92.0 PFF grade in 2020. He’s a bully in the run game and never graded below 75.0 as a pass protector across four seasons with the Cowboys. His addition would be big for the group tasked with protecting Joe Burrow, whether it’s Jenkins sliding inside or one of Jonah Williams or Riley Reiff.
Cleveland Browns: LB Nick Bolton, Missouri
Linebacker was one of the more commonly mocked positions to the Browns in the first round but coming away with Greg Newsome II in Round 1 and Bolton in Round 2 would be a significantly better outcome than any combination of first-round linebacker and second-round cornerback.
Bolton isn’t nearly the same level of athlete as fellow linebackers in this class like Micah Parsons or Jamin Davis. He plays the linebacker position like it’s supposed to be played, though. His instincts, processing and downhill play are all among the best in this class. Bolton would help solidify a position that doesn’t have much clarity heading into next season.
Dallas Cowboys: S Andre Cisco, Syracuse
Cisco would be a bit of a reach with Dallas’ second-round pick, but Round 3 might be the sweet spot for one of the only true single-high free safeties in this class. It’s a position that the Cowboys are still on the hunt for under new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
The Syracuse safety isn’t lacking in the playmaking department with 26 career pass breakups and interceptions in 24 career games. He pairs that playmaking ability with ideal size and range for the position. The team that selects him will just have to live with the ‘lows’ that come with the ‘highs’ given his style of play, especially early in his career.
Denver Broncos: T Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State
The Broncos stole headlines before the 2021 NFL Draft kicked off with a reported link to Aaron Rodgers. It’s hard to be overly critical of them passing on Justin Fields and Mac Jones in the first round because of those rumors. Similarly, it doesn’t make much sense to give them a second-tier quarterback prospect here.
Ja’Wuan James is expected to return at right tackle for Denver after two lost seasons, one to injury and one to opt out, since signing with the team prior to the 2019 season. The Broncos could provide an ideal situation for Radunz to ease into a reserve role and continue to add strength in an NFL weight room before stepping into a starting role. He has the natural athleticism that you want to see at the position and impressed in his opportunity at the Senior Bowl.
Detroit Lions: WR Terrace Marshall Jr., LSU
Widely rumored to be one of the more likely trade-down candidates in the NFL, Detroit opted to stay put at No. 7 overall and add a blue-chip offensive line talent in Penei Sewell. They should have several options to continue adding to the offense toward the top of Round 2, namely at a wide receiver position where they lost their top three targets from last year’s team.
Marshall was mentioned as one of the prospects whose medicals were flagged entering the 2021 NFL Draft, but he’s a first-round talent if healthy. He is one of the most physically gifted receivers in this class with an ideal blend of size and speed to play outside. The Lions need to continue to add to a receiving corps that is currently led by free agent signings Breshad Perriman and Tyrell Williams.
Green Bay Packers: T Jackson Carman, Clemson
The Packers are set to lose two starters from their 2020 offensive line that was one of the best in the NFL — Corey Linsley and Rick Wagner. They could use some additional depth across the line.
Carman started each of the past two seasons at left tackle for Clemson but has been mentioned as a potential candidate to move inside to guard thanks to sub-33 inch arms. He’s a good enough athlete at his size to where a team like the Packers should at least want to see how he looks outside at tackle. Carman is coming off a career-high 79.2 PFF grade with the Tigers in 2020.
Houston Texans: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC
The Texans currently own a league-low projected win total of 4.5 wins, but they don’t make their first selection in the 2021 NFL Draft until the third round (67th overall). Needless to say, they could go a number of different directions with needs across the roster.
Some additional depth at wide receiver beyond Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb and Keke Coutee is a good place to start. St. Brown won’t be limited schematically with experience both inside and outside in his time at USC and the ability to run a full route tree. He earned receiving grades of 72.0 or higher in all three of his seasons with the Trojans.
Indianapolis Colts: T Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame
The Colts addressed a need at edge in the first round with their selection of Kwity Paye, but that leaves a starting hole at left tackle. Indianapolis shouldn’t feel comfortable with that position coming down to a competition between Sam Tevi and Julie’n Davenport.
Eichenberg is one of the most technically sound tackle prospects in this draft class. As such, he’s one of the higher-floor prospects in this class despite a lack of high-end traits. Eichenberg has started each of the past three seasons for Notre Dame and is coming off a career-high 89.9 PFF grade in 2020. The Colts could look to pair him with former teammate Quenton Nelson on the left side of their offensive line.
Jacksonville Jaguars: S Trevon Moehrig, TCU
Moehrig was one of the more commonly mocked options to Jacksonville with their second first-round pick. The Jaguars passed on that opportunity to select Clemson’s Travis Etienne, but they’ll have another chance at Moehrig at the top of Round 2.
The addition of Rayshawn Jenkins in free agency doesn’t change the fact that Jacksonville could use a versatile, playmaking safety in their defense. Moehrig has notched 20 combined pass breakups across his last two seasons and has the size and explosiveness to line up at multiple positions in the secondary.
Kansas City Chiefs: EDGE Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma
Orlando Brown Jr. fills the glaring hole at left tackle for Kansas City. The addition of Jarran Reed in free agency brought on discussion of more snaps outside for Chris Jones, but the team could still use some additional pass-rush help on the edge across from Frank Clark.
Perkins could offer some legitimate pass-rushing juice at the beach end of the second round. He broke out with a 90.4 pass-rushing grade in six games during the 2020 season, recording a career-high 32 pressures despite playing roughly half the snaps that he did in the prior two years.
Las Vegas Raiders: S Richie Grant, UCF
After deciding to address the offensive line in Round 1, the Raiders are still without a playmaking free safety for Gus Bradley’s new defense in Las Vegas.
Grant doesn’t have elite range, but he makes up for it with his processing speed. He’s played all over the secondary for UCF over the course of his collegiate career and pairs a diverse skill set in coverage with a willingness to come down and provide support in the run game.
Los Angeles Chargers: S Jevon Holland, Oregon
Holland is one of the more intriguing defensive back prospects in this draft. He delivered 80-plus PFF grades in two different roles for Oregon, playing more of a true safety role in 2018 before playing most of his snaps in the slot for the Ducks in 2019. He has the size, playmaking ability and intelligence to be an early contributor for Brandon Staley’s defense in Los Angeles alongside Derwin James if still available at No. 47 overall.
Los Angeles Rams: IOL Kendrick Green, Illinois
Green has some guard-center flexibility but would likely compete for the starting center job that Austin Blythe vacated. His 92.3 run-blocking grade on outside zone this past season at Illinois would fit right into the Rams’ offense.
Miami Dolphins: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame
Owusu-Koramoah dropping out of the first round, leapfrogged by both Zaven Collins and Jamin Davis, was one of the more surprising developments of Thursday night. He has the versatility and coverage ability to be a defensive chess piece for Brian Flores’ defense, whether playing Will linebacker, nickel or safety depending on the situation. JOK earned coverage grades above 77.0 in each of the past two seasons despite his coverage role aligning more with a slot cornerback than a typical linebacker.
Minnesota Vikings: G Trey Smith, Tennessee
The Vikings were one of the winners of Round 1 after trading down and still landing Virginia Tech tackle Christian Darrisaw. They should still be looking to add to the offensive line following that selection, though.
Smith stands out as one of the better third-round guard targets coming out of Tennessee. He dealt with medical issues throughout his collegiate career, but it’s not hard to see why Smith was a five-star recruit coming out of high school. The physical traits are there. He would add some much-needed competition to a group that expects to see players like Mason Cole and Kyle Hinton compete for starting jobs.
New England Patriots: LB Baron Browning, Ohio State
Browning has a ways to go when it comes to making traditional linebacker reads, but he does have the size and athletic profile to play a hybrid, Dont’a Hightower role in Bill Belichick’s defense. Browning has graded higher as a pass rusher in each of the past two seasons for Ohio State than he has in any other facet. There isn’t a much better fit for him in the NFL than New England, who could continue to look to add to their front seven after bringing in several pieces in free agency.
New Orleans Saints: LB Jabril Cox, LSU
Cornerback remains the Saints’ biggest need after New Orleans added to their defensive line in Round 1 with the selection of Payton Turner. However, it would be difficult to pass on what Cox could offer in coverage at the back end of the second round with an aging Demario Davis and little proven depth behind him at linebacker.
Cox has earned PFF coverage grades of at least 83.0 in three straight seasons as a starter across time spent with both North Dakota State and LSU. There’s little reason to believe that won’t continue in the NFL with his movement skills and length. With the way that the NFL is going, that’s the more valuable skill at the linebacker position than stout play downhill against the run.
New York Giants: IOL Landon Dickerson, Alabama
General manager Dave Gettleman defied the odds and traded down in Round 1, securing an after-the-catch threat for the offense in Kadarius Toney. New York should continue to look to build around Daniel Jones in a prove-it year by adding to the offensive line on Day 2.
Dickerson is a first-round talent whose injury history knocked him out of the first round. He could play any position along the interior for the Giants after the team released their top offensive lineman from a season ago, Kevin Zeitler, earlier this offseason. Dickerson is coming off a career-high 91.3 PFF grade for Alabama at center in 2020.
New York Jets: CB Asante Samuel Jr., Florida State
The Jets have arguably the worst cornerback group in the NFL as things stand right now. It would be a surprise if they left Day 2 without addressing the position.
Samuel is the top cornerback available on PFF’s board coming out of Round 1, and he looks to be a solid fit in Robert Saleh’s defense. He brings some of the best instincts of any cornerback in this class. That’s evident in a 21.9% career forced incompletion rate at Florida State.
Philadelphia Eagles: CB Aaron Robinson, UCF
The Eagles’ two biggest needs entering the 2021 NFL Draft were playmakers on the perimeter. They addressed the offensive side of the ball by trading up for Alabama’s DeVonta Smith in Round 1, leaving the cornerback position as the clear position to target on Day 2.
Robinson manned the slot for UCF, but he has the size and press experience to potentially move outside. His speed, short-area burst and physicality should all be appealing to an Eagles’ defense that needs an injection of talent at cornerback alongside 2020 trade acquisition Darius Slay.
Pittsburgh Steelers: T Walker Little, Stanford
The Steelers passed on clear needs along the offensive line in the first round to address the running back position. It’s difficult to imagine them leaving Friday night without adding at least one offensive lineman, though.
Little is the tackle prospect with the highest upside likely to be available for Pittsburgh at the back end of the second round. A PFF favorite, Little ranked as OT4 and 26th overall on our board entering the draft. Little hasn’t played meaningful snaps in nearly two years due to injury and opt out, but he earned an 81.2 pass-blocking grade as a true sophomore in 2018 and has ideal physical traits for the position. He’s worth a bet for a Steelers’ offense that is slated to start Chukwuma Okorafor and Zach Banner at tackle next season.
San Francisco 49ers: CB Elijah Molden, Washington
Molden isn’t the biggest or the fastest defensive back in this draft, but he is one of the best football players. The Washington slot cornerback followed up a 90.9 coverage grade in 2019 with another 85-plus coverage grade in a limited Pac-12 schedule this past season. That coverage ability is paired with physical tackling and a willingness to come down and make plays in the run game.
Molden’s floor seems to be a quality starting slot cornerback, but there’s a chance that he could contribute at safety, as well. His player comp in the PFF Draft Guide is current 49ers safety Jimmie Ward.
Seattle Seahawks: CB Benjamin St-Juste, Minnesota
Seattle’s top options at cornerback currently consist of DJ Reed Jr., Tre Flowers, Ahkello Witherspoon and Pierre Desir. It’s a group that could use some more talent. St-Juste is one of the longest cornerbacks in this draft class at 6-foot-3 with an 80-plus inch wingspan, and he tested extremely well in the change-of-direction drills (three-cone and shuttle) at his pro day. That’s a rare skill set.
The best part for the Seahawks is that there is a good chance that they can trade down from the 56th overall pick and still land St-Juste at some point in Round 3.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: IOL Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater
The Buccaneers have the luxury of planning for the future with no immediate holes to fill on their roster. Meinerz has drawn connections to current Tampa Bay guard Ali Marpet as an athletic, small-school riser after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl in Mobile. He would provide insurance both at center for Ryan Jensen and right guard for Alex Cappa, both of whom are entering the last year of their respective contracts.
Tennessee Titans: WR Josh Palmer, Tennessee
The Titans might be able to wait on Palmer until Day 3, but he’s good enough of a prospect to garner consideration in the third round.
Don’t let Palmer’s lackluster production fool you. Over 35% of the passes thrown his way over the last two seasons were charted as uncatchable in a Tennessee offense that did him no favors. He has the suddenness as a route runner to create separation underneath and in the intermediate range, and he was one of the few receivers to beat Patrick Surtain II over the top last season. Palmer could provide a sorely needed complement to A.J. Brown on an offense that lost both Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith this offseason.
Washington Football Team: QB Kyle Trask, Florida
Ryan Fitzpatrick gives this offense a better chance in 2021 than any of the quarterbacks Washington had to work with last season. Fitzpatrick is also 38 years old, and there is no viable young, alternative at the quarterback position currently on the roster.
Trask took a big leap forward this past season for Florida. Even with a disappointing performance in the Gators’ bowl game against Oklahoma, Trask improved his PFF grade from 69.9 in 2019 to 92.2 in 2020. He lacks the high-end traits that would have included him in the first-round conversation, but there’s a chance Trask could continue to improve in the NFL considering these last two seasons were his first two years as a starter, including high school.
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