By the end of the week, the dreams of hundreds of American football players will come true as they prepare to enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
After years of dedication and hard work throughout high school and college, players will get the chance to make a name for themselves as they nervously wait for the call from one of the 32 teams in the NFL.
This year’s draft will take place in Cleveland, Ohio, and we take a look at what could happen later this week.
Lawrence Bound for Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Jaguars will pick first in this year’s draft, and barring the biggest U-turn in recent memory, they will select Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence.
Jacksonville finished the 2020 season with a 1-15 record and it is unlikely to take them long to confirm Lawrence as their new quarterback.
Lawrence is already being described as the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck in 2012 and he appears to have the complete package.
The 21-year-old is tall, powerful and elusive and he finished his three-year Clemson career with 90 touchdowns to his name.
2021 – The Year of the QB
The 2021 Draft is stacked full of quarterback potential and several teams high up the rankings will likely opt for a new QB in the first round.
The New York Jets have already traded away regular starter Sam Darnold, so unless they want to struggle badly in 2021, they are picking a QB.
BYU’s Zach Wilson appears destined for the MetLife Stadium, but Ohio State’s Justin Fields, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and Alabama Crimson Tide’s Mac Jones are all possibly going to go inside the first ten picks of the draft.
.@OhioStateFB QB @justnfields has made a difference on and off the field.
: 2021 #NFLDraft — Thursday 8pm ET on NFLN/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/UEHZM2xTOY
— NFL (@NFL) April 27, 2021
History could also be made this week, with four QBs never going with the first four picks. QBs went 1-2-3 back in 1971 and 1999, but this year could see four selected in as many picks.
After the Jets, the San Fransisco 49ers will pick third, while Atalanta Falcons are also on the lookout for a new playmaker.
The 49ers are rumoured to be interested in Lance, and he is 6/4 to move to the west coast this month.
Expect Further Drama in Ohio
It would not be draft week without talk of possible trades, which could occur as the week goes on.
While teams are preparing their picks, some organisations may drop down the pecking order for more selections, should their number one choice get snapped up.
The Seattle Seahawks only have three picks and may be open to a trade, while the Philadelphia Eagles have the most with 11.
Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers will look to bolster their already high-quality roster and we are likely to see many twists and turns before the week is over.
There are seven rounds to look forward to his week and aside from the QB’s, there are plenty of wide receivers that catch the eye, with Ja’Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle all expected to be picked up in round one.
Tight end Kyle Pitts looks an incredible talent, and he may be the first non-QB player selected, but with so many talented players available, don’t be surprised to see some last-minute deals been done as teams scramble to climb the ladder.
*All odds correct at time of writing.