After winning the NFC East with a 7-9 record, the Washington Football Team will have the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. During the draft last year, Washington traded Trent Williams to the San Francisco 49ers. As part of the deal, Washington will receive the 49ers’ 2021 third-round pick (74th overall), giving them four picks in the top 82 selections. Assuming Washington re-signs All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff, their biggest need heading into the draft will likely be quarterback. Before free agency kicks off, let’s take a look at how Washington could attack the 2021 NFL Draft in this seven-round mock draft.
To help with this mock draft, I used The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL Team Mock Drafts.
Round 1, Pick 19: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
Don’t be surprised to see Washington go in a different direction at quarterback instead of selecting one in the first round of the draft. Whether that is rolling with Kyle Allen, signing Cam Newton, or trading for Teddy Bridgewater, Washington isn’t locked into selecting a quarterback in the first round. However, if they decide to use their first-round pick on a quarterback, Washington could trade up for Justin Field or Trey Lance. If trading up isn’t an option, expect them to target Jones at pick 19. Jones had a 10-1 touchdown to interception ratio in his final year at Alabama and will be a top-20 pick.
Round 2, Pick 51: Richie Grant, SAF, UCF
Washington found the steal of the 2020 draft with the selection of Kamren Curl in the seventh round. As a rookie, Curl started 11 games and had 88 total tackles. While Landon Collins is coming off a torn Achilles, he should be ready for Week 1. However, Washington will likely move on from Collins after the 2021 season. Grant has gotten some first-round buzz lately and would be an excellent addition to the Washington defense. He would start as the third safety, but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he takes Collins’ starting spot before the end of the season.
Round 3, Pick 74: Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
Entering free agency, Washington has five linebackers scheduled to hit the open market. Even without all the upcoming free agents, Washington needs to upgrade at the linebacker position. 2019 fifth-round pick Cole Holcomb is part of the future, but Washington lacks any other starting options on the roster. Before suffering a season-ending injury in the offseason, Moses projected as a first-round pick in 2020. However, he returned to Alabama for his senior year, totaling 76 tackles and his second career interception this season. If he can stay healthy, Moses will be a steal in the third round.
For more on Moses, check out our scouting report on him here.
Round 3, Pick 82: Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State
The left tackle spot has been an issue for Washington over the last two seasons. Williams sat out the entire 2019 season, which led to his trade to San Francisco. Then, last season, Washington used several players at left tackle. Of the group, Cornelius Lucas had the most success. He had only one penalty on 536 offensive snaps. While Lucas is under contract for next season, he has never been a full-time starter in his career and shouldn’t be considered the long-term answer at left tackle. Radunz made 32 consecutive starts at left tackle to close out his career at North Dakota State and would be a steal for Washington at this point in the draft.
Round 4, Pick 124: Nico Collins, WR, Michigan
Rumors are Washington plans to be aggressive in adding a wide receiver in free agency. Two names that have been linked to Washington are Allen Robinson and Curtis Samuel. Even if Washington can land one of them, that shouldn’t stop them from adding a wide receiver in the draft. Collins opted out of the 2020 season, but in 2019, he set career-highs with 37 catches for 729 yards and seven touchdowns despite poor quarterback play. While Washington spent a fourth-round pick on Antonio Gandy-Golden last year, the only wide receiver currently on the roster guaranteed to make the final 53 is Terry McLaurin. Adding a wide receiver during the draft is a must for Washington.
Round 5, Pick 164: Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
Like many players, Adebo opted out of the 2020 season. However, Adebo was named first-team All-Pac-12 in his sophomore and junior seasons at Stanford. In January 2020, he announced he was returning for his senior year. After opting out, many have forgotten what Adebo did at Stanford. In two seasons, he totaled 97 tackles and eight interceptions in only 22 games. Washington hopes they can re-sign Ronald Darby, but given his injury history, the team must be cautious with how much money they offer. Even if Darby is back for next season, you can never have too many good cornerbacks.
Round 7, Pick 239: Chris Evans, RB, Michigan
When Washington selected Antonio Gibson in the third round last year, his role was undetermined. At that time, Washington had just signed two running backs in free agency to go along with Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice on the roster. However, after Peterson and Guice’s release, Gibson took over as the lead back. While he has earned the lead role, Washington would be smart to add a running back on day three. During his time at Michigan, Evans averaged 5.6 yards per carry and had 49 catches. He would be an ideal target to add depth to the Washington backfield.
Round 7, Pick 241: Matt Bushman, TE, BYU
Logan Thomas had a breakout season in 2020, more than doubling his previous career total in catches. Furthermore, his six touchdowns in 2020 led the team. While Thomas is entering a contract year, he is part of the team’s future. However, the depth behind him is thin. Bushman suffered an Achilles injury in practice and missed the entire 2020 season. During his junior season, Bushman set career-highs with 688 yards and four touchdowns. Even if Washington adds a tight end in free agency, don’t be surprised to see them use a day three pick on the position.
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