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Three-round 2021 NFL mock draft 1.0: Kyle Trask only QB selected in Round 3

With the NFL Scouting Combine changing formats this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reese's Senior Bowl was the last opportunity NFL scouts and decision-markers will have to see such a large cluster of top-level talent compete for positioning in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Most who excelled at the Senior Bowl are listed in my first mock draft of the year. Quarterback Mac Jones (Alabama) played well enough during practices to secure first-round grades. Edge rusher Carlos "Boogie" Basham was dominant at the point of attack, showing that his relative drop in production in 2020 should not overshadow his talents. Receivers lacking size but displaying great quickness made names for themselves, with D'Wayne Eskridge (Western Michigan), Cade Johnson (South Dakota State) and Amari Rodgers (Clemson) turning heads. Small-school offensive linemen Quinn Meinerz (Wisconsin-Whitewater) and Dillon Radunz (North Dakota State) backed up their tape with outstanding performances against FBS stars.

Another dozen Senior Bowlers could be in the first-to-third-round mix come April, but they just missed the cut here due to fierce competition. About 60 to 70 underclassmen and seniors who were not in attendance in Mobile, Alabama, will also be fighting to go in the first three rounds, so some worthy candidates will have to wait until Day 3 to hear their names called.

The free-agent compensatory picks listed in this exercise are based on Lance Zierlein's projections from last April. The official list will be made available by the league over the next few weeks. Four additional picks were added to the end of the third round for franchises losing minority employees to head coach or general manager positions throughout the league. These teams gain a third-round compensatory selection in 2022, as well. The San Francisco 49ers will also receive a third-round compensatory pick in the 2023 draft because two of their employees were hired away this cycle (Robert Saleh by the Jets; Martin Mayhew by Washington). The two tiers of compensatory picks are listed based on record and strength of schedule.

The Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff trade between the Lions and Rams, which included L.A. sending a 2021 third-round pick to Detroit, is factored into this mock. However, it is not yet clear which of the Rams' two third-round picks the Lions will receive once the trade becomes official on March 17. For now, I'm assuming it will be the Rams' original selection.

(UPDATE: After this file was published, the Eagles agreed to trade Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2021 third-rounder and a conditional second-rounder in 2022, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported.)

Pick
65
Elerson Smith · Edge rusher

School: Northern Iowa | Year: Junior (RS)

Pick
66
Dylan Moses · LB

School: Alabama | Year: Senior

Pick
67
D'Wayne Eskridge · WR

School: Western Michigan | Year: Senior (RS)

Pick
68
Ronnie Perkins · Edge rusher

School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior

Pick
69
Wyatt Davis · OG

School: Ohio State | Year: Junior (RS)

Pick
70
Patrick Jones II · Edge rusher

School: Pittsburgh | Year: Senior (RS)

Pick
71
Jackson Carman · OT

School: Clemson | Year: Junior

Pick
72
Quincy Roche · Edge rusher

School: Miami | Year: Senior (RS)

Pick
73
Shaun Wade · CB

PROJECTED TRADE WITH PANTHERS


School: Ohio State | Year: Junior (RS)

Pick
74
Amari Rodgers · WR

School: Clemson | Year: Senior

Pick
75
Brevin Jordan · TE

School: Miami | Year: Junior

Pick
76
Creed Humphrey · C

School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior (RS)

Pick
77
Jordan Smith · Edge rusher

School: UAB | Year: Junior (RS)

Pick
78
Kyle Trask · QB

School: Florida | Year: Senior (RS)

Pick
79
Hamilcar Rashed Jr. · Edge rusher

School: Oregon State | Year: Senior (RS)

Pick
80
Jevon Holland · S

School: Oregon | Year: Junior

Pick
81
Frank Darby · WR

School: Arizona State | Year: Senior (RS)

Pick
82
Larry Rountree III · RB

School: Missouri | Year: Senior

Pick
83
Hamsah Nasirildeen · S

School: Florida State | Year: Senior

Pick
84
Tyson Campbell · CB

School: Georgia | Year: Junior


(UPDATE: The Indianapolis Colts have agreed to trade their 2021 third-round pick and a conditional second-rounder in 2022 to the Eagles in exchange for Carson Wentz, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported.)

Pick
85
Michael Carter · RB

School: North Carolina | Year: Senior

Pick
86
JaCoby Stevens · S

School: LSU | Year: Senior

Pick
87
Jaret Patterson · RB

School: Buffalo | Year: Junior

Pick
88
Richie Grant · S

School: UCF | Year: Senior (RS)

Pick
89
Kelvin Joseph · CB

School: Kentucky | Year: Sophomore (RS)

Pick
90
Trey Smith · OG

School: Tennessee | Year: Senior

Pick
91
Tylan Wallace · WR

School: Oklahoma State | Year: Senior

Pick
92
Elijah Moore · WR

School: Ole Miss | Year: Junior

Pick
93
Quinn Meinerz · OG

School: Wisconsin-Whitewater | Year: Senior 

Pick
94
Amon-Ra St. Brown · WR

School: USC | Year: Junior

Pick
95
Derrick Barnes · LB

School: Purdue | Year: Senior

Pick
96
Brady Christensen · OT

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION


School: BYU | Year: Junior (RS)

Pick
97
Alim McNeill · DT

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION


School: North Carolina State | Year: Junior

Pick
98
Tyler Shelvin · DT

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION


School: LSU | Year: Junior

Pick
99
Aaron Banks · OG

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION


School: Notre Dame | Year: Senior

Pick
100
Tommy Togiai · DT

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION


School: Ohio State | Year: Junior

Pick
101
Chris Rumph II · Edge rusher

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION


School: Duke | Year: Junior (RS)

Pick
102
Baron Browning · LB

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION


School: Ohio State | Year: Senior

Pick
103
Payton Turner · Edge rusher

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION FOR ROBERT SALEH HIRE


School: Houston | Year: Senior

Pick
104
D'Ante Smith · OT

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION FOR BRAD HOLMES HIRE


School: East Carolina | Year: Senior (RS)

Pick
105
Trey Hill · C

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION FOR DAVID CULLEY HIRE


School: Georgia | Year: Junior

Pick
106
Ar'Darius Washington · S

PROJECTED COMPENSATORY SELECTION FOR TERRY FONTENOT HIRE


School: TCU | Year: Sophomore (RS)

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