ESPN.ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. released a new mock draft for the 2021 NFL Draft and as usual it was rife with bold predictions.
For the first time ever, Kiper decided to factor in trades to his mock draft. The result was QB Zach Wilson going No. 2 overall to the Atlanta Falcons, who traded up with the New York Jets.
Kiper also had the San Francisco 49ers trading up to No. 7 to take QB Justin Fields, and the New England Patriots trading up to No. 9 to take QB Trey Lance.
As with any mock draft from a top network analyst, NFL fans are sharply divided. Fans of teams who feel like they get screwed over in a trade are especially heated right now.
I want Mel Kiper drug tested #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/TkkhiqRIq4
— Nicholas Wilson (@NickWilsonSays) February 25, 2021
Falcons move up to 2 for Zach Wilson? LOL that’s dumb
— UniteChopRise (@UniteChopRise) February 25, 2021
Trading up for Trey Lance is like trading up for Mitch Trubisky.
— Steven Bogdan (@StevenBogdan1) February 25, 2021
If the Jets take a TE at #4 the world would explode
— Brennan Merone (@brennanmerone) February 25, 2021
But Ohio State fans are happy to see that Kiper is taking such a supportive stance of Fields.
Mel Kiper standing up for our boy Justin 🤝 pic.twitter.com/2mrICXyo4U
— Barstool OSU (@BarstoolOSU) February 25, 2021
I like the way Mel Kiper thinks! Mock it into existence, Mel. pic.twitter.com/iLXvqtWIgk
— Crocky (@eric_crocker) February 25, 2021
Mel Kiper is sick of the Justin Fields hate. Mel's glasses were steamed up for this segment. https://t.co/4wT1LVoQVY
— jbook™ (@jbook37) February 25, 2021
Mel Kiper doesn’t exactly have a perfect track record when it comes to predicting drafts, or which players will succeed. But neither does anyone else for the most part.
There’s about two months until the 2021 NFL Draft, and that we haven’t even see free agency yet.
No doubt Kiper’s latest mock draft and just about everyone else’s will change dramatically after free agency starts in a few weeks. And there’s still time for big trades to be made.
How many picks that Mel Kiper made do you think will come true?
