NFL draft, first-round mock picks 1-10, and Cleveland Browns pick No. 26
By Greg Newland
8. Carolina Panthers – Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
The Carolina Panthers are a team that has been all over the news trying to land Deshaun Watson or even possibly Sam Darnold. With those trades not looking promising and the Teddy Bridgewater going south, look for the Panthers to go with quarterback Trey Lance from North Dakota State.
In this scenario, Lance falls to them, but you may see the Panthers get antsy and even attempt to jump ahead to get their guy. Lance is another small school guy that had a monster year in 2019 but doesn’t have a ton to put on his resume. This is a high-risk high reward pick, but the Panthers appear desperate enough to make it.
9. Denver Broncos – Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Some still question if the Broncos are set on quarterback Drew Lock, but unfortunately at pick No. 9 in the 2021 draft, there are no great options left with the top four off the board. After adding offensive weapons last year, the Broncos will switch to the other side of the ball.
Caleb Farley is a name that shot up boards in 2019 after a monster year. Farley has the size and speed to be a dominant corner in the league, but once again he only has shown one year of performing at an elite level. Farley opted out of the 2020 season and has been focusing on the draft for over a year.