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Favorite 2021 NFL draft prospects: Mel Kiper's picks at every position, including Justin Fields

As the 2021 NFL draft creeps closer and I finalize my rankings, I like to unveil my favorite prospects at every position. It has become an annual tradition, highlighting one player from quarterback through safety whom I like more than most.

This is not the best overall prospects in the class nor is it a list of the guys I consider the best at each position, though there are certainly a few first-round picks on my list. (And I had No. 1 pick Joe Burrow in last year's.)

These are the prospects whom I've:

  • Often rated higher than other evaluators within the draft media or than team evaluators with whom I discuss prospects, or ...

  • Ranked higher in close debates within position groups -- this is a really fun running back class, for instance -- or ...

  • Just liked the way they play the game. That's especially the case for my 2021 pick at center.

So let's start with my favorite quarterback for the 2021 class, and I'll include projections on the round in which each prospect is likely to be drafted. I'll also give a few fun nuggets and stats:

Quarterback

Justin Fields, Ohio State