It's not hyperbole to call the 2021 NFL draft one of the most compelling in recent years. Consider:
The quarterback class featured five standouts, including the best prospect at the position since Andrew Luck in Trevor Lawrence. San Francisco tried to execute coach Kyle Shanahan's best misdirection play yet, nurturing monthlong intrigue about its QB target at No. 3.
Offensive skill players dominated the top 10. That quarterback Justin Fields fell out of it is still hard to explain.
The New York Jets hit their stride on a rebuild that might just work -- eventually.
Several teams in the No. 7-to-No. 12 range debated trading up or down the board in the final hours, a group that included new general managers in Detroit, Carolina and Denver.
And nearly half the league contemplated adding a passer either for developmental or starting purposes.
All those factors shook out as teams navigated a draft pool diluted by the effects of COVID-19. Player opt-outs and limited game film made teams uneasy about players outside of the top 100, fueling wild unpredictability on Day 3.
After letting the picks breathe for a week, let's sort through the aftermath. We made calls around the league for draft-related nuggets on each team -- intel from on-the-clock decisions, background on key picks, Day 1 strategy, stats and trends, sleepers, as well as league execs and scouts reacting to picks.
Each team's draft was certainly unique, for better or worse.
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Many pegged a cornerback for Dallas in the first round, but the belief among some Cowboys brass is linebacker Micah Parsons was the best overall defensive player. That weighed heavily on Dallas regardless of where Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II fell, as the team weighed need vs. upside. Dallas never was eager to move up, and Horn and Surtain were off the board at picks Nos. 8 and 9 anyway.
The Cowboys must have felt comfortable trading with the Eagles -- from No. 10 back to No. 12 -- because they were confident that the Giants would go offense, whether they traded out of No. 11 or not. New York didn't show Dallas its hand, as expected. But the Giants were trending offense in the eyes of most.
"I know the Kyle Pitts stuff was out there with him, but I think they were going defense the whole time," said an AFC exec of the tight end drafted No. 4 overall by Atlanta. "And people tried to knock Parsons late in the process, but I was like, 'Name me a better defensive player in this draft than him!'"
New York Giants
New York liked wide receiver DeVonta Smith a great deal. Not sure if he was the clear-cut consensus choice at 11th overall if available, but the Giants targeted offensive skill, and Smith impressed in the process. So maybe Philly trading one spot ahead of them to get Smith might have hurt a little.
But Justin Fields dropping to 11 to facilitate a deal with Chicago was an unexpected gift for New York, which knew it was hardly a slam dunk he would fall that far; the Giants didn't really expect it.
New York and Chicago did legwork a few days in advance to run through potential scenarios, making any on-the-clock transaction more palatable as most teams in the top 20 with trade aspirations often do.
The Giants earned extra first- and fourth-round picks in the deal and still got electric playmaker Kadarius Toney at No. 20. But Smith and Kenny Golladay would have made a lethal outside-receiver tandem.
Philadelphia Eagles
In typical fashion, the Eagles were all over the map in the hours before the draft. General manager Howie Roseman loves to mix it up with trade talk; he'll go up, down and sideways on the board.
I talked to three different high-ranking execs in the No. 5-15 range who said a) the Eagles were trying to move up, and b) they were eyeing a cornerback, most likely, or possibly a quarterback.
Whether the latter was an Eagles smokescreen isn't all the way certain, but at the very least they looked into getting Jaycee Horn or Patrick Surtain II, who went eighth and ninth, before taking DeVonta Smith at No. 10.
And in Smith, "they might have gotten the third-best overall player in the draft," said an AFC personnel exec.
Center Landon Dickerson in the second round is an ideal spot because he gets a redshirt year behind Jason Kelce, whose contract calls for a massive payout of $31.5 million in 2022-23 if he's not released or retired by June 3 (which is basically a creative way to void his deal, as one of those two outcomes are expected).
Since Dickerson was the best center in the draft but his medical history scared many teams, he can get healthy and step into the starting role in 2022. Or, if he's healthy enough to play in 2021, he can slide to guard.
One scout said Dickerson has some Quenton Nelson-type nastiness to him when healthy. That's quite the compliment.
Washington Football Team
There was a lot of buzz about Washington flirting with a trade into the top 10 for quarterback Trey Lance.
Maybe Washington simply wanted to create the appearance it would move up, but at the very least it was intrigued. General manager Martin Mayhew spent a lot of time with the North Dakota State coaches discussing Lance while on the pro day circuit.
But Washington also knew it had a ton of needs to address, and linebacker Jamin Davis (No. 19 overall) was a good start. WFT was high on safety Trevon Moehrig and wouldn't have minded at all if he fell to them in the second. That didn't happen, courtesy of the Raiders.
NFC North
Chicago Bears
The Bears might play Justin Fields soon enough, but they will keep an open mind about whether to start Andy Dalton in Week 1 while Fields develops.
When the Bears gave Dalton $10 million in March, they did so believing he could help pull them out of the 8-8 rut. As one source told me, Chicago believes it can win 10 games with Dalton. He won't dazzle, but he can help the offense function at a higher level than last year's 26th-ranked attack.
Know this, though: Fields is excited about the challenge of reversing the QB misfortunes in Chicago, a place that's never produced a 4,000-yard passer. He likes the idea of helping Chicago finally turn things around. Even if some around the league can't believe Chicago made the move.
"I'm just surprised ownership let Ryan Pace make such a big move up after [Mitch] Trubisky didn't work out," an AFC scout said.
Detroit Lions
The Lions had convenient reminders to consider offensive lineman Penei Sewell at No. 7 in the final days. Detroit was negotiating a Frank Ragnow extension for weeks leading up to the draft. Ragnow's agent, Joe Panos, also represents Sewell, along with Justin Schulman. So as the Lions talked Ragnow, they found themselves talking more about Sewell.
The Lions were a candidate to trade back but prioritized a nasty offensive front to match Dan Campbell's toughness quotient. The Lions also called Atlanta when the Falcons were on the clock at No. 4, so perhaps they were trying to get ahead of Cincinnati at 5 in case the Bengals wanted Sewell.
The Lions now have a starting offensive line at an average age of 24.2 years, with all five under contract for at least three more years. That's impressive continuity to ease the Lions' rebuilding process.
Green Bay Packers
There was a real feeling among execs that Green Bay would have selected wide receiver Rashod Bateman at No. 29 if Baltimore didn't scoop him up two picks earlier. Bateman himself felt Green Bay was the destination if he got to 29. But with Bateman off the board, Green Bay went for the high upside with corner Eric Stokes.
Second-round center Josh Myers had a medical red flag for some teams due to a broken bone in his foot that caused him to miss his pro day. But Myers expects to be cleared for football activities in about a month, per a source, so training camp should be no issue. He has been training at Ohio State after undergoing surgery with Dr. Robert Anderson, who is based out of Green Bay.
The Packers eschewed the chance to sign a veteran center in free agency, despite looking at several options.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings see untapped potential in third-round quarterback Kellen Mond, who despite starting four years at Texas A&M averaged a modest 7.1 yards per attempt.
They believe he's got big-play potential that he didn't use often enough at A&M. They'd like to see him let it fly, believing Minnesota's play-action system will simplify the reads and let Mond use his skill set. Kirk Cousins' salaries of $21 million and $35 million are guaranteed over the next two years, so Mond won't be asked to play early.
"He's really got a chance, but he plays robotic at times," said an NFL coordinator. "He has God-given ability to throw and run. If he can learn how to use it, they could have something."
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Most of the league felt the Falcons were locked on to tight end Kyle Pitts at No. 4 for much of draft week, but if there was a quarterback to sway that decision, Trey Lance might have been it. Lance emerged from the draft process believing Atlanta was among the most interested in him, per a source. Coach Arthur Smith spent significant time with North Dakota State coaches after one of the pro days, to the point that staff felt there was little chance he would slip past Atlanta if San Francisco went with Mac Jones or Justin Fields.
But I still can't shake the image of Smith, after patiently waiting through hours of Florida's pro day, briefly chopping it up with Pitts once the workouts were done, and imagining Smith leaving Pitts by saying, "see you in a few weeks."
Carolina Panthers
Panthers.com reported in an "Inside the Draft Room" piece that the Panthers got a tip that the Saints wanted LSU receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. at No. 60. So Carolina, instead of trading back from No. 59, stayed put to take Marshall.
The way it was told to me, Marshall was the top player on Carolina's board at that time, and at some point someone in the draft room got a text that the Saints wanted to snag him. That aligns with what I heard about the Saints before the draft: They wanted to find a vertical threat to complement Michael Thomas somewhere in the first few rounds. The fact that New Orleans didn't get a receiver until the seventh round (Kawaan Baker) is one of the surprises of the draft based on what we heard in pre-draft phone calls.
The Panthers wrapped up a solid draft with some late-round magic. Receiver Shi Smith in the sixth round is serious value after he shined at the Senior Bowl. If Sewell was available with the eighth pick, there was a good chance the Panthers were taking him. Sewell himself felt pretty good about that. And Justin Fields was in play there, too. But Jaycee Horn was their clear-cut best available, and Carolina didn't think twice.
New Orleans Saints
New Orleans struck out on trading up for cornerback help, but it went with the upside of pass-rusher Payton Turner. In fact, Turner sneaking into the first round might have something to do with quarterback Zach Wilson.
I heard from plenty of teams that, after doing a deep dive on Wilson's Houston film, came away more and more impressed with Houston pass-rusher Turner. He's got the size (6-foot-5, 270 pounds) and production (10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks in five games last season) to provide long-term payoff for the Saints.
"I don't see a first-round pick right [value] now, but his best football is ahead of him, which is why he's got a chance to justify that pick," an NFC scout said.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs liked quarterback Kyle Trask enough that the player thought he might be their first-round selection on draft night.
That was the team Trask's camp had identified as the most likely destination, along with New Orleans. As the thinking went, Tampa Bay was best positioned to take a swing on a developmental QB, with no glaring positions of need. And taking Trask in Round 1 would lock him into an affordable rookie deal for up to five years if he eventually took over for Tom Brady and played well.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona got one of the fastest risers of draft week in Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins.
Some mock drafts considered him a late first-rounder, but I heard multiple execs say before the draft that his ceiling was No. 16, figuring Arizona badly wanted to add an offensive playmaker but needed a sideline-to-sideline playmaker in the middle of the defense, too. There was some buzz that Arizona liked Najee Harris and Kadarius Toney a lot. Perhaps they were options at that spot.
So they split the difference, going with Collins as those execs expected, and following up with speedster Rondale Moore in the second round. There was buzz that New England at No. 15 would go with a hybrid linebacker model if Mac Jones wasn't the pick -- think Collins or Georgia's Azeez Ojulari. So, perhaps Collins' ceiling was actually 15.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams' selection of wide receiver Tutu Atwell with their first selection (No. 57 overall) tells you everything you need to know about the team's plans with Matthew Stafford at quarterback.
Stretch the field far more often.
Atwell is a 4.32-second guy in the 40-yard dash who can go deep but thrives in the slot, ranking second in the FBS with 1,742 yards out of that position from 2019 to 2020.
Free-agent addition DeSean Jackson is the classic 4.3 burner. And with receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp working the middle, the Rams needed complementary speedsters to properly utilize the arm talents of Stafford, who ranked fifth last season in attempted air yards, at 8.7. For comparison, Jared Goff, who was traded from Los Angeles to Detroit in the Stafford deal this offseason, ranked 30th among full-time starters at 6.2.
Los Angeles now has two new threats to get deep in a hurry.
San Francisco 49ers
Moving up nine spots to get quarterback Trey Lance at No. 3 overall wasn't the only change of pace in the 49ers' draft.
The selection of second-round guard Aaron Banks was a push for size and force up front. That he's 330 pounds isn't lost on San Francisco, which usually opts for quicker guards at 300 to 315 pounds. But San Francisco seems to covet power players such as Banks to help create a firmer passing pocket, figuring undersized guards are always easy to find if they need more.
Third-round running back Trey Sermon (4.57 in the 40-yard dash) is slower than the 49ers' usual targets, but San Francisco likes his vision and ability to run through arm tackles.
As for the QB, Lance apparently had no inclination of San Francisco's plans in the minutes before the draft. The Lance party in Cleveland was in full suspense until the call came, according to someone in the group.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks found an intriguing pass-blocker in sixth-round offensive tackle Stone Forsythe. The former Florida Gator is skilled as a pass protector, which Seattle needs after the Rams buried Russell Wilson in the pocket in the playoffs.
On a big stage against Alabama, Forsythe earned a 90.1 pass-block grade with zero pressures allowed on 51 pass blocks, per Pro Football Focus data, and was the highest-graded offensive linemen against the Crimson Tide this past season.
The Seahawks also want to get tougher in the running game, with which veteran guard Gabe Jackson, an addition via trade with Las Vegas, can help. Forsythe (6-foot-9, 312 pounds) might need time to develop in that area. But Seattle execs must believe he's got the frame to do so.
Multiple teams I talked to consider this a really good value pick for Seattle as late as it got him.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Buffalo sees first-rounder Gregory Rousseau as an edge rusher who can slide inside on third downs with his increased size. The 6-foot-6 Rousseau gained about 20 pounds during his opt-out year, and several scouts noted he looked impressive in person.
Buffalo wants to get creative with a player who is not quite as big as another former UM standout, Calais Campbell (6-8, 300), but could function in a similar way.
Former Bills exec Dan Morgan, a college Hall of Fame linebacker with UM who recently took the assistant GM job with Carolina, helped gather intel on Rousseau, agent Drew Rosenhaus said. Rousseau and Morgan played high school ball in Broward County, so Morgan was familiar with the high school scene there. The Bills felt Rousseau was a high-character locker room fit.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins entertained signing a free-agent right tackle pre-draft with plans to move Robert Hunt, last year's second-rounder, to guard. They believe Hunt can be a Pro Bowler there. So, they talked to several free agents, including Alejandro Villanueva, Dennis Kelly and Rick Wagner, who plans to retire.
Those plans loosely changed when Notre Dame's Liam Eichenberg was available with the 42nd pick. Scouts say Eichenberg doesn't have the skill set to play left tackle but has the technique to thrive on the right side.
Also, it's no coincidence that Miami's maneuvers up, down and out left it with five picks in the top 81, and nothing in Rounds 4-6. Some teams weren't high on this year's draft depth, and Miami must have been one, getting its guys and then getting out.
New England Patriots
One of my favorite quotes from the draft came from an NFL coordinator on Mac Jones, and it helps explain the Patriots fit.
"Talking to Mac is like talking to an adult," the coordinator said.
Multiple scouts and coaches felt that Jones is the most knowledgeable in the class on the chalkboard, with Trey Lance a close second. But all the top quarterbacks were pretty darn good.
Jones is one of eight Alabama or Michigan players New England has drafted in the past three years alone -- that's four apiece for the Crimson Tide and Wolverines. After uneven results with high picks in recent years, the Patriots seemed to lean on college production. Joe Thuney is the only of New England's top-two selections from 2014 to 2017 to play more than four seasons with the franchise.
As for the rumors about trading for Jimmy Garoppolo, I never got the sense this got close -- or that San Francisco gave New England the impression it was overly eager to deal him. The prevailing belief is it just never got hot enough.
New York Jets
The Jets entered minicamp with a four-man offensive nucleus -- Zach Wilson, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Elijah Moore, Michael Carter -- to inject optimism in the Joe Douglas regime.
Now the roster hole is obvious: no quarterbacks on the roster with NFL experience. Former fourth-round pick James Morgan and Mike White round out the position.
For context, four NFL teams since 2012 had entered a game with two active quarterbacks without NFL snaps. And all those teams entered camp with a veteran on the roster. So, expect the Jets to add a Brian Hoyer type in the next few months. Douglas has ties to Nick Foles from Philly, and his $4 million salary is palatable.
On defense, the Jets have high hopes for sixth-rounder Hamsah Nasirildeen, believing he had second-round ability based on 2018-19 film. The FSU safety missed much of 2020 with a knee issue. This isn't a late-round flier; the Jets expect him to contribute to the defense this year -- as a linebacker.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore plans to capitalize on its newfound slot receiver flexibility now that free agency and the draft produced more weapons for the uneven passing game. Last season, receiver Marquise Brown and tight end Mark Andrews each played 300-plus snaps in the slot, with now-Las Vegas Raider Willie Snead IV a mainstay and rookie Devin Duvernay contributing.
But with the addition of first-round pick Rashod Bateman, a true outside pick, and veteran Sammy Watkins, Brown could get an extended look inside. And Bateman has the toughness and savvy to be an Allen Robinson II type of movement receiver. More balance on offense could benefit Brown more than anyone else.
Cincinnati Bengals
Ja'Marr Chase, no matter what.
Despite healthy pre-draft speculation about Oregon tackle Penei Sewell protecting Joe Burrow, the Bengals zeroed in on Chase, the spectacular LSU receiver, weeks before the draft -- after the team sought a detailed assessment from Burrow, who highly recommended him to team brass.
The Bengals felt Chase was too good to pass up "for any reason," a source said, and the team felt good about grabbing a starting offensive lineman on Day 2.
The trade with New England from 38th to 46th was as far as they were willing to go, doing the calculation that they could still stay within range of the top nine to 10 offensive linemen and Jackson Carman would be there.
Cleveland Browns
In less than two months, the Browns have completely rebuilt their defense with 10 starting-caliber players either joining or returning to the team:
Two draft picks: corner Greg Newsome and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Five free agents: Jadeveon Clowney, John Johnson III, Troy Hill, Malik Jackson, Takkarist McKinley
Three returning from injury: Grant Delpit, Andrew Billings, Greedy Williams
That's serious firepower for second-year coordinator Joe Woods, who had Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward as anchors but an overall lack of depth last season.
"They have to be the favorite in the AFC North this year," said one NFC exec. "Baker [Mayfield] doesn't even have to play better -- he just has to continue his play from a year ago."
The Browns feel fortunate that Owusu-Koramoah was there in the second round. Teams were mixed on him. Some said a second-round grade wasn't exactly a shock, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported some teams were concerned about a "heart issue that came up late in the process" despite the player being cleared. But the skill set and range were hard to pass up. The Browns see a linebacker who can cover downfield in a nickel package, which is rare.
"We stole one there, my man," a team source said.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The label on fourth-round offensive tackle Dan Moore was that he wasn't physical enough, but the Steelers have no problems with Moore's nasty streak coming out of Texas A&M. The reason? Any perceived lack of physicality was scheme-related, not on the player. College offenses are heavy on run-pass options and lateral running, not a traditional power play.
Though A&M runs some traditional sets, too, the Steelers weren't going to knock a lineman for doing what he was taught. They believe he's got the toughness to handle NFL runs. Plus, the Steelers weren't as high on the second-tier tackles who went in the second round as other teams, and in a class of short-armed blockers, Moore's 34.5-inch arms helped his case.
At No. 24, the Steelers were locked into running back Najee Harris for a while, but they also liked linebacker Zaven Collins and Washington edge rusher Joe Tryon, both of whom went in the first round.
AFC South
Houston Texans
Fifth-round tight end Brevin Jordan has big upside. I talked to several scouts who were surprised he slipped into Day 3, though they also understood why. His tape was inconsistent, and some questioned his dependability when things get tough.
"But if he matures out of that, he can be a big-time player," an NFC scout said. "The talent is there."
Jordan was the nation's only tight end with 300-plus yards after contact last season, according to PFF data.
Third-round quarterback Davis Mills is a fascinating experiment for new general manager Nick Caserio, who appears to be slowly moving on from Deshaun Watson. Teams were torn on Mills. Some loved his demeanor, while others were scared to death of the medical red flags after multiple knee surgeries in college. But I heard "I love that kid" a few times from scouts, so maybe Caserio has the makings of something big.
Indianapolis Colts
I spoke with four different teams that said didn't have an issue with defensive end Kwity Paye's medical scare in the days before the draft.
Paye's heart was red-flagged in the pre-draft process, NFL Network reported. One source told me the results revealed high enzymes in his heart, which could have been related to COVID-19, but it was hard to tell. Nobody seemed worried about it beyond his need to get occasional follow-up tests. Paye had additional testing two days before the draft, and he got a clean bill. And he still went in the first round. So the fact he was available to Indy at No. 21 is probably more about how the board fell than the player falling because of a medical issue.
Fifth-round safety Shawn Davis was known as a big hitter, which the Colts love. It's noteworthy that the Colts' recent free-agent addition, Sean Davis, is a big hitter from the safety position, too. The Colts' special teams unit should have two promising gunners with the same name.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Urban Meyer said during free agency he wanted to sign players he or his coaches knew well, which meant he had directly recruited some of the players he signed. But he got out of his comfort zone with the Jaguars' nine-selection draft, selecting many players he didn't heavily recruit.
Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes were in on second-round corner Tyson Campbell, fourth-round defensive tackle Jay Tufele (USC) and fifth-round tight end Luke Farrell (Ohio State). Meyer coached Ohio State from 2012 to 2018, and these players were recruited in those final three years.
Technically, he recruited Trevor Lawrence, but Ohio State wasn't one of the 24 schools to offer him a scholarship (and he was a Clemson lock). In the case of second-round tackle Walker Little, the former five-star recruit got 32 scholarship offers, and Ohio State wasn't one of them.
Tennessee Titans
First-round corner Caleb Farley and his agent got proactive to address his rehab process in the hours before the draft. Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN he sent select teams -- Tennessee and others that showed interest -- a detailed video of Farley's rehab from surgery to relieve pain from a herniated lumbar disk.
Tennessee isn't afraid to take injury risks, selecting defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons in the first round two years ago knowing his first year might be compromised because of knee surgery. Simmons proved a force in Year 2. But Tennessee knows back injuries can linger, so it researched Farley's health history to ensure the franchise was comfortable with the pick.
"I believe [the video] was a difference-maker," Rosenhaus said.
AFC West
Denver Broncos
While social media buzzed about a potential Broncos-Aaron Rodgers pairing in the hours before the draft, Denver didn't spend significant time on the issue. The Broncos are monitoring the Rodgers situation, and on draft night they tried to make sense of the buildup in light of Adam Schefter's report that Rodgers told teammates he wanted out of Green Bay. But it became clear early on in the evening that new GM George Paton was locked into his first draft and a Rodgers deal wasn't happening.
At the start, the Broncos were ready to turn in the card for Patrick Surtain II barring a major surprise. Some teams believed weeks ago that Denver would try to move up for a quarterback, but such a move never got traction. Either Paton knew the QB he liked was too hard to get or he simply didn't want to force it.
And, for what it's worth, the positive buzz about Drew Lock's offseason is real. Denver believes Lock has at least positioned himself to turn the corner, spending significant time in the building and tweaking his workout regimen.
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City has immediate plans for fifth-round tight end Noah Gray, who impressed coach Andy Reid in the pre-draft process with his savvy route running. Gray is a former high school quarterback turned tight end who earned a scholarship his senior year of high school because of his "great work ethic," Duke coach David Cutcliffe said.
"I was blown away by his ability to separate in coverage," said Cutcliffe about Gray's progression as a route runner. "I would call it crisp route running from day one. His [high school] QB days have helped him understand route concepts."
Travis Kelce turns 32 in October and played 81.6% of the Chiefs' snaps this year. He has shown zero signs of stopping, but the Chiefs need to preserve him at some point with a threat at the No. 2 spot.
Agent Jack Bechta, who represents accomplished tight ends George Kittle and Robert Tonyan, said he believes Gray, his rookie client, has the right demeanor and toughness to be the next success story at the position. The Chiefs attacked the draft with goals of filling several needs, knowing two straight Super Bowl appearances couldn't mask the roster holes. No. 2 tight end was one of several.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Alex Leatherwood pick wasn't a panic move in the first round. The Raiders knew of multiple teams behind them that were high on Leatherwood, including the Vikings and Steelers.
The Steelers seemed locked into Najee Harris but liked Leatherwood's skill set better than a lot of the second-tier tackles. And if Christian Darrisaw was off the board by No. 23, Minnesota could have gone that route.
The Raiders knew all this, so instead of trading back, they played it straight up and took a player whom they believe will be a long-term solution at right tackle.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers saw shades of Leonard Floyd and Justin Hollins in fourth-round edge rusher Chris Rumph II. This is a pick to accommodate what helped new coach Brandon Staley find success with the Rams: rangy edge rushers who can set the edge in the run, rush the passer and drop into coverage when needed.
Like Floyd and Hollins, Rumph enters the league in that 240-pound range, and his 33¾-inch arms will help him separate.
The Chargers say they believe sixth-round running back Larry Rountree III will make an early impact. The 5-foot-11, 211-pounder plays bigger than his size and can be a physical complement to Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson and Joshua Kelley.
The first round couldn't have worked out better for Los Angeles, which made clear in free agency after spending on the interior offensive line that it would get its tackle in the draft. And then Rashawn Slater fell to them at No. 13.