This new section highlights which players have improved or worsened their 2021 NFL Draft stock as the draft approaches.
By Charlie Campbell.
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2021 NFL Draft Stock Up
Dayo Odeyingbo, DE, Vanderbilt Team sources still think Odeyingbo he will go in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft even though he tore an ACL after the 2020 season. His tape is sufficiently good that they do not feel he will fall out of the opening round of Friday night of the 2021 NFL Draftraft.
Odeyingbo has good size, strength, length and quickness. Some sources feel he will grow into a defensive tackle, and they like what he showed on tape when lined up on the inside. If the medical re-checks and followups go well, Odeyingbo to continue to rise in the final weeks before the 2021 NFL Draft.
Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech For the past few months, Alabama’s Patrick Surtain was the consensus top cornerback prospect for the 2021 NFL Draft, but there are some teams and scouts who prefer Farley over Surtain. While Surtain is more experienced and safer, Farley is considered to have a better skill set in terms of size, speed and athleticism. Teams that prioritize a top skill set will probably prefer Farley because he is faster and possesses more twitchy athleticism than Surtain. That preference could lead to Farley ending up as a top-10 pick and being the first cornerback off the board in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Najee Harris, RB, Alabama There really is not a true consensus as to who is the top running back candidate in the 2021 NFL Draft, with some teams preferring Harris while others like Clemson’s Travis Etienne or North Carolina’s Javonte Williams. Harris really helped himself as a senior by showing improved ability in the passing game as a receiver and blocker while also being a more decisive runner. Harris has a shot at being a late first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and should go quickly in the second round if he makes it to the second night.
2021 NFL Draft Stock Down
Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State As reported in the Hot Press, sources from multiple teams say Parsons is having his draft stock hurt significantly over character concerns. Parsons was named prominently in a hazing lawsuit by a former Penn State teammate, but aside from that, some sources call the Parsons’ character makeup bad. In speaking to a couple of teams that need a linebacker, they said character concerns could be a real factor in their decision to pass on Parsons in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Parsons has to do well in his Zoom interviews with teams leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft, and the loss of combine meetings and team visits is hurting him.
Carlos Basham, DE, Wake Forest Some sources from teams in the market for defensive line help in the early rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft are not high on Basham. They feel that while he is big and tough, he did show the power they were hoping to see from his senior tape. Basham could end up slipping to the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa Collins is a highly debated prospect around the league. Some teams think he could go early in the 2021 NFL Draft, but there are some other teams have him graded in the mid-rounds. The teams that are high on Collins see a good skill set and versatility. The teams that don’t like Collins, however, feel he is not physical at all and has simply average instincts. Collins will be an interesting prospect to follow in the 2021 NFL Draft because he could go on the opening night or could slide well into Day 2.
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