| 2021 NFL draft | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Date(s) | April 29 – May 1, 2021 |
| Location | FirstEnergy Stadium Cleveland, Ohio |
| Network(s) | ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio |
| Overview | |
| 259 total selections in 7 rounds | |
| League | National Football League |
| First selection | Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Mr. Irrelevant | Grant Stuard, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Most selections (11) | Carolina Panthers Dallas Cowboys Minnesota Vikings |
| Fewest selections (3) | Seattle Seahawks |
The 2021 NFL draft was the 86th National Football League draft, the annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2021 NFL season. The draft was held in Cleveland, Ohio from April 29 to May 1, 2021.[1]
Five quarterbacks were selected in the first round — Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones — the second highest amount (along with the 1999 and 2018 drafts) after the six selected in 1983 and 2024. The draft also marked the third time the first three picks were quarterbacks, following the 1971 and 1999 drafts. A total of eight quarterbacks were selected in the first three rounds, the most in NFL draft history although, only two quarterbacks were taken in the remaining rounds. By 2024, Lawrence was the only first-round quarterback to remain with his original team.
In addition to the high number of quarterbacks, six Alabama players were taken in the first round, which is tied with the six Miami players picked in 2004 for the most from an individual school. Conversely, no Big 12 Conference players were drafted in the first round for the first time since the conference began play in 1996 and no Michigan State players were selected for the first time since 1941.
Scouts considered the later rounds of the draft to lack desirable prospects due to the COVID-19 pandemic shortening the 2020 college football season. The NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility and an opt-out option for athletes because of the shortened season, resulting in many prospects returning to school instead of declaring for the draft.[2]
- ^ "Dates are set for 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland". Cleveland Browns. April 28, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "Welcome to an NFL Draft That's Short on Prospects". FanNation. April 29, 2021.