2021 NFL Draft Second-Day Values: Offense
2021 NFL Draft Day 2 Values: Offense | 2021 NFL Draft Day 2 Values: Defense
2021 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense | 2021 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Defense
2021 NFL Draft Day-Three Sleepers
Published April 28, 2021.
By Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell
There have been a lot of questions about who are my value picks in the 2021 NFL Draft class. A value or sleeper prospect is basically a player who gets drafted after the first round and proves to be a steal. The second day of an NFL Draft is where the men are separated from the boys among NFL general managers. All the players have strengths and flaws, but the top evaluators find future starters and team building blocks on Day 2.
Every year, I pick my favorite value for Day 2. In order to hold myself more accountable, I started putting in a runner-up in case the first choice is a surprise first-round pick. If a player goes in the first round, I should not get credit calling them a second-day value pick if they pan out. Here is my track record over the last decade, going back to my time with Pewter Report.
2008: Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
2009: Mike Wallace, WR, Ole Miss
2010: Brian Price, DT, UCLA and Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida
2011: Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia
2012: Derek Wolfe, DL, Cincinnati
2013: Larry Warford, G, Kentucky
2014: Jeremy Hill, RB, LSU
2015: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M, and Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State
2016: Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame and Sheldon Day, DT, Notre Dame
2017: Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama (runner-up: Akhello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado)
2018: Terrell Edmunds, S, Virginia Tech (runner-up: Arden Key, DE, LSU)
2019: Darnell Savage, S, Maryland (runner-up: Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina)
2020: Cam Akers, RB, Florida State (runner-up: Jordyn Brooks, LB, Texas Tech)
2021: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson (runners-up: Aaron Robinson, CB, Central Florida and Dayo Odeyingbo, DE, Vanderbilt)
A top offensive value player was difficult to select this year, but I feel Travis Etienne could turn out to be one of the steals of the 2021 NFL Draft. Etienne won out over Aaron Robinson because I think Etienne has real boom potential for the NFL. Etienne has a first-round skill set, and I believe could be selected to the Pro Bowl during his rookie contract. I think Robinson is a safe pick to develop into a very good NFL cornerback. There is an outside chance, however, that Etienne and Robinson both get selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, so I picked a third player, second runner-up this year: Dayo Odeyingbo.
Overall, this list is very strong, with a few exceptions. I definitely hit on Brandon Flowers, Mike Wallace, Justin Houston, Derek Wolfe, Larry Warford, Jaylon Smith, Darnell Savage and Deebo Samuel. Here is a breakdown of a top second-day value prospect at each position for the 2021 NFL Draft. All the players will be prospects who are likely going during Rounds 2 and 3. If a player is a possible late first-round pick, I generally don’t include them as an option.
Kyle Trask, QB, Florida I think Trask could become a good backup or mid-range starter in the NFL. He has excellent pocket presence with field vision, very good accuracy and ball placement, plus he hangs tough in the pocket. The big knock on Trask is a lack of mobility, as the NFL is trending away from the pure pocket passers. I think Trask’s passing ability, however, could lead to him becoming a starter in the mold of an Andy Dalton- or Kirk Cousins-caliber quarterback.
2020: None
2019: Clayton Thorson
2018: Luke Falk
2017: Pat Mahomes
2016: Christian Hackenberg
2015: Garrett Grayson
2014: Teddy Bridgewater
Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson As stated above, Etienne is my choice for top value in the 2021 NFL Draft. The first trait that stands out about Etienne is his extraordinary speed. He has a sprinter’s agility, which makes him a threat to take any touch of the ball the length of the field for a touchdown. With his first-step quickness and a burst to the hole, Etienne gets to the second level in a hurry and can explode down the field. The senior was tougher between the tackles in 2020 and showed some strength to fight through contact. He also became a dynamic weapon as a receiver out of the backfield during 2020.
Etienne catches the ball with his hands and is able to run some good routes. He has the potential for the NFL to be a good receiving back who is a dangerous weapon to rip off yards in chunks on check downs to the flat. Etienne can turn a routine pass into a big play, and he could be a good contributor to a pro passing attack.
In the NFL, I think Etienne could become a LeSean McCoy- or Jamaal Charles-type running back. It looks like he probably won’t end up as first-round choice, and that could turn him into a second-round steal.
2020: Cam Akers
2019: Damien Harris
2018: Ronald Jones
2017: Alvin Kamara
2016: C.J. Prosise
2015: T.J. Yeldon
2014: Jeremy Hill
Tre’ McKitty, TE, Georgia For the NFL, McKitty is a solid receiving tight end who could be a valuable contributor and a mismatch problem for defense. McKitty is a good athlete with the speed to generate separation from coverage. He has a nice burst out of his breaks to create space from defenders and get open for his quarterback. McKitty has nice twitch for a tight end off is size and second gear quickness. He does a nice job of working the middle seam, slants, and is capable along the sideline. With his surprising speed, he can challenge defenses vertically running down the seam or along the sideline. After the Gators’ Kyle Pitts, McKitty is the only other tight end prospect who could have dangerous receiver mismatch potential for the NFL, and I think he could be a nice value pick on the second day of the 2021 NFL Draft.
2020: Adam Trautman
2019: Irv Smith Jr.
2018: Ian Thomas
2017: Gerald Everett
2016: Austin Hooper
2015: Clive Walford
2014: Austin Seferian-Jenkins
Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU There is a lot to like for Marshall as a potential starter in the NFL, including his good height and his speed. While Marshall is more of a build-up speed receiver, he stretches defenses vertically and can really challenge them downfield. In the deep portion, Marshall’s speed catches defensive backs by surprise, and he can create separation for a big play downfield. Marshall’s smooth speed and size make him difficult to cover, and he is a real threat to score or produce a large gain on any reception. After the catch, Marshall is a tough runner who will use his size to break tackles, and he has a nose for the end zone. He should be a quality red-zone weapon in the NFL. Marshall could be an outside receiver or work out of the slot as a Z.
2020: Jalen Reagor
2019: Deebo Samuel
2018: Equanimeous St. Brown
2017: JuJu Smith-Schuster
2016: Tyler Boyd
2015: Justin Hardy
2014: Jared Abbrederis
Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame Eichenberg is not a great athlete and is not overly strong or fast, but he is a solid football player who figures out a way to be a steady contributor. In pass protection, Eichenberg shows solid feet and enough quickness to get depth in his kick slide and cut off edge rushers. He also displays a nice ability to bend at the knee, and that in combination with his feet, keeps him from having to reach after edge rushers very often. As a run blocker, Eichenberg is a contributor, but not a difference maker. Due to his lack of elite strength, Eichenberg is not a true bull in the ground game who will blast defensive lineman off the ball or push them around the field. He is more of a scrapper who ties up defenders, manipulates them, and turns them away from getting in on tackles. In the NFL, I think Eichenberg will develop into being a quality starter at tackle or guard.
2020: Solomon Kindley
2019: Elgton Jenkins
2018: Braden Smith and Martinas Rankin
2017: Dan Feeney
2016: Nick Martin and Le’Raven Clark
2015: Cedric Ogbuehi
2014: Antonio Richardson
2021 NFL Draft Day 2 Values: Offense | 2021 NFL Draft Day 2 Values: Defense
2021 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense | 2021 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Defense
2021 NFL Draft Day-Three Sleepers
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