Without the scouting combine in Indianapolis, it has been more difficult to determine who’s stock is rising and falling among 2021 NFL draft prospects. We would usually have some early indication of whether a guy like Trey Lance impressed enough to jump into the top-10 or Gregory Rousseau answered questions about his lack of tape this year. We have to depend more on the Senior Bowl and individual workouts.
The information has been somewhat scarce, but in looking into the far reaches of the internet (also known as Twitter), you can find nuggets of information to see what prospects have helped and hurt their stock. Prospects like Trevor Lawerence, Ja’Marr Chase, and Penei Sewell seem to be rock solid in where they will go in the draft, so we will be focusing on a few potential Day One selections as well as some others who could sneak into the back-end of Day Two.
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Stock Up
Rashod Bateman (WR – Minnesota)
Bateman is now firmly entrenched in the back end of the first round in rookie dynasty drafts. Of course, he has reportedly run a 4.37 40-yard dash, so at 6’2 and 209 pounds, he represents as good of size/speed combination as any receiver in the draft. Bateman is also a sneaky good route runner who should thrive all over the formation in the NFL. A productive receiver at Minnesota with almost 2,400 career receiving yards, Bateman isn’t the product of an offense that was dripping with NFL-caliber talent. He has as high of a ceiling as any receiver outside of Ja’Marr Chase.
Demetric Felton (RB – UCLA)
Felton is a converted slot receiver who had a great week in Mobile for the Senior Bowl. His ability to catch the ball out of the backfield should serve him well at the next level. While he will probably never be a three-down running back, he represents the type of player who could fall to the third or fourth round of rookie drafts and become a great value in the right system. A team like Green Bay or Seattle would be a good fit, but Felton has the feel of a running back who comes out of nowhere to be productive.
Michael Carter (RB – North Carolina)
Carter rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown at the Senior Bowl, so while he is a bit undersized, he generated some good buzz with his performance. The North Carolina offense was prolific all season, and Carter was a big reason why accounting for over 1,500 total yards and 11 touchdowns. He will be coveted by NFL teams for his work in pass protection scenarios, and despite being just 5’8, he could carve out a role early in his career as a change of pace back.
Kellen Mond (QB – Texas A&M)
I am not a huge fan of Mond, but he was the Senior Bowl MVP after throwing for 173 yards and two touchdowns. He will be a bit of a project, but his ability to extend plays outside the pocket is a big reason he is Texas A&M’s all-time leader in total offense. The comparison to Trevor Lawrence is somewhat farfetched (ok, actually a lot farfetched), but Mond will certainly give teams a look that other less mobile quarterbacks can’t provide. He will need to sit for a couple of years before being handed the reigns to an offense, but if a team is patient with him, he could thrive.
Kylin Hill (RB – Mississippi State)
Hill only played in three games last fall, but his junior season showcased a back who do it all when he was 1st Team All-SEC and averaged 117 all-purpose yards per game. His pass-catching ability has always been evident, but Hill has the prototypical size (5’11, 210) to be a three-down back at the next level. Combine that with his work in the passing game, and you have the perfect sleeper pick in the middle rounds to be the top rookie running back next year. That, of course, is a top 5% outcome for Hill but don’t be surprised if he gets on the field early and often for the right franchise.
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Stock Down
Justin Fields (QB – Ohio State)
It doesn’t really feel fair to put Fields here, but it is looking more and more like Zach Wilson will be the second quarterback off the board. This is less an indictment of Fields and more a statement regarding how scouts feel Wilson’s skills will translate to the NFL, but there is a reason for me to believe Fields will be just fine. His rushing upside will help, and much like Jalen Hurts, he could potentially go to a team (Atlanta?) where he could sit initially rather than coming in and starting right away. I am hoping Fields manages to drop out of the first round of rookie drafts later this spring.
Sage Surratt (WR – Wake Forest)
Surratt’s skill set is in question because he struggles to separate at the line of scrimmage, and he isn’t exactly a fast-twitch athlete. He does possess good size (6’3, 215), and he had over 1,000 yards receiving in 2019, but he sat out last season and looked bad at the Senior Bowl. Surratt will need to learn how to use his hands to create separation, and he reportedly did a better job of that as the week in Mobile progressed. Still, many questions with Surratt remain, and he will need to run well to improve his stock.
Alex Leatherwood (OL – Alabama)
Leatherwood had a rough week in Mobile from a technique standpoint. He got beat consistently by speed rushers and looked nothing like the top-tier tackle prospect he is thought by some to be. Leatherwood must now answer some questions about where he fits along the offensive line in the NFL. If scouts ultimately peg him as more of a guard prospect, it will knock him into the second round. I think it is hard to envision a scenario where he goes anywhere in the top-20, and it is looking increasingly unlikely he ends up in the first round at all.
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Jason Kamlowsky is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jason, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @JasonKamlowsky.