2021 NFL Mock Draft: Re-drafting Day 2, Washington Football Team picks
2021 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 49-52
49. Arizona Cardinals: CB Kelvin Joseph, Kentucky. The Cardinals have long needed a No. 2 corner to play across from Patrick Peterson. Now, they need a cornerback to play across from Malcolm Butler.
Joseph could be that guy. He’s a great athlete that had four picks last year. Teams hated throwing at him and he could be one of the better corners in this class. So, why is he on the board at 49? He has a bit of a temper on the field and had some brutal hits that got him in trouble. If he can clean that up and regulate his emotions better, the Cardinals could get a potential top corner for their team.
50. Miami Dolphins: OT Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame. This is heartbreaking for Washington, as Eichenberg would be a great fit for them. Alas, Miami needs a right tackle to replace Robert Hunt, who will kick inside to guard after the Ereck Flowers trade.
Eichenberg is the latest in a long line of strong technicians to come out of Notre Dame. His ceiling may not be as high as his predecessors, but his floor is as a high-quality tackle. Having him block on Tua Tagovailoa’s blindside is a recipe for long-term success.
51. Washington Football Team: OT Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State. With Eichenberg off the board, Radunz will draw the attention of Washington here. He may not be as familiar as some of the other tackles out there, but Radunz was excellent at the Senior Bowl and impressed talent evaluators with his performance.
Radunz isn’t a big-time athlete, but he is strong, tough, and should have a chance to succeed on either the left or right side of the line. Ron Rivera and Marty Hurney have targeted non-Power 5 offensive linemen about as often as they’ve targeted Power 5 linemen, so Radunz could pique their interest if some of the other top options are off the board.
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52. Chicago Bears: OT Jalen Mayfield, Michigan. The Bears continue the run on tackles here and take a chance on Mayfield. He doesn’t have a lot of experience, but the Michigan product showed some high-end upside in his performance against Chase Young during the 2019 college football season.
The Bears need a challenger to Elijah Wilkinson at the right tackle spot, so the athletic Mayfield could make sense here. He may need an extra year to develop as a swing tackle, but either way, he fills a short and long-term need for Chicago, especially after they were able to draft Justin Fields.