2021 NFL Draft Round 1 Notes

OFFENSE RULES THE FIRST: The 2021 NFL Draft featured 18 offensive players selected in the first round, tied for the fourth-most in the common-draft era, trailing only the 1968, 2004 and 2009 NFL Drafts (19).

With each of the first seven picks on the offensive side of the ball, the 2021 NFL Draft featured the most offensive players selected to start a Draft since 1967, surpassing the previous high of six in the 1999 NFL Draft.

DRAFTED QBs: With five quarterbacks chosen in the first round, 2021 is the sixth consecutive draft (2016-2021) with at least three quarterbacks selected in the first round, surpassing 2002-2006 (five consecutive drafts) for the longest such streak in the common-draft era.

It also marks the fourth time that at least five quarterbacks have been selected in the Draft’s opening round since 1967. The 1983 NFL Draft holds the record with six quarterbacks selected in the first round, including Pro Football Hall of Famers JOHN ELWAYJIM KELLY and DAN MARINO.

QB1: The Jacksonville Jaguars selected TREVOR LAWRENCE with the first-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. It marks the third time in the common-draft era that a quarterback was chosen No. 1 overall in four consecutive NFL Drafts, joining 2001-05 (five consecutive drafts) and 2009-12 (four).

MOST CONSECUTIVE DRAFTS WITH A QUARTERBACK

SELECTED FIRST OVERALL SINCE 1967

DRAFT YEARSCONSECUTIVE DRAFTSSELECTIONS
2001-055Alex Smith (2005, San Francisco)Eli Manning (2004, San Diego Chargers)Carson Palmer (2003, Cincinnati)
David Carr (2002, Houston)
Michael Vick (2001, Atlanta)
   
2018-214 (active streak)Trevor Lawrence (2021, Jacksonville)Joe Burrow (2020, Cincinnati)Kyler Murray (2019, Arizona)
Baker Mayfield (2018, Cleveland)
   
2009-124Andrew Luck (2012, Indianapolis)
Cam Newton (2011, Carolina)
Sam Bradford (2010, St. Louis Rams)
Matthew Stafford (2009, Detroit)

NOT PASSING ON QUARTERBACKS: With the selections of TREVOR LAWRENCE (No. 1 overall, Jacksonville), ZACH WILSON (No. 2, New York Jets) and TREY LANCE (No. 3, San Francisco), the 2021 NFL Draft became the third Draft since 1967 in which quarterbacks were chosen with each of the first three picks, joining the 1999 and 1971 NFL Drafts.

NFL DRAFTS WITH QUARTERBACKS CHOSEN WITH

EACH OF FIRST THREE PICKS SINCE 1967

DRAFT YEARQUARTERBACKTEAMOVERALL
2021Trevor LawrenceJacksonville1
 Zach WilsonNew York Jets2
 Trey LanceSan Francisco3
    
1999Tim CouchCleveland1
 Donovan McNabbPhiladelphia2
 Akili SmithCincinnati3
    
1971Jim PlunkettNew England1
 Archie ManningNew Orleans2
 Dan PastoriniHouston Oilers3


NON-FBS TO FIRST ROUND: North Dakota State’s TREY LANCE (No. 3 overall, San Francisco) became the sixth quarterback from a non-FBS school to be drafted in the first round since 1979, when Division I-A was formed.

QUARTERBACKS FROM NON-FBS SCHOOLS CHOSEN

IN THE FIRST ROUND SINCE 1979

DRAFT YEARPLAYERSCHOOLTEAMOVERALL
2021Trey LanceNorth Dakota StateSan Francisco3
2016Carson WentzNorth Dakota StatePhiladelphia2
2008Joe FlaccoDelawareBaltimore Ravens18
1995Steve McNairAlcorn StateHouston Oilers3
1983Ken O’BrienUC DavisNew York Jets24
1979Phil SimmsMorehead StateNew York Giants7

QB-RB DUOS: Clemson, with quarterback TREVOR LAWRENCE (No. 1 overall, Jacksonville) and running back TRAVIS ETIENNE (No. 25, Jacksonville), and Alabama, with quarterback MAC JONES (No. 15, New England) and running back NAJEE HARRIS (No. 24, Pittsburgh), became the fifth and sixth colleges with both a quarterback and running back chosen in the first round of the same NFL Draft since 2000.

With both Lawrence and Etienne being selected by Jacksonville, it marks the first time that a quarterback and running back duo from the same college were each selected in the first round of the same NFL Draft by the same team in the common-draft era.

SCHOOLS WITH BOTH A QUARTERBACK AND RUNNING BACK SELECTED

IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE SAME NFL DRAFT SINCE 2000

DRAFT YEARSCHOOLQUARTERBACKRUNNING BACK(S)
2021AlabamaMac JonesNajee Harris
2021ClemsonTrevor LawrenceTravis Etienne
2020LSUJoe BurrowClyde Edwards-Helaire
2009GeorgiaMatthew StaffordKnowshon Moreno
2006USCMatt LeinartReggie Bush
2005AuburnJason CampbellRonnie Brown, Cadillac Williams

ROLL CALL: Five offensive players from Alabama – quarterback MAC JONES (New England, No. 15 overall), running back NAJEE HARRIS (Pittsburgh, No. 24), wide receivers DEVONTA SMITH (Philadelphia, No. 10) and JAYLEN WADDLE (Miami, No. 6), and offensive lineman ALEX LEATHERWOOD (Las Vegas, No. 17) – were chosen in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Alabama becomes the first school in the common-draft era to have a quarterback, running back and two wide receivers selected in the first round of the same NFL Draft, and this marks the first time that a school has had at least five offensive players chosen in the first round of a single Draft since 1967.

Additionally, with the selection of cornerback PATRICK SURTAIN II (Denver, No. 9), Alabama became the second school to have six players chosen in the first round of the same NFL Draft in the common-draft era, joining the University of Miami (six) in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Along with the Crimson Tide, six other schools had multiple players selected in the first round of 2021 NFL Draft: Clemson, Florida, Miami (Fla.), Northwestern, Penn State and Virginia Tech.

DUO OUT WIDE: Alabama wide receivers JAYLEN WADDLE (Miami, No. 6) and DEVONTA SMITH (Philadelphia, No. 10 overall) were each selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Smith and Waddle are the sixth pair of wide receiver teammates to be drafted in the first round of the same NFL Draft since 1967, and the first pair to both be chosen in the top-10.

SCHOOLS WITH WIDE RECEIVER TEAMMATES SELECTED IN

THE FIRST ROUND OF THE SAME NFL DRAFT SINCE 1967

SCHOOLYEARPLAYERTEAMOVERALL
Alabama2021Jaylen WaddleMiami6
  DeVonta SmithPhiladelphia10
     
Alabama2020Henry RuggsLas Vegas12
  Jerry JeudyDenver15
     
LSU2007Dwayne BoweKansas City23
  Craig DavisSan Diego Chargers30
     
Ohio State2007Ted Ginn Jr.Miami9
  Anthony GonzalezIndianapolis32
     
Miami (Fla.)2001Santana MossNew York Jets16
  Reggie WayneIndianapolis30
     
Florida1997Ike HilliardNew York Giants7
  Reidel AnthonyTampa Bay16


FLORIDA’S FINEST
: The Atlanta Falcons selected Florida tight end KYLE PITTS with the fourth overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, the highest-drafted tight end in the common-draft era.

Additionally, Florida wide receiver KADARIUS TONEY was selected with the No. 20 overall pick by the New York Giants. With the selections of Pitts and Toney, Florida is the second school since 1967 to have both a wide receiver and tight end selected in the first round of the same NFL Draft, joining Ohio State in the 1996 NFL Draft [wide receiver TERRY GLENN (No. 7 overall) and tight end RICKEY DUDLEY (No. 9)].

FOOTBALL IS FAMILY: With the selections of JAYCEE HORN (No. 8 overall, Carolina) and PATRICK SURTAIN II (No. 9, Denver), it marked the continuation of NFL family legacies.

Jaycee is the son of 12-year NFL veteran and four-time Pro Bowl selection Joe Horn, while Patrick is the son of 11-year NFL veteran and three-time Pro Bowl selection Patrick Surtain.