Alabama Football: 2021 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 with trades
By Dakota Cox
Carolina trades for a quarterback
5. Carolina Panthers (via CIN): Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
This is a terrible situation for the Bengals. They need to build around Joe Burrow, but the best tackle is off of the board. Because of that, they trade back for another team in the top 10 that needs a quarterback.
Carolina is looking to make a splash this offseason. They might trade for Watson, but I’m going off of the belief that the Texans will stay entrenched in these talks. Carolina can’t wait for him through the draft, so they instead take a risk and trade up for a quarterback.
That’s enough about the situation. Let’s talk about the fit. Justin Fields has wild athleticism, and his leadership matters. Many will compare him to a slimmer Cam Newton, which Panthers fans know a ton about.
Fields has the traits, but he will need to develop as a passer. His weaknesses have been overanalyzed at this point, but the fact remains that he must improve his processing speed slightly. It’s not as bad as some people say, but he will need to play with more anticipation in the NFL.
The 2021 NFL Draft is filled with quality quarterback prospects. NFL teams will evaluate them differently. The Panthers could easily prefer Alabama football’s Mac Jones or Trey Lance. In these scenarios, they might consider staying at eighth overall and taking whoever falls. However, this would ensure that they get the quarterback they want. If the Falcons pass on Fields and take Sewell, someone will be looking to make a trade for him.