With a loaded 2021 NFL draft class stockpiled with quarterbacks, plenty of teams are hoping their future will be brighter after this weekend. Which team will be the biggest surprise of the draft? Which player will be the biggest bust? Will there be drama surrounding a certain reigning NFL MVP? We’ll be following all the action live here on Yahoo Sports.
Bucs end Round 1 with a Pac-12 LB
The Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers took Washington LB Joe Tryon with the No. 32 pick in the draft.
Tryon opted out in 2020 ahead of the Pac-12's COVID-19 delayed season. He had 12.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2019 as a sophomore and joins a ferocious Tampa Bay pass rush that dominated the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
The second and third rounds of the draft begin on Friday at 7 p.m. ET. Join us back here at Yahoo Sports as we'll recap those picks in real-time before the final four rounds of the draft on Saturday.
- Nick Bromberg
Baltimore picks workout sensation
The Ravens used the pick they got from the Kansas City Chiefs to take Penn State DE Jayson Oweh.
Oweh didn't put up big numbers on the field in 2020 — he failed to record a sack after he had five in 2019. But he posted a 4.39 40-yard dash at his pro day and had a vertical jump of nearly three feet and a broad jump of over 10 feet.
The Ravens picked at No. 31 after trading LT Orlando Brown to the Chiefs. Baltimore could have used that pick on Oklahoma State OT Teven Jenkins, but elected to take a pass rusher instead.
The pick of Oweh came after the Buffalo Bills selected Miami DE Gregory Rousseau.
- Nick Bromberg
Packers take a cornerback
The Green Bay Packers used the No. 29 pick to select Georgia CB Eric Stokes. The pick fits a need for the Packers but also comes as reports have emerged about QB Aaron Rodgers' unhappiness in Green Bay.
With Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore on the board, this could have been a great pick to use to add a pass-catching threat for Rodgers or Jordan Love if the team moves on from the 2020 MVP. Instead, Green Bay is addressing a secondary that got burned in the NFC Championship Game against Green Bay.
The New Orleans Saints chose Houston DE Payton Turner with the pick ahead of the Packers. Turner had five sacks in 2020 and will be counted on to replace the production the Saints are losing from Trey Hendrickson on the defensive line.
- Nick Bromberg
Baltimore takes Rashod Bateman
The Ravens drafted another receiving option for Lamar Jackson at No. 27. Baltimore took WR Rashod Bateman and made Bateman the fifth wide receiver and first non-SEC wide receiver to be taken in the draft.
Bateman initially opted out of the 2020 season but opted back in. He played in five games in 2020 before opting out for good as Minnesota was racked with COVID-19 cases. He had 36 catches for 472 yards and two TDs. In 2019, Bateman had 60 catches for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Ravens now have Bateman, Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews catching passes from Jackson and J.K. Dobbins in the backfield. Only Andrews isn't a first-round pick.
- Nick Bromberg
Travis Etienne will play with Trevor Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence will continue to hand off to Travis Etienne. The Jacksonville Jaguars picked the Clemson RB at No. 25 with the pick the team had gotten from the Los Angeles Rams in the Jalen Ramsey trade.
Etienne was the second consecutive RB taken after Alabama's Najee Harris. Etienne rushed for 914 yards and had 588 yards receiving in 2020. It was his first season averaging less than seven yards a carry at Clemson.
The Etienne pick is fascinating for new coach Urban Meyer. The Jaguars got great production from undrafted free agent James Robinson in 2020. Why spend a first-round pick on Etienne?
- Nick Bromberg
Najee Harris to Pittsburgh as first RB off the board
It took 24 picks, but a running back finally came off the board when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Alabama's Najee Harris at No. 24. The Steelers let James Conner walk in free agency, so it was no secret they were targeting a running back in Round 1. They got their man with Harris.
Harris scored 57 touchdowns in his Alabama career, tied with Tim Tebow for the most in SEC history. As a senior, Harris rushed for 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns while catching 43 passes for 425 yards and four more scores.
Harris became the sixth Alabama player to go in Round 1, tying an NFL draft record set by Miami back in 2004.
- Sam Cooper
Titans grab Caleb Farley, talented CB with medical concerns
Nobody doubts the talent of Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, but major health concerns knocked him down the draft board for many teams. The Tennessee Titans, though, were willing to snag Farley at No. 22 despite the fact that he has had multiple back surgeries, including one in March. Farley also tore his ACL back in 2017.
Despite that, Farley is seen as a big-time player. Farley had 12 passes breakups and four interceptions in 10 games as a sophomore in 2019. Back in August, he became one of the first prominent players to opt out of the 2020 college football season. Now he is headed to the Titans.
Farley's selection came one spot after Michigan defensive end Kwity Paye went to the Indianapolis Colts.
- Sam Cooper
Giants use No. 20 on Kadarius Toney
The New York Giants selected Florida WR Kadarius Toney with the pick they got from Chicago at No. 20.
Toney is the fourth wide receiver taken in the draft and also the fourth from the SEC. He exploded as a senior in 2020 with 70 catches for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games. He had just 50 catches and two touchdowns entering the season and had been used as a rusher almost as equally as he was as a receiver in his first three years with the Gators.
- Nick Bromberg
Washington and Miami go defense
The Miami Dolphins took Miami DE Jaelan Phillips at No. 18. Phillips was the first edge rusher taken in the first round after he had eight sacks in 2020. Phillips came to Miami after he transferred from UCLA and even medically retired from football after a concussion and he was hit by a car while riding a moped.
The Washington Football Team followed that pick with Kentucky LB Jamin Davis at No. 19. Davis had 102 tackles and three interceptions at Kentucky in 2020 and will be counted on to step in right away for Washington.
- Nick Bromberg
Alex Leatherwood is fifth Alabama player taken in top 17
Alabama's run of draftees continued at No. 17 when the Las Vegas Raiders picked OT Alex Leatherwood. The Raiders continued their habit of drafting players from College Football Playoff teams in the first round with the pick and made Leatherwood the fifth Alabama player selected so far in the draft.
Tulsa LB Zaven Collins went ahead of Leatherwood at No. 16 to the Arizona Cardinals. Collins was one of the most dynamic defensive players in college football in 2020 and will form an intriguing linebacker pair with Isaiah Simmons, the player the Cardinals drafted in the first round in 2020.
- Nick Bromberg
Patriots get their QB and take Mac Jones
Alabama QB Mac Jones is heading to New England.
The Patriots made Jones the fifth QB selected when they chose him at No. 15. He's the first QB selected in the first round by Bill Belichick and joins a Patriots team that struggled to throw the ball in 2020.
Jones was 311-of-402 passing for 4,500 yards and 41 TDs to just four interceptions in 2020. He’s the fourth Alabama player selected in the 2021 draft behind WRs Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith and CB Patrick Surtain II.
Jones seems like a great fit for a New England offense that's been designed on quick passes. And he now joins a QB room in New England that includes Cam Newton.
We're also guessing that Alabama coach Nick Saban gave his friend Belichick a stellar scouting report about his latest QB.
- Nick Bromberg
Jets move up for Vera-Tucker after Chargers pick Slater
A pair of offensive linemen went at Nos. 13 and 14. The Los Angeles Chargers took Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater at No. 13 before the New York Jets moved up from No. 23 to get some protection for Zach Wilson.
The Jets traded the Minnesota Vikings the No. 23 pick and picks Nos. 66 and 86 in the third round to select USC's Alijah Vera-Tucker.
- Nick Bromberg
Cowboys go with Micah Parsons
Dallas used the No. 12 pick it acquired from Philadelphia to take Penn State LB Micah Parsons.
Parsons opted out of the 2020 season after he was the Big Ten linebacker of the year in 2019. He had 109 tackles as a sophomore and will be a versatile piece that the Cowboys can use on defense along with Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch.
- Nick Bromberg
Bears trade up to pick Justin Fields
Ohio State QB Justin Fields is staying in Big Ten country. The Chicago Bears traded up nine spots to No. 11 to take Fields in a trade with the New York Giants.
Chicago gave up No. 20, its first-round pick in 2022, a fourth-round pick next year and a fifth-round pick this season to move up to No. 11. The Giants now will have two picks in the first round next season.
Fields is the fourth QB off the board ahead of Alabama's Mac Jones. Fields was a star in Ohio State's College Football Playoff win over Clemson and was considered the second-best QB in college football entering the 2020 season.
Fields was 158-of-225 passing for 2,100 yards with 22 TDs and six interceptions in eight games at Ohio State in 2020. He threw 63 TDs to just nine interceptions in his college career at Ohio State.
The trade for Fields also means that Chicago is taking another shot on a first-round QB after the failed Mitch Trubisky era. The Bears infamously traded up to No. 2 to take Trubisky in the 2017 NFL draft ahead of both Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
The trade is also a nice haul for the Giants. It's the first time that Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has traded down in his career as a GM.
- Nick Bromberg
Eagles trade with... Cowboys?
The first trade of the night involved three NFC East teams. Well, not exactly.
The Philadelphia Eagles were sitting at No. 12 with the Dallas Cowboys at No. 10 and the New York Giants at No. 11. The Cowboys were rumored to be eyeing Patrick Surtain with their pick, but Surtain went off the board to Denver at No. 9. At that point, the Eagles jumped up to No. 10 — ahead of the Giants — and selected Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
Smith, of course, won the Heisman Trophy in 2020 with a remarkable season. He caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns. And now he will reunite with his former Alabama teammate, QB Jalen Hurts, in Philly.
- Sam Cooper
A surprise! Jaycee Horn goes ahead of Patrick Surtain
It took eight selections for a defensive player to come off the board, and it wasn't the player most expected.
After the Detroit Lions went with Oregon tackle Penei Sewell at No. 7, the Carolina Panthers chose South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn with the eighth pick. Many observers had Alabama's Patrick Surtain II as the best cornerback in this year's draft, but Carolina's brass had a different opinion.
Horn is the son of longtime NFL receiver Joe Horn. You know, the guy who celebrated a touchdown by pulling a cell phone out of the goal post. Anyway, the younger Horn was a very productive player for the Gamecocks. He started all three years and had two interceptions in 2020.
The Panthers were looked at as a team that could potentially choose a quarterback. Instead, they continued to build up their defense.
Another team thought to potentially be in the QB mix was the Denver Broncos at No. 9. Instead, the Broncos went with Surtain in an effort to shore up their secondary.
- Sam Cooper
SEC pass catchers come off board at 4, 5 and 6
Following the run of quarterbacks with the first three picks, the Atlanta Falcons made Florida's Kyle Pitts the highest-drafted tight end of all-time at No. 4. Pitts is a matchup nightmare who lined up all over the field for the Gators. Over his last two years at UF, Pitts caught 97 passes for 1,491 yards and 17 TDs.
At pick No. 5, another SEC product came off the board. This time, it was LSU wideout Ja'Marr Chase to the Cincinnati Bengals. Chase had 84 catches for 1,780 yards and 20 TDs to help LSU win a national title in 2019. His quarterback that season was none other than Joe Burrow, the Bengals' No. 1 pick in 2019. Now that dynamic duo will reunite in Cincinnati.
At pick No. 6, it was yet another SEC wideout. This time, it was Alabama's Jaylen Waddle who was selected by the Miami Dolphins. Waddle was a big play threat any time the ball touched his hands, drawing comparisons to Tyreek Hill. He finished his college career averaging just under 19 yards per reception. He also scored three touchdowns as a returner.
In Miami, Waddle will reunite with his former college quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa.
- Sam Cooper
No more guesses: 49ers draft Trey Lance at No. 3
When the San Francisco 49ers traded up to No. 3 last month, it was clear they were after a quarterback. But we did not know which quarterback it would be.
On Thursday night we finally found out that it was Trey Lance, not Mac Jones. And the coaching and scouting staffs of the 49ers were among those in the dark.
In the days and weeks after the trade was made, Jones was widely reported as the target of the 49ers brass. Jones led Alabama to a national championship in 2020, showcasing pinpoint accuracy and advanced decision-making in the process.
In the end, though, the team went with Lance, who played just one full season at North Dakota State. In that season, Lance put up absurd numbers: 2,786 passing yards, 1,100 rushing yards and 42 total touchdowns without an interception.
His selection Thursday night caps off a wild journey from small-town Minnesota to FCS star to first-round pick in the span of three years. It also sets up an intriguing quarterback room in San Francisco. Jimmy Garoppolo is still in the fold — for now.
Teams ordinarily don't trade up to No. 3 and pick a quarterback without the intention of putting him into action. Could Lance sit behind Garoppolo, who started for the 49ers in the Super Bowl only a few years ago? Or could Garoppolo be on the move? It adds another layer to the potential trade market as the draft progresses.
- Sam Cooper
No drama: Jags take Lawrence, Jets take Wilson
As has been expected for months, the Jacksonville Jaguars made Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
The choice was finally made after a random performance from Kings of Leon and an introduction to the draft from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell, of course, was met with some boos upon his arrival to the stage in Cleveland, where he was joined by some prominent members of the Cleveland Browns, both past and present.
Once Jacksonville was on the clock, the long-awaited choice of Lawrence finally became official. Lawrence, the No. 1 recruit in the nation back in 2018, famously led Clemson to a national title as a true freshman and quickly was projected as a future No. 1 pick. On Thursday night, that prognostication came to fruition.
A few minutes later, the top of the draft continued as anticipated when the New York Jets selected BYU quarterback Zach Wilson.
Wilson showed flashes of brilliance in his first two seasons at BYU, but he really flourished in 2020 as the Cougars started 9-0 and were a subject College Football Playoff debates. Wilson threw for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns as a junior, and now the Utah native will head to New York City as the new franchise QB of a long-struggling franchise.
- Sam Cooper
Aaron Rodgers news sets the stage for NFL draft
Welcome to the 2021 NFL draft!
It has already been an eventful day. While rumors surrounding the draft continue to swirl, news of Aaron Rodgers' apparent discontentment in Green Bay emerged as a pre-draft bombshell.
Could Rodgers be on the move during Thursday night's first round? Will the Rodgers situation affect the decision-making of the San Francisco 49ers? What other trades could be in the works? Those are the major storylines bubbling as we inch closer to the start of Round 1.
The first two picks should come and go without much surprise. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is considered a lock to go No. 1 to the Jacksonville Jaguars while another quarterback, BYU's Zach Wilson, is expected to go second to the New York Jets.
The intrigue starts with the 49ers at No. 3. San Francisco traded up to this spot with eyes on a quarterback. But which quarterback? Will it be Alabama's Mac Jones? Or will it be North Dakota State's Trey Lance? What about Ohio State star Justin Fields?
Let the drama begin.
- Sam Cooper
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