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NFL draft order for 2021: First-round picks from 1 to 32, including Jaguars with No. 1

ByESPN staff ESPN logo

Monday, March 29, 2021

The order for all 32 picks in the first round of the2021 NFL draft is set, with theJacksonville Jaguarspicking No. 1 and theNew York Jetspicking No. 2. Could both teams be thinking quarterback with their picks? In NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s debut mock draft, he gave Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence to the Jags at No. 1 but went in a different direction for the Jets.

Both the Jaguars and Jets -- along with the Miami Dolphins -- have two first-round picks in this draft. The Dolphins ended up with the No. 3 pick -- thanks to the Houston Texans' trade for offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil last year -- and the No. 18 pick. The Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals round out the top five selections.

The 2021 NFL draft will take place in Cleveland, with the first round on April 29. Rounds 2 and 3 will be on April 30, while Rounds 4 through 7 will be on May 1. The draft will be broadcast on ESPN and the ESPN App.

Check out all 32 picks in Round 1 below, with the final two spots locked in after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' win onSuper Bowl Sunday. View the complete draft order with all 259 picks here.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15)

Jacksonville has had a pick in the top 10 of the first round 19 times as it enters its 27th season, but it never has had the No. 1 overall choice. The last team to make the playoffs the year it had the No. 1 pick was the 2013 Chiefs. The Jaguars have taken three quarterbacks in the first round -- Byron Leftwich (No. 7 in 2003), Blaine Gabbert (No. 10 in 2011) and Blake Bortles (No. 3 in 2014).

2. New York Jets (2-14)

The Jets just missed out on their second No. 1 overall pick. They used their only No. 1 to select wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson in 1996. The Jets have picked second twice, selecting wide receiver Johnny "Lam" Jones (1980) and running back Blair Thomas (1990). New York was reported to be targeting Anthony Munoz with the second pick in 1980 but reportedly passed on him because he failed a physical. The Bengals took Munoz third, and he made 11 Pro Bowls. Jones never made the Pro Bowl.

3. San Francisco 49ers (from MIA via 4-12 HOU)

The 49ers moved up via a trade on March 26. When they selected wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk with the second of two first-round picks last year, it was the first time they had selected a skill-position player in the first round since 2012. In that same span, they selected four defensive ends.

4. Atlanta Falcons (4-12)

This is the Falcons' first top-10 pick since 2015 and their first top-five pick since drafting quarterback Matt Ryanat No. 3 in 2008. Atlanta has drafted two Hall of Famers with top-five picks: Claude Humphrey (No. 3, 1968) and Deion Sanders (No. 5, 1989).

5. Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1)

The Bengals are picking in the top five for the 17th time in franchise history and the second year in a row. They've used their past four first-rounders to pick offensive players, but only two of them were starters for Cincinnati in 2020 (quarterbackJoe Burrow and offensive tackleJonah Williams).

6. Miami Dolphins(from 4-11-1 PHI)

The Dolphins, who had three first-round picks in 2020, have two first-round picks this year. All of their first-round picks since 2011 were in the league in 2020, but only one from before 2019 was still with Miami (DeVante Parker, No. 14, 2015).

7. Detroit Lions (5-11)

The Lions are picking in the top 10 for the third consecutive year and 26thtime in the Super Bowl era. Could they be looking for the successor to 2009 No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford?

8. Carolina Panthers (5-11)

The Panthers have a choice inside the top 10 for just the second time since 2012. They hit big with the other, selecting running backChristian McCaffreyat No. 8 in 2017.

9. Denver Broncos (5-11)

The Broncos are picking in the top 10 for just the second time since 2011. Pass-rusherBradley Chubb was their pick at No. 5 in 2018. He has 20.5 sacks in his career and made the Pro Bowl this season.

10. Dallas Cowboys (6-10)

Five of the Cowboys' past eight first-round picks have represented Dallas in the Pro Bowl, but only three remain with the team -- guard Zack Martin, running backEzekiel Elliott and linebackerLeighton Vander Esch. This is the Cowboys' highest draft position since they took Elliott with the fourth pick in 2016.

11. New York Giants (6-10)

Four of the Giants' past six first-rounders are players around whom they hope they can build their offense, though 2018 No. 2 pickSaquon Barkley will be returning from a torn ACL in 2021. QuarterbackDaniel Jones (2019) and tight endEvan Engram (2017) had some injury issues that hampered them in 2020. Rookie offensive tackleAndrew Thomas was a plug-and-play starter this season.

12. Philadelphia Eagles(from MIA via 6-10 SF)

The Eagles moved down six spots via a trade with the Dolphins on March 26. WithCarson Wentztraded to Indianapolis, they appear set to start 2020 second-round pick Jalen Hurtsat quarterback next season.

13. Los Angeles Chargers (7-9)

The Chargers have the luxury of not needing a quarterback, as it appears they struck gold with last year's No. 6 pick,Justin Herbert. The signal-caller from Oregon established a record for TD passes by a rookie and had multiple TD passes in seven consecutive games, another rookie record.

14. Minnesota Vikings (7-9)

The Vikings are making their highest pick in the first round since selecting cornerbackTrae Waynesat No. 11 in 2015. Of their first-round picks prior to 2018, only safetyHarrison Smith (2012) and linebackerAnthony Barr (2014) still wear the purple.

15. New England Patriots (7-9)

The Patriots have their highest first-round pick since 2008, when they selected linebacker Jerod Mayo 10th. He was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and played his entire eight-year career in New England, making two Pro Bowl teams.

16. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)

Of the Cardinals' past 10 first-round picks spanning the past 10 years, four aren't even in the league. Five are still with Arizona. The other is 49ers backup quarterbackJosh Rosen.

17. Las Vegas Raiders (8-8)

The Raiders, who have made five first-round picks over the past two drafts, have only one first-rounder this year. Each of those previous five was at a different position, but none of those picks addressed linebacker or offensive line.

18. Miami Dolphins (10-6)

How the Dolphins use the second of their two first-rounders will depend largely on what they do with their first. They have needs at wide receiver, offensive line and running back.

19. Washington Football Team (7-9)

The four starters on the defensive line, one of the best units in the NFL, are all first-round picks since 2017. Washington could try to address holes on offense with this pick.

20. Chicago Bears (8-8)

The Bears return to the first round after a two-year absence, courtesy of trading away first-round picks to acquire pass-rusherKhalil Mackin 2018. Their first-rounders from 2015 through 2018 were all top-10 picks, but only two of them (quarterbackMitchell Trubisky, a pending free agent,and linebackerRoquan Smith) remain with Chicago.

21. Indianapolis Colts (11-5)

The Colts didn't have a first-round pick a year ago after they traded it away for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. They've spent two of their past three first-round picks on offensive linemen and hit on both -- center Ryan Kelly and guard Quenton Nelson have given Indianapolis one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

22. Tennessee Titans (11-5)

Pass-rushers are hard to come by, but the Titans are desperate to find one after finishing last in the league in sacks. They haven't taken a defensive end in the first round since Derrick Morgan in 2010.

23. New York Jets (2-14; from 12-4 SEA)

The Jets have two first-round selections for the first time since 2013. This one belongs to Seattle and was acquired in the trade for safetyJamal Adams. New York has plenty of holes to fill and could go in any direction.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)

The Steelers, who didn't have a first-round pick last year after they used it to trade for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, have used their past seven first-round picks on defensive players, including five linebackers.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15; from 10-6 LAR)

With the second of their two first-round picks, the Jaguars could bolster the protection for their first pick. They haven't taken an offensive tackle in the first round since 2013.

26. Cleveland Browns (11-5)

The Browns haven't used a first-round pick on a player outside of a power conference since 1981. They have needs in their back seven on defense.

27. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

The Ravens haven't selected a defensive lineman in the first round since defensive tackle Haloti Ngata in 2006. It certainly is a need Baltimore could look to address.

28. New Orleans Saints (12-4)

The Saints hit it big with two first-rounders in 2017, drafting Pro Bowl cornerbackMarshon Lattimore and two-time All-Pro offensive tackleRyan Ramczyk. They probably will be in the market for some help in the secondary.

29. Green Bay Packers (13-3)

Since drafting Aaron Rodgers in 2005, the Packers have had 15 first-round picks. They have used 12 of them on the defensive side, two on offensive tackles and one on a quarterback (Jordan Love in 2020). They haven't taken a wide receiver in the first round since 2002.

30. Buffalo Bills (13-3)

The Bills, who didn't have a first-round pick last year because they used it to trade for wide receiver Stefon Diggs, have four core starters from their past four first-round picks, including 2020 Pro Bowl selections cornerbackTre'Davious White, quarterbackJosh Allen and linebackerTremaine Edmunds.

31. Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)

The Chiefs have had only two first-round picks in the past five seasons, using them on quarterbackPatrick Mahomes in 2017 and running backClyde Edwards-Helaire in 2020. Like so many teams, they could use a pass-rusher. But drafting late in the first round means those are harder to come by than help for the interior of the offensive line.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)

The Buccaneers probably will look to address an aging defensive line, though who they re-sign in free agency could shape their draft needs. They could use help on the interior and on the outside.