2020 vs 2021 Class

[DynastyDrum30]

Our draft just concluded, and now is one of the best times to be making trades for 2021 picks and beyond. As of now, what is everyone's general thoughts/opinion on the 2021 draft class? As of now, is it shaping up to be a strong/weak/decent class? How deep is it? Is it heavy in a certain position? How would you say it compares to the 2020 class?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/feedback. I have difficulty keeping up with both the NFL and college ball, so your knowledge will really help me out in the decision making process!

[Sriracha]

Our draft just concluded, and now is one of the best times to be making trades for 2021 picks and beyond. As of now, what is everyone's general thoughts/opinion on the 2021 draft class? As of now, is it shaping up to be a strong/weak/decent class? How deep is it? Is it heavy in a certain position? How would you say it compares to the 2020 class?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/feedback. I have difficulty keeping up with both the NFL and college ball, so your knowledge will really help me out in the decision making process!

Going to really depend if they play CFB this season.

Remember 2nd/3rd round Laviska Shenault being the WR1 coming into this year?

Joe Burrow being an afterthought?

CEH might not even start on LSU?

A lot can happen in a year

[Hottoddies]

I'm of the mind set that if they don't play college football this year that 2021 picks may lose some value due to the inability to judge the new prospects. I've already dealt my future 2nds and thinking of moving my firsts as well.

[Cameron Giles]

2021 on paper looks solid. WR is good again with Chase, Ross, Moore, Bateman, Smith, Waddle, Wallace. Etienne and Harris lead the RBs. QBs are very promising with Lawrence and Fields.

[Hankybro21]

2021 on paper looks solid. WR is good again with Chase, Ross, Moore, Bateman, Smith, Waddle, Wallace. Etienne and Harris lead the RBs. QBs are very promising with Lawrence and Fields.

Where do you put Lawrence and Fields compared to burrow and tua?

[bjd5211]

2021 on paper looks solid. WR is good again with Chase, Ross, Moore, Bateman, Smith, Waddle, Wallace. Etienne and Harris lead the RBs. QBs are very promising with Lawrence and Fields.

Where do you put Lawrence and Fields compared to burrow and tua?

Both are better, but Burrow did come off an incredible year and doesn't have the durability concerns of Tua. If all 4 had been eligible this year they probably would have ranked/been drafted:

1 Lawrence

2 Burrow
3 Fields

4 Tua

It would be close between Fields and Burrow at 2, and I could see it going either way.

There's also Trey Lance from North Dakota State, who could be making it a real 3 headed QB monster in next years draft.

[FantasyFreak]

Burrow>Lawrence for me. Until Lawrence proves he can handle pressure, give me Burrow. Lawrence is not the most accurate thrower yet, and Lawrence played a cupcake schedule compared to Burrow last year, and was by far the 2nd best QB, and that was only magnified in the Championship game. Lawrence was downright awful, and fell apart when pressured. He was erratic and high on most throws with any sort of pressure. He'll face a lot more games like that in the NFL. Burrow, in contrast, actually had a higher passer rating under pressure last year, than when not pressured, incredibly.

Rondale Moore scares me. He's listed at 5 ft 9, but I'm hearing he's not even that. IF he's 5 ft 8, or even 5 ft 7, he would be an extreme outlier to succeed. I much prefer the 2020 class as it stands right now. The 2021 top RB's were basiclally told they should return to school, or were given grades indicating they were not top backs vs the backs that declared this year.

[bjd5211]

2021 could be even better than 2020, although it might not quite have the RB depth.

QB: This might be the best QB draft class ever with
Lawrence, Fields and Lance, plus some other talented guys who could elevate their stock.

RB: The big names right now are all guys who elected to stay in school rather than enter this years draft, led by Etienne with Chuba Hubbard and Najee Harris being other prominent names. Etienne might have been the #1 RB if he cane out this year, and was certainly on the same level as the top 4-5 RBs in this class. There are usually guys that emerge at this position so we could get more names in time.

WR: The 2020 class is being called the beat WR class many have seen, but 2021 could be better. J'Marr Chase would have been the #1 WR on many boards if he had been eligible this year, and there are 6-7 other guys who are or could be in the 1st round conversation.

Rashod Bateman
Devonta Smith
Jaylen Waddle
Rondale Moore
Justyn Ross
Amon-Ra St Brown
Tylan Wallace
Chris Olave

And I feel like I'm missing somebody. Even if they all don't reach 1st round status (which obviously they won't) it's safe to say it looks like another quality WR class.

TE: Already has nowhere to go but up from this year, but looks legitimately good this early.

Kyle Pitts and Brevin Jordan could be 1st rounders and are certainly better prospects than anyone this year.

[FantasyFreak]

2021 could be even better than 2020, although it might not quite have the RB depth.

QB: This might be the best QB draft class ever with
Lawrence, Fields and Lance, plus some other talented guys who could elevate their stock.

RB: The big names right now are all guys who elected to stay in school rather than enter this years draft, led by Etienne with Chuba Hubbard and Najee Harris being other prominent names. Etienne might have been the #1 RB if he cane out this year, and was certainly on the same level as the top 4-5 RBs in this class. There are usually guys that emerge at this position so we could get more names in time.

WR: The 2020 class is being called the beat WR class many have seen, but 2021 could be better. J'Marr Chase would have been the #1 WR on many boards if he had been eligible this year, and there are 6-7 other guys who are or could be in the 1st round conversation.

Rashod Bateman
Devonta Smith
Jaylen Waddle
Rondale Moore
Justyn Ross
Amon-Ra St Brown
Tylan Wallace
Chris Olave

And I feel like I'm missing somebody. Even if they all don't reach 1st round status (which obviously they won't) it's safe to say it looks like another quality WR class.

TE: Already has nowhere to go but up from this year, but looks legitimately good this early.

Kyle Pitts and Brevin Jordan could be 1st rounders and are certainly better prospects than anyone this year.

Etienne was not going to be the top back, and most likely was not going to be one of the few top backs, either. That's why he returned. He wants to improve his draft stock. Guys like Etienne and Smith (WR for Bama) did not get the grade they were looking for from the draft board, who are about 85 percent accurate with their assesments. Still a bad move IMO, RB's should declare early to get a year towards a 2nd contract. The Fantasy community valued him a bit more than the NFL did, that's pretty obvious. As I stated with Moore, he's listed at 5 ft 9, but rumour is he's closer to 5 ft 8, or eve 5 ft 7, so he would be an extreme outlier to hit in the NFL. I do like the class still, but I think the 2020 class certainly looks better in comparison, as it stands.

[Johnny B. Goode]

WRs are better at the top. RBs are okay but not great. QBs are better

I heard one strategy in the NFL was to grab a RB this year early because next year's class is tepid.

I overall wasnt too impressed with this years
WRs outside of maybe 5 guys. I didnt feel good burning a 1st on all but 4, and in general felt it was a bit overrated. It was certainly deep as you were able to get some big draft capital in the 2nd, but opportunity is lacking for several of these wrs. I am looking forward to next years crop. I think its deeper at the top

Real excited about the QBs

[OhCruelestRanter]

QBs- I’d tentatively say 2021. Lawrence will likely be the best prospect of the group. He’s not as good as Joe Burrow right now, but he’s miles better than Burrow was at age 20.
RBs- I’m having a really difficult time seeing how the 2021 class will pass the 2020 class. There’s already more talent in the 2020 class, and this class had outstanding landing spots. What’s the best landing spot in 2021 going to be? Pittsburgh without Conner? San Francisco? I have a hard time seeing the 2021 group matching the combination of talent and opportunity of 2020.
WR- I feel the same about the 2021 class as I did about the 2020 class at this time last year. There are a bunch of promising sophomores. 2020’s group didn’t really pop at the combine; only Jefferson and Mims really changed their perception. Neither Jeudy or Lamb emerged as the 5-Star Amari-type prospect we thought they would be. Landing spots left a bit to be desired, with the top two guys in crowded spots. Maybe Chase is that 5-Star monster, and maybe the landing spots here are less crowded.
TE- hard to get worse.

Overall, I don’t think the 2021 class will be able to keep up, because they won’t compare with the elite top end value of the 2020 class’ RBs. It’s still a very good class, better than 2019. My concern right now will be how a cancelled or shortened season will affect the early declaration decisions.

[Zacsby]

Etienne was not going to be the top back, and most likely was not going to be one of the few top backs, either. That's why he returned. He wants to improve his draft stock. Guys like Etienne and Smith (WR for Bama) did not get the grade they were looking for from the draft board, who are about 85 percent accurate with their assesments. Still a bad move IMO, RB's should declare early to get a year towards a 2nd contract. The Fantasy community valued him a bit more than the NFL did, that's pretty obvious.

Sources? Or is this an assumption?

[dustyroads]

Etienne was not going to be the top back, and most likely was not going to be one of the few top backs, either. That's why he returned. He wants to improve his draft stock. Guys like Etienne and Smith (WR for Bama) did not get the grade they were looking for from the draft board, who are about 85 percent accurate with their assesments. Still a bad move IMO, RB's should declare early to get a year towards a 2nd contract. The Fantasy community valued him a bit more than the NFL did, that's pretty obvious.

Sources? Or is this an assumption?

An assumption, but a widely held one. Lots of articles you can find, especially regarding Etienne, that he should be able to improve his draft stock by returning. This years RB crop was (and still is IMO) looking better then next years, in recent history RBs like Nick Chubb and Sony Michel proved returning can improve their stock, and for Etienne's situation specifically, Clemson is locked in as the favorite to win the National championship by quite a wide margin because he'll still be on the field with Lawrence and Ross, two other 1st round draft locks, and no real competition for RB touches. So long as he doesn't get injured, I'd say he's almost guaranteed to improve his position as opposed to coming out this year.

Think some of the same rationale applies to Smith, but it didn't make quite as much sense to me because he was still getting projected by "experts" to be a first round pick and to me, he still won't be the best player on his team because Waddle will be there. But like FF said that doesn't mean the draft board graded him as a 1st. Plus, he might not move to be one of the top 2-3 WRs coming out next year, but there certainly doesn't look to be as much depth right now, so less available talent at a position in general tends to put more value on the talent that is there, thus increasing draft position (in theory).

[OhCruelestRanter]

Per Dabo, Etienne received a 2nd round grade by the advisory committee.

[FantasyFreak]

I think Rondale Moore might be a better college player than NFL player. If he comes in a t 5ft 7 or 5 ft 8, which is likely, he will be against the odds. He would be a massive outlier. Not saying he can't be successful, but I'd have a tough time spending a first round rookie pick on him at that point.