Four years removed from the 2021 NFL Draft, it has become clear who the standouts of the class are.
It’s always a fun practice to go through an NFL Redraft, looking back on past selections and projecting what teams would do differently with the power of hindsight. The 2021 class was initially headlined by its five first-round quarterbacks, but it has since become known for its 17 Pro Bowlers and numerous impact players elsewhere.
Without further ado, here is our 2021 NFL Redraft heading into the 2025 NFL season.
2021 NFL Redraft
1) Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Original Pick: Trevor Lawrence
Is Trevor Lawrence the most accomplished player in the 2021 draft? Not quite, but he’s developed into a quality starting quarterback for the Jaguars. He has two 4,000-yard seasons and earned a five-year, $275 million extension, meaning Jacksonville would likely make the same pick over.
2) New York Jets: Micah Parsons, EDGE, Penn State
Original Pick: Zach Wilson
The Jets don’t find their franchise quarterback in this 2021 NFL Redraft, meaning they’d have to defer to a different year. That said, Micah Parsons is a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro with 52.5 sacks in his first four seasons in the league. He’s easily one of the most valuable non-quarterbacks in the NFL.
3) San Francisco 49ers: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Original Pick: Trey Lance
Penei Sewell has developed into arguably the best right tackle in the entire NFL. Imagine what a 49ers offensive line would look like with him on one end and Trent Williams and the other. It would be a complete nightmare for opposing defenses.
4) Atlanta Falcons: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Original Pick: Kyle Pitts
While the Falcons got encouraging results from Pitts in his rookie year, they make the easy decision go elsewhere in this 2021 NFL Redraft. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Patrick Surtain II is the definition of a shutdown cornerback.
5) Cincinnati Bengals: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Original Pick: Ja’Marr Chase
The Bengals made the right choice picking Ja’Marr Chase as the first wide receiver off the board in 2021. He hit the Triple Crown in 2024, leading the league in all of receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
6) Miami Dolphins: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC
Original Pick: Jaylen Waddle
Amon-Ra St. Brown was seen as a steal by the Lions in Round 4 of the 2021 NFL Draft, but few could’ve anticipated he’d start his NFL career with 430 receptions, 4,851 yards and 33 touchdowns through his first four years. Waddle was a good pick by the Dolphins here, but St. Brown gets the edge in this NFL Redraft.
7) Detroit Lions: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
Original Pick: Penei Sewell
Though losing out on Sewell and St. Brown stings for the Lions. they still end up with an impact player at No. 7. Rashawn Slater is already a two-time Pro Bowler and has developed into one of the top offensive tackles in the game at a young age.
8) Carolina Panthers: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
Original Pick: Jaycee Horn
Though he’s dealt with some injuries in the pros, Christian Darrisaw is an elite offensive tackle who has finished above 80.0 in PFF grading in his last three seasons. The Panthers would likely be pleased with the chance to select him here.
9) Denver Broncos: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Original Pick: Patrick Surtain II
The Broncos would be disappointed to lose out on the chance to take Surtain in the 2021 NFL Redraft, but they’d land a tremendous consolation prize by taking a consistent 1,000-yard threat with elite athleticism like Jaylen Waddle.
10) Philadelphia Eagles: Landon Dickerson, OG, Alabama
Original Pick: DeVonta Smith
While the Eagles should consider themselves pleased with their actual pick, they end up taking their real-life Round 2 pick in Round 1 of this 2021 NFL Redraft. With three consecutive Pro Bowls, Landon Dickerson is one of the best interior offensive linemen in the game.
11) Chicago Bears: Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma
Original Pick: Justin Fields
They eventually addressed their need at center by signing Drew Dalman in the 2025 offseason, but the Bears struggled at the position significantly over the last few years. Creed Humphrey, a two-time All-Pro, is now the highest-paid center in the NFL and arguably the best in the game.
12) Dallas Cowboys: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Original Pick: Micah Parsons
The Cowboys already had CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper in 2021, but they ended up traded the latter the following offseason. Pairing Lamb with DeVonta Smith, one of the best route runners in the NFL, would give Dallas an elite wide receiver tandem in this hypothetical.
13) Los Angeles Chargers: Quinn Meinerz, OG, Wisconsin-Whitewater
Original Pick: Rashawn Slater
Quinn Meinerz was a darling in the draft community in 2021, but few could’ve anticipated the Division III sleeper would turn into a First-Team All-Pro. That’s exactly what happened, and in this 2021 NFL Redraft, he ends up selected early in the first round.
14) New York Jets: Trey Smith, OG, Tennessee
Original Pick: Alijah Vera-Tucker
While the Jets made a good pick with Vera-Tucker in real life, Trey Smith would still be an upgrade in this hypothetical. He’s quickly turned from a sixth-round pick into one of the top guards in the game.
15) New England Patriots: Nico Collins, WR, Michigan
Original Pick: Mac Jones
One thing the Patriots have lacked in the last few years is a consistent star at the wide receiver position. After a slow start to his NFL career, Nico Collins has exploded with 148 receptions, 2,303 yards and 15 touchdowns in his last two years.
16) Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
Original Pick: Zaven Collins
The Cardinals had the right idea taking a versatile Swiss army knife at off-ball linebacker in Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft. In this redraft, though, they take a player in Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah who fits that bill and has more than lived up to the hype.
17) Las Vegas Raiders: Samuel Cosmi, OG, Texas
Original Pick: Alex Leatherwood
Though hardly the sexiest pick with the No. 17 pick, Samuel Cosmi has become a high-quality starting guard after kicking inside in the NFL. He would be the upgrade to the Raiders’ offensive line they hoped Alex Leatherwood would become in 2021.
18) Miami Dolphins: Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa
Original Pick: Jaelan Phillips
An unsung yet crucial piece of the Bills’ offense, Spencer Brown has developed into a solid starting offensive tackle. Having selected Tua Tagovailoa in 2020, adding an upgrade to the offensive line would be a smart move for the Dolphins in the 2021 NFL Redraft.
19) Washington Commanders: Jevon Holland, S, Oregon
Original Pick: Jamin Davis
After four seasons of steady play for the Dolphins, Jevon Holland parlayed his playmaking abilities into becoming a top-10 safety in yearly salary in the 2025 offseason. Instead of signing with the Giants like he did in real life, he gets drafted by an NFC East rival here.
20) New York Giants: Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami (FL)
Original Pick: Kadarius Toney
Gregory Rousseau has been a reliable starting edge rusher in the NFL, tallying 25.0 sacks through his first four seasons with the Bills. That would be a strong addition for a team like the Giants, who struggled with their pass rush significantly around 2021.
21) Indianapolis Colts: Jonathon Cooper, EDGE, Ohio State
Original Pick: Kwity Paye
With 19.0 sacks and 33 quarterback hits in the last two seasons for the Broncos, Jonathan Cooper has become one of the most underrated edge rushers in the NFL. Kwity Paye was a good pick for the Colts here, but Cooper’s recent production gives him the slight upper hand.
22) Tennessee Titans: Talanoa Hufanga, S, USC
Original Pick: Caleb Farley
Injuries have made it tough for him to fully recapture his 2022 play, but Talanoa Hufanga was a First-Team All-Pro defender for the 49ers in Year 2 in the league. When healthy, he’s an impact player for an NFL secondary.
23) Minnesota Vikings: Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
Original Pick: Christian Darrisaw
After missing out on Darrisaw here, the Vikings get a strong consolation prize in this 2021 NFL Redraft. Paye has a 17-game average of 7.8 sacks through his first four seasons in Indianapolis.
24) Pittsburgh Steelers: Drew Dalman, C, Stanford
Original Pick: Najee Harris
In 2021, the Steelers were in their first year without star center Maurkice Pouncey, leaving a massive hole in their offensive line. Dalman just got a three-year, $42 million deal from the Bears in the 2025 offseason after having been one of the league’s best centers the last two years.
25) Jacksonville Jaguars: Osa Odighizuwa, DT, UCLA
Original Pick: Travis Etienne
Travis Etienne has been a productive running back for the Jaguars, but if he leaves in free agency in 2026, they might use the power of hindsight to go elsewhere in the NFL Redraft. Osa Odighizuwa has grown into an impactful interior defender and earned an extension from the Cowboys worth $20 million in 2025.
26) Cleveland Browns: Alim McNeill, DT, NC State
Original Pick: Greg Newsome
Alim McNeill has graded as a top-12 defensive tackle each of the last two seasons, per PFF. He’s turned into one of the Lions’ unsung heroes, and his absence due to injury was felt up the middle in the 2025 postseason.
27) Baltimore Ravens: Milton Williams, DT, Louisiana Tech
Original Pick: Rashod Bateman
Some may write off Milton Williams as a Super Bowl merchant due to his stellar two-sack performance in Philadelphia’s 2025 win. That would be a mistake, as he’s an explosive pass-rushing defensive tackle who’s worth every penny of the massive contract he got from the Patriots in real life.
28) New Orleans Saints: Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
Original Pick: Payton Turner
In this 2021 NFL Redraft, the Saints stick to the defensive side of the ball in Round 1, but they choose to upgrade the secondary, instead. Tyson Campbell has missed 11 games in the last two years but is a genuine CB1 when healthy.
29) Green Bay Packers: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC
Original Pick: Eric Stokes
The unfortunate victim of a loaded interior offensive line class in the 2021 NFL Redraft, Alijah Vera-Tucker’s minor slide ends in Green Bay, where he would form one of the league’s top interior offensive line duos with Elgton Jenkins in this hypothetical.
30) Buffalo Bills: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Original Pick: Gregory Rousseau
As the eventual replacement for Tre’Davious White, Horn would be a worthy investment for the Bills here. He has struggled to stay healthy for the Panthers but made it to the Pro Bowl in 2024, finally staying on the field and looking the part of a true CB1.
31) Baltimore Ravens: Odafe Oweh, EDGE, Penn State
Original Pick: Odafe Oweh
The Ravens made the right pick here in 2021, taking a chance on Oweh’s elite athleticism in spite of a lack of collegiate sack production. Coming off a 10-sack season in 2024, production surely hasn’t been an issue for him in the NFL.
32) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
Original Pick: Joe Tryon-Shiyonka
Blood clots limited him to four games in 2024, but before that, Christian Barmore was arguably the brightest spot on some weak Patriots teams in the first three seasons of his NFL career. He partners with Vita Vea in Tampa to round out the first round of this 2021 NFL Redraft.