While the marquee quarterbacks will go early in the 2021 NFL Draft, Florida’s Kyle Trask could prove to be one of the better values due to his mid-round draft projection. Knowing that Trask could benefit from learning from a veteran ahead of him, which teams could be the best landing spots for Trask as he begins his NFL career?
Kyle Trask’s 2021 NFL Draft projection
Although the order is up for debate, we’re confident in the first five quarterbacks who will come off the board. Beyond those, it’s somewhat up in the air, as they all bring different skill sets to the field. Given the variety of philosophies, some teams could find a certain trait more valuable than others. Trask is a bit of a blend of them all, though not always proficient enough to warrant a high draft projection. That did not stop him from having success, though, as he was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2020.
Trask threw for 4,283 yards and 43 touchdowns while leading one of the most explosive offenses in the country. He led the nation in total touchdowns (46) while finishing second in passing yards. The question is whether or not his repertoire will translate to the NFL game. He lacks mobility, and questions are regarding his arm strength. Trask would benefit from spending a year or two behind a veteran QB and doesn’t carry the massive risk associated with a high overall pick if he does not pan out.Â
Best landing spots for Trask
PFN’s Chief Draft Analyst and NFL Insider Tony Pauline has Trask graded as the No. 69 overall prospect and the No. 7 QB with a second-round draft grade.
New Orleans Saints
Although the New Orleans Saints have a competition brewing for the 2021 season between Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill, the longer-term successor to Drew Brees remains up in the air. While not a polished QB, Trask displayed above-average accuracy, which Sean Payton would want to run his offense.
Winston previously said he went to the Saints to get a master class at the position, and given Trask’s needed development, he could get the same lessons. New Orleans has several offensive weapons locked up on longer-term contracts, which would still be on the team once Trask was ready to take over the starting role.
Minnesota Vikings
If Trask ends up sliding into the third round, I would watch out for the Minnesota Vikings as a landing spot. Kirk Cousins will be 33 at the start of the season, and his contract is set to expire after 2022. Cousins carries a $31 million cap hit in 2021 and a massive $45 million cap hit in 2022. With only $10 million in dead cap next year, the Vikings could try to get out from underneath Cousins’ contract.
Teams typically succeed with QBs on team-friendly contracts, and the Vikings are loaded with offensive talent between Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, and Irv Smith Jr. Although Trask does not have the arm talent of Cousins, the tools are there around him to help him succeed at the next level.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It would take a divine act for Trask to see the field so long as Tom Brady wears the same jersey. But that is okay — there is also no better player to learn from than the seven-time Super Bowl champion. Brady has never had the strongest arm or nimblest feet, but I think we can agree it has worked out reasonably well.
Bruce Arians is an offensive guru and could aid in the development of Trask over the next two years behind Brady. Tampa Bay managed to retain all 22 starters from their Super Bowl team, so they have the luxury of selecting guys for the future rather than needing immediate impact players. How much longer Brady will be playing is unknown, but drafting Trask as a future starter would be a prudent move for the Buccaneers.
Pittsburgh Steelers
While a great coach, Mike Tomlin has failed to find the QB of the future. The Steelers were bailed out this year after Ben Roethlisberger surprised many by coming back for his 18th season.
The Steelers have more needs than draft selections. With this in mind, they need to be wise in what order they attack them. They need to look at the offensive line and running back first before addressing QB. Roethlisberger’s return signified they are making one last run for the Lombardi Trophy. This means they need to address the other needs first to make this a reality.Â
If they select Trask in Round 3, he would be entering a competition with Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins for the backup and have the leg up as the eventual successor.
New England Patriots
The Cam Newton experiment failed in 2020. However, given the state of the offense and the tumultuous season, it’s hard to put all the blame on him. New England re-signed Newton to a one-year deal in free agency. But what would happen if he has a repeat season? Who is next in line?
Bill Belichick has seen Jarrett Stidham enough to know he likely will never be more than an NFL backup. Perhaps Trask could be the answer the Patriots are looking for as a future general on the field. The team revamped the offensive playmakers and likely will be in the QB market this season. Given the cost of trading up, Trask would come at a much more reasonable value for the Patriots.
He saw immense success at Florida when targeting Kyle Pitts. By adding both Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith during free agency, the Patriots could run nothing but 12 personnel. This would allow Trask to dot up defenses with his intermediate accuracy and decision-making abilities.
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Tommy Garrett is a writer for Pro Football Network covering the NFL and fantasy football. You can read more of his work here and follow him at @TommygarrettPFN on Twitter.
