Many college football players have been waiting for the draft day because this is where they can have a chance to fulfill their dreams to become professional NFL players. It is also an opportunity for the NFL teams to recruit new players that they think will add power to their roster and increase their winning chances.
Every draft has hundreds of prospective players invited to attend, and not all of them will be chosen. Among the hundreds invited with the highest chance to get selected this year, let us check out the 2021 NFL Draft Big Board of 50.
Top 50 Prospects Of 2021
Even though hundreds of prospects are invited to attend the 2021 NFL draft, we will focus on the possible first 50 prospects that can be chosen this year.
- QB Trevor Lawrence from Clemson
- WR Ja’Marr Chase from LSU
- WR DeVonta Smith from Alabama
- QB Zach Wilson from BYU
- OT Penei Sewell from Oregon
- TE Kyle Pitts from Florida
- ILB Micah Parsons from Penn State
- WR Jaylen Waddle from Alabama
- QB Justin Fields from Ohio State
- CB Caleb Farley from Virginia Tech
These ten prospects are the ones who are expected to be drafted early in the first round as they possess the skills and talent that every team in the NFL is looking for. Lucky are those teams who will have the first ten picks this year as they can surely secure one of these talented prospects to add to their teams.
The possible number one pick overall this year, Trevor Lawrence, is a player packed with skill and determination. Many teams are all looking into taking Lawrence to become their recruit as he can lead a team to victory just like what he did when he was still a freshman. He might be young, yet he has shown a lot of promise.
Another name that everyone is talking about is the possible second pick this year, Ja’Marr Chase. He was named the top wide receiver of the 2021 NFL draft after he decided not to participate in the 2020 college football season to focus on his professional career. He was also a recipient of the 2019 Biletnikoff Award, which is awarded to the most outstanding wide receiver in college football.
For all college football players, the NFL Draft day is the day where they will be given a chance to reach their dreams to become professional football players and play alongside the greatest American football athletes in the league. And for these ten boys, who are considered the top ten most eligible players, their future is starting to shine brighter, much more than what they expected.
The Ones Who Don’t Get Drafted
The next question here is, what will happen to the rest of the prospects that do not get drafted this year? The NFL draft is a life-changing event for college football players, whether it is a positive change or negative.
Those who stood out in their career and were known to be one of the greatest of their time will become professional football players. They will be given a chance to become one of the greatest in this sport.
Those who will not get chosen will get undrafted and become free agents. This means that they can sign up for whichever team they want. They can start the negotiation with their chosen team starting July 1 but will not be signing a contract until July 8.
They can also choose to continue their studies and fulfil a work career after graduating college or opt to continue to grad school. This might be a 50/50 situation for them in terms of their football career. Not being drafted is almost like saying that they are not good enough to be participating in professional football.
Until they secure a contract with an NFL team, their football career can be on edge. However, it should not be the end of it since many successful NFL players do not get drafted but become professional football players. They were even members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Some of the Hall of Famers who went undrafted are:
- Kurt Warner
- Joe Perry
- Priest Holmes
- Drew Pearson
- Wes Welker
- Antonio Gates
- Jason Peters
- Larry Little
- Jim Langer
- Brian Waters
- Joe Jacoby
- John Randle
- Bill Willis
- Cameron Wake
- James Harrison
It will still depend on how committed the player is to his dreams and how strong his perseverance is in achieving his goals. After being undrafted, there is no assurance for the players, but they can still do something to reach their ultimate goal, to become an NFL star.
The players can choose to become one of these undrafted Hall of Famer or choose another career path.
Chance of a Lifetime
The NFL draft is a chance of a lifetime for both college football players and NFL teams. For the college players, this is a huge stepping stone for their career, while for the players, it is a chance to acquire new talent that they can train and hone to become one of the greatest players of all time.