Grading the 2021 NFL Draft: NFC West report cards

By Rob Rang
FOX Sports NFL Draft Analyst

Every day this week, division by division, I’m taking a close look at each team’s rookie class, including a few of the undrafted free-agent signings I believe could surprise. 

On Monday, we covered the AFC East and NFC East. Today, we’ll tackle the West divisions. Here are my report cards for the four teams in the NFC West.

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Arizona Cardinals — Grade: C+

Give Arizona general manager Steve Keim credit. He swung hard at the 2021 NFL Draft. 

One year after nabbing the most versatile defensive chess piece in the draft in former Clemson star Isaiah Simmons, Keim added another knight in Tulsa’s equally versatile (and even larger) Zaven Collins. Like Simmons, Collins is actually better in space than in close quarters, which is why the freakishly gifted 6-foot-5, 259-pounder was available at No. 16.

As they develop their hand fighting to break through blocks, this duo could be frightening. They are already well-suited to slowing down seam threats such as San Francisco tight end George Kittle and deliver crushing blows to receivers (or quarterbacks) running free at the second level. Plus, Arizona is protecting them behind one of the biggest defensive lines in the NFL, a unit boosted with the signing of four-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt and the anticipated healthy return of top pass-rusher Chandler Jones.

If the aggression shown by Keim on defense doesn’t frighten NFC West foes, the playmaking potential added to Kliff Kingsbury’s offense with Purdue mighty mite Rondale Moore certainly should. There were a number of speedy slot receivers available in this class, but Moore is the only one with a 600-pound squat, combining true breakaway speed with the raw power to bulldoze his way through would-be tacklers as well.

With defenders unable to drop too far into coverage for fear of Kyler Murray gobbling yards at a time, Moore is an ideal complement to the size Arizona has outside at receiver in DeAndre Hopkins and former Bengals superstar A.J. Green. His durability concerns, however, are not just a red flag but also a banner, with Moore playing in seven total games the past two seasons after taking the Big Ten by storm as a true freshman.

The boom-or-bust mentality shown over the first two days of the draft extended into Day 3 for the Cardinals. Former Florida cornerback Marco Wilson has all of the traits to be a star, but he struggled with consistency, ranking as one of the polarizing corners in this class. When healthy, Cincinnati safety James Wiggins is the defensive version of Moore – a freakish athlete who pops off the tape.

Arizona does not appear to have a particularly lengthy or gifted undrafted free-agent class, though I like the bulk and soft hands of North Carolina State tight end Cary Angeline.  

Los Angeles Rams — Grade: B-

After an offseason of upheaval in which a number of players, coaches and front-office personnel left town, the Rams were one of this year’s true wild-card teams – a fact reinforced with the club entering the draft without its first-round selection following a trade a year earlier for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Adding Ramsey to this draft class certainly boosts the grade, but frankly, it needs it, as many of the Rams’ picks appear to be younger, cheaper and significantly more raw versions of free-agent defections. The Rams’ class is a collection of boom-or-bust picks, personified by second-rounder Tutu Atwell, one of the fastest players in this class, but one who is just 155 pounds and struggled, at times, with both durability and drops at Louisville.

If the Marquise Brown clone can stay healthy, Atwell’s straight-line speed is an exciting match with the strong arm of new Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford, especially given Sean McVay’s creativity and the presence of established star receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp already on the roster. Atwell is not only a vertical threat, but he can also offer the same kind of threat on jet sweeps that Brandin Cooks used to provide.

Similarly explosive (and raw), former Central Florida tight end Jacob Harris (6-foot-5, 219 pounds) could be moved outside to take on the vertical role free-agent defection Josh Reynolds gave the Rams.

While the Rams’ receivers will generate much of the buzz for this class, heady and physical linebacker Ernest Jones might make the most immediate impact. Fellow SEC standout Bobby Brown III has the size and power to take over the role Michael Brockers held alongside Aaron Donald for years.

Small schoolers Robert Rochell and Chris Garrett are diamonds in the rough, but ones who probably need a year or more of polishing before they can be expected to contribute.

The Rams’ gamble of ignoring the offensive line in the draft might pay off with former Iowa left tackle Alaric Jackson signing with the club after surprisingly going undrafted.

San Francisco 49ers — Grade: A

There were some bold decisions made in the NFC West in the 2021 draft. None, of course, was bolder than the 49ers’ decision to package four picks to move up nine spots to select a quarterback with 17 college starts – none of them against an FBS opponent.

The gamble on North Dakota State’s Trey Lance is indeed bold – but make no mistake, he’s an exciting talent, and with veteran Jimmy Garoppolo still on the roster, Kyle Shanahan can take his time developing his handpicked franchise quarterback.

The situation is similar to how Kansas City groomed Patrick Mahomes behind Alex Smith for a year. Just as exciting for 49ers fans, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that the selection of Lance motivates Garoppolo the way that Green Bay’s pick of Jordan Love pushed Aaron Rodgers, remarkably, to enjoy his finest season at age 37.

Athletic, rocket-armed and possessing the work ethic to take advantage of his gifts, Lance ranks right there with No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence as the quarterback from this class likeliest to become an NFL superstar. Shanahan is one of the league’s best at developing QBs, and Lance is a clean schematic fit soon to be playing in an offense loaded with talent.

While Lance is obviously the key to the 49ers’ draft, general manager John Lynch mined several other nuggets in this class.

Former Notre Dame guard Aaron Banks is a classic mauler and well-suited to the power scheme San Francisco employs. Trey Sermon is the bullish, balanced runner who might just take over as the 49ers’ lead back, especially near the end zone.

Cornerback Ambry Thomas enters the NFL with just 13 career starts and as a bit of wild card after opting out on the 2020 season. However, given all of the turnover in the San Francisco secondary, he could be in line for surprising playing time as a rookie.

Talanoa Hufanga has ‘tweener traits, but he’s a natural playmaker who was worth the risk at No. 180 overall. So, too, was undrafted free agent Justin Hilliard, a draft-worthy talent who fell out due to his inability to stay healthy at Ohio State.

The high cost paid to move up for Lance doesn’t temper my enthusiasm for the 49ers’ class. Barring injury, I expect he’ll be competing for Pro Bowls within a few years.

Seattle Seahawks — Grade: B

With an NFL-low three draft picks to use, Seattle general manager John Schneider had to put together his best class since landing Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner (among several other starters) in the famed 2012 group.

The crazy thing is he might have pulled it off.

Second-round pick D’Wayne Eskridge is the perfect complement to Wilson and the Pro Bowl receiver duo of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Eskridge boasts the elusiveness, straight-line speed and grit to excel as the short and intermediate target. He also will be an occasional jet-sweep runner in the attack that new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron is expected to bring to Seattle after being lured away from Sean McVay and the divisional rival Rams.

A personal favorite whose game reminds me a bit of another former MAC standout, Antonio Brown, Eskridge starred wherever Western Michigan put him, including cornerback, returner and gunner, before a dazzling week at the Senior Bowl.

Since Pete Carroll and Schneider began working together, the duo has favored long-armed (32 inches or more) cornerbacks, making Oklahoma’s Tre Brown a surprising selection in the fourth round, despite a clear need at the position after they lost top corner Shaquill Griffin to Jacksonville in free agency. While lacking in this well-known Seahawks’ measurable, Brown checks every other box, including ball skills and tenacity. Don’t be surprised if he, like Eskridge, makes an immediate impact for Seattle.

Barring an injury to one of their starters, sixth-round pick Stone Forsythe is not expected to play much as a rookie. However, his massive frame and light feet make him an ideal developmental project to groom, with both of Seattle’s starting tackles, Duane Brown and Brandon Shell, entering the final years of their respective contracts.

To fairly evaluate any draft class, the talent acquired with all of their picks should be part of the equation. As such, along with Seattle’s three rookie picks, Pro Bowlers Jamal Adams (acquired for a first- and third-rounder), Gabe Jackson (fifth-rounder) and Carlos Dunlap (seventh-rounder) boost Seattle’s grade, as does one of the larger and more talented UDFA classes in the league.

One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others.