Head to Head 2021 NFL Draft: Sam Teets vs. KyleTheCommish

A few weeks ago, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay did a head-to-head draft where each analyst built a 22-man team from prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft. Kyle Bazin and I decided to copy them and do a 44-pick snake draft where we each built starting offensive and defensive lineups. We flipped a coin to see who went first.  It got competitive, and we both tried to squeeze as many talented players into our lineups as possible.

As always, thanks to Kyle for joining me in this endeavor. You can follow him on Twitter @KyleTheCommish and check out his version of this article. Check out the two-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft we did together a few weeks ago.

Make sure to leave a comment telling us who drafted the better team and reach out to me @Sam_Teets33 on Twitter if you want to do a head-to-head draft.

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1. Kyle Pitts, TE Florida- I am going to abuse the rules a little bit here because I know we each can take one quarterback and one tight end. Pitts is light years ahead of whatever tight end you pick and my #2 prospect overall. He is also an extra wide receiver for me. I’m picking tails next time. -Kyle

2. Trevor Lawrence, QB Clemson- Why did you have to go and do that? I was trying to force you into taking a quarterback first, but I’ll happily add Lawrence. He’s by far the best quarterback prospect in this draft. I like Justin Fields and Zach Wilson, but they’re a cut below Lawrence. -Sam

3. Penei Sewell, OT/IOL Oregon- Sewell was only 19 years old when he won the John Outland Trophy and was a Consensus All-American. There aren’t many 6-5, 331 lb. players that move as well as he does. I’m not letting you lay a finger on my franchise quarterback. -Sam

4. Patrick Surtain II, CB Alabama AND 5. Caleb Farley, CB Virginia Tech- Because we are assembling teams that are going to “play against each other,” I want to grab as many elite players as I can and stack talent at certain positions. Surtain and Farley together are the best two cornerbacks and can play right up in your grill or with some zone concepts. My defense is all about versatility. -Kyle

6. Rashawn Slater, OT/IOL Northwestern- Slater is the most versatile lineman in the 2021 class. While he proved against Chase Young that he’s more than capable of staying at tackle, I plan on kicking him inside to guard. Your corners won’t mean anything if Lawrence has forever to throw. -Sam

7. Christian Darrisaw, OT Virginia Tech- Now I have the three best offensive line prospects in this class. Darrisaw lands at right tackle in this situation, where he uses his blend of athleticism and explosiveness to stomp the competition. -Sam

8. Jaelan Phillips, EDGE Miami- You may have cornered the tackle market, but a good EDGE will always beat a good tackle eventually. Phillips is versatile enough to play in a 3-4 or 4-3. In my 3-4 system, I want him to stand up over Darrisaw, and I believe my guy will beat yours. -Kyle

9. Azeez Ojulari, EDGE Georgia- Another 3-4 outside linebacker for me. It seems while you focused on offense (Pittsburgh), I focused on defense (Miami). I am of the mind that with two of the best pure pass rushers in the class, Trevor won’t be sitting with a nice clean jersey by the end of the game. -Kyle

10. Micah Parsons, LB Penn St.- I can’t let you have all of the defensive guys. I’ve still got to think of my defensive scheme, but Parsons is a great cornerstone. He’s got sideline-to-sideline range and a background as an edge rusher. Expect some fun defensive looks. -Sam

11. Ja’Marr Chase, WR LSU- I’m tempted to wait on taking a wide receiver in this loaded class, but Chase is the No. 3 player on my big board. I’d be kicking myself if you took him with the 12th or 13th pick. Chase plays bigger than his 6-0 frame and averaged over 20 yards per catch in 2019. -Sam

12. Jaylen Waddle, WR Alabama- I already have a big-bodied pass catcher with Pitts, so you enjoy Chase. I’m going to get the dynamic Waddle to stretch the field and open up even more avenues for Pitts in the MOF. -Kyle

13. Landon Dickerson, IOL Alabama- I’m not sure if I am going to put him at center or guard, but I would have him as a top 15 prospect if he was healthy. You have taken three of the top offensive linemen, and it kind of pushes me into a power scheme which is fine with me and perfect for Landon. -Kyle

14. Alijah Vera-Tucker, IOL USC- Vera-Tucker played left tackle at USC this past season, but his arm length makes him a guard in the NFL. There’s no moving Vera-Tucker once he drops the anchor. I’m walking away with the four best offensive linemen in this class. -Sam

15. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB Notre Dame- An instinctive, smart, versatile linebacker/safety hybrid, Owusu-Koramoah can do almost anything I need him to. He can play in the slot, drop into coverage as a third safety, or stick his nose into the backfield against the run. -Sam

16. Christian Barmore, IDL Alabama- It’s like I like the Alabama prospects or something … I need to keep addressing the defensive line if I am going to make this front seven work. My outside linebackers are set, and with Barmore, I am hoping to be able to get some pressure from the interior as well. -Kyle

17. Trevon Moehrig, S TCU- This pick is less about me wanting to take a safety right now and more me not wanting you to have him. Trevon is the best deep safety on the board, and I want your secondary to be swiss cheese. His tenacity in run defense is also an important facet of his game. -Kyle

18. Teven Jenkins, OT/IOL Oklahoma St.- Screw it, I’m moving Rashawn Slater to center and deploying Jenkins as a guard. You’re bound to have a better defensive line than me. My only counter is to draft talent above all else on the offensive line. Besides, have you seen Jenkins run guys over in college? -Sam

19. Jevon Holland, S Oregon- It’s a reach to take Holland this high, but he’s extremely versatile. The vast majority of his snaps in 2019 came in the slot, making him one of the best coverage safeties in this class. I’ll take all of the defensive chess pieces I can get. -Sam

20. Jaycee Horn, CB South Carolina- You wanna take Jenkins as a guard? Cool. Horn is my nickel cornerback. My base defense is going to be 3-3-5. Horn is taller than the average slot, but he has experience from the nickel in his freshman year as a Gamecock. -Kyle

21. Travis Etienne, RB Clemson- I wasn’t sure what type of offense I was going to be running, but since you took all the available offensive linemen, I feel I have been pigeon-holed. I’ll grab the one cut back that will terrorize your defense in the open field. -Kyle

22. Zaven Collins, LB Tulsa- I feel pressured to add another linebacker because you haven’t taken one yet. Despite being 6-5 and weighing nearly 260 lbs., Collins excels in zone coverages. He’s a big play machine that can also contribute to the pass rush. -Sam

23. Kwity Paye, EDGE Michigan- I’m not Paye’s biggest fan, but he ran a 4.52 at 261 lbs. and posted 36 reps on the bench press. He’s a jacked defensive end that is explosive and quick in short spaces. He never gives up on a play either. -Sam

24. Milton Williams, IDL Louisiana Tech- Another one of “your guys” will fit perfectly into my interior defensive line. On pass rushing downs and can also play on the edge when my outside linebackers take a rest or drop into coverage. All about that versatility baby. -Kyle

25. DeVonta Smith, WR Alabama- I feel weird being able to take Pitts, Waddle, and now Smith. I was very happy to wait and just select Bateman, but Smith has better hands and route running. The size could be an issue, but he won’t be asked to take on a #1 role within my offense. -Kyle

26. Levi Onwuzurike, IDL Washington- Interior defensive line is one of the few overlapping positions we have left. Onwuzurike is dominant against the run and still has a lot of room to grow as a pass rusher. I plan on letting my interior defensive linemen close gaps and draw double teams. -Sam

27. Alim McNeill, IDL N.C. State- McNeill’s squat stature gives him excellent natural leverage. He redirects well in small spaces, making him an asset against the run. Despite his frame, McNeill recorded ten sacks during his last three collegiate seasons. -Sam

28. Tommy Tremble, TE Notre Dame- Well, because you took all the offensive linemen, I need to subsidize those tackles I take later on with the best blocking tight end in the class via PFF. Tremble graded out with an 83.7 run-blocking grade and has the athleticism to get out into space and continue. His blocks will be key for popping Etienne. -Kyle

29. Creed Humphrey, IOL Oklahoma- Creed has been one of the best centers in college football for four years and put on a good showing at the Senior Bowl as well. He measured a perfect 10/10 on the RAS metric, proving how athletic he is. -Kyle

30. Jamar Johnson, S Indiana- You’ve told me you’re getting creative on defense, which means I should grab my guys while I can. Johnson intercepted Justin Fields twice last year, and he brings scheme versatility to the table. I love his ability to play in coverage but also come down hard against the run. -Sam

31. Greg Newsome, CB Northwestern- I counted on Horn being available here after you went with two corners early, but we know how that turned out. According to PFF, quarterbacks only completed 35.3% of their passes when targeting Newsome in 2020. I’m confident he has the traits to play man or zone. -Sam

32. Tyler Shelvin, IDL LSU- Base defense, schmase defense. I have a lot of versatile players in my defensive front seven, but none are over 300 lbs. Shelvin could honestly do with losing a little of his 360 lbs. but he will be a two-down run defender for me. In a world that I could pick the player he would come off the field for, I would add an athletic linebacker like Jamin Davis or Baron Browning. -Kyle

33. Samuel Cosmi, OT Texas- I am to the point where I am confident you can’t or won’t be taking any of the rest of my players. Cosmi is the right tackle for my offense and has the length and athleticism to be the key cog in my outside zone running scheme. -Kyle

34. Asante Samuel Jr., CB Florida St.- If you can ball, you can ball. I’m not worried about Samuel’s size. His father played at about the same height and was an All-Pro. He’s great at making plays on the ball and has special agility that’s an asset in man coverage. -Sam

35. Gregory Rousseau, EDGE Miami- I was excited for Rousseau until he underwhelmed at Miami’s pro day. However, he still has excellent length, is new to the position, and can take pass rush snaps from the interior. There’s a lot to build on with Rousseau. -Sam

36. Nick Bolton, LB Missouri- I need a MIKE linebacker. Bolton is really the missing piece to my defense for a few reasons. I need another run defender to pair with Shelvin and Milton, and I need a leader on the field. Bolton captained his Missouri defense. I don’t need help in coverage with my cornerbacks, which Bolton has some questions about. -Kyle

37. Dillon Radunz, OT North Dakota St.- I took my left tackle with my fifth to last pick. Talk about prioritizing foundational pieces. I love this kid though, and his athleticism and urge to hit someone are what I am banking on for my outside zone scheme. Remember, he was the Senior Bowl MVP. -Kyle

38. Terrace Marshall Jr., WR LSU- Lawrence made his money at Clemson by throwing to overpowering receivers like Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross. While natural separators like Rashod Bateman and Elijah Moore are still on the table, I’m taking the 6-3 receiver that ran a 4.38. -Sam

39. Najee Harris, RB Alabama- Harris is the most natural pass catcher of any running back in this draft class. He doesn’t have elite speed but displays excellent patience and contact balance. He creates plenty of yards after contact. -Sam

40. Wyatt Davis, OG Ohio St.- My right guard spot is filled out with Davis, and Dickerson will be my left guard. I clearly have a thing for guards with injury issues because Davis is also coming off a major injury in the National Title Game. My scheme isn’t the perfect fit for Davis, but the rest of my offensive line is very athletic, so I’m sure we can work this out. -Kyle

41. Zach Wilson, QB BYU- No. 2 in my heart, second to last in my all-rookie draft. With you going Lawrence so early, I need to draft a quarterback as late as possible. My favorite thing about Wilson is his ability to extend the play and move around in the backfield. That confidence is going to be necessary behind my offensive line. -Kyle

42. Elijah Moore, WR Ole Miss- Moore can play outside or in the slot. He’s the definition of twitch as a wide receiver. A natural separator, Moore creates RAC yards with his speed and elusiveness. Even the fastest defensive backs get their ankles broken when Moore has the ball. -Sam

43. Pat Freiermuth, TE Penn St.- Freiermuth is the default No. 2 tight end after Pitts. He’s a well-rounded player but doesn’t shine in any one facet of the game. He’ll probably peak as a 650-yard receiving tight end. That’s fine in my offense. Lawrence never used the tight ends much at Clemson anyway. -Sam

44. Hamsah Nasirildeen, LB/S FSU- I waited until the last pick because I knew there was no chance you would take him. When I decided to go really versatile with a 3-3-5 alignment, I needed a jack of all trades. Bolton is my only traditional linebacker, so Nasirildeen will be the rangy position-less defender that will allow him to thrive. -Kyle