2021 Day One Draft Grades: NFC North
How did your favourite NFC North team do one day one of the draft?
Chicago Bears: A+
Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: If you think about, a lot of people believe that Justin Fields was the second best quarterback in this draft. In my opinion, Fields was a top-5 caliber player in terms of draft position. They didn’t really give up that much to get him either. Fields has the ability to make Chi-town competitive again and I love this pick.
Detroit Lions: A+
Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon: They got lucky with this one. I thought that the Bengals would take Sewell for sure. While I do like Slater better than Sewell, this pick makes a lot of sense. New quarterback, new regime, you may as well get a guy who can be a solid cornerstone of your offence for years. Jared Goff is a happy man today.
Green Bay Packers: A
Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia: I would have drafted a receiver here. After all of the drama with Aaron Rodgers, I would have extended an olive branch if I was Matt LaFleur. That being said, the Kevin King debacle last season did prove that the Packers need more corners. I guess time will tell if it was worth it. If Aaron Rodgers stays, I believe that this pick was the best possible pick to improve the team. On the other hand, if I was in the Packers front office, my very first priority would be to retain Rodgers, meaning that if he does end up leaving, they may wish that they had gone receiver with this pick.
Minnesota Vikings: A+
Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech: A lot of people would have laughed in your face if you had told them Darrisaw would fall to 23. Realistically, they gained two third-round picks and got a guy that nobody really thought would be around this late in the first round. Darrisaw can add to an already-functional Vikings offence and may be a big part of their attempt to dethrone Green Bay.
