2021 NFL Team Draft Page

The record number of underclassmen forgoing their senior year to enter the NFL draft is 112 players in a season. As of December 1, 'The Athletic' tallied 118 notable NFL prospects who have opted out for the remainder of the 2020 season. This COVID-19 opt-out list includes 47 juniors and 26 sophomores; 68 of those underclassmen have declared their intent to enter the NFL Draft. This slate, which includes 20+ of our top 100-ranked prospects, such as: LB Micah Parsons, EDGE Gregory Rousseau, WR Rashod Bateman, and, more recently, Texas OT Sam Cosmi (a frequent RD1 pick for the Chiefs in my mocks). The list is very likely to grow. I expect that by postseason the number of those who declare early will shatter the prior underclassmen record.


A question floating around in my head: Will this shortened COVID-19 season eventually open the door to "one-and-done" prospects, such as we see in basketball? ...I really hope not. Reminder: 31.6% of those underclassmen will not get drafted in April (Nor May, this year).

This week, I am plugging in a 4-year starter who is a proven performer off the Edge. Carlos Basham Jr. will bolster a Chiefs' Defense which --as the team rounds the corner towards the playoffs-- is trending in the wrong direction. KC has given up 31, 31, and then 24 points in the three games prior to playing the saddle-broke Broncos. This pattern cannot continue if the Chiefs wish to repeat as Super Bowl Champions.

~ KCBudMan, Chiefs Analyst