Dallas Cowboys revive defense, offensive line in 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft

Pats select top QB prospect in Todd McShay's new 2021 NFL Mock Draft
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After not having to worry about the quarterback during the 20 years that Tom Brady called Foxboro home, the Patriots offense struggled mightily in the 43-year-old veteran's first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

New England ranked 30th in passing yards per game, 32nd in passing touchdowns and 27th in QB rating during the 2020 regular season. Neither Cam Newton nor Jarrett Stidham impressed enough to earn a long look in the starting role next season.

Cassel: Why Brady's Bucs are a legit Super Bowl contender
So, how do the Patriots address their quarterback dilemma? The draft is probably the best place, and with the No. 15 pick in the first round, it's possible that one of the top quarterback prospects -- Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Trey Lance, Zach Wilson and Mac Jones -- will be available when New England is on the clock.

In fact, ESPN draft expert Todd McShay has one of these QBs going to the Patriots in his brand new 2021 NFL Mock Draft released Thursday.With their season over, the Dallas Cowboys are already looking toward the 2021 NFL season. Following a 6-10 campaign, their first under Mike McCarthy, they now find themselves needing to make several moves to again become a competitive franchise.

Dallas has a lot of work to do in order for that to happen, but as long as they re-sign Dak Prescott, they won’t have a ton of work to do on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, that’s a different story.

The Cowboys have a lot of holes to fill and in this 2021 NFL mock draft, they focus heavily on that side of the ball — starting with a defensive back with the No. 10 overall pick.In 2020, the Dallas Cowboys made a risky move as they allowed Byron Jones to walk. With him gone, they struggled immensely in the secondary and while Trevon Diggs was a good rookie, they still need a lot of help — especially with Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis scheduled for free agency.

With all that being said, the Cowboys use their first pick in this draft on Caleb Farley out of Virginia Tech. A former quarterback and wide receiver, Farley is new to the cornerback position but you would never know it by watching the film. He’s a solid technician who excels in press and man coverage, which is what they need in Dallas

He sat out the 2020 season but proved in his two campaigns with Virginia Tech that he can get the job done. Farley had 56 tackles, six interceptions, and 19 pass defenses in 23 games. He should be an instant starter for the Cowboys as they start to improve their secondary.
he largest playoff field in NFL history will kick off this weekend. On Saturday, the Bills (13-3) and Colts (11-5) meet at Bills Stadium. Buffalo is a 6.5-point favorite in the latest NFL odds from William Hill Sportsbook. The Seahawks (12-4) host the Rams (10-6), while the Washington Football Team (7-9) faces the Buccaneers (11-5) in the other two games on Saturday.

Sunday's NFL schedule leads off with the Ravens (11-5) and Titans (11-5) meeting for the second straight season in the playoffs. The Saints (12-4) and Bears (8-8) follow before two AFC North rivals -- the Steelers (12-4) and Browns (11-5) -- close out Wild Card weekend in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are six-point favorites according to the latest NFL spreads. Which teams should you back with your NFL bets and NFL parlays? Before making any NFL Wild Card picks or playoff predictions, see the NFL best bets from legendary handicapper Hammerin' Hank Goldberg over at SportsLine.

A beloved national treasure, Hammer enters the postseason on an extended heater: Over the final 10 weeks of the 2019 season and through the 2020 regular season, he is an incredible 47-30-1 on his NFL best bets, a 60 percent cash rate. He's 9-6-1 on his best bets the past six weeks. 

This is the same prognosticator who enjoyed 15 winning seasons in his 17-year ESPN run. In 2017, Hammer competed against 10 top handicappers in the Las Vegas Review-Journal's NFL Challenge and beat them all, finishing 50-29-6 on against-the-spread NFL picks. Anyone who has followed him is way up. 

Now, Hammer has locked in three confident best bets for Wild Card weekend. If you parlay his picks, you could be looking at a 6-1 payout. You can only see them here.

Top Wild Card NFL expert picks
After thoroughly examining the six games on Wild Card weekend, Hammer jumped on the Steelers (-6) to cover against the Browns. The Steelers enter the NFL playoffs 2021 as the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff bracket. They famously won their first 11 games to start the season before losing three straight. They are coming off a 24-22 loss at Cleveland last week, but coach Mike Tomlin chose to sit quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and several other key starters in favor of rest. 

When the teams were at full strength earlier in the season, the Steelers dominated the Browns, 38-7. Also, Roethlisberger is 23-2-1 against Cleveland in his career and should only benefit from his first week off since the team's bye week in Week 4.

How to make Wild Card NFL parlays
Hammer, who has inside sources throughout the league, also jumped on two other matchups: Washington vs. Tampa Bay and Titans vs. Ravens. Hammer says one of those teams "wins as it pleases," leading to an easy cover. You can only see his best bets here.

What are Hammer's top Wild Card weekend picks? And which side of Washington vs. Tampa Bay and Tennessee vs. Baltimore do you need to jump on? Visit SportsLine now to see Hammerin' Hank Goldberg's Wild Card best bets, all from the legendary handicapper on a 47-30-1 heater, and find out.