As the world begins a return to some semblance of normalcy, the annual NFL Draft begins three days of drafting the newest class of professional football playing hopefuls.

With the lock downs and stay at home orders, the 2020 NFL Draft was a virtual event; but this year it returns for a live in person event in the home city of the Cleveland Browns.

All attendees inside for the draft festivities have been vaccinated.  The Kings of Leon provide some pre-draft entertainment.

Only round one will take place on Thursday night; with the successive six rounds taking place on Friday and Saturday.

After a disappointing year with a record of 1 and 15, the Jacksonville Jaguars will have the first pick.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell takes the stage to officially open the night’s draft is open.  Cleveland Browns’ Jarvis Landry, Bernie Kosar, and Joe Thomas join Goodell on the stage.

Goodell announced that in celebration of the fans, one fan in the audience will come on stage and sit in the chair that Goodelll used last year from his home during the virtual draft.

At 8:15pm the 2021 Draft is officially open and the Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock.

In the first draft of the 2021 season in a highly anticipated choice, the Jaguars select quarterback Trevor Lawrence from Clemson University.  The New York Jets are on the clock.

Roger Goodell announced that the New York Jest select Zach Wilson, a quarterback from Brigham Young University.  Wilson is at the arena.  The San Francisco 49ers are on the clock.

After trading draft picks for the next few years for the spot, the San Francisco 49ers select quarterback Trey Lance from North Dakota State.  Lance is at the arena.  The Atlanta Falcons are on the clock.

The Atlanta Falcons select tight end Kyle Pitts from the University of Florida.  Pitts is at the arena.  He is the highest tight end ever drafted at number four.  The Cincinnati Bengals are on the clock. 

The Cincinnati Bengals select wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase from LSU who is in the arena.  Chase and Bengals quarterback were team mates in college.  The Miami Dolphins are on the clock.

With the sixth pick in the NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the University of Alabama.  Once again, college team mates are reunited with the selection of Waddle by the Dolphins.  The Detroit Lions are on the clock.

The Detroit Lions select Oregon tackle Penei Sewell.  This marks the first time in NFL Draf history that the first seven players in the draft came from the same side of the ball – in this case all offensive players.  The Carolina Panthers are on the clock.

The Carolina Panthers select Jaycee Horn a defensive back from South Carolina.  Horn is the first defensive player to be selected in the 2021 draft.  The Denver Broncos are on the clock.

The Denver Broncos select Patrick Surtain II, a cornerback from the University of Alabama.  Surtain is a second generation football player; following his father into the NFL.  The Dallas Cowboys are on the clock.

The Dallas Cowboys have traded with the Philadelphia Eagles.

With the tenth pick in the NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Heisman Trophy winners DeVonta Smith, a wide receiver from the University of Alabama.  The pick creates another quarterback/wide receiver reunion.  The New York Giants are on the clock.

The New York Giants trade with the Chicago Bears for the eleventh pick in the draft.

The Chicago Bears select quarterback Justin Fields from Ohio State.  The Dallas Cowboys are on the clock.

The Dallas Cowboys select Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.  The Los Angeles Chargers are on the clock. 

The Los Angeles Chargers select Tackle Rashawn Slater Jr from Northwestern.  The Minnesota Vikings are on the clock.

The Minnesota Vikings trade with the New York Jets for pick number 14.

For their second pick in round one, the Philadelphia Eagles select Alijah Vera-Tucker, a guard from the University of Southern California.  The New England Patriots are on the clock.

The New England Patriots select quarterback Mac Jones from Alabama.  Jones is the third player from the NCAA champion University of Alabama Crimson Tide to be selected in the first round.  The last time the Patriots selected a quarterback in the first round of the draft was when they selected Drew Bledsoe.  The Arizona Cardinals are on the clock.

The Arizona Cardinals select linebacker Zaven Collins from Tulsa.  The Las Vegas Raiders are on the clock.

The Las Vegas Raiders select tackle Alex Leatherwood from Alabama.  He is the fifth member of the Crimson Tide to be drafted this year.  The Miami Dolphins are on the clock.

In their second pick of the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select a pick right out of their own backyard with defensive end Jaelan Phillips from the University of Miami.  The Washington Football Team is on the clock.

The Washington Football Team selects linebacker Jamin Davis from the University of Kentucky.  The New York Giants are on the clock.

The New York Giants select wide receiver Kadarius Toney from the University of Florida.  Toney is the second Gator to be selected in the first round of the draft.  The Indianapolis Colts are on the clock.

With the 21st pick of the 2021 NFL Draft the Indianapolis Colts select defensive end Kwity Pay from the University of Michigan.  The Tennessee Titans are on the clock.

The Tennessee Titans select defensive back Caleb Farley from Virginia Tech.  The Minnesota Vikings are on the clock.

The Minnesota Vikings select tackle Christian Darrisaw from Virginia Tech.  The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the clock.

The Pittsburgh Steelers select running back Najee Harris for the record setting sixth Alabama player to be selected in the first round.  Only the Miami Hurricanes have had as many players drafted in the first round.  The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock.

For their second pick of the night, the Jacksonville Jaguars select running back Travis Etienne from Clemson to pair up team mates Etienne and Trevor Lawrence.  The hometown Cleveland Browns are on the clock.

For the 26th pick of the 2021 draft and their first ever selection from Cleveland, the Cleveland Browns select cornerback Gregery Newsome II from Northwestern.  This is the first time that Northwestern has had two players drafted in the first round.  The Baltimore Ravens are on the clock.

The Baltimore Ravens select wide receiver Rashod Bateman from Minnesota.  The New Orleans Saints are on the clock.

The New Orleans Saints select defensive end Payton Turner from Houston.  The Green Bay Packers are on the clock.

The Green Bay Packers select defensive back Eric Stokes from Georgia.  The Buffalo Bills are on the clock.

After going to the playoffs after a long dry spell, in the 30th pick of the 2021 draft, the Buffalo Bills select defensive end Gregory Rousseau from the University of Miami.  The Baltimore Ravens are on the clock.

In their second pick of the first round after a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Baltimore Ravens select linebacker Jayson Oweh from Penn State.  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one the clock.

In the final pick of the first round in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers select linebacker Joe Tryon from Washington.

The Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and Houston Texans did not have a first round pick after trading with other teams.  In fact, the Texans do not get a pick until round three.