Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is one of the top prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft, and a few teams will get an up-close look at him Wednesday during his second Pro Day in Columbus.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported Tuesday that the Atlanta Falcons will join the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers as teams slated to attend Fields' workout.
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The Falcons' attendance is significant because they own the No. 4 pick in the draft. After restructuring Matt Ryan's quarterback, it doesn't really make sense for the Falcons to take his successor with this first-round pick.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported earlier this month that the Falcons are "open" to trading the No. 4 pick. One of the team's that could potentially trade up is the Patriots, who need a franchise QB for the post-Tom Brady era.
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A bunch of recent 2021 NFL Mock Drafts -- including ESPN expert Mel Kiper's Jr.'s latest mock published Tuesday -- projected the Patriots to trade up and take Fields.
But it might not matter what the Falcons or Patriots plan to do if the 49ers take Fields. San Francisco owns the No. 3 pick after acquiring it in a blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins in late March. The 49ers are expected to take a quarterback, and will likely have their choice of Fields, Mac Jones or Trey Lance assuming that Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson are selected with the first two picks.
The cost for the 49ers to trade up to No. 3 was four draft picks, including three first-rounders. Would the Patriots pay a similar price to move to No. 4 for Fields? Wednesday's Pro Day will give New England another valuable chance to scout him and help determine whether it makes sense to trade up to select the Ohio State star.