NFL draft 2021: How many picks did Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, and Daniel Jeremiah actually get right?

Every year in the months leading up to the NFL draft, the internet is flooded with mock drafts from highly paid football experts, such as ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay.

There were three trades Thursday night during the first round of the 2021 draft, including the Eagles moving up two spots to snag Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith and stealing him from the New York Giants. The one trade everyone was hoping to see — disgruntled Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers being shipped out of Green Bay — never materialized.

Here’s how four of the most well-known NFL draft analysts did in predicting the outcome of the first round of the 2021 NFL draft:

» READ MORE: The cornerback table is set for the Eagles in Round 2 of the draft

Once again, McShay proved why he’s one of the top national draft experts, predicting 12 picks in his final mock draft, posted Thursday morning.

McShay ran the board early, correctly predicting the draft’s first seven picks (including the San Francisco 49ers’ surprising decision to take North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance). He also nailed the Eagles drafting Smith, though he didn’t foresee the Birds trading up to grab him.

McShay also gets credit for having the Baltimore Ravens taking Penn State defender Jayson Oweh and the Tennessee Titans ending the night with Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, even though they were drafted in different spots than he predicted.

King didn’t get the Eagles’ pick right, but the longtime NFL reporter and analyst had one of the more accurate mock drafts this year, nailing nine picks.

King predicted that USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker would be taken with the No. 14 pick, but thanks to a trade, he ended up with the Jets and not the Minnesota Vikings.

ESPN’s resident draft expert, covering the event for the 37th year, finished behind McShay with six correct picks in his final mock draft, which posted Thursday morning.

Kiper thought the Ealges would take South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn, who ended up getting plucked by the Carolina Panthers in the No. 8 spot. Kiper did accurately predict Northwestern offensive lineman Rashawn Slater would go to the Los Angeles Chargers, and he correctly had Vera-Tucker going to the Jets via a trade.

It was a rough year for Jeremiah, the former Eagles scout turned NFL Network draft analyst. Like McShay, Jeremiah was right on Smith going to the Birds, but whiffed on a majority of draft picks Thursday night.

» READ MORE: Was drafting DeVonta Smith a do-over for Jalen Reagor? | Jeff McLane