The Gridiron Geniuses — 2021 Draft Recap

Year three. A new champion wants the belt. The old champion wants it back.

Hillary T entered the draft as the defending champion and drafted with the calm of someone who's already won it. Travis K drafted with the focus of someone who hasn't won it recently enough.

Jay H made the most talked-about move: a QB-heavy strategy in the early rounds. He is betting the whole season on the arm. The room has opinions. Jay H does not care about opinions.

Stefan D arrived with what he called "a completely revised approach" and then drafted almost identically to last year. The spreadsheet has new tabs. The picks have familiar names.

Brock P has declared this year "a bounce-back season." He said the same thing in 2020. He finished 7th. He is saying it again with the same energy and we respect that entirely.

Adam T is going into year three with a refreshed roster. He drafted quietly, picked well in the middle rounds, and left without fanfare. In this league, that's either a warning sign or a genius move.

Headline Picks

Late rounds produced two picks that had the room split down the middle: Kyler M took an injured RB in round 11 ("upside play") and Derek H took a backup QB in round 13 that may or may not be the starter by week 6 ("calculated risk"). Both men look confident. One of them might actually be right.

The 2021 season is yours to ruin. Get to work.