What We Learned in the 2021 N.F.L. Draft

Quarterbacks still come first, Alabama still produces talent and Aaron Rodgers is still unhappy.

The first round of the 2021 N.F.L. draft proceeded on Thursday night according to the league’s strict hierarchy: quarterbacks came first, followed by those who catch passes from them and protect them, with the defenders tasked with stopping them bringing up the rear. And just to add some extra drama to the proceedings, a member of the league’s quarterback aristocracy did his best to upstage the newcomers. For the first time since 1999, quarterbacks were selected with the top three picks: Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence by the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 1, Brigham Young’s Zach Wilson by the Jets at No. 2, and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance by the San Francisco 49ers at No. 3.