The 2021 NFL Draft was held in Cleveland from April 29-May 1, and the NFF had many ties to the annual event.

Two members of the 2020 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class/Campbell Trophy® finalists were drafted: Elijah Molden (Washington), who was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the third round, and Sam Ehlinger (Texas), who was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round.
 
Two more members of the 2020 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class/Campbell Trophy® finalists signed as undrafted free agents following the 2021 Draft: Illinois State's Drew Himmelman (Broncos) and Navy's Cameron Kinley (Buccaneers). Memphis QB Brady White, the 2020 Campbell Trophy® winner, has received a Rookie Mini-Camp invite from the Tennessee Titans.

A number of semifinalists for the 2020 Campbell Trophy® were taken in the draft, including Oregon's Brady Breeze (Titans – sixth round), Duke's Michael Carter II (Jets – fifth round), Alabama's Landon Dickerson (Eagles – second round), Notre Dame's Robert Hainsey (Buccaneers – third round), Coastal Carolina's Tarron Jackson (Eagles – sixth round), Wisconsin-Whitewater's Quinn Meinerz (Broncos – third round), Texas A&M's Dan Moore Jr. (Steelers – fourth round) and Pittsburgh's Jimmy Morrissey (Raiders – seventh round).

Members of the 2021 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college career, were also chosen in the NFL Draft. They included four players taken in the first round: Clemson's Trevor Lawrence – first overall pick by the Jaguars, Alabama's Mac Jones – 15th overall pick by the Patriots, Northwestern's Greg Newsome II – 26th overall pick by the Browns and Houston's Payton Turner – 28th overall pick by the Saints.
 
Other Hampshire Honor Society members taken include Texas Tech's Jack Anderson (Bills – seventh round), Northern Iowa's Spencer Brown (Bills – third round), BYU's Brady Christensen (Panthers – third round), Stanford's Drew Dalman (Falcons – fourth round), Alabama's Thomas Fletcher (Panthers – sixth round), Duke's Noah Gray (Chiefs – fifth round), Oklahoma's Creed Humphrey (Chiefs – second round), Stanford's Walker Little (Jaguars – second round), Michigan's Ben Mason (Ravens – fifth round), Texas Tech's Zech McPhearson (Eagles – fourth round), Syracuse's Ifeatu Melifonwu (Lions – third round), Purdue's Rondale Moore (Cardinals – second round), Iowa State's Kene Nwangwu (Vikings – fourth round), Minnesota's Benjamin St-Juste (Washington Football Team – third round), SMU's Brandon Stephens (Ravens – third round) and Wisconsin's Cole Van Lanen (Packers – sixth round).

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, an NFF Board Member and the 2013 NFF Gold Medal recipient, welcomed everyone to the Draft and announced the selections in the first round.
 
College Football Hall of Famers Orlando Pace (Ohio State), John Randle (Texas A&M-Kingsville) and Will Shields (Nebraska) were among the special guests announcing picks in the second and third rounds.