Random Wax: 2021 Contenders Draft Picks Blaster with Autograph

2021 Draft Picks:  Patrick Mahomes is one of the best we've ever seen.  Kansas City knew they wanted him but didn't know he'd be a 2X MVP, 3X Super Bowl MVP, 2X All-Pro when they traded a 2018 1st round pick (22nd overall subsequently traded, Rashaan Evans), 2017 1st round pick (27th overall, Tre'Davious White) and 2017 3rd round pick (91st overall subsequently traded, John Johnson) to the Buffalo Bills to move and take Mahomes.  Maybe we'll be having another conversation like this in some years after this draft.

This was a great box.  I really like the design; the college unis and I'm a Contenders fan.

Fields hasn't really panned out, but I do like this Front-Row Seats card.  The horizontal look, college logo and design work for me.

Legendary Contenders is fun, but I'd prefer color photos.  That Cam Akers is a Red Game Ticket Parallel.  I like the Draft Class card design.

More greats from the league.  The backs are fine for what they are.  Josh Allen showing his wheels.

Unfortunately, Austin Watkins never played in the NFL.  Still, I'm extremely happy with my pull in this box.  I purchased it in June of 2021.  Just now getting around to posting it.  We'll end it with more greatness in The Goat, Tom Terrific in his great maize and blue Michigan uni.  Enjoy the draft!

BREAKDOWN:

42 – Total Cards

2 – Legendary

2 – Red Parallel Game Ticket

1 – Retired Great

1 – 2021 Draft Class

1 – Front Row Seats

1 – Red Parallel College Ticket Autograph

Random Wax: 2021 Contenders Draft Picks Football

2021 Draft Picks:  Rob Gronkowski had a Hall of Fame but was just as easy to like for the fun he brought to the game on and off the field.  He was a 4 x All-Pro and 4 x Super Bowl winner.

I've really had this pack since November of 2011 and never showed it off.  This pack only had 18 cards but wow, what a pull.  Jefferson and Watt are studs and Hurts, while having a down year is still a top QB in the league.

The Draft Class inserts are nice with the colors matching the unis.  Legendary Contenders inserts are ok but I'm not a big fan of the black and white photos.  Michael Carter's last year in the league was 2023.  And oh, what a difference three years makes for DeShaun Watson on this Game Ticket Purple Parallel. 

I'm a big Todd Gurley fan so he was a fun pull.  Singletary and Ridley are still farily prominent players in the league.  Maybe the best part of these is seeing players in their college unis.  I'm a big fan.

I didn't know Phillip Rivers played at Stanford.  It's fun seeing these cards and thinking of where some of these player's careers have gone.

BREAKDOWN:

18 – Total Cards

1 – Legendary

1 – Draft Class

1 – Game Ticket Purple Parallel

Random Wax: 2021 Contenders Draft Picks Football

 

2021 Contenders Draft Picks: I wouldn't say Baker Mayfield is relevant again but he is a 2023 starter, won that game, and the reigning Nickelodeon Valuable Player (NVP).  It's on his reference page so it has to be a thing.  Just saying. 

Two years removed from this set being released and Kirk Cousins maybe has more credibility than Russell Wilson?  Injuries has taken the wind out of his Leonard's sails but he was great during those first four years of his career.

I'm a Todd Gurley fan.  I know the end of his career didn't go well but I'll take this Game Ticket Purple Parallel.

These horizontal Front-Row Seats inserts allow Panini to show off some photography.  The officer in the background cheering on the play is great.

Love the college unis on these and this set has a good look to it.  A bit different from other Contenders designs because we get to see photos with backgrounds.  Kamara is another example of how quickly things change.  

BREAKDOWN:

18 – Total Cards

1 – Front Row Seats

1 – Draft Class Purple Parallel

1 – Game Ticket Purple Parallel

2021 Contenders Draft Picks Football with Autograph

2021 Contenders Draft Picks Football: I found this pack in the wild Friday and thought I'd already grabbed a blaster of these at some point so I only picked up one.  I was wrong and wish I'd grabbed at least one more pack.  That said this one delivered an autograph so I can't complain. I didn't choose the top pack so I got lucky on this one.  We'll kick it off with Russell Wilson.

The base design is a improvement on last year's offering which didn't give the photos their due.  I like this design.  Some of the detail in the rounded corners up top, the indented corners around the "Ticket" area and how the Seat/Row/Sec look at a slant.  The ticket approach on this set year after year isn't for everyone but I've always been a fan of Contenders as a whole.

Probably one of the better football autos I've ever pulled especially for a rookie.  Dyami Brown is a third round pick for the Washington Football Team.  Never know how that'll play out but a good pull none the less.  That card is a green parallel.  That Calvin Ridley is a purple parallel.

Always fun seeing players in their college unis. 

With the auto this is of course an excellent pack but I was pretty happy with the rest of the pack too.  I really like the DeAndre Hopkins Legendary insert.  While the primary photo is black and white it is the colors of this card which make me like it.  They look better in hand in my opinion.  Fun pack and maybe I'll be lucky enough to find more of this at some point.

BREAKDOWN:
18 – Total Cards
1 – Legendary
1 – Game Ticket Purple Parallel
1 – College Ticket Green Parallel Autograph #/49