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2.) New Orleans Saints
• 5 (150): QB Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
• 5 (170): WR Bub Means, Pittsburgh
• 5 (175): LB Jaylan Ford, Texas
• 6 (199): DI Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa
• 7 (239): T Josiah Ezirim, Eastern Kentucky
Took a shot on a QB with upside available at pick 150... tight
Bub Means is a bit enigmatic, but had more juice than like 10 WRs drafted before him.
Ford is a better athlete than LB, but worth a late round shot.
Boyd has some issues but man he can be dynamite.
Ezrim will outperform many OTs selected before him. I had him at OT17 and he was the 24th OT selected.
1.) Detroit Lions
• 4 (126): T Giovanni Manu, University of British Columbia
• 4 (132): S Sione Vaki, Utah
• 6 (189): DI Mekhi Wingo, LSU
• 6 (210): G Christian Mahogany, Boston College
Had Manu as my OT13 and he was the 19th OT selected. If I'd only been ranking upside, he would have been a top 3 OT in the class.
Vaki is hell on wheels... they are apparently going to play him as RB, STs guy, and maybe a KR. Fun choice.
I personally think all the LSU DL selected are going to outperform their draft slot-- the coaching and system changes there the last few years were all over the place. Crumedy and Smith both did interviews where they talked about the difficulty of having a completely different structure for DL play every year they were there.
Mahogany is the poster child for how undervalued guards are.
2.) Cincinnati Bengals
• 4 (115): TE Erick All, Iowa
• 5 (149): CB Josh Newton, TCU
• 6 (194): TE Tanner McLachlan, Arizona
• 6 (214): EDGE Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss
• 7 (224): S Daijahn Anthony, Ole Miss
• 7 (237): C Matt Lee, Miami Fl.
They whipped the rest of the division on day 3. Erick All isn't fit for every offense, but he sure fits as a H-Back or off-line TE for what Cincy does. They got a 2nd-round value player in round 4 because of injury. Josh Newton and McLachlan are similar to All, in that they are worth more than their overall draft value because of how well they fit the Bengals and will primarily be plugged into roles where they can thrive and their weaknesses will be less of an issue. Cedric Johnson might be the best Strong Side off-ball LB with pass rush skills. The reduced number of 4-3 teams pushed his value down the way 3-4 DEs used to be pushed down, but he's a versatile player who played well both off-ball and as an EDGE, in the mold of Jamie Collins or Kyle Van Noy, and nearly as good. Daijahn Anthony and Matt Lee are just downright stealing.
PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD:
3.) Minnesota Vikings
• 4 (108): CB Khyree Jackson, Oregon
• 6 (177): T Walter Rouse, Oklahoma
• 6 (203): K Will Reichard, Alabama
• 7 (230): C Michael Jurgens, Wake Forest
• 7 (232): DI Levi Drake Rodriguez, Texas A&M-Commerce
Khyree Jackson is a 2nd round CB some years. Hell, considering the flaws of some of the 2nd round CBs this year, I was a bit surprised he didn't go there this year. A big outside CB who can play man and run... sign me up. Walter Rouse had some trouble off the field, but on the field he might have been better than his hyped bookend, Guyton. Rouse is really powerful and there's no on-field reason he was less than a 2nd round pick. If you're having Field Goal problems I feel bad for you son... I got 99 Problems but a Kicker ain't one-- hit me. I know he's not related, but I might have picked Michael Jurgens just because he has the same name at the same position as Cam. and Levi Drake Rodriguez-- in addition to being a hell of a story ( https://theathletic.com/5461585/2024/05 ... a-vikings/), he's a relentless worker who just might prove to be worth way more than a 7th round pick before its all over.
YOU PUT YOUR BIG SCHOOL PEANUT BUTTER IN MY OFF-THE-MAP JELLY:
3.) NY Jets
• 4 (134): RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
• 5 (171): QB Jordan Travis, Florida State
• 5 (173): RB Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State
• 5 (176): CB Qwan'tez Stiggers, CFL
• 7 (257): S Jaylen Key, Alabama
I really like all these guys. Not a bad pick in the bunch, and you diversified your culture--where South Dakota meets Alabama-- which is an interesting experiment for a NJ-based team. Stiggers in the 5th is robbery. If Travis turns into a future starter, this might end up being the best haul overall.
NOT THE FLASHIEST, BUT...
4.) Cleveland Browns
• 5 (157): WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville
• 6 (206): LB Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
• 7 (227): CB Myles Harden, South Dakota
• 7 (243): DI Jowon Briggs, Cincinnnati
None of these prospects are perfect, but I think each represents a good value for day 3. Thrash is a little better than the sum of his parts, Watson is a gamer who offers some blitzing skills and leadership, Marden is one of the youngest prospects in the class and is a Safety/CB tweener... but if you can find a role for him, he's demonstrated that he's a great football player. Briggs might not be the flashiest or the most outlier but he can play.
SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST:
1.) Indianapolis Colts
• 4 (117): C Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin
• 5 (142): WR Anthony Gould, Oregon State
• 5 (151): S Jaylon Carlies, Missouri
• 5 (164): S Jaylin Simpson, Auburn
• 6 (201): CB Micah Abraham, Marshall
• 7 (234): DI Jonah Laulu, Oklahoma
I think Bortolini tested out of his skin but there are some gaping holes in his game, particularly in pass pro. At the point he was picked, I had 9 Centers ahead of him still on the board, and that doesn't even include guys like McCormick or Rosengarten who were center-capable. Good luck with that pick. Gould will be a test case for a guy primarily drafted as a KR who fits the new KO rules, but doesn't offer a ton other than return skills, except for gadgety use. But their day 3 built into a crescendo, as Carlies is solid, Simpson might have been the best pure Free Safety in the class, Abraham is a high floor CB with upside and NFL bloodlines, and Laulu was the best pick of Round 7-- a skilled pass rusher IDL with solid run defending skills and a very high character as a team guy.
Buffalo Bills
• 4 (128): RB Ray Davis, Kentucky
• 5 (141): C Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
• 5 (160): LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington
• 5 (168): ED Javon Solomon, Troy
• 6 (204): T Tylan Grable, UCF
• 6 (219): CB Daequan Hardy, Penn State
The Bills'' early day 3 was mostly about solid vets who fell, but instead of bailing after that, IND took a good EDGE depth candidate, my OT 9 on day 3(!), and NCB 5 in Round 6. Way to push through until the end.
SALE IS MY FAVORITE FOUR-LETTER WORD:
New England Patriots
• 4 (103): G Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
• 4 (110): WR Javon Baker, UCF
• 6 (180): CB Marcellas Dial, South Carolina
• 6 (193): QB Joe Milton III, Tennessee
• 7 (231): TE Jaheim Bell, Florida State
Reads like a list of guys who should probably have gone much earlier according to the consensus. Draw up a board in February and let the bot auto-pick. Either they got great value at all these picks or they picked players who nobody else wanted.
SNEAKY VALUE SHOPPERS:
4.) Miami Dolphins
• 4 (120): RB Jaylen Wright, Tennessee
• 5 (158): EDGE Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State
• 6 (184): WR Malik Washington, Virginia
• 6 (198): S Patrick McMorris, California
• 7 (241): WR Tahj Washington, USC
Kamara sorta profiles like Alex Highsmith. More hard-worker than athletic stud, but he can play. Wright is a but of a role play and luxury, particularly on a team with Achane AND Mostert already... but talented, for sure. Washington is my bet to end up as this year's Tank Dell. Don't love McMorris or Washington, but they're more of the "safer" pick type who might contribute.
DAVE KINGMAN "500ft BLAST OR STRIKEOUT" Draft:
1.) Arizona Cardinals
• 4 (104): S Taylor Dadrion-Demerson , Texas Tech
• 5 (138): EDGE Xavier Thomas, Clemson
• 5 (162): OT Christian Jones, Texas
• 5 (191): WR Tejhaun Palmer, UAB
• 7 (226): CB Jaden Davis, Miami
I think they must have put a premium on boom or bust types. All of them. And why not? If they get one solid contributor + 1 boom out of this group, it's a huge win.
THE HANGOVER OR ONE LONG-SNAPPER SHY OF A KEVIN COLBERT RUDDERLESS DAY 3:
2.) Chicago Bears
• 4 (121): P Tory Taylor, Iowa
• 5 (144): EDGE Austin Booker, Kansas
Booker is all hat and not a lot of cattle and then a punter. Thankfully, they nailed Days 1 & 2 with 3 fantastic prospects but must have been hungover from doing shots from the middle of round 1 all the way through Friday night. "Wait, we have two more picks??? OH SHIT."
NOT ELITE BUT PUTTING IN THE EFFORT TO IMPROVE:
1) Pittsburgh Steelers
• 4 (119): G Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
• 6 (178): DI Logan Lee, Iowa
• 6 (195): CB Ryan Watts, Texas
They went BPA at 119, which I support, although they had a chance to get a bonafide contender for the WR2 job and passed. Ryan Watts is worth a swing as a great athlete with some questions about where he fits-- think of him as Sean Davis, only with a 6th round pick instead of a 2nd rounder. Logan Lee has some quicks and he might buck the recent trend of throwaway DL choices for the Steelers but the list is a facepalm. Since Brett Keisel, the Steelers Day 3 DL picks: Isaiahh Loudermilk, Carlos Davis, Isaiah Buggs, Joshua Frazier, Leterius Walton, Daniel McCullers, Nick Williams, Alameda Ta'amu, Doug Worthington, Ra'Shon Harris, Ryan McBean, Orien Harris, Eric Taylor. oof.
FUCK THEM PICKS:
3.) LA Rams
• 5 (154): EDGE Brennan Jackson, Washington State
• 6 (196): DL Tyler Davis, Clemson
• 6 (209): K Joshua Karty, Stanford
• 6 (213): WR Jordan Whittington, Texas
• 6 (217): C Beaux Limmer, Arkansas
• 7 (254): IOL KT Leveston, Kansas State
Beaux Limmer isn't bad but they might as well have traded away the other 5 picks for some aging superstar. Ouch.
GRAB BAG AWARD:
4.) Seattle Seahawks
• 4 (118): LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP
• 4 (121): TE AJ Barner, Michigan
• 5 (136): CB Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
• 6 (179): T Sataoa Laumea, Utah
• 6 (192): CB D.J. James, Auburn
• 6 (207): T Mike Jerell, Findlay
Pritchett and Laumea might have been the two "worst-on-film" players this side of Sam Hartman, James is undersized and soft, AJ Barner is meh... and then they picked Tyrice Knight who can really play and who is one of the best picks of the entire 6th and 7th rounds, Mike Jerrell is an extremely agile OT who looked great in his opportunity to step up in class at the Hula Bowl. A name to watch as a developmental OL prospect who is already the talk of rookie camp.
3.) Baltimore Ravens
• 4 (113): WR Devontez Walker, North Carolina
• 4 (130): CB TJ Tampa, Iowa State
• 5 (165): RB Rasheen Ali, Marshall
• 6 (218): QB Devin Leary, Kentucky
• 7 (228): C Nick Samac, Michigan State
• 7 (250): S Sanoussi Kane, Purdue
Walker looks great, tested fantastically well, on paper is a steal... but man, he has some issues playing football. He has real problems catching, he looked lost at the Senior Bowl, IIRC, he even has off-the field issues. At minimum, he's a project and going into an environment where there isn't exactly a track record of using, let alone developing WRs. Sanoussi Kane is a box check pick, as in the answer to: "Who do we have left on the board who was a starter in a Power 5 conference?" But, based form those two throwaway picks, the middle four Day 3 picks might be the best in the whole of the NFL.
I KNOW I SHOULD LIKE TAYLOR SWIFT BUT....
2.) Houston Texans
• 4 (123): TE Cade Stover, Ohio State
• 6 (188): LB Jamal Hill, Oregon
• 6 (205): RB Jawhar Jordan, Louisville
• 7 (238): ED Solomon Byrd, USC
• 7 (247): DI Marcus Harris, Auburn
• 7 (249): T LaDarius Henderson, Michigan
Stover might turn out to be a plus TE and in the league for 10 years, but I'm not sure there's anything he does particularly well. The others are name-brand guys who probably aren't as good as their big-school profile. Gonne be hard to convince me that any of these dudes are better than some lesser-known guys who weren't even signed as UDFAs.
WHERE'S WALDO
3.) Jacksonville Jaguars
• 4 (114): T Javon Foster, Missouri
• 4 (116): DI Jordan Jefferson, LSU
• 5 (153): CB Deantre Prince, Ole Miss
• 5 (167): RB Keilan Robinson, Texas
• 6 (212): K Cam Little, Arkansas
• 7 (236): ED Myles Cole, Texas Tech
Foster is two years older than most of the class and is also probably too slow to be a tackle... I wanted to like him more than I did, because everyone seemed to like him. There were better OT options galore. I do think the LSU IDL guys had a rough situation as mentioned before, so Jefferson may end up begin good but there doesn't seem to be much 'there' there. Robinson, Little, and even the hyped Myles Cole don't really do much for me, so this could have been one of the worst Day 3s... but Prince is a really good prospect-- some rough around the edges but a plus athlete with a nose for the ball. A steal in round 5.
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT CLEVELAND?:
4.) Tennessee Titans
• 4 (106): LB Cedric Gray, North Carolina
• 5 (146): CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Louisville
• 6 (182): WR Jha’Quan Jackson, Tulane
• 7 (242): S James Williams, Miami (FL)
• 7 (252): EDGE Jaylen Harrell, Michigan
Don't look too closely at any of these prospects. All of these guys were ones that I liked at first and whose shine faded for me the more I saw them. I started super high on Brownlee, so even faded a little he was still a pretty great pick as a slot CB. Jha'Quan Jackson isn't terrible... he has his moments. However, I wonder if any of the other guys turn into productive NFL players. They basically seem like future UFL names.
THE DAY 3 VERSION OF NHALS:
1.) Kansas City Chiefs
• 4 (131): TE Jared Wiley, TCU
• 4 (133): S Jaden Hicks, Washington State
• 5 (159): C Hunter Nourzad, Penn State
• 6 (211): CB Kamal Hadden, Tennessee
• 7 (248): G C.J. Hanson, Holy Cross
The steals of Nourzad and Hicks, combined with a worthwhile swing for the fences in Rd 7 probably just keeps this Day 3 class above mediocre.
WAIT, THERE ARE MORE THAN 5 CONFERENCES IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL??!! NO WAY!!!:
3.) Carolina Panthers
• 4 (101): TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas
• 5 (157): CB Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State
• 6 (200): DL Jaden Crumedy, Mississippi State
• 7 (240): LB Michael Barrett, Michigan
I'm not really sure what teams didn't like about Sanders... He jumped out in every Texas game I saw while he was there. Chau Smith-Wade benefitted from being at the Senior Bowl but his performance there was mixed. Crumedy has talent, work ethic, and a great team-first mentality. I'll bet he sticks. I didn't really get Barrett but he did get a lot of TV time this year.
4.) Atlanta Falcons
• 4 (109): DL Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
• 5 (143): LB JD Bertrand, Notre Dame
• 6 (186): RB Jase McClellan, Alabama
• 6 (187): WR Casey Washington, Illinois
• 6 (197): DL Zion Logue, Georgia
In fairness, JP Bertrand is another one fo those guys who isn't the most talented but can play for me anytime. Smart, great disgnoser, always in the right place-- and I'd take him over his teammate Liaufu 100/100. And Casey Washington is going to be a terrific pro and probably a big target in Atlanta, where Drake London and Kyle Pitts will get a lot of defensive attention. McClellan is supposedly better than his results at Alabama and Logue is a big run stopper without much explosion.
2.) San Francisco 49ers
• 4 (124): S Malik Mustapha, Wake Forest
• 4 (129): RB Isaac Guerendo, Louisville
• 4 (135): WR Jacob Cowing, Arizona
• 6 (215): G Jarrett Kingston, USC
• 7 (251): LB Tatum Bethune, Florida State
If you're going to go all Power 5 on me Day 3, at least choose well. All of these guys fall into the same category: there are various reasons you could find to discount each of them (age, speed, size, athleticism), but this is a really nice blend of good football players who each have some attribute they can lean on in the NFL. In particular, Bethune is a coverage backer who'll fit right in with their system... and they got him at the end of round 7. Ridiculous.
The Mirror Image Draft
2.) LA Chargers
• 4 (105): DL Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
• 5 (137): CB Tarheeb Still, Maryland
• 5 (140): CB Cam Hart, Notre Dame
• 6 (181): RB Kimani Vidal, Troy
• 7 (225): WR Brenden Rice, USC
• 7 (253): WR Cornelius Johnson, Michigan
If they flipped the second half with the first half of their day 3, this haul would have made more sense to me. Vidal is that rarest of prospects: a RB that exceeds his draft slot. I think he's a star. Rice is like his dad in one respect: he's not going to wow in shorts, but I think he can be a good player. Johnson *should* be better in the NFL than college. So what if Eboigbe doesn't look like an NFL player?
OUR OWN BRAND OF ROCK & ROLL... AND I LIKE IT:
3.) LV Raiders
• 4 (112): CB Decamerion Richardson, Mississippi State
• 5 (148): LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
• 6 (208): RB Dylan Laube, New Hampshire
• 7 (223): S Trey Taylor, Air Force
• 7 (229): CB MJ Devonshire, Pittsburgh
I don't love Laube's age and mileage, nor the fact he's going to the place where his future as a slot receiver is cock-blocked by one of the best slot guys in the NFL... but he has a versatile skill set and might see the field on 3rd downs. Eichenberg is a better athlete than player but worth the upside pick if he can put it together... but even if not, he's destined to be a strong STs candidate. The other guys here I had rated far ahead of where they were on most consensus boards. Well done, you crazy kids.
COMBINE? AGE? DRILLS? WHO CARES?
4.) Denver Broncos
• 4 (102): WR Troy Franklin, Oregon
• 5 (145): CB Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
• 5 (147): RB Audric Estime, Notre Dame
• 7 (235): WR Devaughn Vele, Utah
• 7 (256): IOL Nick Gargiulo, South Carolina
Troy Franklin ran the worst gauntlet of all time, KAD wasn't much better, Estime ran like a 5.0 at the combine, Vele is like 27. Other than that, Mrs Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play? In fairness, Gargiulo is an absolute steal at 256, Estmie ran a very respectable 4.58 at his pro day, Vele looked really good in drills an on tape... for an old guy... and KAD has lots of upside as a relatively inexperienced player at the position.
THE MEATLOAF, AKA I WANT YOU, I NEED YOU BUT DON'T FEEL SAD:
1.) Washington Commanders
• 5 (139): LB Jordan Magee, Temple
• 5 (161): S Dominique Hampton, Washington
• 7 (222): EDGE Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame
Magee is better than most of the LBs in the class. Domenique Hampton was supposedly a box safety who then crushed the combine with one of the top athletic scores at the position. On top of that, he looked good in space on tape... home run pick in late round 5. An then there was Jean-Baptiste. So, so close.
OVERTHOUGHT THE WORDLE STRATEGY:
2.) Philadelphia Eagles
• 4 (127): RB Will Shipley, Clemson
• 5 (152): WR Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
• 5 (155): LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
• 5 (172): G Trevor Keegan, Michigan
• 6 (185): WR Johnny Wilson, Florida State
• 6 (190): C Dylan McMahon, NC State
They got 6 tries and used a different word each time? Shipley does everything great except play football. Aniais Smith was spectacular but hasn't recovered from a leg injury, Trotter is solid but unspectacular, Keegan might be the only Michigan OL who can't play, Wilson lasted to this point because most teams think he's too big and too tall to play his position, Dylan McMahon was a freak workout guy. It's almost as if they has a category for each reason guys fall into day 3... and picked one of each.
THE NEW YORK GEMINI:
3.) NY Giants
• 4 (107): TE Theo Johnson, Penn State
• 5 (166): RB Tyrone Tracy, Purdue
• 6 (183): LB Darius Muasau, UCLA
The Day 3 picks made by Kevin Colbert, the other 73 players invited to their rookie camp brought in by STD. Johnson is another Penn State outlier athlete but whose tape could cure insomnia. Tracy a convert from WR who was everybody's day 3 darling... but going to a team whose only veteran RB is the FA 3rd down back they signed before the draft. Musau can't be counted out because he's an old school type whose workout doesn't really matter (and besides, he's Polynesian). But the UDFAs and Tryout players? Yoi and double yoi!
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BUZZING THE TOWER:
4.) Dallas Cowboys
• 5 (174): CB Caelen Carson, Wake Forest
• 6 (216): WR Ryan Flournoy, Southeast Missouri State
• 7 (233): T Nathan Thomas, Louisiana
• 7 (244): DI Justin Rogers, Auburn
All four got a lot of buzz among the "sleepers" crowd. I didn't really see a lot to recommend Carson but he's okay. Flournoy played all right in in all-star game but his tape is a little disappointing. Rogers is a solid depth guy I guess. Nathan Thomas would be the one I think who has a chance to be a very good player if it works out.
THERE'S ONE IN EVERY CROWD:
4.) Green Bay Packers
• 4 (111): S Evan Williams, Oregon
• 5 (163): OT Jacob Monk, Duke
• 5 (169): S Kitan Oladapo, Oregon State
• 6 (202): OT Travis Glover, Georgia State
• 7 (245): QB Michael Pratt, Tulane
• 7 (255): CB Kalen King, Penn State
Evan Williams is a baller who will find a way to stick. Monk tested great and played well enough to keep the best center in the draft at LT. Oladapo & Pratt were good value picks at these slots, and Travis Glover should have gone at least 3 rounds earlier. But Kalen King? Seriously? Only if you have a track team.
IF THE STEELERFURY PODCAST CREW HAD PICKED DAY THREE LIKE THEY DO ON THE EXTRAVAGANZA:
1.) Tampa Bay Bucs
• 4 (125): RB Bucky Irving, Oregon
• 6 (220): G Elijah Klein, UTEP
• 7 (246): TE Devin Culp, Washington
Smithesmokin, "How can Bucky Irvin be available this late? I'm talking him". Korey, "Klein is an NFL player, just plays at an obscure program--trust me I know OL" and B2B, "There aren't many good TEs in this class but here is a sleeper who is going to be a really solid blocker and who has some juice in the receiving game. Should have gone a couple of rounds ago!"
