Just like that, the 2016 NFL Draft has come and gone.
Days one and two of the draft (rounds one, two and three) always receive the most attention, but day three (rounds four through seven) are important too.
Every year, quality starters are found in the later rounds and everyone wonders how they could have fallen so far.
What was the best selection for every team on day three? Read on to find out.
Arizona Cardinals: C Evan Boehm, Missouri (4th Round, #128)
Center was one of the Cardinals’ most pressing needs. With Ryan Kelly going before Arizona selected in the first round, the position had to be addressed later. Quality interior offensive linemen can always be found in the middle of the draft. Boehm will battle A.Q. Shipley for the starting job, but the rookie, who started 52 straight games at Missouri, probably wins the job and could hold it down for years.
Atlanta Falcons: LB De’Vondre Campbell, Minnesota (4th Round, #115)
It was a small day three haul for the Falcons, who drafted just three players. It seems doubtful that any of the three start right away, but Campbell could contribute early as a rotational player and on special teams. With Deion Jones (second round) and Campbell, Atlanta added significant speed to their linebacker corps. Campbell is a developmental prospect with the size and athleticism to succeed.
Baltimore Ravens: RB Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech (4th Round, #134)
One of the best selections from all of day three, the Ravens drafted Dixon with their last of five fourth round picks. Running backs as a whole fell on draft day, with only two going in rounds one through three. Dixon is probably the best receiving back in the draft and will fit in well in the Ravens’ offense. He finished his college career second in career touchdowns, behind Keenan Reynolds, who was also drafted by the Ravens (sixth round). I wouldn’t be surprised to see Dixon as the starting running back in 2017.
Buffalo Bills: RB Jonathan Williams, Arkansas (5th Round, #156)
Cardale Jones was a nice pick, but Williams was even better. The Bills don’t have an immediate need at running back with LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams on the roster, but Jonathan Williams was too much to pass up. He missed all of 2015 with a foot injury, but possesses the qualities of a starting running back. Williams will have a tough time finding playing time, but McCoy and Karlos Williams both were injured at times last year. This was great value in the fifth round.
Carolina Panthers: CB Zack Sanchez, Oklahoma (5th Round, #141)
Carolina only picked twice on the draft’s final day and one of the selections was the second to last of the draft. Sanchez is one of three cornerbacks the Panthers drafted this weekend. He brings plenty of experience with him from Oklahoma, where he started since his redshift freshman season in 2013. His aggressiveness and ball skills (15 interceptions in college) fit well into Carolina’s defensive scheme.
Chicago Bears: RB Jordan Howard, Indiana (5th Round, #150)
Another running back, Howard should see plenty of touches as a rookie. Veteran Matt Forte left in free agency leaving Jeremy Langford as the starter. Langford ran well as a rookie last year, but Chicago will probably go with a committee approach to the position in 2016. Howard was an extremely productive running back in college at Indiana and UAB. Chicago did a good job to land what is likely a key contributor as a rookie in the fifth round.
Cincinnati Bengals: DT Andrew Billings, Baylor (4th Round, #122)
Easily the best selection from day three, Cincinnati drafted Billings, who many people––including myself––thought was a first or second round talent. He is a powerful defensive tackle who moves well for his size. He will be paired with Geno Atkins, who is one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. The Bengals may finally have their replacement for Domata Peko, whose performance has been declining. Cincinnati also made a great selection of guard Christian Westerman in the fifth round. Billings and Westerman were my two best players available at the start of round four.
Cleveland Browns: OLB Joe Schubert, Wisconsin (4th Round, #99)
The best of Cleveland’s nine selections on Saturday was their first. Schobert was a productive player at Wisconsin and was always making plays. He is a relentless player who finished 2015 with 9.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. He may play outside linebacker or inside linebacker for the Browns in their 3-4 defense. He played on the outside in the Badgers’ 3-4 defense, but he has the traits to make the move inside. I like Schobert better than Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib, the two edge rushers the Browns drafted on day two.
Dallas Cowboys: DE Charles Tapper, Oklahoma (4th Round, #101)
Dallas waited until the fourth round to fill one of their biggest needs. Starting defensive ends DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory are suspended for the first four games of the season. With this in mind, Tapper probably starts for the Cowboys to at the beginning of the season. Dallas is a good fit for the fastest defensive lineman from the NFL Combine, because they play a 4-3 defense. His impact was minimized in college due to Oklahoma’s two-gap scheme with three defensive linemen.
Denver Broncos: RB Devontae Booker, Utah (4th Round, #136)
I said earlier that running backs presented great value on day three and I wasn’t kidding. Many of the backs, including Booker, had the talent to go on day two. He ran for 2,773 yards in two seasons at Utah. He fits well in Gary Kubiak’s zone blocking scheme and can contribute from day one for Denver. The Broncos already have C.J. Anderson, but that won’t stop Booker from getting touches. He is too talented not to.
Detroit Lions: OL Joe Dahl, Washington State (5th Round, #151)
Detroit’s draft was heavy in the trenches and three of their first five picks were offensive linemen. Dahl was the last of these three. He played left tackle at Washington State, but probably moves inside to guard in the NFL. He is going to have to learn some things with the Lions, but has the the ability to become a starter in a year or so.
Green Bay Packers: LB Blake Martinez, Stanford (4th Round, #131)
Five of the Packers’ seven draft picks came from the West Coast. Martinez fills a need that the Packers have had for a few years now. Star outside linebacker Clay Matthews had to move inside due to a lack of inside linebackers. Martinez is a thumper in the middle who recorded an amazing 141 tackles in 2015. Hopefully the addition of Martinez allows Green Bay to move Matthews back outside.
Houston Texans: DT D.J. Reader, Clemson (5th Round, #166)
Defensive line was thought to be one of the biggest needs for Houston, but they waited until their final pick to draft one. Reader is a big defensive tackle (327 pounds) who is tough to move in the run game. Clemson’s defensive line was led by defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd, but Reader was a force in the middle against the run. He will play nose tackle in the Texans’ 3-4 defense and likely takes over as the starter in 2017 once Vince Wilfork leaves.
Indianapolis Colts: DT Hassan Ridgeway, Texas (4th Round, #116)
This year’s defensive line class was loaded, which means that a couple talented ones fell. Ridgeway was one of these players, as he had the talent to potentially go as early as the second round. He will play defensive end for the Colts in their 3-4 defense and will help against the run and pass. He may be limited to a rotational role though, as this is all he did at Texas, only playing about 50 percent of snaps.
Jacksonville Jaguars: DT Sheldon Day, Notre Dame (4th Round, #103)
Another defensive tackle that fell, Day is a great fit in Jacksonville. He is an undersized penetrator who is best fit as a three-technique in a one-gap scheme. The Jaguars now have great depth on the defensive line, meaning he won’t have to play all the time. This rotational role will keep him fresh and allow him to make the most impact he can. Day has a a great motor. The Jaguars made major improvements to their defense in the draft.
Kansas City Chiefs: OLB Dadi Lhomme Nicolas, Virginia Tech (6th Round, #203)
The Chiefs took risks on a couple of players with character questions on day three, but Nicolas isn’t one of them. In 2014, he produced nine sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss. However, these numbers dropped big time in 2015 when he moved to a different role in the Hokies’ defense (2.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss). He is an undersized edge rusher, but has natural pass rush talent. Kansas City already has depth at outside linebacker, but Nicolas could contribute.
Los Angeles Rams: WR Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina (4th Round, #117)
All but one of the Rams’ selections (Jared Goff) was on day three because they traded up for the first overall pick. Los Angeles emphasized offensive playmakers, drafting two wide receivers and two tight ends. Cooper was the first wide receiver they took. Despite defenses keying in on him because he was clearly South Carolina’s best offensive player, he put up 135 receptions and 2,109 yards the past two seasons.
Miami Dolphins: TE Thomas Duarte, UCLA (7th Round, #231)
Trades kept the Dolphins from selecting in the fourth and fifth rounds, but they had two selections in both the sixth and seventh rounds. Duarte was their last selection, but he comes with nice potential. He was a wide receiver for the Bruins, but he’ll become a move tight end in the NFL. Miami has Jordan Cameron at tight end, but his production has declined and is a free agent after 2016. Duarte gives Adam Gase a nice piece to move around in his offense.
Minnesota Vikings: LB Kentrell Brothers, Missouri (5th Round, #160)
At Missouri, Brothers was a tackling machine. He recorded 152 tackles in 2015 and another 122 in 2014. He is able to make all of these tackles because he knows where the ball is and has great instincts. He falls short in terms of size and athleticism, but he just makes plays. He is best fit as a middle linebacker, but he may have to outside if he wants to get on the field earlier in Minnesota due to the presence of Eric Kendricks.
New England Patriots: WR Malcolm Mitchell, Patriots (4th Round, #112)
Mitchell to the Patriots was one of my favorite selections in the entire draft, as he will fit in well in New England’s offense. He is a fast (4.45 second forty-yard dash) possession receiver who runs good routes. He will play on the outside for the Patriots, who have Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola on the inside. The Patriots needed to pick up an outside receiver in the draft and Mitchell is just what they needed.
New Orleans Saints: RB Daniel Lasco, California (7th Round, #237)
As always, the Saints had a small draft haul because they traded up multiple times. Their five player draft class includes just two players from day three. Injuries limited Lasco’s production at California, but he is an explosive athlete who put on a show at the NFL Combine. The Saints’ offense has always been able to utilize running backs well in various roles, so he may be able to stick around if he can stay healthy and apply his athleticism to the field.
New York Giants: RB Paul Perkins, UCLA (5th Round, #149)
Perkins is a running back who many people had going well before the fifth round. At UCLA, he ran for almost 3,000 yards the past two seasons while adding another 443 yards as a receiver. He is an agile running back whose elusiveness makes him tough to tackle in the open field. New York has a couple running backs already on the roster, but none of them has shown that they can hold the job themselves. Perkins may be able to come in and do that.
New York Jets: WR Charone Peake, Clemson (7th Round, #241)
Wide receiver is one of the Jets’ strongest positions, but Peake has the potential to develop into a starter. He was buried on the depth chart at Clemson until his final year, but he produced well in 2015 catching 50 passes for 716 yards and five touchdowns. He is a raw receiver, but has a nice combination of size (6-foot-2) and speed (4.45 forty-yard dash) that is worth developing. I thought he would be taken much earlier than the seventh round.
Oakland Raiders: QB Connor Cook, Michigan State (4th Round, #100)
Cook’s draft day fall stopped at the second pick of the fourth round when Oakland traded up to draft him. He is reported to have fallen due to concerns about his leadership ability among other things. On the field for Michigan State, he was extremely productive and helped lead one of the best stretches in Spartan football history. His accuracy needs to be improved. With Derek Carr at starter, Oakland didn’t need a quarterback. However, Cook can be a quality, cheap backup for four seasons. They may even be able to flip him for a draft pick later.
Philadelphia Eagles: DB Jalen Mills, LSU (7th Round, #233)
In terms of talent, Mills was a day two prospect. However, he likely fell to the seventh round due to off-the-field (2014 battery arrest) and injury (2015 broken leg and torn ankle ligaments) concerns. He played both cornerback and safety at LSU, so he brings nice versatility to the Eagles secondary. He performed well at the Senior Bowl and intercepted six passes in his college career. If Mills is able to stay on the field, then this will be a steal for Philadelphia.
Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Demarcus Ayers, Houston (7th Round, #229)
Right now, Ayers is a raw receiver who probably won’t contribute much, especially with the Steelers’ loaded wide receiver corps. However, he brings great skills as a returner. This will get him on the field early and allow him to stay on the roster. In 2015, he averaged 10.4 yards per punt return and scored one touchdown. Returner was a big hole for Pittsburgh last season so it makes sense to draft Ayers, who is probably the best one in the draft class.
San Diego Chargers: LB Joshua Perry, Ohio State (4th Round, #102)
Ohio State had 10 players drafted in the top 100 picks and another two after that, including Perry who went at No. 102. Perry is a perfect fit as a a run-defending inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He is a thumper in the run game and has some struggles in pass coverage. Denzel Perryman is locked in as one of the Chargers’ inside linebackers, but Perry might beat out Manti Te’o for the starting job this year. At worst, Perry could start in 2017 as Te’o is a free agent at the end of the 2016 season.
San Francisco 49ers: DE Ronald Blair, Appalachian State (5th Round, #142)
Playing for a smaller school, Blair put up big time stats. In the last two seasons, he had 13.5 sacks and 32 tackles for loss. He played defensive end in the Mountaineers’ 4-3 defense. San Francisco run a 3-4 defense and Blair is 284 pounds, so he will likely play defensive end (five-technique) in base packages and shift outside a little in sub packages. He put together a great career at Appalachian State and now will try to do the same in San Francisco.
Seattle Seahawks: RB Alex Collins, Arkansas (5th Round, #171)
With Jonathan Williams out for all of 2015, Collins became the workhorse running back for the Razorbacks after they split carries before. Collins ran for 1,577 yards in 2015 and had 1,000-yard seasons all three years at Arkansas. One cause for concern are fumbles (17 total with nine lost in college). Seattle now has a nice, young running back group with Thomas Rawls, C.J. Prosise (third round pick) and Collins. This wasn’t necessarily a need pick, but the best way to approach day three of the NFL Draft is to just add the best talent available and Collins was just that.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: RB Ryan Smith, North Carolina Central (4th Round, #108)
Playing for a small FCS school, Smith isn’t a well-known prospect, but he is a talented one. He put together quality tape at the lower level and held his own when the Eagles played FBS schools like Duke and East Carolina. Add in a good showing at the combine and you get a prospect that has the NFL intrigued. Smith might not play right away with players like Vernon Hargreaves III (first round pick) ahead of him, but it shouldn’t be too long before he sees the field.
Tennessee Titans: CB Kalan Reed, Southern Mississippi (7th Round, #253)
Reed was this year’s Mr. Irrelevant. He is anything but irrelevant as a player though. He has NFL size (5-foot-11, 195 pounds) and speed (4.38 forty-yard dash time) for the position. He also possesses nice ball skills. In 2015, he set the Southern Mississippi record for pass deflections in a season (19) and intercepted four passes, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Washington Redskins: DT Matt Ioannidis, Temple (5th Round, #152)
One of three Temple defenders drafted, Ioannidis adds defensive line depth to the Redskins roster. Defensive line was considered to be one of Washington’s biggest needs, but they waited until the fifth round to address the position. Ioannidis had 11.5 tackles for loss in 2015 and 11 in 2014. He will add a physical presence to the defensive line. Washington has tried to build up their trenches the past few seasons.
The post Best Day Three Draft Pick For Every NFL Team appeared first on Fanspeak NFL Blog.
