I usually like to classify the NFL Draft into three parts. Day one of if where you get your franchise impact players, Day two is where you get starters and people to fill holes in you rotation, Day three is for the scouts and sleepers that are not very well known. Today I will be going over some of the players that were picked on Day three that have a chance to actually stick on with their team that drafted them in the NFC East Division.
Philadelphia Eagles:
101st overall – CB Jaylen Watkins 5’1 194 lbs from Florida
141st overall – DE Taylor Hart 6’6 281 lbs from Oregon
162nd overall – FS Ed Reynolds 6’1 207 lbs from Stanford
224th overall – NT Beau Allen 6’2 333 lbs from Wisconsin
How they fit in – Watkins should slide right in as the 4th CB with the upside to be in the slot. Hart will be a slightly undersized DE behind Fletcher Cox and Cedric Thornton. Vinny Curry is also playing there, but he is also undersized. Ed Reynolds will be the immediate backup at FS and Beau Allen, which was a steal of a pick, will eventually be the backup at NT. He also may eventually plugged into start, while Bennie Logan can move to DE.
Washington Redskins:
102nd overall – CB Bashaud Breeland 5’11 197 lbs from Clemson
142nd overall – WR Ryan Grant 6′ 199 lbs from Tulane
186th overall – RB Lache Seastrunk 5’9 201 lbs from Baylor
217th overall – TE Ted Bolser 6’5 257 lbs from Indiana
228th overall – K Zack Hocker 6’ 189 lbs from Arkansas
How they fit in – Breeland looks like he will be shifted to FS and provide depth behind Ryan Clark and Baccari Rambo. Ryan Grant will have to add something on special teams as they already have Garcon, Jackson, Roberts, Moss, Hankerson, and Robinson. Seastrunk maybe 3rd on the depth chart, but with an Alfred Morris injury, he could be pushed into a starter’s role. Bolser will have to make the team through special teams. What can you say about Hocker? He’s a kicker.
New York Giants:
113th overall – RB Andre Williams 5’11 230 lbs from Boston College
152nd overall – SS Nat Berhe 5’10 193 lbs from San Diego State
174th overall – OLB Ted Kennard 6’3 249 lbs from USC
187th overall – CB Bennett Jackson 6′ 190 lbs from Notre Dame
How they fit in – Even though I’m not high on Andre Williams, I’m even less high on Rashad Jennings. Williams is the most talented RB on the Giants roster since I’m not counting on David Wilson and I think he’ll be the starter before the year is over. Berhe will provide depth at safety but I don’t know if he’ll ever get a chance barring injury. Kennard will be the immediate backup at strongside LB behind Jameel McClain, and Bennett Jackson is a tough corner that may get to 4th on the depth chart for Dime duties.
Dallas Cowboys:
119th overall – OLB Anthony Hitchens 6′ 240 lbs from Iowa
146th overall – WR Devin Street 6’3 198 lbs from Pittsburgh
231st overall – DE Ben Gardner 6’4 262 lbs from Stanford
238th overall – OLB Will Smith 6’3 220 lbs from Texas Tech
248th overall – SS Ahmad Dixon 6′ 212 lbs from Baylor
251st overall – DT Ben Bishop 6′ 301 lbs from Northern Illinois
254th overall – CB Terrence Mitchell 5’11 192 lbs from Oregon
How they fit in – Hitchens should step in immediately as the backup to Bruce Carter at OLB, while Devin Street will fight with Dwayne Harris as the 4th WR on the depth chart. Gardner will have a tough time making it being behind the already drafted DeMarcus Lawrence, George Selvie, Anthony Spencer, and Jeremy Mincey. Smith, Dixon, Bishop, and Mitchell will all have to play well on special teams to make the 53 man roster.
It was a great three days for the NFL, with the draft being the most watched draft of all time. It was great drama as people wondered where Johnny Manziel would go, where the QBs would drop to, and then finally where would Michael Sam go, which was to the Rams. Now that the fun is over with, these players will have to take off their suits and get into uniforms and proved that they deserved to be picked where they were. The next 100 days, will be when the REAL fun begins for us fans.
