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After 105 picks have been made, the outlook of the draft is becoming more and more clear. After only seeing one quarterback in the first round, it took until pick 74 to see another one. That’s where the run started and we saw three of them come off the board by the end of the night. There weren’t any major runs throughout the night, but we saw a lot of skill players come off the board, including multiple tight ends and running backs.
As evident by Malik Willis, there are players that fall every year. The beginning of day three has a group of players that have failed for a myriad of reasons. Some of them are poor athletes, others have poor production, and some have off-field issues. There are a good group of players at the top of round four that can make an impact right away. I believe that four players stand out and have the ability to step in and make an immediate impact.
Oklahoma DT Perrion Winfrey
At the Senior Bowl, the offensive line did not have a good week. They were pulverized throughout the week from every angle. The major reason why they looked as bad as they did was Winfrey. During team drills, they were having to double team him just to run the basic concepts that they were trying to walk through. He was a dominant force throughout and that performance was all over his tape. A former junior college player, Winfrey was used heavily in a rotation. It is a real surprise that he is still available. Betting lines had Winfrey with the second-best odds to be the 33rd pick at the beginning of the night. He would be an immediate rotational pass rusher with true starter upside.
Memphis WR Calvin Austin III
The wide receiver class is electric. There are great players for nearly every flavor and style preference. Austin III provides a spark that very few in this class can. Mostly used as a gadget-type player for Memphis, they tried to find ways to get the ball in his hands however possible. Austin III was used mainly with screens, crossing routes, jet sweeps, and deep shots. At the Senior Bowl, Austin proved that he was more than just a gadget guy. He showed that he could thrive as a receiver with his explosive release package, quickness in and out of breaks, and a much larger catch radius than his 5'7" and 180lb frame would suggest. With his athletic comparison being Tyreek Hill, his size is what has kept him on the board into day three. If a team drafts him with the intention of putting the ball in his hands, that is the best and quickest path to success.
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Cincinnati CB Coby Bryant
The Cincinnati defense had a lot of really good athletes on it. Sauce Gardner went at fourth overall, Bryan Cook in the second round, and Myjai Sanders in the third round. They were one of the best units in college football last season and Bryant was one of the best defenders in the nation, as he took home the Jim Thorpe Award given to the the best defensive back in the FBS. In playing on the opposite side of Gardner, Bryant saw a target for every seven snaps. His ball production will help him succeed in the NFL as he had 10 interceptions and 37 passes defended. His athletic profile is relatively average which is why he is still on the board. He has the upside to be a strong CB2 in the NFL.
South Dakota State RB Pierre Strong Jr
Earlier this year, I went on A Good Football Show and said that Strong Jr was the next Elijah Mitchell.
.@TheRealForno is already eyeing Pierre Strong Jr. as a fantasy sleeper, likening his rookie-year profile to Elijah Mitchell’s. 👀
— Rotoworld Football (@rotoworld_fb) March 8, 2022
Future rookies who could become fantasy-relevant: https://t.co/EUtq7NH80W pic.twitter.com/GxewhZUxe1
The running back position always has a player that gets drafted on day three and Strong Jr has a dynamic profile. Throughout his career, Strong didn’t rack up a lot of carries for the Jackrabbits, he only racked up 630 carries. On those carries, he averaged 7.13 yards per carry with a combination of vision and dynamite speed. He has enough contact balance to get by and the burst through the hole that allows his deep speed to take over. He fits best in a wide zone scheme and can play a major role right away.
