NFL Draft Predictions: Late Round Gems

This is not your typical first round NFL Mock Draft. There are hundreds of those on the internet. I wanted to give you some sense of what to expect on the 3rd day of the draft. Yes, I realize this is insane. Just bear with me. I ran through several scenarios using the Mock Draft Generator on FanSpeak.com implementing the NFL Draft Diamonds Official Big Board. Here is a list of 10 late round draft picks that have a good chance of happening.

#109. Oakland Raiders-Karl Brooks, DL, Bowling Green
Likely the biggest snub of the NFL Combine, although I think 4th round suits him just fine. Brooks is an explosive, versatile player with good speed and agility. He will fit in nicely on the Oakland DL, creating some pass rush on the interior.

#118. Washington Commanders-Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State
Truthfully, during my trial mock drafts, the Commanders were selecting a QB nearly any and every round. It will all depend on what the top brass wants to do with the position. I know that some of the staff feel like Sam Howell is their heir apparent starter. Yet, there are many options that could unfold from now until the draft. The team recently parted ways with Carson Wentz and will be in the market for at least one QB this offseason. Haener would bring a decent level of collegiate experience to the Washington depth chart.

#133. Chicago Bears-Tank Dell, WR, Houston|
Tank would bring exactly what Chicago needs, excitement. His ability to get off the line and find open space is phenomenal, and he would add a great target for Justin Fields. Truthfully, I don’t know if Tank slips this far in the draft. The Bears might have to snag him at the end of round 3 (#103). Tank’s size might scare people, but he can be productive and help the team win games.

#144. Cleveland Browns-Isaiah McGuire, Edge, Missouri
Jadeveon Clowney is a free agent which may force the Browns to take another player much earlier in the draft. McGuire is a physically tough edge rusher with great size and could challenge for plenty of playing time on the depth chart.

#145. New York Jets-Braeden Daniels, OG, Utah
Daniels played tackle for Utah, yet he’s projected to be kicked inside to guard in the pros. He’s displayed good footwork and hand placement which has helped him hold his own in the Pac-12. The Jets are practically guaranteed to add several pieces to their OL this offseason. Daniels could move around wherever the team needed him as they try to create a sound pocket for whomever is under center next season.

#168. Kansas City Chiefs-Isaiah Land, LB, Florida A&M
Land is a stud All-American HBCU edge rusher, racking up 29 sacks in 3 seasons. He might be more of a situational passer rusher in the pros, standing up in the SAM LB role. Land would add good youth on the edge for Kansas City.

#182. Los Angeles Rams-Keidron Smith, CB, Kentucky
The Rams are without a first-round draft pick for another year due to the Stafford/Goff trade. So, they need to hit on some late round gems like Keidron Smith. He’s a very intriguing prospect who was a standout basketball player in high school and transferred to Kentucky from Ole Miss this past season. Smith is a bit of an average athlete for his size which makes him drop this far in the draft although his size and physical nature will get him drafted on day 3.

#209. New York Giants-Juice Scruggs, OC, Penn State
At this stage in the draft, it can be somewhat of a crapshoot to see who a team ends up with. Yet, with 2 of the team’s centers possibly leaving for free agency, the Giants would be prudent by bringing in another player to compete. Scruggs is a nice center who may not have the elite size like other prospects, yet he is a very good run blocker who knows how to dominate his opponents with his hands and use his feet to climb to the second level as a blocker.

#216. San Francisco 49ers-Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, West Virginia
Ford-Wheaton would provide great value and depth for the Niners being drafted here. He’s a solid route runner who knows how to find the soft spot in coverage and uses good hands to make contested catches.

#244. Green Bay Packers- Cory Durden, DL, NC State
Durden might be a Florida native, but I feel like he can withstand the late season cold air in Wisconsin given his body composition. He’s also got great length with 34” arms and an 83” wingspan and uses that to his advantage. Green Bay uses a 3-man front with 2 of their DL set to hit free agency. Durden would fit well in that scheme.