NFL Draft: Day 3 Fantasy Fallout

Written by

Updated on April 25, 2020 11:49PM EST

Before we get to the meat-and-potatoes — otherwise known as avocado-and-chia amongst my fellow millennials — I'd like to hand out a few awards for the 2020 NFL Draft:

Most Improved - Cincinnati Bengals

Nabbing a probable franchise quarterback outweighs the impact of anything else a team can do in the draft. Bonus points if the QB in question doesn't have the right hip of an 85-year-old or the face of a pouty toddler.

Best In Show - Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs had the NFL's best roster before the draft, and they still reign supreme afterward. Other teams may have added more talent, but none came all that close to fully closing the gap. New Orleans is the runner-up here, and Baltimore a not-too-distant third.

Best Value Shopper - Dallas Cowboys

Each of the Cowboys' first three picks was used on a player that shouldn't have been available where he was taken. CeeDee Lamb at No. 17 overall is one of those picks we'll laugh about in a few years, or maybe as soon as a few months. I also think a Wisconsin O-lineman with a Polish last name is basically a lock to be a face smasher, so the Cowboys were brilliant in trading up for Tyler Biadasz at No. 146 overall.

The Record Breakers - Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings set a new league record of 15 total picks in a seven-round draft. (They'll probably end up cutting nine of them by October.)

The Broken Records - Philadelphia Eagles

Adding speed at wide receiver was a necessity, but by Saturday evening it kind of felt like the Eagles were doing it to prove a point. After drafting Jalen Reagor and John Hightower and trading for Marquise Goodwin, the Eagles also scooped up Quez Watkins and his 4.35 40 time just for kicks. You'd never guess that this team already had DeSean Jackson — or at least whatever's left of him — on its roster.

Participation Trophy - Houston Texans

Technically, the Texans took part in this event, but I don't actually remember any of their selections. I guess a bunch of their picks were traded away for veteran players that subsequently were underused or overpaid. At least the Texans have that ~~extra 2021 first-round pick~~ second-round defensive tackle they got from the DeAndre Hopkins trade.

Best Supporting Actor(s) - Denver Broncos

The Broncos have done a great job maximizing the talent around Drew Lock, who probably isn't good and now has the thrill of working with OC Pat Shurmur (yawn). I suppose GM John Elway deserves credit for improving his team, but it may amount to nothing more than putting fancy toppings on a bologna sandwich. I hope I'm wrong and it all turns out awesome, because the upside scenario involves some crazy shootouts with the Chiefs over the next five years.

Best Dressed - Arizona Cardinals

Kliff Kingsbury seems to be the only NFL coach with a cool-looking house. Isaiah Simmons is so strong that his muscles appear to be eating his clothes. DeAndre Hopkins was probably wearing an outrageous outfit, even if he didn't bother to watch the draft.

The WTF Award - Green Bay Packers

This was either cowardice or brazen hubris — nothing in between. There's no precedent for a team coming off a 13-win season with a Hall of Fame quarterback using its first two draft picks on a backup QB and a third-string RB.

Now, let's take a look at the QBs, RBs, WRs, TEs and Ks selected on Day 3 of the draft:

Quarterbacks

Jacob Eason - Washington

Selected 122nd overall (Round 4) by the Indianapolis Colts

Eason started at Georgia back in 2016 and re-emerged at Washington in 2019 after a transfer. His college numbers were nothing special, but he's 6-foot-6, a former five-star recruit and apparently has a cannon for a right arm. This is the obligatory part where we mention that Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett are only under contract through 2020.

James Morgan - Florida International

Selected 125th overall (R4) by the New York Jets

Morgan split his college career between Bowling Green and FIU, completing 57.2 percent of his passes for 7.1 YPA across four seasons. Those obviously don't sound like NFL-prospect statistics, but I guess teams like his arm strength. Morgan is actually a few months older than Sam Darnold, who has no reason whatsoever to be nervous about this pick. Morgan will compete for Gang Green's backup job, with the current alternatives being David Fales and Mike White.

Jake Fromm - Georgia

Selected 167th overall (R5) by the Buffalo Bills

Fromm went to Georgia as a five-star recruit and produced 9.0 YPA his freshman season for a team that lost by three points in the national title game. He never developed into the superstar many expected, perhaps lacking the arm strength and mobility to progress from good to great. Fromm nonetheless finished his career with 78 touchdowns against 18 interceptions, so you won't need to search too far to find draft analysts that think he's the fourth- or fifth-best QB prospect from his class. He now gets a nice opportunity in Buffalo, where only Matt Barkley and Davis Webb man the depth chart behind Josh Allen, who could face competition in 2021 if he struggles in 2020.

Jake Luton - Oregon State

Selected 189th overall (R6) by the Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are on a hot streak with Pac-12 quarterbacks in the sixth round, so any other pick in this spot would have been a grievous mistake. Luton is 6-foot-6 and threw 28 touchdowns against three interceptions his senior season, but even then he completed only 62.0 percent of passes for 7.6 YPA. He'll compete with Joshua Dobbs for backup work in Duval.

Other QBs Drafted

Cole McDonald - Hawaii - 224th overall (R7) by the Tennessee Titans

Ben DiNucci - James Madison - 231st overall (R7) by the Dallas Cowboys

Tommy Stevens - Miss. St. - 240th overall (R7) by the New Orleans Saints

Nate Stanley - Iowa - 244th overall (R7) by the Minnesota Vikings

Running Backs

Joshua Kelley - UCLA

Selected 112th overall (R4) by the Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers are bringing in some competition for Justin Jackson, a 2018 seventh-round pick and up-and-coming political commentator who is averaging 5.1 yards on 79 career carries and 6.5 yards on 24 receptions. Just as the draft capital suggests, Kelley is a better prospect than Jackson was two years ago. The UCLA product ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at 212 pounds, while his new teammate ran a 4.52 as one of the skinnier RB prospects you'll ever see (6-0, 193). Jackson has since bulked up to a listed weight of 199 pounds, but Kelley should nonetheless have a shot at the No. 2 role behind Austin Ekeler. The 22-year-old ran for 2,303 yards at a clip of 5.1 YPC in two seasons at UCLA, adding 38-264-1 through the air in 22 games under Chip Kelly.

Lamical Perine - Florida

Selected 120th overall (R4) by the New York Jets

Perine is the definition of an average RB prospect, so it's probably fitting to see him selected in the middle portion of the draft's middle round. He was a committee back throughout his time at Florida, landing between 91 and 136 carries each of the past four seasons while averaging 5.0 YPC overall. He added an unexpected wrinkle with a 40-262-5 receiving line his senior season, but his receiving involvement is best described as competent rather than explosive. A 4.62 40-yard dash confirmed Perine is nothing special athletically, but he might be good enough to win the No. 2 role in a backfield where the other options are Josh Adams, Kenneth Dixon, Jalin Moore and Trenton Cannon.

Anthony McFarland - Maryland

Selected 124th overall (R4) by the Pittsburgh Steelers

McFarland averaged 6.7 yards on 245 carries in two years at Maryland and then ran a 4.44 40-yard dash at 5-8, 208. He's perhaps best known for ripping off three runs of 50-plus yards in a single game against Ohio State, only to see the Terps come up short in overtime (Nov. 2018). McFarland has a shot to step right in and compete for backup work with the Steelers, after Benny Snell and Jaylen Samuels stunk it up last season. This isn't exactly ideal for James Conner, who may not have competition for the starting job but does have yet another body vying for touches behind him.

DeeJay Dallas - Miami

Selected 144th overall (R4) by the Seattle Seahawks

Dallas never saw more than 115 carries in a single season but averaged 5.8 YPC over his three years at Miami, adding 28-317-2 through the air. I'm not sure I see what makes Dallas a better prospect than Travis Homer, a former 'Canes teammate who went to Seattle in the sixth round last year. I suppose Dallas is more in the mold the Seahawks prefer, checking in at 5-10, 217. Homer is more of a speed guy at 5-10, 201, with a 4.48 40 time (Dallas ran a 4.58). Neither seems like a threat to a healthy Chris Carson, though 'healthy' may be the key word there. Plus, Carson is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Matt Breida - Georgia Southern

Traded from the 49ers to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the 153rd overall pick (R5).

Breida is scheduled for a $3.26 million salary on a restricted free agent tender, and he can then become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. Even so, this is a sensible trade for the Dolphins, who otherwise have Jordan Howard and a bunch of bums in the backfield. It's also a good trade for dynasty owners of Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, and, sure, even Jerick McKinnon and Jeff Wilson if we really wanna get crazy.

Jason Huntley - New Mexico State

Selected 172nd overall (R5) by the Detroit Lions

Huntley gets the not-so-prestigious honor of being the first skill-position player in the 2020 draft that I've never heard of. The internet tells me he's a 193-pound roadrunner, one who clocked a 4.37 40 at his pro day. Huntley finished his college career with 2,197 rushing yards, 1,119 receiving yards and five kick return TDs... so it sounds like it's my mistake for not knowing who he is! Regardless, Huntley will probably just be hoping for return work and maybe a gadget role as a rookie, stuck behind Kerryon Johnson and D'Andre Swift at the very least.

Eno Benjamin - Arizona State

Selected 222nd overall (R7) by the Arizona Cardinals

Benjamin built Day 2 hype with his breakout sophomore season in 2018, but his junior year brought a dip from 1,642 rushing yards to 1,083, corresponding with the YPC dropping from 5.5 to 4.3. He did catch 35 and 42 passes the past two years, and he'll have a good shot at a spot on the 53-man roster if the Cardinals add nothing more than undrafted rookies to their backfield between now and Week 1. The team currently has four RBs under contract: Kenyan Drake, Chase Edmonds, D.J. Foster and Benjamin.

Raymond Calais - Louisiana-Lafayette

Selected 245th overall (R7) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Calais ran a 4.42 40 at the combine, but he did it at 5-8, 188. Tampa is a nifty fit for the young scatback, considering Dare Ogunbowale was underwhelming on passing downs this year. The Bucs could give Calais a look in some of those spots if they don't mind that he's too small to block NFL defenders.

Wide Receivers

Gabriel Davis - UCF

Selected 128th overall (R4) by the Buffalo Bills

Davis ran a 4.54 40 and posted jumps of 35 and 124 inches at the combine — solid numbers for a 6-foot-2, 216-pound receiver. He didn't face the toughest competition at UCF, but that's partially offset by his instant contribution as an 18-year-old true freshman with 27 catches for 391 yards and four touchdowns. Davis then exploded for 72-1,241-12 as a junior last year, clawing his way to a mid-round selection. Unfortunately, the path to snaps appears difficult in Buffalo, where Stefon Diggs, John Brown and Cole Beasley are locked in for the top three WR spots. Davis will compete with Duke Williams, Isaiah McKenzie, Andre Roberts and Robert Foster for depth work.

Antonio Gandy-Golden - Liberty

Selected 142nd overall (R4) by the Washington Redskins

Guys with hyphenated names often become known by their initials, but I don't like the sound of AGG, so this will be the last time we discuss it. In any case, the 22-year-old is coming off back-to-back seasons with 1,000-plus yards and 10 touchdowns, mostly feasting on soft defenses for Liberty. Checking in at 6-4, 223, with a 4.60 40 time, Gandy-Golden might be seen as a higher-upside version of Kelvin Harmon, who Washington drafted in the sixth round last year. Harmon was decent when he got some playing time late last season, but it'll likely be open competition for WR snaps behind Terry McLaurin in 2019. The team previously used a third-round pick on versatile weapon Antonio Gibson, while 2019 UDFA Steven Sims came on strong down the stretch last year.

Joe Reed - Virginia

Selected 151st overall (R5) by the Los Angeles Chargers

Reed is a favorite of Rotowire's John McKechnie, who should be glad to see the UVA wideout landing on a roster that's essentially two deep at wide receiver. Granted, the vast majority of targets will go to Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry and Austin Ekeler, but there is an opening for someone to replace the empty snaps that went to Andre Patton late last year (Patton caught six passes on 506 offensive snaps). Reed had a really odd stat line his senior year at Virgina, catching 77 passes for 679 yards and seven touchdowns while adding two more TDs on kick returns. He could be an oversized slot man or a return specialist in the NFL, having run a 4.47 40 at 6-0, 224. I can't really think of an NFL player comp for this prospect profile.

Tyler Johnson - Minnesota

Selected 161st overall (R5) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Johnson boasts the type of production we'd normally see from a Day 1 or 2 pick, with 2,487 yards and 25 touchdowns the past two seasons. But he did it with skill more so than top-shelf athleticism, and he wasn't able to erase any of those concerns with a solid 40 time, as he skipped the combine and then had his pro day canceled by social distancing guidelines. While the Bucs have an opening for their No. 3 receiver job, Johnson spent most of his college career working the slot, a position Chris Godwin dominated for Tampa in 2019. Godwin is productive anywhere, but the Bucs probably prefer to use a more natural outside receiver alongside Godwin and Mike Evans in their three-wide sets. The competition for that No. 3 job includes Justin Watson and Scott Miller, the latter of whom is a pure slot guy at 5-9, 174. Johnson at least has the frame to potentially move outside, standing 6-1, 206.

Collin Johnson - Texas

Selected 165th overall (R5) by the Jacksonville Jaguars

At 6-6, 222, Johnson is unusually tall for a wide receiver and not quite as heavy as you'd expect him to be given his height. Bothered by a hip flexor, he did nothing besides the weigh-in and bench press at the combine, and then lost his chance for a public workout when the Texas pro day was cancelled. Fortunately, Johnson has plenty of tape, coming off a four-year career with the Longhorns. He had 315 yards as a freshman, 765 as a sophomore, 985 as a junior and 559 in seven games as a senior (he missed six games with a hamstring injury). Johnson doesn't figure to get much playing time as a rookie, but the Jags have all of Chris Conley, Dede Westbrook and Keelan Cole on expiring contracts. DJ Chark and second-round pick Laviska Shenault are the only key guys signed beyond 2020.

Quintez Cephus - Wisconsin

Selected 166th overall (R5) by the Detroit Lions

The Lions have Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola locked in as their top three receivers, with Geronimo Allison and Marvin Hall providing veteran depth. The team might envision Cephus competing for the No. 4 job, or it might just be that his impressive strength is expected to translate to special teams value. The Wisconsin product ran a brutal 4.73 40, but he put up 23 reps on the bench press and had a 38.5-inch vertical jump. Plus, he was the go-to target for a major program last year, bringing in 51 balls for 901 yards and seven TDs. There are worse stashes for deep dynasty leagues.

John Hightower - Boise State

Selected 168th overall (R5) by the Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles drafted Jalen Reagor in the first round and acquired 29-year-old speed demon Marquise Goodwin in a pick swap, but the depth chart could thin out a bit if the Alshon Jeffery trade rumors ever come to fruition. Hightower went 51-943-8 in his senior season and a ran 4.43 40, but he's already approaching his 24th birthday and reportedly struggled with drops at Boise State. The Eagles clearly are prioritizing speed, which might taken as a sign of zero confidence in DeSean Jackson's ability to stay healthy.

Isaiah Coulter - Rhode Island

Selected 171th overall (R5) by the Houston Texans

This probably isn't where Coulter was hoping to land, as the Texans already face a tricky numbers game at wide receiver. They have four wideouts that have started more than 40 games in the NFL, plus Keke Coutee and DeAndre Carter as relatively experienced depth options. That's a tough situation for an FCS player, even one with 4.45 speed and a 1,000-yard season to his name.

Darnell Mooney - Tulane

Selected 173rd overall (R5) by the Chicago Bears

Mooney piled up 2,572 yards and 19 touchdowns on 154 catches (16.7 average) in four seasons at Tulane, peaking at 48-993-8 as a junior. He didn't seem to get much hype this spring, despite blazing a 4.38 40 at the combine while checking in at 5-10, 176. The profile, at a glance, makes him somewhat similar to Taylor Gabriel, who was cut by the Bears earlier this offseason. Mooney probably won't beat out Riley Ridley and Javon Wims for the No. 3 job in Chicago, but there's no doubt crazier things have happened. The Bears have nothing but question marks behind Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller.

K.J. Osborn - Miami

Selected 176th overall (R5) by the Minnesota Vikings

Osborn is a transfer who put up 892 yards his final season at Buffalo but then sunk to 547 in his one season at Miami. He was right around league-wide positional averages in most of the combine workouts, so his athleticism at least appears functional. Minnesota isn't the worst place to end up, considering the WR depth chart looks soft behind Adam Thielen and first-round pick Justin Jefferson. The other guys competing for depth roles are Tajae Sharpe, Bisi Johnson and Chad Beebe.

Donovan Peoples-Jones - Michigan

Selected 187th overall (R6) by the Cleveland Browns

Peoples-Jones flashed his athleticism at the combine with a 4.48 40-yard dash, 44.5-inch vertical jump and 139-inch broad jump, all while clocking in at 6-2, 212. The five-star recruit never fully took advantage of those gifts in college, maxing out at 47-612-8 as a sophomore before dipping to 34-438-6 as a junior in 2019. ~~DPJ~~ Peoples-Jones at least did well to land in Cleveland, where the depth chart is weak behind Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry. The rookie could be in the mix for snaps this upcoming season, competing with the likes of Damion Ratley, KhaDarel Hodge and Taywan Taylor (more like meh, meh and meh).

Quez Watkins - Southern Miss

Selected 200th overall (R6) by the Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles might be overreacting to their failure to develop a vertical element on offense last season, rapidly bringing in Jalen Reagor (4.47 40), John Hightower (4.43), veteran Marquise Goodwin (4.27) and now Watkins (4.35). The Southern Miss product was a force in Conference USA, catching 136 passes for 2,067 yards and 15 TDs in 23 games over his final two seasons. On the other hand, Watkins is a skinny fella' at 6-0, 185, and he didn't perform well in the agility drills. His pro future may be tied to the 9 route and not much else.

James Proche - SMU

Selected 201st overall (R6) by the Baltimore Ravens

Proche was wildly productive at SMU, with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons pushing him up to a career line of 301 catches for 3,949 and 39 TDs. He spent time both outside and in the slot, and I was surprised to see that he did 40-818-6 as a sophomore on a 2017 Mustangs squad that had Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn over 1,000 yards apiece. In any case, Proche doesn't have an obvious path to Year 1 playing time in Baltimore, as he's kind of like a poor man's version of Devin Duvernay, who the Ravens drafted late in Round 3. The team also has veteran slot man Willie Snead, plus Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin on the outside. (Proche never ran a 40-yard dash during the pre-draft process, choosing to skip at the combine before seeing his pro day cancelled.)

Isaiah Hodgins - Oregon State

Selected 207th overall (R6) by the Buffalo Bills

Hodgins is actually a fairly interesting prospect, but he's also the second receiver drafted by a team that doesn't have a need at the position. He exploded for 86-1,171-13 as a junior last year, but he's a bit thin at 6-4, 210, and he did himself no favors with a 4.61 40 time. Hodgins will face tough competition for a roster spot, perhaps landing on the practice squad for 2020.

Other WRs Drafted

Dezmon Patmon - Washington State - 212th overall (R6) to the Indianapolis Colts

Freddie Swain - Florida - 214th overall (R6) to the Seattle Seahawks

Jauan Jennings - Tennessee - 217th overall (R7) to the San Francisco 49ers

K.J. Hill - Ohio State - 220th overall (R7) to the Los Angeles Chargers

Malcolm Perry - Navy - 246th overall (R7) to the Miami Dolphins

Tyrie Cleveland - Florida - 252nd overall (R7) to the Denver Broncos

Tight Ends

Harrison Bryant - Florida Atlantic

Selected 115th overall (R4) by the Cleveland Browns

Bryant is coming off a 1,000-yard season, a rarity for a college tight end. His combine showing was less impressive, with 243 pounds on the light side for a 6-foot-5 TE, while his 40 time (4.72) was solid but unspectacular and his other workouts numbers failed to impress (32.5-inch vertical, 110-inch broad jump, 7.41-second three-cone drill). NFL teams usually don't expect much from rookie TEs, and that's especially true for guys coming from outside the Power Five conferences. It is possible the Bryant pick would slightly increase Cleveland's willingness to send out David Njoku in a trade, but for now, Bryant stands no higher than third on the depth chart.

Albert Okwuegbunam - Missouri

Selected 118th overall (R4) by the Denver Broncos

Okwuegbunam had hype as a potential first-round pick early in his college career and was oft-mentioned as a Day 2 prospect in recent weeks. A 4.49 40 time at 6-5, 258 makes him the athletic freak of a weak TE class, but he struggled with shoulder injuries at Missouri and never converted his big-play ability (23 TDs, 12.1 YPR) into a high volume of receptions (29, 43, 26 in three seasons). Okwuegbunam now finds himself reunited with Mizzou teammate Drew Lock, who already has 2019 first-round pick Noah Fant at tight end, not to mention Courtland Sutton and 2020 draft picks Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler at wide receiver. Okwuegbunam is intriguing for dynasty, but not so much for redraft leagues, even the deep ones.

Colby Parkinson - Stanford

Selected 133rd overall (R4) by the Seattle Seahawks

Checking in at 6-7, 252, Parkinson is tall and thin by NFL tight end standards, but he'll have time to pack on some muscle in Seattle while he develops behind Greg Olsen, Will Dissly (Achilles) and Jacob Hollister. RotoWire colleague Mario Puig is no fan of Parkinson's, and the folks over at PFF don't even list the Stanford tight end on their 250-player big board.

Brycen Hopkins - Purdue

Selected 136th overall (R4) by the Los Angeles Rams

Hopkins put up a 61-830-7 receiving line his senior season at Purdue, and his 4.66 40 time at at the combine was solid work by TE standards. On the other hand, he's a bit small for the position at 6-4, 245, and he's already 23 years old. Hopkins could profile as a long-term replacement for Gerald Everett, who is entering the final season of his rookie contract. Of course, Everett's role for 2020 appears uncertain, with Tyler Higbee making a strong case for every-down work this past December.

Other TEs Drafted

Charlie Woerner - Georgia - 190th overall (R6) by the San Francisco 49ers

Tyler Davis - Georgia Tech - 206th overall (R6) by the Jacksonville Jaguars

Stephen Sullivan - LSU - 251st overall (R7) by the Seattle Seahawks

Kickers

Justin Rohrwasser - Marshall

Selected 159th overall (R5) by the New England Patriots

This guy must be pretty good at kicking footballs if Bill Belichick used a fifth-round pick on him. Am I using appeal to authority as a substitute for legitimate analysis? Absolutely. Should fantasy players care about the kicker for a team that's headed for a QB battle between Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer? Absolutely not. Maybe we can circle back on this one if the Pats sign Cam Newton (fingers crossed). For now, you can just remember Rohrwasser as the guy with controversial tattoos.

Tyler Bass - Georgia Southern

Selected 188th overall (R6) by the Buffalo Bills

Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka signed a two-year, $7.75 million extension in August, covering 2020 and 2021. However he has only $250k guaranteed beyond the bonus money he received last year, and he's coming off back-to-back seasons with a field-goal percentage (slightly) below 80. The Bills should give Bass a fair shot to win the job.

Sam Sloman - Miami (Ohio)

Selected 248th overall (R7) by the Los Angeles Rams

The Rams let Greg Zuerlein leave for Dallas and then signed two potential replacements in Lirim Hajrullahu and Austin MacGinnis. Now it'll be a three-way battle for the right to kick footballs through goalposts on a team that appears to have a mediocre offense. No need to draft any of these guys.