Day 3 of the NFL Draft has concluded, wrapping up a wild weekend of 257 players starting the next phase of their football careers. Texas players were all over the three-day selection meeting, while the Eagles kept trading as quarterbacks were falling.
Running backs were valuable after all and offensive linemen dominated the three days. Defensive linemen also had their share of success after the chaos early in Round 1.
As Day 3 of the NFL Draft finally concludes, who were the winners and losers of the final day of the draft?
Winner: Running backs
No running back was taken until pick No. 46 (the second-latest a running back was taken in NFL Draft history). That changed on Day 3, as six running backs went in Round 4 of the draft — setting the stage for a monster day for the position.
In total, 15 running backs were selected between Rounds 4 and 6. That made up for the four selected between Rounds 1 and 3. There was even a run in Round 5 where three straight running backs were selected.
Good players like Jaylen Wright, Isaac Guerendo and Braelon Allen were selected in Round 4. Excellent value for a position that teams still covet in the league, just at a different stage of the draft.
Loser: Michael Pratt
Believed to be one of the quarterbacks taken after the top six, Pratt wasn’t taken in the first six rounds of the draft. The Tulane quarterback was projected to be the next quarterback taken after Bo Nix (if not Spencer Rattler), and had an outside shot at being selected on Day 2.
Tulane’s all-time leader in passing yards (9,602) and passing touchdowns (90) went 21-3 in his final two years as a starter. The winning and production wasn’t enough for Pratt to be drafted until late into the seventh round — which he went at No. 245 to the Packers.
Green Bay has a franchise quarterback in Jordan Love. Pratt should be a valuable backup there, but his resume deserved better.
Winner: Isaac Guerendo
Not only did Guerendo’s stock rise at the combine, but he was impressive enough for the 49ers to select him in the fourth round. Guerendo had the third-fastest time among any athlete at the combine, and has the breakaway speed for an added dynamic to an offense.
Guerendo is on the 49ers as the understudy to Christian McCaffrey, getting an opportunity to hone his craft from one of the best receiving backs in football (Guerendo is a good pass catcher in his own right). Scary proposition adding Guerendo to an offense with McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle.
Loser: Brenden Rice
The son of Jerry Rice did end up staying in Los Angeles (went to college at USC), yet ended up falling to the seventh round. Rice was selected by the Chargers at No. 225 overall, the 31st wide receiver taken in the draft.
While being a red zone threat at USC, Rice has trouble separating from defenders and winning at the catch point. Being a seventh-round pick is still low for the son of the greatest wide receiver of all time.
Winner: Howie Roseman
The Eagles opened Day 3 with seven picks, prime real estate for Roseman to deal his draft capital and stock the cupboard for 2025. Philadelphia ended up getting a third-, fourth-, and fifth-round pick in 2025 thanks to three separate trades with the draft capital Roseman acquired on Day 2.
Not only did the Eagles get three picks for 2025, but one of them was the pick they traded to the lions to acquire D’Andre Swift last season. They also used some Day 3 picks to trade up and select Jeremiah Trotter Jr., the son of franchise Hall of Famer and fan favorite Jeremiah Trotter.
Philadelphia has nine picks in the 2025 draft, getting three of them on the final day of this year’s draft.
Loser: Quarterbacks in Round 4 and 5
Six quarterbacks were taken in the first 12 picks. None were selected for the rest of the first round and on Day 2. That streak continued on Day 3 as no quarterback was taken in Round 4, with the drought extending all the way into Round 5 — a span of 138 picks.
Spencer Rattler was selected by the Saints at No. 150, breaking the NFL record of picks between quarterbacks. After Rattler was taken, 21 picks went until another quarterback was taken — Jordan Travis from Florida State.
Quarterbacks weren’t taken until the middle of Round 5, then the next at the end of Round 5. This is the product of some being overdrafted in the first round.
Winner: Oregon players in Round 4
Five Oregon players were selected in the fourth round of the draft, as teams couldn’t wait to snatch up Ducks players. Troy Franklin went to the Broncos as the second pick of the fourth round (No. 102), followed by Khyree Jackson (No. 108 to Vikings) and Brandon Dorlus (No. 109 to Falcons). Evan Williams went at No. 111 to the Packers.
That’s three of the first 10 picks in Round 4 and four of the first 11. Bucky Irving (No. 125 to Buccaneers) rounded out the Oregon players.
Winner: Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
The son of Eagles Hall of Famer and four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was selected by the Eagles in the fifth round of the draft. Trotter Jr., who grew up in Philadelphia and played high school ball at St. Joe’s Prep, will get to play for the same team his father was a fan favorite for many years.
The Eagles traded up for Trotter Jr. and have No. 54 (which was the number Trotter Sr. wore) available. Also helps they need a linebacker and are thin at the position. Trotter to Philadelphia appears to be a perfect match.
2024-04-27 23:40:15
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