Your draft position is never indicative of your ability to make an impact on your NFL team. Over the last few years, Dak Prescott, Danielle Hunter, Stefon Diggs, David Johnson, Alvin Kamara, Trey Flowers, Kevin Byard and Shaq Mason are among the cornerstone players who earned that status despite the fact that they were selected in the third round or lower. Of the later-picked players in the 2019 draft class, here are 19 players who could make similar waves.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Selected with the second pick in the third round out of Toledo, Johnson caught 135 passes for 2,235 yards and 23 touchdowns over three collegiate seasons. With the departure of Antonio Brown, the Steelers are in desperate need of a downfield threat who can get open consistently with pure speed and agility. Johnson isn’t the biggest receiver (5 feet 10, 183 pounds) but the same could be said of Brown, and Johnson does show some of the same skills in an embryonic sense.
Jalen Hurd, WR/RB, San Francisco 49ers
Hurd started his college career ahead of Alvin Kamara on Tennessee’s running back depth chart, and he gained 2,635 yards and scored 20 touchdowns on the ground for the Vols before transferring to Baylor. In 2018, he caught 69 passes for 946 yards and four touchdowns as a repatriated receiver, leading 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to say that the third-rounder is the most versatile player he’s ever drafted. Shanahan added that he would have considered Hurd as a running back, receiver or even as a tight end. Shanahan is one of the best offensive minds in the business, and you can bet he’ll find interesting ways to use Hurd as an ultimate movable chess piece.
Chase Winovich, EDGE, New England Patriots
Though Rashan Gary was selected with the 12th overall pick by the Packers, it was actually Winovich — taken by New England in the 14th pick in the third round — who was the more productive pass-rusher for the Wolverines. Winovich lasted longer in the draft because of his athletic limitations; he’s not the same run-and-chase player Gary is, but in Bill Belichick’s defense, Winovich has the ability to go inside and outside on offensive tackles, play the run credibly, and work his way into the stunt game.
David Long, CB, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are set at outside cornerback with Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters … if you cast aside age concerns about Talib and consistency issues with Peters. Long, taken with the 16th pick of the third round, has a perfect physical and aggressive style for Wade Phillips’ defense, and he’s versatile enough to fit whether Phillips is calling zone or man coverages. Long allowed just 16 catches on 60 targets in his college career, and don’t be surprised if he starts getting outside reps the next time Peters has a run of allowing too many touchdowns.
Darrell Henderson, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Perhaps the best pure outside-zone runner in his draft class, Henderson is certainly an ideal fit in Sean McVay’s offense.
When I did a tape piece with Henderson pre-draft, he spoke about the speed and agility that allowed him to gain 8.9 yards per carry in each of his last two seasons at Memphis, and as far as I can tell, the only reason he lasted until the third round was a general concern about his size. Henderson probably won’t replace a healthy Todd Gurley as the Rams’ main back, but his satellite potential could make him a home-run hitter in a creative system.
David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears
Montgomery lasted until the 10th pick in the third round in part because he doesn’t project as a next-level accelerator downfield. But he’s a complete back in every other way — as an elusive player who can juke linemen out of their assignments, as a blocker, as a receiver and as the best tackle-breaking back in this class by far. With Jordan Howard now in Philly and Tarik Cohen and Mike Davis looking more like situational players, Montgomery has the skill set — and the opportunity — to become Matt Nagy’s feature back.
Germaine Pratt, LB, Cincinnati Bengals
I had Pratt as one of my most underrated players in this class based on his North Carolina State tape that showed a guy who hit run fits, covered the flat against running backs and tight ends, and rushed the passer from the edge. The Bengals are in great need of linebackers who can do one thing at Pratt’s level, never mind three. Perhaps Pratt lasted until the third round because teams couldn’t get a handle on his primary attribute, but I think the Bengals could be rewarded with a Jamie Collins-type player with this particular pick.
Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Redskins
In Jay Gruden’s version of the West Coast offense, receivers must run precise routes to match up with their well-schooled quarterbacks, and they must be tough enough to make contested catches and get consistent yards after the catch. McLaurin has the second attribute and adds to it with legitimate downfield speed — the third-rounder caught 10 passes of 20 or more air yards for Ohio State last season for 353 yards. He needs work on his route awareness, but as a physical deep threat, McLaurin could sneak into a WR2 role in 2018, especially given his prior relationship with first-round quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
Khalen Saunders, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
Of the defensive tackles I watched pre-draft, Saunders impressed me as much as any other — including Ed Oliver and Quinnen Williams — with his movement skills for his size. The Chiefs were able to steal the Senior Bowl star from Western Illinois in the third round perhaps because other teams saw him as nothing but a run-plugger at 6 feet and 324 pounds, but Saunders had 35 total pressures last season in addition to his 35 stops, which gives you an indication of his versatility. He’ll be able to drop the hammer against quarterbacks at the NFL level more than some may think.
Oshane Ximines, EDGE, New York Giants
The Giants did have a sneaky-good draft despite the highly questionable selection of Daniel Jones sixth overall — fellow first-rounders Dexter Lawrence and Deandre Baker look like immediate impact starters. Down the road in the fourth round, Big Blue may have a serious sleeper in Ximines, the pass rusher from Old Dominion who could have the ability to get in early on situational pressure opportunities in James Bettcher’s multi-front defense. Those assuming Ximines feasted on weaker opponents should consider that of his 11.5 sacks last season, two came against Florida International and two more came against Virginia Tech.
Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills
DK Metcalf was one of the most explosive receivers in this draft class, but if you go back and watch Metcalf’s 75-yard touchdown catch against Alabama, you’ll see an outstanding block to quarterback Jordan Ta’amu’s blind side that allowed the play to happen. That block came from Knox, selected by the Bills late in the third round. An outstanding blocker on more than just that play and an underutilized target who can get open underneath and has the ramp-up speed for big plays downfield, Knox is the kind of player who emerges as a team favorite early on and gets the reps he deserves as a starter.
Hakeem Butler, WR, Arizona Cardinals
In 2018, Butler led all draftable receivers with 19 receptions of 20 air yards or more, for 721 yards and four touchdowns. That’s why I had him 32nd overall on my board, focus drops and route issues aside. NFL teams obviously disagreed, and Butler lasted until the first pick in the fourth round, where the Cardinals selected him. However, it’s a great fit for Butler, as he can transition to a role as a situational deep receiver with Kyler Murray, the most efficient deep thrower in the NCAA last season, as his new quarterback.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, DB, New Orleans Saints
This was one of the biggest surprises of the draft. How did Gardner-Johnson, one of the NCAA’s best multi-positional pass defenders in 2018, last until the third pick in the fourth round? With the ability to play both slot and safety, the Florida alum can command two positions of need sooner than later, which gives him an edge for reps in the Saints’ developing secondary.
Justice Hill, RB, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens’ running back depth chart is as stacked as you’d expect it to be for a team that has committed to a ground game approach with quarterback Lamar Jackson. Hill, taken with the 11th pick in the fourth round out of Oklahoma State, averaged 5.6 yards per carry and scored 30 touchdowns over three seasons. He’s got 4.4 speed at 5-10 and 198 pounds, which makes him a change-of-pace option, but he’s proved to be an explosive one.
Christian Miller, EDGE, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers came into the 2019 draft with a real need for edge rushers, and that’s why they took Florida State’s Brian Burns with the 16th overall pick. But Miller, the Alabama star who grabbed 10 sacks and 39 overall pressures on a stacked defensive line in 2018, has potential to get into the team’s rotation as a situational factor as well.
Amani Hooker, S, Tennessee Titans
Tennessee’s safety rotation is already impressive enough with Kevin Byard and Kenny Vaccaro, but the addition of Iowa’s Hooker in the fourth round gives Mike Vrabel’s defense even more versatility. With Hooker defending the intermediate passing game and slamming down on run fits, Byard can cover the deep third as he does, and Vaccaro can maintain his status as the versatile slot-to-safety defender. If you see the Titans deciphering opposing offenses with a lot of “big nickel” (three-safety) sets, Hooker may be the reason why.
Ugochukwu Amadi, DB, Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks lost slot defender Justin Coleman to the Lions in free agency, which leaves a big hole in a secondary that’s still trying to find its way in the post-Legion of Boom era. Amadi played all over the defensive backfield for Oregon, and though his size (5-9, 199 pounds) may limit him to a speed slot role at the NFL level, he’s certainly shown the ability to do that — last season, he allowed just 36 catches on 64 slot targets for 418 yards and an opponent passer rating of 67.1.
Riley Ridley, WR, Chicago Bears
Another real surprise was Ridley, the younger brother of Falcons first-round receiver Calvin Ridley, lasting until late in the fourth round. The good news? With his route awareness and physicality to separate in the short to intermediate areas, the younger Ridley should become a best friend of Chicago quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who’s still in the phase where he needs dump-off options to guys who can create after the catch.
Kingsley Keke, DL, Green Bay Packers
The lowest-picked player on this list, Keke lasted until the 12th pick in the fifth round, where the Packers took him as a small part of a massive defensive overhaul that spanned both free agency and the draft. Keke played both tackle and end at Texas A&M, but he projects best at the next level as a one-gap penetrator, something he’ll be able to do in Mike Pettine’s defense. There are only so many spots on Green Bay’s defensive line, but don’t be surprised if Keke gets more reps than expected.
