So. You’ve got NFL potential, but for whatever reason, the NFL doesn’t see you as a first- or second-day pick. Yes, it’s devastating at the time, but all kinds of players have recovered from falling to the fourth through the seventh rounds to become something special. Ask Geno Atkins, who was taken in the fourth round of the 2010 draft by the Bengals out of Georgia. Atkins has made eight Pro Bowls. Ask Richard Sherman, taken in the fifth round of the 2011 draft by the Seahawks out of Stanford. The former receiver became the preeminent cornerback of his era.
Antonio Brown. Dak Prescott. David Bakhtiari. Jason Kelce. Stefon Diggs. Kirk Cousins. Everson Griffen. And that’s just in the last decade. There’s also that quarterback taken 199th overall by the Patriots in the 2000 draft. Plays for the Buccaneers now. Guy named Brady. You may have heard of him.
The point is, of course, that your draft spot does not determine your destiny. And that should be encouraging news to these players — the best prospects left on the boards after the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL draft.
Anthony Gordon, QB, Washington State
Gardner Minshew’s successor at Washington State, Gordon doesn’t have Minshew’s gunslinger mentality, but he was highly productive in 2019. He had an Adjusted Completion Rate of 79.8%, and he completed 23 of 81 passes of 20 or more air yards for 736 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions. So, not just a dink-and-sunk guy. Gordon needs work with diagnosing defenses at an advanced level, but he projects well as a spot starter in the sub-Kirk Cousins mold.
Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
Everybody loves Fromm’s game smarts and grit, but the physical limitations are there, and they’re obviously not going unnoticed by NFL personnel people. Fromm is a pocket guy who needs to put everything into it to make deep throws, but in the right system, he can develop into an average NFL quarterback and possible future coach. Think Kellen Moore with a little more zip on the ball, but not much.
Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona State
Benjamin was a human highlight film for the Sun Devils over the last two seasons — he broke 84 total tackles in 2018, and 62 in 2019. At 5-foot-9 and 207 pounds, he’s not an every-down back in the traditional sense, but he’s a good receiver, and an absolute weapon in the open field. He could have Reggie Bush potential in the right system.
Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty
Gandy-Golden is a massive target at 6-foot-4 and 233 pounds, and he caught 150 passes for 2,433 yards and 20 touchdowns in just two seasons for the Flames. While he’s not a downfield burner, any team looking for an Anquan Boldin “late in the career” type (a power possession receiver) might find him to be an appealing option.
Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU
There are times when you watch Charles protect Joe Burrow’s blind side at a very high level in 2019, and you think he’s the epitome of a first-round pick. At other times, his mechanics will fall short, and things will get messy. He’ll allow more sacks and pressures than you would like, and he’s a project at this point, but in a strong offensive line room, he has Pro Bowl potential… at times.
Bradlee Anae, EDGE, Utah
Anae was one of the most fun players I evaluated this draft season, because he plays as if his posterior is on fire at all times, and all that effort does pay off. The 6-foot-3, 257-pound Anae had 63 total pressures, making him one of the NCAA’s most productive pass-rushers in 2019, and as long as he’s rushing off the wide edge and avoiding power tackles, he has a lot of potential as a quarterback disruptor.
Curtis Weaver, EDGE, Boise State
Weaver may have fallen to the third day of the draft because he doesn’t look fast — he carries some bad weight, and that’s a problem. NFL evaluators may have also been put off by the fact that he made his bones against less than spectacular competition. He also doesn’t explode off the snap as you’d like an edge-rusher to do, but his production is undeniable (59 total pressures in 2019), and he had the strong hands, leverage, and gap versatility to become a good hybrid disruptor in a
Leki Fotu, DI, Utah
At 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, Fotu brings a ferocious combination of first-step burst, leverage, and speed through multiple gaps. He’s missing a comprehensive set of pass-rush moves, but that could be said of many collegiate defenders. Anybody looking for a developmental one-gap nose tackle with high upside should snap him up early on the third day of the draft.
Troy Dye, LB, Oregon
At 6-foot-4 and 224 pounds, Dye looks more like a safety than a traditional linebacker, but of course, that’s where the NFL is headed these days. If you need a ‘backer who can run with running backs as a flat defender and tight ends up the seam, he’d be a steal on the third day. If you need a stout run-stuffer and sure tackler… well, that’s why Dye is still on the boards.
Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB, Appalachian State
Undersized and from a smaller school? Not a great combination. But when you put Davis-Gaither under the microscope, it’s clear that the 6-foot-1, 224-pound defender has great value not only in pass coverage, but also as a blitz weapon. He’ll be a force in any defense that understands his versatility, as he can transition from the box to the line of scrimmage to the slot.
Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech
The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Robertson was another player I really enjoyed watching, because you can just put his size aside and watch his insane play demeanor. Robertson will not cede a thing to receivers that tower over him, and he picked off 14 passes in his collegiate career. He played just 31 slot snaps last season, but that’s where he projects well at the next level. I’d expect him to come off the boards very quickly in the third day.
Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
Hall didn’t have a single interception in 2019, but per Pro Football Focus’ metrics, his 37 forced competitions over the last two years ranks third among all cornerbacks in the nation. Hall isn’t a downfield burner, and you’d better have a safety behind him in any zone scheme, but he has outstanding ball skills and he knows how to break up potential big plays at a high level.
