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Every year there are at least a handful of late draft picks who turn into major contributors the first few years of their career. Of course they can't all be Puka Nacua or Jordan Mailata and turn into one of the best players at their position, but any reliable production teams can get from day three draft picks makes a huge difference. Here's a look at five players who could be candidates to do just that.
Calling Hunter Dekkers a day three prospect is probably generous. He’ll most likely end up as an undrafted free agent, but he has legitimate NFL starter tools. He found himself at Iowa Western Community College after being banned from the NCAA for violating their gambling policy, but was having success at Iowa State prior to that incident. In his first and only season as a starter in the FBS, Dekkers showed flashes worthy of being on the NFL’s radar. He made too many immature decisions, putting the ball in harm's way more than you would like, but he’s a quick processor and a great athlete. Obviously his path to starting in the NFL is almost non-existent, but don’t be surprised if Dekkers sticks around as a backup.
It’s really difficult to watch Tahj Brooks run the football and not be reminded of Le’Veon Bell. Brooks runs with the same patience and vision that Bell used to take the league by storm with the Steelers. He’s also very skilled at baiting linebackers to attack the wrong hole, and has some of the best change of direction in this class. Brooks doesn’t have nearly the passing game skill that Bell had, but he’s capable enough to be on the field in any situation. If Brooks lands on a team with a wide open backfield, he has the ability to become a starter in the NFL.
Mumpfield will go late in the draft, if he’s selected at all, because he’s on the smaller side and doesn’t have much speed - a combination the NFL typically isn’t interested in. What he does have however, are some of the best ball skills in the draft. He made numerous acrobatic catches in the vertical game, showing off his tracking and body control. He’s also outstanding at varying the pace of his routes, and is smooth in and out of breaks. He might not have the athleticism to be a high end contributor, but he absolutely has enough to get on the field.
Fidone was a highly rated recruit out of high school, but multiple knee injuries derailed the early part of his career. Now he’s fully healthy and showed some exciting flashes in 2024. Findone lost quite a bit of weight for the NFL combine, where he ran a 4.7 40-yard dash. If he can hold up in the blocking game at that size, he could make a big impact in the passing game. He’s a strong route runner over the middle of the field, showing very nice route setups on seam and crossing routes. He also has a huge catch radius, and can pluck the ball away from his frame at a variety of angles.
It wasn’t long ago that Cameron Williams was going in the first round of many mock drafts. He didn’t quite have the season he was hoping for, and it came as a bit of a surprise when he declared for the draft. He’s an exceptional athlete for his size, but the technique as a blocker is a long way from good enough. Despite his struggles, Williams could still be an interesting option for a team looking for a developmental prospect at tackle. Get him to a great offensive line coach known for developing young talent, and Williams could significantly outperform his draft position.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: NFL Draft Day 3 offensive prospects to watch
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Iowa Western CC QB Hunter Dekkers
Calling Hunter Dekkers a day three prospect is probably generous. He’ll most likely end up as an undrafted free agent, but he has legitimate NFL starter tools. He found himself at Iowa Western Community College after being banned from the NCAA for violating their gambling policy, but was having success at Iowa State prior to that incident. In his first and only season as a starter in the FBS, Dekkers showed flashes worthy of being on the NFL’s radar. He made too many immature decisions, putting the ball in harm's way more than you would like, but he’s a quick processor and a great athlete. Obviously his path to starting in the NFL is almost non-existent, but don’t be surprised if Dekkers sticks around as a backup.
Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks
It’s really difficult to watch Tahj Brooks run the football and not be reminded of Le’Veon Bell. Brooks runs with the same patience and vision that Bell used to take the league by storm with the Steelers. He’s also very skilled at baiting linebackers to attack the wrong hole, and has some of the best change of direction in this class. Brooks doesn’t have nearly the passing game skill that Bell had, but he’s capable enough to be on the field in any situation. If Brooks lands on a team with a wide open backfield, he has the ability to become a starter in the NFL.
Pittsburgh WR Konata Mumpfield
Mumpfield will go late in the draft, if he’s selected at all, because he’s on the smaller side and doesn’t have much speed - a combination the NFL typically isn’t interested in. What he does have however, are some of the best ball skills in the draft. He made numerous acrobatic catches in the vertical game, showing off his tracking and body control. He’s also outstanding at varying the pace of his routes, and is smooth in and out of breaks. He might not have the athleticism to be a high end contributor, but he absolutely has enough to get on the field.
Nebraska TE Thomas Fidone
Fidone was a highly rated recruit out of high school, but multiple knee injuries derailed the early part of his career. Now he’s fully healthy and showed some exciting flashes in 2024. Findone lost quite a bit of weight for the NFL combine, where he ran a 4.7 40-yard dash. If he can hold up in the blocking game at that size, he could make a big impact in the passing game. He’s a strong route runner over the middle of the field, showing very nice route setups on seam and crossing routes. He also has a huge catch radius, and can pluck the ball away from his frame at a variety of angles.
Texas OT Cameron Williams
It wasn’t long ago that Cameron Williams was going in the first round of many mock drafts. He didn’t quite have the season he was hoping for, and it came as a bit of a surprise when he declared for the draft. He’s an exceptional athlete for his size, but the technique as a blocker is a long way from good enough. Despite his struggles, Williams could still be an interesting option for a team looking for a developmental prospect at tackle. Get him to a great offensive line coach known for developing young talent, and Williams could significantly outperform his draft position.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: NFL Draft Day 3 offensive prospects to watch
Continue reading...
