It doesn’t matter where you find your guy.
We are talking about the NFL Draft, and as the NFL’s scouts, general managers, coaches and other experts gather in Indianapolis this week for the annual Combine, it’s a chance for every team to add to its talent level.
Finding talent in the draft is the most important aspect of team building in the NFL. Free agency is a valuable tool, but when a team gets a chance to bring in a college player, introduce him to the team’s culture and lifestyle, and teach him their particular system, it becomes ingrained in that player for the rest of his career.
The vast majority of those who cover the draft are obsessed with first- and second-round picks. These are the most talented athletes and they are supposed to be the best players. However, it’s often a hit-or-miss operation.
Teams regularly whiff on high-round draft picks. However, they can hit home runs in the later rounds. Russell Wilson was a third-round draft choice for the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, and he has already led his team to two Super Bowl appearances and won one of them.
Tom Brady’s story as a sixth-round draft pick by the Patriots is well known, and he is clearly one of the NFL’s 10 best all-time players.
Once you get past the second round, much of the sheen goes out of the NFL Draft. However, the best scouting departments and teams find and develop talent that comes along in the third round or later.
Jamaal Charles, NaVorro Bowman, Jason Witten, and Lance Briggs are among the current players who were selected in the third round. Former stars Jason Taylor, Ronde Barber, John Lynch, Curtis Martin, and a pretty decent quarterback named Joe Montana were all third-round choices.
Third-rounders should be able to come in and play immediately and there’s no reason why they can’t reach their potential by their second year.
There’s plenty of time to look for superstars in the first two rounds, but here’s a look at five third-round players that should be able to make key contributions as rookies in the 2015 season.
CB Alex Carter, Stanford (6-0, 203) – As the draft season moves along, Carter should become one of the names that draws an increasing amount of interest. Unlike many of the cover corners in this draft, Carter is a tough, hard-nosed and hard-hitting tackler who will be an asset against the run from Day One. He has solid coverage skills and he was credited with 10 passes defensed last year. He has the confidence to stay with the best receivers, but he needs to work on his hands since he had just one interception last season.
DE Trey Flowers, Arkansas (6-3, 269) – Excellent athletic ability with the tenacity to get in the hole and punish blockers and running backs who attempt to run in his direction. As a pass rusher, he knows how to get low and stay low as he explodes past the tackler. Even though he is somewhat light for the position, he has a terrific bull rush. He needs to develop some of his other moves, but a prospect with his strength and quickness can learn other techniques fairly quickly.
WR Philip Dorsett, Miami-Fla. (5-10, 181) – A big-time home-run hitter who can stretch the defense early in the game and is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. One of the fastest wide receivers in this draft and he runs clean, sharp routes. While he is on the small side, he plays with confidence and hunger. He wants to prove he is the best man on the field every time he is involved in a play.
RB T.J. Yeldon, Alabama (6-2, 221) – Teams that are looking for a hard-hitting and productive running back would be wise to call on Yeldon. His primary asset is his power, because when Yeldon hits the hole, tacklers tend to go backwards. If a linebacker manages to stop him once early with a clean tackle, Yeldon comes back even hungrier the next time around. Additionally, he has good speed for a man his size and he changes direction quickly.
WR Tony Lippett, Michigan State (6-3, 192) – Lippett is not the finished product that Dorsett is, but he has size, strength, and gets an excellent release off the line of scrimmage. Once he is underway, he also runs precise patterns. While he is not a burner, he can make big plays because he is a strong and powerful runner after the catch. He has improved quite a bit as a receiver, but he will still have a few drops. Once he clears this up, he will be an excellent third-down receiver.
