7 late-round NFL draft picks likely to exceed expectations in 2018

lovelystyle

7 late-round NFL draft picks likely to exceed expectations in 2018   Published: May 10, 2018 at 05:11 AM           Draft Analyst                               As the NFL.com draft analyst responsible for curating team needs and creating profiles for more than 500 prospects each year, I've become acutely aware of how teams are doing on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) of the draft. Of course, I develop a strong opinion  Dwyane Wade Jersey about certain players in each draft, and when I see a good player fall into a favorable situation on Day 3, my antenna goes up just a little bit.     Sure, late-round players are often counted on for nothing more than depth or to become core special-teams players. However, there are always late-round picks in each draft cla s that end up exceeding expectations because they were undervalued in the draft, landed in the perfect spot or a combination of both. For the purpose of this post, we will define late Chris Bosh Jersey -rounders as players selected between the fifth and seventh rounds. Here are seven such players that are likely to quickly outperform their draft slot.          Drafted: Round 5, No. 142 overall out of Kansas State.Analysis: Reed is on the shorter side for a cornerback at 5-foot-9 1/8, but he's well-built and extremely feisty when challenging the catch. He has the talent, confidence and ball skills to compete with for slot corner reps. His ability as a punt and kick returner help his chances of exceeding expectations.             Drafted: Round 5, No. 163 overall out of Virginia Tech.Analysis: With and anchoring the defensive line, there will be substantial competition for snaps up front. However, Settle has the size and talent to find reps and make his mark if he can keep his weight down. He offers some position versatility on the D-line and he flashed impre sive quickne s to disrupt for being such a big man (6-3, 329 pounds). Players that are big, quick and disruptive can find playing time early on.          Drafted: Round 6, No. 176 overall out of Tenne see.Analysis: is the man for the , but to keep him at his best, the will need a runner who can pick up tough yards as a backup and catch pa ses out of the backfield. That's where Kelly comes in. The ' is a try-hard runner, but he had just 9 catches for 53 yards last season, while Gurley led the team with 64 grabs. Kelly helps diversify the running back corps, and he has the ability to offer legitimate RB2 versatility right away.          Drafted: Round 6, No. 179 overall out of Tulane.Analysis: Duncan Robinson Jersey  If you like speed, quickne s and ball production, you'll find Nickerson intriguing. In my estimation, Nickerson's game tape was of the quality of a Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) pick, but concerns about his slight frame might have scared some teams and pushed him to Day 3. is the incumbent slot corner for the , but if he gets injured or is benched due to ineffectivene s, Nickerson will get those snaps and is unlikely to relinquish the position.          Drafted: Round 6, No. 185 overall out of Clemson.Analysis: A receiver with Cain's size (6-2, 202), speed (4.43-second 40-yard dash), and pedigree is always a welcome sight for quarterbacks. His draft stock was hampered by concerns about his maturity and  Paul Eboua Jersey drops. His physical tools and ability to uncover on all three levels of the field should not be undersold, though. Cain has an opportunity to impre s in camp and find catches as a rookie despite being a sixth-round pick.                  Drafted: Round 6, No. 213 overall out of Appalachian State.Analysis: Go sett offers a better combination of size and strength than most of the guards on the ' roster and he showed at Reese's practices in January that he might be able to acclimate to the jump in competition faster than expected. I expect Go sett to quickly move up the depth chart in camp and become a starter, perhaps as early as this season.          Drafted: Round 7, No. 236 overall out of Alabama.Analysis Shaquille O'Neal Jersey : is clearly capable of handling the lion's share of duties on all three downs, but Scarbrough is a downhill runner who has the size and demeanor to help the continue to impose their will on the ground when Elliott is resting. I can envision Scarbrough thriving in a complementary role similar to the one the ' has played behind for much of his career. Landing Scarbrough in the seventh round could turn out to be a tremendous steal this season.            This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an i sue.
Click here Click here Click here