Day 3 NFL Draft Crushes for Lions
Day 3 of the draft is when scouts make their money. All the top prospects are gone, and now is the time where teams look for those "diamonds in the rough."
There will be a number of names we all get to know down the road, and we will all be like, "Wow, how did that guy last until the sixth round?"
The name Tom Brady comes to mind. There will even be guys that do not get drafted that will become starters. It happens a lot.
Players like WR Rod Smith, RB Priest Holmes, QB Tony Romo, WR Wes Welker, TE Antonio Gates, LB London Fletcher, C Jeff Saturday, LB James Harrison, K Adam Vinatieri, DT John Randle, QB Warren Moon and QB Kurt Warner all went undrafted.
In rounds 4-7 of the 2021 NFL Draft, these are four names that have peaked my interest.
CB Avery Williams (Boise State)
Special teams represents a third of the game, and special teams controls the field position. It has been many moons since Detroit last had a return specialist that was good enough to name -- i.e. Mel Gray.
Williams has that look of being a big-time return guy on film. He had nine returns for touchdowns in college (six punt returns and three kickoff returns), and he has exceptional balance, vision and instincts. Williams would be a great value pick, because he also adds versatility on the roster and has a background that includes playing defensive back and running back.
S Hamsah Nasirildeen (FSU)
This is a prospect who has play-making skills on film, and making plays is the name of the game.
Nasirildeen has good size at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, and he played at a big-time program. He could also project to outside linebacker, because he shows a propensity to be aggressive and physical down in the box.
He has good ball instincts deeper in coverage, and he showed he can jar the ball loose on a hit. He also has blitzing upside.
A very interesting prospect who also shows the necessary skill set and characteristics to excel on special teams, which is where guys on Day 3 can make their money.
DE/OLB Quincy Roche (Miami, Fla.)
A 4-3 defensive end at "The U" who I can see perhaps being moved to OLB.
While he played with his hand in the dirt with the Hurricanes, he shows some real ability to get to the quarterback, especially when he is freed up and can run.
A transfer from Temple to Miami, he had 13 sacks in one season for Temple, and while his sack production slipped at Miami, his tackling production stayed about the same.
Roche has a quick first step, quick hands and good hand technique. He can get through the back door of the pocket, and he can bend the pocket. He is someone who can slip through a gap and cause disruption. And most importantly, he is someone who shows he wants to get to the quarterback. That is key. A team can never have too many guys who can effectively rush the passer, and we all know Detroit needs to get more sacks.
OG Deonte Brown (Alabama)
Brown can literally crush defenders.
Brown is a big man at 6-foot-4 and 350 pounds. He played on Alabama's most recent National Championship team.
He does have some things he needs to fix in his game, and he has had some blood clot issues. But, if he gets the green light from the Lions' medical staff, he could be an interesting developmental player who is hard to get through or around. Brown has a wing span of 81 inches.
Sit back and enjoy Day 3 of the NFL Draft.
You may or may not know the names selected today. But, like I said, we will eventually know some of the names picked and some of the names who go undrafted.
