The_Coach
Winners: Minnesota Vikings & San Francisco 49ers
Most teams run out the clock on Day Three, but Minnesota and San Francisco stayed busy into the final hours of the draft, each team working their magic in slightly different ways.
The Vikings walked away with eleven (yes, 11) picks in Rounds 4-7, where they added competition at almost every position on their defense, with a few offensive talents scattered in. In Round 4, they snagged a pair of defensive linemen in South Carolina’s DJ Wonnum and Baylor’s James Lynch, who are both massive guys who can help in the front-seven rotation. Adding Oregon linebacker Troy Dye is a high-potential choice as well, especially as a maybe second-round talent that deep in the fourth round. Without going player by player, it was just an overall successful day for Minnesota, who should have a whole crew of new faces ready to make their case for a roster spot.
For San Francisco, draft Day Three was very different. Their choices of offensive tackle Colton McKivitz from West Virginia, tight end Charlie Woerner from Georgia and wide receiver Jauan Jennings from Tennessee were all solid picks, but it was how they moved pieces on their set roster that made the difference. Hit by the news of lineman Joe Staley’s retirement, the 49ers made a move for Pro Bowl stalwart Trent Williams and shipped running back Matt Breida and wide receiver Marquise Goodwin out of town.
Loser: Washington Redskins
In my eyes, Washington’s draft was mostly a bust after using the second overall pick on Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. I didn’t mind their round four selection of LSU offensive tackle Saahdiq Charles, but the rest for me was painfully pedestrian. Liberty wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden comes with some great size, but overall, he’s not much more to look at than a great frame. Their last four picks after that did absolutely nothing for me. If anything, San Diego State center Keith Ismael, who went in round five, might have the highest ceiling simply because he has the size to move to guard, if needed. Overall though, it was a lackluster day for the Redskins.
John
Winner: Oregon State University
We did it team. After a couple years in the wilderness, the Beavers finally made it back to the draft, with 3 players picked. Jake Luton is going to be in an interesting position in Jacksonville, backing up or potentially challenging Gardner Minshew for a job, and Blake Brandel should be a solid selection for Minnesota. I am very excited for Isaiah Hodgins future, as Buffalo seems to be on the rise and he fits in very well with their offense.
Loser: Seattle Seahawks
I hate this, as a Seahawks fan, but I really don’t believe their current draft philosophy is working. They once again grabbed a ton of day 3 picks, and while there’s some talent here, it’s going to be hard to turn that haul into the jump start this team needs to get back into the NFC’s elite. I do like their last pick, LSU Wide Receiver Stephen Sullivan, who seems like the kind of player the team will find a unique role for.
Ross
Winner: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals built on a great first two days of drafting by adding a solid day three where they added several more pieces that can provide quality play time. The Bengals added linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, edge rusher Khalid Kareem, offensive lineman Hakeem Adeniji and linebacker Markus Bailey. Kareem may have been the least exciting of these picks, but even then he still provides quality depth. The Bengals added a lot of quality player this draft to a roster that desperately needed it.
Loser: New Orleans Saints
Listen I want to be upfront and say that days one and two for the Saints were really good days as they added quality players. The problem is that the Saints traded up multiple times on day two to get these guys. Because of this, they only had one pick on day three and that didn’t happen till the seventh round. It’s hard to be a draft winner when you pick once during the entire day three.