Day 3 Prospects: Year 1 Expectations

I’ve got full-length write ups on Minnesota WR Tyler Johnson and Temple LB Chapelle Russell already on the site, and I’m hoping to add Nebraska DT Khalil Davis and Louisiana-Lafayette RB Raymond Calais this week, but I don’t expect either to have a big impact as a rookie unless there is an injury, although Davis should be locked into a roster spot given the Bucs’ lack of depth.

Calais needs a few breaks and some strong preseason play to win a roster spot, but his speed will be intriguing as a potential return man option. If he can unseat T.J. Logan, Calais’ biggest impact will come on special teams.

Bucs DT Khalil Davis – Photo courtesy of Nebraska

Davis is a project defensive tackle that must establish a pass rush plan and learn how to use his hands more effectively before seeing serious snaps at the NFL level. I’m concerned he may be thrust into duty too early due to the Bucs’ lack of depth at defensive tackle, but we’ll let training camp sort that situation out.

Russell probably needs to star on special teams to earn a roster spot, as his instincts, tackling and coverage skills at linebacker are lacking. If the Bucs keep just four linebackers, it’ll be between he and Jack Cichy for the last spot. Russell will also need to stay heathy after tearing his right ACL twice in college.

Johnson figures to be the most impactful of the Bucs’ day three picks, but that impact could actually be fairly significant for a fifth-round pick. Right now only the unproven Justin Watson and Scotty Miller stand in Johnson’s way for WR3 duties, a position that figures to see at least 75 percent of the Bucs offensive snaps, even if it’s split among two to three players on game days.

Watson and Miller may have more intriguing athletic traits, but they can’t hold a candle to Johnson’s dominance in college, including his absurd production against quality competition, and his excellent ball skills and quality route-running ability should translate quickly, at least to the slot.

Evaluating The NFC South 2020 Draft Hauls

New Orleans Saints

Saints TE Adam Trautman – Photo courtesy of Dayton

The Saints are probably the most complete roster in the NFL right now, and they only got stronger in the 2020 draft. Adding the best interior offensive lineman in the class in Michigan’s Cesar Ruiz may not pay dividends this season, but it will in the future when Andrus Peat gets hurt again or Larry Warford moves on next offseason.

Wisconsin outside linebacker Zack Baun in the third round was a steal given his upside in coverage and his pass rush ability off the edge on long and late downs.

Adam Trautman was my top tight end in the class with a third-round grade. Drew Brees has done a lot of damage with worse options at the position.

The Saints had four picks, including three in the Top 100, and used them all to acquire quality football players. There aren’t a lot of obvious weaknesses on their roster right now, and their showdowns with the Bucs this season should be an absolute blast to watch.

Carolina Panthers

Panthers DE Yetur Gross-Matos – Photo courtesy of Penn State Athletics

The Panthers had seven draft picks and committed every one to rebuilding their depleted defense. I don’t mind that strategy at all, but I might have picked different players where they selected each member of their draft class.

Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown is a good player who will make an immediate impact in the NFL, but I would have preferred the pass rush impact of South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw that high in the draft. Penn State edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos and Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn are high-upside picks, but both will test the abilities of the Panthers’ coaching staff, as they need further development.

Carolina’s Day 3 picks should provide quality depth, and they didn’t reach for any of them. I don’t expect their roster to contend in 2020, but this was a good step in the right direction if their coaches can bring along some of their more raw prospects.

Atlanta Falcons

It’s really tough for me to get behind what Atlanta has done this offseason. I don’t mind the A.J. Terrell pick in Round 1, as the team needed cornerback help and the Clemson defender is highly talented. But the team’s recent track record in developing cornerbacks under Dan Quinn has been bad, and Terrell might have to step in as their No. 1 guy right away.

Auburn DL Marlon Davidson – Photo courtesy of Auburn

In the second round, Auburn defensive end Marlon Davidson is a solid prospect who was selected around where he should have been valued, but when you have as many needs as Atlanta, do you really want to risk a pick trying to convert a 300-pound edge defender to an every-down defensive tackle? They are awfully small on the interior now, too.

Temple interior lineman Matt Hennessy is a decent player, but that pick was such an indictment of how many guards this team has failed to develop or find in free agency. Annual turnover at the position in Atlanta.

Both Round 4 picks for the Falcons were massive reaches, with safety Jaylinn Hawkins coming in at 270 on the consensus big board and linebacker Mykal Walker at 208. I also still can’t believe they jettisoned a second-round pick for Baltimore’s backup tight end Hayden Hurst.

As long as Atlanta has Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley they’ll be competitive, but the defense remains a rebuilding unit, and the offensive line has clear holes that must be filled by better play from last year’s Round 1 duo in tackle Kaleb McGary and guard Chris Lindstrom.