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The 10 best available players on Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft
NFL Draft 2020: Ranking the top 10 quarterbacks
The big names are gone, but future impact players aren’t. Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft lacks the cache of the previous two, but some of the league best players were unknowns just hoping for a shot. Tom Brady (sixth round) ring a bell? Kam Chancellor (fifth round)? Richard Sherman (fifth round)? Geno Atkins …
The big names are gone, but future impact players aren’t.
Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft lacks the cache of the previous two, but some of the league best players were unknowns just hoping for a shot.
Tom Brady (sixth round) ring a bell? Kam Chancellor (fifth round)? Richard Sherman (fifth round)? Geno Atkins (fourth round) There are gems to be found in rounds 4-7.
Here are 10 of the top prospects still available:
Akeem Davis-Gaither, OLB, Appalachian State
Teams crave versatility in linebackers and that’s Davis-Gaither’s strengths, the ability to cover and rush the passer. At 224 pounds, he will need to put on weight, but in the least, he should be a special teams contributor right away.
Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
A one-time top-five recruit who lost his job at Georgia to Jake Fromm, Eason had a strong season at Washington, showcasing a big arm and quality pocket mobility. Accuracy and decision-making remain concerns, as the 6-foot-6 Eason threw 16 interceptions in just 29 college games.
Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
After three quarterbacks were taken in the first six picks, only two others followed through the opening three rounds. Fromm’s arm strength and lack of mobility hurt him, but he is a winner, leading Georgia to three straight SEC East crowns and throwing 78 touchdown passes, just 18 interceptions and completing 63.3 percent of his passes in the premier conference in the country over three seasons.
Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty
Not a speed merchant, but has the size and skillset to stick, and possibly even be a difference maker with his ability to make plays down the field. The 6-foot-4 Gandy-Golden averaged 17.7 yards per catch in the fall – which was ranked in the top 10 among receivers with 60 or more receptions – while catching 79 passes for 1,396 yards.
Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
If not for a season-ending ankle injury in October that required surgery, the 6-foot-1 Hall would be long gone by now. As a junior, he led the nation with 22 pass breakups. There is always risk taking a player coming off an injury, especially when he’s still not 100 percent – that’s the case with Hall – but it’s even harder to make up for a lack of talent.
Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri
Big and fast, the 6-foot-5, 258-pound tight end ran a 4.49 40 – the fastest of any tight end in this draft. He also caught at least six touchdowns each of the last three years.
La’Mical Perine, RB, Florida
With so many teams preferring multiple back rotations, the physical Perine should have a place in the league. At 5-foot-11 and 216 pounds, the bruising Perine could be a short-yardage weapon, as his 30 career touchdowns at Florida suggest.
Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech
Yes, his size at 5-foot-8 is a concern, which is a major reason he’s still available. But it’s hard to teach ball skills like Robertson possesses. In three years, he had 14 interceptions and produced 16 passes defensed this past season and added 44 tackles, a sign of his toughness.
Kenny Robinson, S, XFL
After an academic issue led to his expulsion at West Virginia, Robinson thrived in the since-shuttered XFL, producing 21 tackles and two interceptions in just five games with the St. Louis BattleHawks. That came on the heels of a standout sophomore season for the Mountaineers, when he was an All-Big 12 first team selection and had four interceptions and 77 tackles. The Wilkinsburg, Pa. native makes plays.
Troy Pride Jr., CB, Notre Dame
The ball skills may never get there, but you can’t teach speed or size, and at 6-foot, Pride profiles well at the next level. His three interceptions in four years at Notre Dame illustrate he’s not a takeaway artist, but his 18 passes defensed show he’s frequently around the ball in good position.
