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Round 3:
65. Texans: Marcus Smith, OLB, Louisville – The Texans need someone who can get to the QB, even with the selection of Clowney. Brooks Reed has been ineffective as an outside linebacker, and would be a better fit inside. That’s something the Texans have considered, and doing so would fill a need at MLB too.
66. Redskins: Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida – Purifoy had the potential to be a high first round pick this year, but he struggled during his final year. Taking Purfioy would be similar to what the Redskins did when they took David Amerson – buying low on a talented player.
67. Raiders: Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State – The Raiders need someone who can rush the passer from the tackle spot. Sutton had a down year, but is talented.
68. Falcons: Terrence Brooks, S, FSU – The Falcons cut Thomas DeCoud, so they need a new safety. This is solid value for Brooks, who could be a second round pick.
69. Buccaneers: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois – His last name is pronounced “Gah-Ropp-Ah-Low.” Get used to saying it, because Garoppolo is Tony Romo 2.0 (and that’s a really good thing). He needs work and isn’t ready to start, but has an incredibly fast release and is accurate. The Buccaneers can groom him behind Josh McCown for a year or two.
70. Jaguars: Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU – The Jags need a QB badly and they’ve been linked to Mettenberger. Mettenberger might need to sit and learn for a year, but the Jaguars have shown they can be patient in their rebuilding process.
71. Browns: Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida – The Browns need another corner across from Joe Haden. Roberson might be the best one on the board.
72. Vikings: Ahmad Dixon, S, Baylor – Dixon would form a nice pairing with Harrison Smith in the Vikings' secondary.
73. Bills: Troy Niklas, TE, Notre Dame – The Bills need a tight end for E.J. Manuel. Getting Niklas in the third round is a steal.
74. Giants: C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa – Finding a tight end for Eli Manning is a must for the Giants. There is a big drop-off after Fiedorowicz.
75. Rams: Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood – The Rams cut Courtland Finnegan, who struggled last year (PFF subscription required). Desir is a small-school prospect with potential.
76. Lions: Phillip Gaines, CB, Rice – The Lions are so bad at corner that double-dipping early in the draft would make sense.
77. 49ers (from Titans): Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado – The 49ers resigned Anquan Boldin, but they still need a slot receiver. Richardson is small, but has the potential to be a playmaker.
78. Cowboys: Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas – Even with Kony Ealy on board, Dallas still needs help at the end position. This is good value for Jeffcoat, whose father is a former Cowboy.
79. Ravens: JaWaun James, OT, Tennessee – The Ravens lost Michael Oher in free agency, so they need to find a viable replacement.
80. Jets: Ed Reynold, S, Stanford – Antonio Allen is not the answer at safety. Reynolds is the best player left.
81. Dolphins: Shane Skov, MLB, Stanford – The Dolphins spent a ton of money on Dannell Ellerbe, but he struggled last season (PFF subscription). Skov can start right away.
82. Bears: Craig Loston, S, LSU – The Bears need safety help and might address this position much earlier in the draft.
83. Browns (from Steelers): Tre Mason, RB, Auburn – The Browns signed Ben Tate, but that doesn’t mean they won’t add another running back. This is solid value for Mason.
84. Cardinals: Tom Savage, QB, Pittsburgh – Savage looks like a first round pick, but his tape is indicative of a late round pick. I love him as a sleeper, but not this high. It’s a reach, but the Cardinals want a big-arm QB for Bruce Arians. Savage can sit for a few years behind Carson Palmer.
85. Packers: Keith McGill, CB/S, Utah – McGill played corner, but I think he might be better suited as a safety, which is what the Packers need.
86. Eagles: Victor Hampton, CB, South Carolina – The Eagles need some help at corner and Hampton could be a solid nickel back in the NFL.
87. Chiefs: Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss – The Chiefs are lucky the wideout class is so deep this year. They can get a round two prospect like Moncrief in the late third round.
88. Bengals: Weston Richburg, C, Colorado State – With the release of Kyle Cook, the Bengals need a new center. Richburg can step in and start right away. He should be the second center off the board.
89. Chargers: Carl Bradford, OLB, Arizona State – The Chargers need to find more pass rushers. They’ve missed on players like Larry English and Melvin Ingram, the latter of whom has just two sacks in two years. Bradford can play multiple linebacker positions too.
90. Colts: Rashaad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State – The Colts need some help at the corner spot, where they really only have Vontae Davis. Reynolds won’t be a No. 1 corner, but he’ll be serviceable.
91. Saints: Travis Swanson, C, Arkansas – While Swanson bears no relation to Ron Swanson, he’s a quality center prospect who should be a solid starter. The Saints need a new one after losing Brian De La Puente to the Bears.
92. Panthers: Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina – The Panthers lost Steve Smith, Ted Ginn and Brandon LaFell and replaced them with Jason Avant, Jerricho Cotchery and Tiquan Underwood. Even spending a first round pick on a wideout isn’t enough; they need to take two. Ellington looked great in his bowl game and should be a third round pick.
93. Patriots: Brandon Thomas, OT/OG, Clemson – Thomas could have been a second round pick, but blew out his knee in a workout leading up to the draft. The Patriots are the type of team to draft and stash Thomas.
94. 49ers: Ego Ferguson, DE, LSU – Ferguson has talent, but has never truly lived up to his potential. Maybe he can do so learning behind the aging Justin Smith in San Francisco.
95. Broncos: Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi – The Broncos could use some young blood on the interior of the offensive line. Jackson might go higher than this.
96. Vikings (from Seahawks): Kareem Martin, DE, UNC – The Vikings inked Everson Griffin to a big contract, but could use some more depth. Getting the talented-but-underachieving Martin in the late third round is great value.
97. Steelers (compensatory): Chris Smith, OLB, Arkansas – Smith needs some work as he transitions to outside linebacker, but the Steelers can bring him along slowly.
98. Packers (compensatory): DaQuan Jones, DT, Penn State – The Packers don’t have a true nose tackle on the roster. Jones could develop into just that, and getting him in the late third is a great value pick.
99. Ravens (compensatory): Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington – The Ravens have filled most of their needs already and Sankey is probably the best player left on the board. Plus, he can replace Ray Rice if Rice continues to look like a fat kid in a snowsuit on the football field.
100. 49ers (compensatory): Chris Borland, ILB, Wisconsin – The 49ers don’t have many needs, so they can just draft the best player on the board. Borland is undersized, but if he were built like C.J. Mosely he’d be a high first round pick.
Round 4:
101. Texans: Dakota Dozier, OG, Furman – Dozier is a small school guard who can learn behind Wade Smith for a year or two.
102. Redskins: Yawin Smallwood, ILB, UConn – The Redskins signed Daryl Sharpton and Akeem Jordan to help replace London Fletcher, but neither of those are three-down players. Smallwood can become that down the road.
103. Falcons: Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia – The Falcons need an eventual replacement for Steven Jackson.
104. Jets (from Buccaneers): Christian Jones, LB, FSU – The Jets never truly replaced Bart Scott. Perhaps Jones can fill his shoes.
105. Jaguars: Terrance West, RB, Towson – Toby Gerhart isn’t the long-term answer at running back for the Jags. West will face a steep upgrade in competition, but he has potential.
106. Browns: Dri Archer, RB/WR, Kent State – The Browns need more speed and keeping the local product Archer near home would be icing on the cake. Archer is a tweener, as he doesn’t have a real position, but a smart team will figure out ways to use him.
107. Raiders: Jordan Zumwalt, LB, UCLA – Zumwalt is a fun player to watch; He loves to hit and plays violent. The Raiders need help at linebacker and Zumwalt can play several positions.
108. Vikings: Jordan Tripp, LB, Montana – Even after getting Van Noy, the Vikings could use more help at linebacker. Both Tripp and Van Noy can play multiple spots. One should be able to play middle while the other can play outside.
109. Bills: Trai Turner, OG, LSU – The Bills already took a tackle, but need a guard too. Turner is talented, but left LSU too early. He had two years of eligibility left.
110. Rams: A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama – I’m not high on McCarron, but the Rams should spend a mid-round pick on a QB in case Bradford struggles next season.
111. Lions: Telvin Smith, LB, FSU – Smith is undersized, but he has potential as a speedy LB who thrives on third downs.
112. Titans: Jaylen Watkins, CB, Florida – The Titans need to replace the departed Alterraun Verner. Watkins might be off the board before this pick.
113. Giants: Devonta Freeman, RB, FSU – Even with the addition of Rashad Jennings, the Giants need some help at RB.
114. Jaguars (from Ravens): Jared Abbrederis, WR, Wisconsin – Outside of Cecil Shorts, the Jaguars don’t have any reliable targets. Justin Blackmon can’t keep himself out of trouble and the rest of the players are tiny, unproven guys. Abbrederis is a classic possession WR, something the Jaguars certainly could use.
115. Jets: Nevin Lawson, CB, Utah State – The Jets need to find a replacement for the departed Antonio Cromartie.
116. Dolphins: Arthur Lynch, TE, Georgia – Charles Clay is an effective pass catcher, but was terrible as a blocker. Lynch can help with run blocking as he develops his ability as a receiver.
117. Bears: Kelcy Quarles, DT, South Carolina – The Bears already took a DT, but double-dipping at the spot would be smart. This is great value for Quarles, who could be a Day 2 pick.
118. Steelers: Brett Urban, DE, Virginia – The Steelers could use some help at the 5-technique. Urban is raw, but the Steelers can afford to be patient.
119. Cowboys: Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty – Aikens played at Illinois before transferring to Liberty after some legal issues. Dallas loves to pick FCS prospects in the fourth round (they’ve done so in each of the past four drafts) and teams always need help at corner.
120. Cardinals: James Hurst, OT, UNC – The Cards need help at tackle, even with the signing of Jared Veldheer. Hurst is nursing an injury, which might allow him to slip to the fourth round.
121. Packers: Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU – The Packers have Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Jarrett Boykin, but they could use a replacement for James Jones. This is great value for Landry.
122. Eagles: Justin Ellis, NG, Lousiana Tech – Benny Logan was respectable (PFF subscription required) for the Eagles, but Ellis could eventually supplant him.
123. Bengals: Brett Smith, QB, Wyoming – The Bengals should spend at least a mid-round pick on a potential replacement for Andy Dalton. Smith is unheralded, but talented.
124. Chiefs: Cameron Fleming, OT, Stanford – The loss of Branden Albert means the Chiefs need another offensive tackle.
125. Chargers: Devin Street, WR, Pittsburgh – The Chargers could use a compliment to pair with Keenan Allen and slot receiver Eddie Royal.
126. Saints: Trevor Riley, OLB, Utah – Outside of Junior Galette, the Saints don’t have much at the OLB spot. Riley might not make it to the end of the fourth round.
127. Browns (from Colts): Lamin Barrow, ILB, LSU – The Browns need an upgrade over Craig Robertson (PFF subscription required).
128. Panthers: E.J. Gaines, CB, Missouri – The Panthers lost Captain Munnerlyn, meaning they need a corner.
129. 49ers: Chris Davis, CB, Auburn – The 49ers already traded up for Kyle Fuller, but they still need depth. Plus, Davis can contribute on returns if needed.
130. Patriots: Jeremy Hill, RB, LSU – LeGarrette Blount signed with the Steelers, and Bill Belichick has a penchant for acquiring running backs.
131. Broncos: James Gayle, DE, Virginia Tech – The Broncos added DeMarcus Ware to the fold, but need a young player to groom behind him.
132. Seahawks: Kevin Norwood, WR, Alabama – The Seahawks could use a possession receiver to replace Golden Tate. Norwood didn’t get the hype that Amari Cooper did, but Norwood can be a nice complimentary piece in the NFL.
133. Lions (compensatory): Mike Davis, WR, Texas – The Lions signed Golden Tate, but could still use some depth. Davis never reached his potential at Texas, but much of that was due to inconsistent QB play.
134. Ravens (compensatory): Ricardo Allen, CB, Purdue – Corey Graham signed with the Bills, meaning the Ravens could use some more depth at corner.
135. Texans (compensatory): Crockett Gilmore, TE, Colorado State – With Owen Daniels in Baltimore, the Texans need another TE.
136. Lions (compensatory): Caraun Reid, DT, Princeton – The Lions don’t have a pressing need for a DT, but Reid’s value is too good to pass up here.
137. Jets (compensatory): Anthony Steen, OG, Alabama – The Jets need a guard to help protect Mike Vick/Geno Smith and open up holes for Chris Ivory/Chris Johnson.
138. Ravens (compensatory): Daniel McCullers, DT, Tennessee – The Ravens have Terrence Cody, but Cody has struggled with injuries. McCullers can replace Cody if needed down the road.
139. Falcons (compensatory): Adrian Hubbard, OLB, Alabama – The Falcons appear to be moving to a 3-4 defense, so they need more players that can play at the 3-4 OLB spot.
140. Patriots (compensatory): Will Clarke, DE, West Virginia – Clarke is raw, but versatile enough to appeal to Belichick and Co.
Round 5:
141. Texans: Terrance Mitchell, CB, Oregon – The Texans could use a nickel back and Mitchell might be able to fill that role.
142. Redskins: Brandon Linder, OG, Miami – Linder can help protect RGIII from getting destroyed in the pocket.
143. Buccaneers: Jake Murphy, TE, Utah – The Buccaneers have Tim Wright, but he’s better suited to share the tight end role or be the No. 2 TE.
144. Jaguars: Bryan Stork, C, FSU – Since the Jaguars failed to steal Alex Mack from the Browns, they are in need of a center.
145. Browns: Kenny Ladler, S, Vanderbilt – The Browns have Donte Whitner, but need a free safety to pair with him.
146. Seahawks (from Raiders): Chris Watt, OG, Notre Dame – Paul McQuistan signed with the Browns, so the Seahawks need another guard.
147. Falcons: Ryan Grant, WR, Tulane – The Falcons saw what happened when Julio Jones and Roddy White were hurt. Depth is needed at wide out.
148. Vikings: Ka’Deem Carey, RB, Arizona – The loss of Toby Gerhart means the Vikings are in the market for a backup to Adrian Peterson.
149. Bills: Josh Mauro, DE, Stanford – The Bills have a solid defensive line, but smart teams add depth on the defensive line when the value is good.
150. Jaguars (from Lions): Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia – Don’t be surprised if the Jaguars double-dip at the QB spot (like the Redskins did with RGIII and Kirk Cousins).
151. Titans: Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson – Jake Locker might not be the answer for the Titans. Boyd might not be either, but he’s worth a flyer in the fifth round.
152. Giants: Christian Kirksey, LB, Iowa – The Giants need help at linebacker, but always seem to prefer using mid-to-late round picks instead of high picks on the position.
153. Rams: Anthony Johnson, DT, LSU – Another LSU defensive lineman who hasn’t lived up to his athletic gifts. The Rams need depth at the DT spot.
154. Jets: Morgan Breslin, OLB, USC – Rex Ryan loves pass rushers and the Jets can afford to spend a fifth round pick on one.
155. Dolphins: Josh Huff, WR, Oregon – The Dolphins could use another wideout to help Ryan Tannehill.
156. Bears: Ross Cockrell, CB, Bears – Charles Tillman is aging and coming off an injury.
157. Steelers: Antone Exum, CB, Virginia Tech - The Steelers already took Darqueze Dennard, but taking a second corner would be smart.
158. Cowboys: George Uko, DT, USC – Dallas can’t get enough defensive lineman in this draft.
159. Jaguars (from Ravens): Deion Belue, CB, Alabama – The Jaguars started Will Blackmon and Alan Ball last season.
160. Cardinals: Marqueston Huff, S, Wyoming – The Cardinals need someone to pair with Tyrann Mathieu.
161. Packers: Logan Thomas, TE, Virginia Tech – Some team will probably reach for Thomas because of his potential as a QB – he has drawn comparisons to Cam Newton – but he plays like an undraftable QB. He should move to TE, the spot he was highly recruited at coming out of high school. The Packers are the type of team smart enough to take Thomas and move him to TE.
162. Eagles: Preston Brown, ILB, Louisville – The Eagles could use some help at MLB.
163. Chiefs: De’Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon – The Chiefs lost Dexter McCluster, so they need someone like Thomas to replace him.
164. Bengals: Andre Williams, RB, Boston College – The Bengals could use a future replacement for BenJarvus Green-Ellis.
165. Chargers: Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma – The Chargers should double-dip at corner.
166. Colts: Jon Halapio, OG, Florida – The Colts need to do a better job of protecting Andrew Luck. They might address the offensive line earlier than this.
167. Saints: Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor – The Saints could use another RB to replace Darren Sproles.
168. Panthers: Vinnie Sunseri, S, Alabama – The Panthers signed Roman Harper, but he’s only a stop-gap measure.
169. Saints (from Patriots via Eagles): Deandre Coleman, DE, California – The Saints could use some depth on the defensive line.
170. 49ers: David Fales, QB, Fresno State – Jim Harbaugh said he views Fales as a top-5 QB. He’d love to get Fales in the fifth round.
171. Broncos: Andrew Jackson, ILB, WKU – The Broncos need to replace Wesley Woodward.
172. Seahawks: Dontae Johnson, CB, NC State – The Seahawks like big corners. Johnson fits that description.
173. Steelers (compensatory selection): Jay Bromley, DL, Syracuse – Bromley would provide more depth on the defensive line for the Chargers.
174. Giants (compensatory selection): Aaron Lynch, DE, USF – The Giants have never been a team to shy away from adding defensive line depth. Lynch has underachieved at Notre Dame and USF, but might go higher than this based on potential.
175. Ravens (compensatory selection): Jalen Saunders, WR, Oklahoma – The Ravens could use a speedy slot receiver.
176. Packers (compensatory selection): Michael Sam, DE/LB, Missouri – The Packers could use some depth in the pass rushing department. Sam is a tweener, but there is a spot for him on an NFL roster.
