Later, Baltimore got one of the biggest steals of Round 3 when it selected Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson in the third round (88th overall). Like Flowers, Simpson’s speed is most notable. His 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the combine was in the 95th percentile among all linebackers. He was a disruptive force in college, finishing with 12.5 sacks, six pass deflections and three forced fumbles.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler graded him as a likely first- or second-round pick and the second-best linebacker in the class.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Clippers, like the Ravens, look a lot more exciting with a couple of minor additions that could pay major dividends. Los Angeles drafted wide receiver Quentin Johnston 21st overall. The 6-foot-2 Johnston is another big target for QB Justin Herbert. He also has 6-foot-2 Keenan Allen and 6-foot-4 Mike Williams to throw to, but Johnston gives the Chargers offense a new dimension for defenses to game-plan against. In 30 college games, Johnston had 2,190 yards on 115 receptions for an average of 19 yards per catch.
For the team’s second-round selection, the Chargers didn’t have to look far. They drafted USC edge-rusher Tuli Tuipulotu 53rd overall. He declared for the draft after his junior year when he had 13.5 sacks, three pass deflections and two forced fumbles. Per Brugler, “Tuipulotu finds his way to the football because of his pass-rush instincts, natural power and relentless effort… He projects as a solid starter on the edge.”
Philadelphia Eagles
Yes, even though they are coming off an NFC championship and Super Bowl appearance, the Eagles are among the most improved teams after the first three rounds. That’s what happens when one of the top prospects in the draft — in this case, Jalen Carter — drops into a championship-caliber team’s lap. That pick made Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons “sick,” and Philly’s selection of Nolan Smith, Carter’s Georgia teammate, at the end of Round 1 likely wasn’t therapeutic.
The Eagles then made back-to-back picks at the beginning of Round 3 and filled two gaps. They selected lineman Tyler Steen first, which ESPN’s Steve Muench notes is a significant addition after Philly lost guards Isaac Seumalo and Andre Dillard in free agency. Per Muench, Steen was credited with allowing one sack “on nearly 500 pass-blocking plays last season for Alabama.” Safety Sydney Brown was drafted one pick later, and ESPN’s third-ranked safety can fill a void that surfaced when C.J. Gardner-Johnson left for Detroit.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks surprised nearly everyone a year ago by becoming a wild-card team but after nailing the first two nights of the NFL Draft, shouldn’t sneak up on anyone in the near future. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon was picked fifth overall and is a shutdown corner in the making. Last season at Illinois, he had 17 pass deflections and three interceptions in 12 games. He’ll pair with 2022 fifth-round pick Tariq Woolen to form one of the best young cornerback duos in the NFL.
At No. 20, Seattle added the best wide receiver in the class (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) to join a group that already includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Metcalf. The Seahawks finally addressed the defensive line with their second-round pick by selecting the versatile Derick Hall, and the offense got even scarier when running back Zach Charbonnet was drafted in the third round. At UCLA in 2022, Charbonnet had 195 rushing attempts for 1,359 yards, an average of seven yards per carry.
Houston Texans
It should be a surprise to no one that a team that added arguably two of the top five players in the draft is better than it was when the draft started. Houston spent the past two seasons with Davis Mills at QB and a defense that was among the worst in football. Entering the third day of the draft, the Texans have a potential franchise QB (CJ Stroud) and defensive pillar for seasons to come (Will Anderson Jr.) when most thought they’d have to pick one or the other.
Houston addressed its offensive line in the third round with the selection of Juice Scruggs (62nd overall). Seven picks later, general manager Nick Caserio got new QB C.J. Stroud some receiving help by drafting local prospect Nathaniel “Tank” Dell. He played for the Houston Cougars and led college football in receiving in 2022 with 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns.
