5 NFL DRAFT LATE ROUND STEALS

BY ADAM GREENE

We’ve got a fresh first round mock draft, we’ve discussed the five biggest potential busts in that first round, so now it’s time to get a little more positive. The first three rounds of the draft contain your money picks. When you are selecting amongst the top 100 or so (depending on the compensatory selections) NCAA football players, you should be adding a starting caliber player to your team.

So a guy like Cooper Kupp, selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, doesn’t count as a steal. No one thought he’d be as good as he turned out to be or he would have been selected significantly higher, but a third rounder is a starter. In fact, of the top five receivers (in catches) in the NFL last season, only Justin Jefferson was a first round pick. In yardage, Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase were the only guys taken in the first. Everyone else on both those lists, Kupp, Davante Adams, Deebo Samuel, Tyreek Hill and Diontae Johnson, were all second or third round selections. Kupp, Adams and Samuel were all All Pros.

To count as a draft steal, you have to be a starter pulled out of Rounds 4-7, exemplified by the steal of all steals, Tom Brady, who was picked in the sixth round of the 2000 draft.

I do not have a Tom Brady for you in this group. I don’t like any of the quarterbacks in the first round and, frankly, none of them look better than lifelong back ups to me. The guys I do think could possibly crack through — Matt Corral from Ole Miss and Desmond Ridder from Cincinnati, will both likely be gone by the end of Day Two.

5. WAN’DALE ROBINSON, WR, KENTUCKY

(5-11, 185 pounds, 2021: 104 receptions, 1,334 yards, seven touchdowns, 111 rushing yards)

There’s a chance I’m cheating here with Robinson because he could sneak into the third round. Putting up that kind of production in the SEC against future NFL corners should impress anyone and the fact that he did it with current Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen calling the plays should make plenty of people take notice. If he drops to the fourth or fifth, that team noticing could very well be the Rams. It doesn’t hurt that his body control and feet look a lot like a current All Universe Rams receiver.

Which should probably put him on the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals’ boards as well.

WHO SHOULD PICK HIM: Green Bay Packers

The Packers’ wide receiver room is downright empty at this point. Robinson has played in the “McVay” system that Matt LaFleur coaches for the last few seasons and excelled. He could end up being a guy Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers counts on from opening day.

4. DERION KENDRICK, CB, GEORGIA

(6-0, 190 pounds, 2021: 41 tackles, two for a loss, four interceptions, three passes defended)

It should come as no surprise that “steals” seem to consistently come from big time programs in Power Five conferences. Kendrick played in two of them, seeing action for Clemson from 2018-2020 before transferring to Georgia just in time to hoist a National Championship trophy.

If the critique against Sauce Gardner is that he doesn’t have enough film against top WR talent, that is not the case for Kendrick. He’s got some against everybody, including most of the WRs slated to go in the first three rounds.

WHO SHOULD PICK HIM: Los Angeles Rams

The Rams spend their money and high draft picks on star players that are already in the league. That means it’s difficult to retain their depth. For the second consecutive season they’ve been robbed of a starting cornerback, this time Darious Williams. Kendrick has a shot to walk right in and mitigate that loss by midseason.

3. VELUS JONES JR., WR, TENNESSEE

(6-0, 200 pounds, 62 catches, 807 yards, seven touchdowns, 23 kick returns, 628 return yards, one touchdown)

Jones gives you two reasons to pick him. He was a big play machine for the suddenly resurgent Volunteers under first year head coach Josh Heupel, laying down the yardage on both the offense and with the special teams units. The last guy Tennessee put in the NFL that could do both this well was Cordarelle Patterson. Jones could be used exactly the same way.

And, again, like Kendrick and Robinson, Jones was doing it all against future NFL players in the SEC.

WHO SHOULD PICK HIM: Miami Dolphins

Miami has three good receivers now after trading for Tyreek Hill. What Mike McDaniel should be looking for is an all purpose guy to add to the mix —  a Deebo Samuel lite and that’s what Jones could be.

2. JELANI WOODS, TE, VIRGINIA

(6-7, 275 pounds, 2021: 44 catches, 598 yards, eight touchdowns)

Finally out of the SEC, we’re staying in a Power Five because we’re not trying to outsmart anyone. We want our picks to count and play. Adding a big play nearly 300 pound pass receiving tight end sounds like something that every offense in the NFL should want.

The third down and red zone production is obvious, but this is a guy that did serious damage in the middle of the field and averaged 13.6 yards per catch. 

WHO SHOULD PICK HIM: Indianapolis Colts

Frank Reich is part of the Andy Reid coaching tree and should be looking for his own Travis Kelce type player to add to his offense.

1. KENENDY BROOKS, RB, OKLAHOMA

(5-11, 215 pounds, 198 carries, 1,253 yards)

At this point, it’s almost ridiculous to pick a running back before the second round because there’s just so many quality guys available every year. Unless it’s a Todd Gurley, Christian McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook, go ahead and sit on that pick. The three best running backs in the league last season, Jonathan Taylor, Nick Chubb and Joe Mixon were all second rounders. But the guy that finished eighth in the league in rushing with 963 yards, five touchdowns in just 11 games was taken in the sixth round — the San Francsico 49ers’ Elijah Mitchell.

Brooks, who never averaged less than 6.3 yards a carry in any season and never rushed for less than 1,011 yards with a loaded Sooners backfield, will probably be available at a similar spot.

He brings a load, can run in the open field and was probably underused as a pass catcher since Oklahoma just didn’t need that aspect of his game. Like Robinson, Brooks has received pro level coaching from Lincoln Riley, a guy the league has coveted for a while. He looks like a player that could plug right into that Andy Reid, Frank Reich, Nick Sirianni style offense right out of the box.

WHO SHOULD PICK HIM: Houston Texans

The Texans have a team full of needs, but if the season started today, they’d be trotting out Rex Burkhead as their No. 1 running back. Brooks would be the best RB in the building the second Houston turned in the card.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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