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There are still picks to be made, so there is still time for a mock draft
There are still picks to be made in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Which means there is still time to put together a mock draft.
The draft turns to Saturday, as all 32 NFL teams now focus on finding some late-round value and potentially the next Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott, Tom Brady, Julian Edelman or [insert your favorite Day Three pick from NFL Draft history here].
However, there are still some players remaining on the board that experts and evaluators assumed would be coming off the board before Day Three. Among those players still available are Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo, Northwestern pass rusher Adetomiwa Adebawore, Ohio State offensive tackle Dawand Jones, Alabama linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, and Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III.
Where might those prospects, and others, fall on Saturday? Here is just one look at how the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft could unfold:
Kelee Ringo comes off the board to Jacksonville
Despite entering 2023 as one of the top prospects at the cornerback position, Georgia CB Kelee Ringo has slid down into Day Three range. This might be because of his change-of-direction skills, as Ringo is more of a straight-line runner than a shifty cover corner, and when you consider some of the quick receivers he might see in the NFL — or revisit some of what he saw in the SEC or against Ohio State — concerns arise.
Still, his press coverage chops and physical style of play are a strong building block, and the Jaguars take a chance on his potential.
Two quarterbacks come off the board
Jake Haener from Fresno State and Dorian Thompson-Robinson are two of my favorite QB prospects on Day Three, and given that it would not surprise me to see both drafted early on Saturday. Haener might be a near-ideal fit for Kevin O’Connell, and his accuracy — combined with his competitive toughness — gives him a shot to develop beyond the “backup/spot-starter” mold.
As for Thompson-Robinson, I’ve long thought that if the Seattle Seahawks passed on an early QB option, that he would be the developmental option the organization would target later in the draft. I went as far to say that Seattle would do it on Day Two, but instead they land him here on Day Three.
Bill Belichick adds a player from a service academy
Andre Carter II just feels like a player Bill Belichick would add here on Day Three, right?
Carter received some first-round attention early in the draft process, with Mel Kiper Jr. at one point ranking him as his OLB2 behind only Will Anderson Jr. However, Carter’s draft stock took a hit after he struggled against tougher competition in Mobile during Senior Bowl practices.
But something about him just screams “Belichick Day Three selection.”
