• Cowboys restore their two-headed RB attack: Illinois’ Chase Brown profiles as a solid Day 3 fit for Dallas after running a 4.43-second 40-yard dash.
• Ravens could add to their QB room: UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson is a good developmental backup for Baltimore amid Lamar Jackson’s ongoing contract situation.
• Giants and Ivan Pace Jr. form an ideal pairing: The NFL’s blitz-heaviest defense would acquire one of college football’s top blitzing linebackers.
While NFL franchises are built on Days 1 and 2 of the draft, depth is formed on Day 3. This area of the draft is even more crucial now with 18-week seasons since well-run franchises are able to survive injury waves better with the depth they find here.
Here are ideal Day 3 team-player fits for each team in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Arizona Cardinals: C Olu Oluwatimi, Michigan
Oluwatimi is one of the more NFL-ready centers in the draft class. It helps when you have four years of starting experience and 3,479 career snaps to your name. His 83.0 and 90.2 run-blocking grades in the past two seasons would be a welcome addition for Arizona.
Atlanta Falcons: DL Viliami Fehoko, San Jose State
The Falcons have already started to add more power players to their defensive line, but they can’t stop after just signing Bud Dupree. Fehoko would give them a versatile run defender on the edge. The 276-pounder earned an 87.4 run-defense grade and a 90.2 pass-rushing grade last season.
Baltimore Ravens: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
DTR is the perfect developmental backup for an athletic quarterback. He has a lot of NFL-projectable traits but needs to add muscle to his 203-pound frame. That’s a good player to have amid Lamar Jackson’s contract situation.
Buffalo Bills: RB DeWayne McBride, UAB
McBride is basically a bigger version of Devin Singletary, who the Bills let walk in free agency this offseason. He can be the elusive early-down option to let James Cook operate on passing downs.
Carolina Panthers: WR Kayshon Boutte, LSU
The Panthers don’t have much draft capital yet still desperately need to add offensive weapons. Boutte would be a nice flier pick, as he’s still only 20 years old and was considered a potential first-rounder before ankle issues derailed him this past season. He peaked with 735 yards as a true freshman at LSU.
Chicago Bears: DT Kobie Turner, Wake Forest
The Bears still desperately need a three-technique yet may not be in a good position to draft one earlier. Turner was the second-highest-graded Power Five defensive tackle this past season but will likely fall due to his smallish frame at 6-foot-2 and 288 pounds.
Cincinnati Bengals: TE Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
Kuntz is one freak athlete at the tight end position. The 6-foot-7, 255-pounder ran a 4.55-second 40-yard dash at the combine. He would give the Bengals a cheap vertical threat at tight end.
Cleveland Browns: DI Keondre Coburn, Texas
The Browns simply need mass along their defensive interior. Coburn provides just that. The 332-pounder had a breakout fifth-year campaign during which he earned a 77.1 overall grade.
Dallas Cowboys: RB Chase Brown, Illinois
The Cowboys still want their two-headed running back room, and in this deep class they can do so without using a premium pick. Brown is one of the more explosive backs in the class, with 4.43 speed that showed on tape.
Denver Broncos: RB Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State
Sean Payton loves a pure receiving back. He worked magic with Darren Sproles for years and now gets the closest thing to Sproles to declare for the draft in years.
Detroit Lions: RB Roschon Johnson, Texas
Johnson is a physical, between-the-tackles runner that the Lions need with Jamaal Williams gone. The Texas back broke tackles at a higher rate than anyone in the country last season.
Green Bay Packers: OT Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion
The Packers love nothing more than drafting athletic offensive tackles with guard versatility. It’s been their MO for years. Saldiveri is one of the best such tackles in that mold; he just needs to get a little stronger.
Houston Texans: LB Dorian Williams, Tulane
DeMeco Ryans worked magic in San Francisco with a number of rangy, undersized linebackers, and Williams is one of the best in the class in that mold. He earned an 87.0 coverage grade last season.
Indianapolis Colts: LB Marte Mapu, Sacramento State
The Colts struck gold when they took an undersized FCS linebacker in Shaquille Leonard and may get another chance to do the same with Mapu. He’s an uber-physical 216-pounder who earned an 85.9 run-defense grade last season.
Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Kei’Trel Clark, Louisville
The Jaguars don’t have too many true needs on their defense, but slot likely qualifies as one. Clark is an easy slot projection with an aggressive play style for an undersized player.
Kansas City Chiefs: WR A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
Perry adds some length and contested-catch ability to a Chiefs receiving corps that is lacking in both at the moment. He was one of the best deep threats in college football the past two seasons, recording 25 deep receptions.
Las Vegas Raiders: EDGE Andre Carter II, Army
Carter’s tools are reminiscent of Maxx Crosby’s coming out of Eastern Michigan. The Army product, though, is even further behind where Crosby was from a weight room perspective. His talent is undeniable, as he tied Aidan Hutchinson for the highest pass-rushing grade in the country in 2021.
Los Angeles Chargers: WR Trey Palmer, Nebraska
Palmer brings high-end juice that no one in the Chargers’ current receiving corps can come close to. He ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine and hauled in 12 deep catches last season in a breakout year at Nebraska.
Los Angeles Rams: EDGE Jose Ramirez, Eastern Michigan
Ramirez is one of the best pure pass rushers in the draft class, and he goes to a defense in desperate need of just that. The undersized edge earned pass-rushing grades of 90.5 and 91.6 in the past two seasons.
Miami Dolphins: IOL Andrew Vorhees, USC
The Dolphins need to keep adding to what’s still a fairly thin offensive line. Vorhees will fall in the draft after tearing his ACL at the combine, but he can be a plug-and-play starter for Miami once he’s recovered.
Minnesota Vikings: C Juice Scruggs, Penn State
Scruggs is an athletic center who would fit into the Vikings’ scheme with ease. He impressed in pass protection at the Shrine Bowl, where he finished with the highest pass-blocking grade in attendance.
New England Patriots: WR Charlie Jones, Purdue
Jones is a crafty route runner with high-end ball skills. That seems to be the Patriots’ type at receiver. He may not have ideal size at 175 pounds, but you can work with that from the slot nowadays.
New Orleans Saints: RB Zach Evans, Ole Miss
With Alvin Kamara getting up there in age — and in salary cap hits — the Saints may opt to try to find his replacement sooner rather than later. Evans played second-fiddle his entire college career but is one of the class’ more dynamic backs in space.
New York Giants: LB Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati
Pace was the best blitzing linebacker in college football last season, and he goes to the NFL’s blitz-heaviest team. He racked up a ridiculous 55 pressures as an off-ball linebacker for Cincinnati.
New York Jets: QB Clayton Tune, Houston
The Jets might as well take a chance on developing two toolsy quarterbacks at the same time behind Aaron Rodgers, assuming that trade gets done. Tune has the best combination of size, athleticism and arm talent of any quarterback who will be available on Day 3.
Philadelphia Eagles: RB Sean Tucker, Syracuse
Tucker may not always find the right hole, but when you give him a runway, there are few more impressive running backs in the class. His burst and speed are nothing short of elite. Put that behind the offensive line that creates the biggest holes in the NFL and Tucker could go off.
Pittsburgh Steelers: DI Brodric Martin, Western Kentucky
The Steelers love long nose tackles, and Martin fits that bill in the draft class. The 6-foot-5, 330-pounder possesses 35-inch arms that he’s only just figuring out how to use, earning a 77.5 pass-rushing grade last season.
San Francisco 49ers: IOL Jordan McFadden, Clemson
The 49ers are likely to take a lot of swings at shoring up their offensive line in the draft, and McFadden is a good place to start. He’s an experienced (2,956 career snaps) and accomplished (87.4 overall grade in 2021) offensive lineman who will be better inside than he was at tackle.
Seattle Seahawks: WR Parker Washington, Penn State
Washington is an NFL-ready and reliable slot receiver. He may not be the most explosive player, but his hands are dependable (5.2% career drop rate) and he is talented after the catch (31 broken tackles on 110 receptions the past two seasons).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama
To’oTo’o is one of the more physical linebackers in the draft class and not even 230 pounds. He can replace some of what Devin White brings to the table as a blitzer if the Bucs were to move on from him.
Tennessee Titans: LB DeMarvion Overshown, Texas
Overshown can fill the role left by David Long in the Titans’ linebacker room. He may not have Long’s instincts, but Overshown has that kind of range and willingness to hit.
Washington Commanders: CB Jaylon Jones, Texas A&M
Jones is going to fall due to his limited speed, but he can still be productive in a pure zone scheme. He allowed all of 94 yards on 278 coverage snaps last season.
