Now that the 2019 NFL draft is officially over and there were many prospects with high round grades that fell to the third day who could prove to be day three steals and others that were expected to get taken on day two. Here are some of the best value picks from rounds two and three on the defensive side of the ball:
• Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the Saint at 105: Many experts believed he’d come off the board in the second round since the versatile safety from Florida can play either safety positions in the backend as well as line up in the slot.
• Julian Love to the Giants at 108: Pundits were astonished that he fell to day three of the draft considering the great ball skills and instincts he displayed for the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame. He’s an excellent press corner who also excels in off coverage and will pair well with their first-round pick DeAndre Baker for years to come.
• Amani Hooker to the Titans at 116: Experts believed that his versatility and instincts would have had him come off the board on day two, but he will now have a chance to develop and find a more defined position in Dean Pees’ defense in Tennessee.
• Shereef Miller to the Eagles at 138: Philadelphia selected a versatile edge rusher from Penn State who is from Philly and who many thought would have heard his name called on day two with the last pick in the fourth round.
• Deinte Thompson to the Cardinals at 139: After landing Butler at the top of the fourth, Arizona added the Alabama safety who experts believed would be day two pick with the first pick in the fifth round.
• Amani Oruwariye to the Lions at 146: The big lanky corner out of Penn State was expected to come off the board in the second round but was able to get scooped up by Detroit in the fifth round and will likely slide into the starting lineup across from Darius “big play” Slay.
• Mack Wilson to the Browns at 155: After trading up for LSU corner Greedy Williams yesterday, Cleveland picked up another sliding stud from the SEC on day three by taking the middle linebacker form Alabama in the fifth round.
• Charles Omenihu to the Texans at 161: He was expected to go as high as the early second round according to many pundits and the former Longhorn will be staying in the state of Texas after Houston picked him up in the fifth round.
• Joe Jackson to the Cowboys at 165: The former Miami Hurricane who many believed would be a day two pick came off the board in the fifth round and will join the stable of loaded pass rushers in Dallas.
• David Long Jr. to the Titans at 188: Tennessee got themselves a late round gem that should have been a mid-round pick in the sixth when they selected the former West Virginia Mountaineer who was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year last season.
• Kris Boyd to the Vikings at 217: Minnesota might have very well found themselves a late round gem in the seventh round when they selected the corner out of Texas with an extremely high football IQ and great coverage skills.
• Jimmy Moreland to the Redskins at 227: Washington picked up one of the best-kept secrets in the 2019 draft out of James Madison who could prove to be one of the best late round gems of the entire draft. He’s highly instinctual and athletic ball hawk who racked nearly 18 interceptions in college.
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