Day one of the NFL Draft wasn’t without its surprises. Outside of Ty Simpson going to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13 overall, some of the biggest surprises of the night came with the players that were not picked and had to wait to hear their names called until Friday.
There’s a saying that says one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and that’s exactly what some fortunate teams stumbled upon on Friday night during Rounds 2 and 3 of the draft. As some of the top players in this class stumbled down the board. teams around the league had to be ecstatic with some of the value picks available.
Some of those steals came in the second round, and some came all the way down in the third. Some will even come on Day 3, whenever Jermod McCoy and Keionte Scott hear their names called.
For now, let’s get into the biggest steals of Day 2 of the draft, starting with one of the biggest wide receivers available this year.
Browns select WR Denzel Boston (No. 39 overall pick)
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Some analysts had Denzel Boston ranked as high as the No. 2 receiver in this class behind Carnell Tate, but the Washington product slid all the way out of the first round. The Browns were lucky to scoop him up at No. 39 to pair him with first-rounder KC Concepcion.
Boston is a perfect fit in Cleveland and fills exactly the role that the Browns need in their first season under Todd Monken. He is a smooth operator on the outside as a true X receiver, with a big frame and the ability to win down the field at the catch point. That will help him pair perfectly with Concepcion, who is more of a speed guy at receiver.
Boston should get a ton of targets in a Cleveland offense that doesn’t have a true No. 1 receiver coming into the season. Despite falling out of the first round, Boston absolutely has the talent to be that guy.
Jets select CB D’Angelo Ponds (No. 50 overall pick)
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If D’Angelo Ponds was 6-foot tall, he would have been a top-10 pick. Instead, he stands at just 5-foot-8 and change, which dropped him into the second round.
Ponds may be short, but he doesn’t play small. The national champion corner was one of the best players on an elite Indiana defense, and plays with an edge and a physicality that even the biggest corners can’t match. That allows him to hang in with some of the bigger receivers that he faced. Curt Cignetti didn’t hesitate to leave Ponds on an island with the likes of Jeremiah Smith, which speaks volumes about what Ponds brings to the table as a cornerback.
Ponds’ size may limit where he plays on the field. Whether the Jets try to keep him on the outside, like he played in college, or move him into the nickel remains to be seen, but it’s a good bet that he will be a key piece of the defense this season.
Colts select LB CJ Allen (No. 53 overall pick)
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Sonny Styles was a lock to come off the board first among all of the off-ball linebackers, but Georgia’s CJ Allen was supposed to be the second or, at worst, the third linebacker off the board. Instead, four linebackers including Styles came off the board before the Colts selected Allen at No. 53 in the second round.
Allen isn’t a physically overwhelming linebacker, but he is a very smart player and a leader who manned the middle of the elite Georgia defense over the last two seasons. He plays with good instincts, is good against both the run and the pass and is a strong tackler with good physicality. For a Colts team that desperately needed more stability on the defensive side of the ball, Allen is a very good pick.
Raiders select EDGE Keyron Crawford (No. 67 overall pick)
The Raiders got Maxx Crosby back after the trade involving the star pass rusher with the Baltimore Ravens fell through, but Las Vegas still needed some more help on the edge opposite the All-Pro. The Raiders signed Kwity Paye in free agency, but adding another body in the draft at the position was always a likely outcome.
Insert Auburn’s Keyron Crawford, who the Raiders scooped up at No. 67. Crawford wasn’t the highest-drafted Auburn edge rusher — that honor would go to Kelcric Faulk — but he is the better pass-rusher of the two and should make an instant impact on late downs for Klint Kubiak and company.
Crawford finished with the 15th-highest pressure rate in the FBS last season at 16.7%. He gets off the ball in a blink and can get around the corner at will, which should make him a perfect fit next to Crosby in Las Vegas next season.
Dolphins select WR Chris Bell (No. 94 overall pick)
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In mid-November, Louisville star Chris Bell looked like a potential first-round pick. However, his stock tanked when he tore his ACL on Nov. 22 at the end of the season, keeping him out for most of the pre-draft process. However, for a Dolphins team that desperately needs wide receivers and playmakers in general, Bell is a great flier to take at the end of the third round.
Bell can line up all over the formation and, if he is healthy, should be a security blanket for Malik Willis in his first season as the Miami starter. He excels in the short and intermediate areas of the field and is excellent at getting open, both against man and zone coverage. While Bell isn’t the most explosive receiver, and certainly won’t be after his injury, he is a solid receiver who was already NFL-ready and should immediately step into a big role in Miami.
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