So far, 100 former college football players have realized their dreams of being drafted by an NFL team. While those players have begun the next step in the process, may other prospects continue to wait for their names to be called.
There are surely more than a handful of prospects who feel that their names should have been called already, and for good reason. Unfortunately for them, there are only so many spots in the first three rounds, which leads to plenty of quality players still being available during the third and final day of the draft.
NFL teams are surely salivating when they look at the list of players who are still available. That list includes quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Michael Pratt, Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen, wideouts Javon Brisker and Ainias Smith, defensive backs Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and Dwight McGlothern, pass rusher Gabriel Murphy, among many others.
As good as those players are, they didn’t crack the following list of names that could be considered Day 2 snubs. Don’t expect each of these players to go too long before they hear their names called on Saturday.
Somehow, Abrams-Draine is still available despite being the 32nd-ranked player and sixth-ranked cornerback on CBS Sports’ prospect rankings. The 5-11, 179-pound defensive back played a huge role in Missouri’s defensive success last year, picking off four passes and breaking up 13 more. His size is probably one of the main reasons why he’s still available.
The four wideouts ranked directly behind Franklin in CBS Sports’ prospect rankings have already been drafted. That probably doesn’t sit well with Franklin, who balled out last year with 1,383 yards and 14 touchdown catches. Like Abrams-Draine, Franklin’s size (he’s 6-2 but weighs around 180 pounds) is probably why he’s still on the board.
Hicks blossomed into a versatile, three-level defender during his final college season at Washington State. There appear to be concerns, however, with his vertical foot speed. His ability to play several positions, though, should be enough to convince a team to take him early on Day 3 to fill a specific role in their defense.
A lot of teams still need cornerbacks (including the Steelers, who are on the clock midway through the fourth round), so Tampa shouldn’t have to wait too long until he hears his name called on Saturday. Tampa is an instinctually sound football player who could thrive in a zone-heavy scheme.
Jones has the misfortune of being in a draft that’s loaded with talent at his position. Fortunately for him, there are still plenty of teams who are looking for offensive tackle help entering Day 3. Jones made 48 starts in 61 games at Texas. He made 13 starts at right tackle last year while helping Texas capture a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff berth.
The top-ranked wideout still on the board, Baker, will undoubtedly hear his name called early on Day 3. In fact, the Chargers, who could still use some help at receiver, could pick him up with the 105th pick.
Baker, who started his college career at Alabama before finishing it at UFC, averaged an eye-raising 21.9 yards per catch in 2023. He has a ton of potential, but will have to prove that he can consistently beat press coverage while creating enough separation from his defender at the next level.