Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Tier overview: This tier is all about upside and players who could potentially grow into bigger roles in their respective offenses.
Tyquan Thornton | New England Patriots | WR14
Bill Belichick is much smarter than me, but we can’t ignore the Patriots’ lack of success drafting wideouts. Thornton is a true burner, posting a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash, and he received surprising Round 2 draft capital. It was a reach, and Thornton is a non-early declare. But he has a decent production profile and elite speed. Still, we shouldn’t expect immediate production.
Khalil Shakir | Buffalo Bills | WR15
I really like Shakir as a late-round pick in rookie drafts. He may need some time to carve out a role, but he has a solid frame with strong age-adjusted production. He could compete for the WR3 role in Buffalo, but he’s more likely a long-term play.
Tyler Badie | Baltimore Ravens | RB10
The landing spot is interesting, but his late Day 3 draft capital sinks most of the hope we have for Badie. He has an elite production profile but is likely the RB3 in Baltimore to begin his career. We know that can lead to opportunities pretty quickly given the injury history of the room so I’m still intrigued with Badie late in rookie drafts.
Pierre Strong | New England Patriots | RB11
Coming from a small school, Strong was interesting because of his production profile. But landing in New England isn’t the best spot, especially considering his skill set is very similar to that of Damien Harris.
Kevin Harris | New England Patriots | RB12
New England double-dipped with Day 3 running backs. Harris had a fantastic breakout season as a junior with South Carolina, but a back injury cleared limited his senior season. He’s a tank of a back, but the upside is limited in New England.
Zamir White | Las Vegas Raiders | RB13
The opportunity might be there with White in Year 2 if Josh Jacobs hits free agency. But he’s an older prospect with a poor production profile and seriously concerning knee injuries. He does possess good size and speed, but his profile brings a lot of risk.
Alec Pierce | Indianapolis Colts | WR16
The fit with the Colts is perfect. Pierce has a chance to be the WR2 in the offense right away while his skill set as a vertical threat is intriguing. But Pierce was a non-early declare with a middling production profile. There is some upside, but we’re probably looking more at a boom/bust player.
Isiah Pacheco | Kansas City Chiefs | RB14
The backfield is crowded with Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Ronald Jones, but Pacheco has tantalizing size and speed. He has a very poor production profile but at the end of the rookie draft, he’s a player I’m targeting heavily for the upside.
