The 2023 NFL draft is over, and the names everyone will focus on throughout the spring and summer are those of players selected in Rounds 1 through 3. Yet the value of most drafts comes in the later rounds, when many fans have already turned off their televisions and headed out to enjoy the weekend.
We’re focused on Day 3 choices who could go from relative anonymity to key pieces for their respective teams. Last year, Seahawks corner Tariq Woolen, Texans running back Dameon Pierce, Packers receiver Romeo Doubs, Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier, and Chiefs corners Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson all became key contributors, especially Williams and Watson in the playoffs and Super Bowl.
So who are a few names from Saturday’s portion of this past draft to watch closely? Here are five who could surprise based on their talent and situation.
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5. Antonio Johnson, S, Jaguars
Pick: No. 160
This list is about talent meeting opportunity, and Johnson is the perfect example. Many around the league believed Johnson could be a late–Day 2 pick, but he fell to the fifth round, where Jacksonville selected the Texas A&M product.
With the Aggies, Johnson notched 13.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception over his past two years, along with 88 solo tackles. He was one of the nation’s best safeties in 2022, being named first-team All-SEC. Now he joins a Jaguars secondary that has ample room for a rookie to make an instant impact.
At safety, Jacksonville doesn’t have strong answers. Andre Cisco and Rayshawn Jenkins were the starters last year and project to be once more in 2023. Johnson could push both for playing time, as he has the skill set to play a hybrid role between strong and free safety. Jenkins is also essentially in a contract year with his 2024 cap hit $12.28 million. If Johnson shows he can play starter-level snaps, that will help the Jaguars financially as well.
4. Carter Warren, OT, Jets
Pick: No. 120
Few players are going to be more scrutinized this year than the tackles for the Jets. After acquiring quarterback Aaron Rodgers, New York must figure out a strategy to protect him. In the draft, general manager Joe Douglas invested a second-round pick in Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann but waited until the fourth round to select a tackle.
The Jets have nothing but questions on the line’s edges. Mekhi Becton’s fifth-year option was correctly declined, Duane Brown is soon to be 37 years old, and Max Mitchell was a fourth-round pick last year who started five NFL games. Enter Warren, who should compete in training camp for a starting job.
Warren is a mountain at 6'5" and 311 pounds, and he served as a team captain for Pittsburgh. At 24 years old, he’s one of the league’s oldest rookies who shouldn’t need as much polish, considering he made 39 starts as a left tackle in college. He also earned All-ACC honors in 2021, giving New York a real option if Brown’s age catches up, Mitchell struggles in camp or Becton sustains another ailment in what has been an injury-riddled career.
3. Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Ravens
Pick: No. 157
The Ravens consistently draft well, and they appear to have another solid class in tow. Baltimore went with receiver Zay Flowers in the first round but then added to its defense, including Kelly, a fifth-round corner out of Stanford.
After allowing Marcus Peters to leave in free agency (although it should be noted he remains unsigned), the Ravens could have big plans for Kelly in a secondary featuring star corner Marlon Humphrey, and safeties Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams.
At Stanford, Kelly earned two second-team All-Pac 12 honors and after last season was a standout at the Senior Bowl. He also has a ton of experience as a four-year starter with the Cardinal, giving him an opportunity to potentially shorten his learning curve at the next level.
While Kelly could end up playing more special teams than defensive snaps, the depth chart is open, and his experience allows for the Ravens to consider him as a starting option, primarily battling with Rock Ya-Sin and Jalyn Armour-Davis for the job.
2. Chase Brown, RB, Bengals
Pick: No. 163
Staying in the AFC North, the Bengals might have an instant-impact rookie of their own from the late rounds. After losing Samaje Perine in free agency to the Broncos, Cincinnati has veteran Joe Mixon on the final year of his deal and little else. Enter Brown, who was one of the country’s best running backs in 2022.
As a redshirt senior at Illinois, Brown ran for 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns on 5.0 yards per carry. The year before, Brown averaged a robust 5.9 YPC while notching 1,005 yards and another five scores. He also has decent hands, totaling 41 receptions over that span.
While Mixon projects to be the leading back barring injury, it’s likely Brown will take over in 2024 and should see significant playing time as a rookie to lighten Mixon’s load. And in an offense as diverse as the Bengals’ attack, Brown could be a nice weapon.
Last year, Perine played 448 snaps, a figure somewhat inflated by Mixon missing three games. Don’t be surprised if Brown is between 300 and 400 snaps right away.
1. Kelee Ringo, CB, Eagles
Jordan Prather/USA TODAY Sports
Pick: No. 105
Howie Roseman loves Georgia defenders. The Eagles’ general manager took his fifth such player in the past two drafts when in the fourth round, he selected Ringo to bolster his secondary.
Ringo was expected to be a Day 2 pick but slipped to the top of Day 3, when Roseman pounced. Although Philadelphia already has Pro Bowler Darius Slay and a second-team All-Pro in James Bradberry, Ringo could force his way into the rotation, getting valuable snaps before eventually taking over as a starter in 2024 and beyond.
With Georgia, Ringo was a key member of the consecutive national titles won by the Bulldogs. In the past two seasons, the 20-year-old totaled 76 tackles, 15 passes defensed and four interceptions as a star on one of the nation’s best units.
With the Eagles, he’ll join defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, linebacker Nakobe Dean and edge rusher Nolan Smith as Georgia alums.
