The 2017 NFL Draft winds down with Rounds 4-7 on Day 3, but which player should each team be targeting on Saturday?
Day 3 of the 2017 NFL Draft has arrived. Starting with the fourth round and going all the way through Round 7 and the 253rd pick, it’s going to be a long day.
Though the perception is that the NFL Draft is over after the first three rounds, there are still players left on the board that could have a Day 1 impact. Moreover, there are players that could have a long-term impact. After all, some guy named Dak Prescott was taken on Day 3 a year ago.
So who should each team target on Day 3, just one player of the many left? Let’s take a look.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: Connor Harris, LB – Lindenwood
With the loss of Zach Brown in free agency, the Bills need to make a run at trying to deepen their linebacker corps. Harris certainly isn’t a player on the mainstream radar, which tends to happen when you play at Lindenwood. However, he’s a undersized leader and a tackle-grabbing machine. Though it might be a shocking pick when it happens, he’ll be a project with tremendous upside and the work ethic to succeed. With no picks until the fifth round, he should be on Buffalo’s radar.
Miami Dolphins: Isaac Asiata, OG – Utah
The selection of Charles Harris still looks a bit curious in the first round, even if they got Raekwon McMillan in the second round. Not taking Reuben Foster in Round 1 effectively pushed other needs back to later rounds. Now they don’t pick until the fifth round and need a guard they can hopefully plug in immediately as Laremy Tunsil moves to tackle. Asiata has the size to be effective in the role, even if he needs a bit of work with his footwork.
New England Patriots: Howard Wilson, CB – Houston
Go figure, but the immediate needs of the Patriots aren’t exactly dire. Hence why they used their second third-round pick to take an offensive lineman that won’t see the field until 2018 barring injury. This pick has the same thing in mind. Though Malcolm Butler is back for the 2017 season, chances are that the stingy Pats aren’t going to pay him the money he wants. Thus, they need a project like Howard Wilson with nice physical tools, but a need to develop while he waits his turn.
New York Jets: Nathan Peterman, QB – Pittsburgh
Frankly, you could say just about any position on the field and it’d be a need for the Jets. However, there’s no way that they can feel confident in what they have at quarterback with Christian Hackenberg, Bryce Petty and Josh McCown. Peterman is an underrated prospect in this class and could compete just as well as any of the trio already in place. They’ll have to hope he gets to them in Round 4, but they should have his name highlighted.