The 2023 NFL Draft was quite a spectacle. Over 300,000 people attended the event live in Kansas City, and over 50 million people watched the draft on television. "Eat your heart out, NBA playoffs."
For much of this IDP Roundtable Series here at Footballguys, we have focused on individual positions. We have talked up defensive linemen who could have big years, pontificated on the best of this year’s crop of linebackers, and ruminated on which defensive backs could be set to break out.
Now, as the post-draft IDP Roundtable Series comes to a close, it’s flag-planting time for the IDP staffers here at Footballguys. For some, it’s talking up a Day 3 rookie who could become a surprise star. For others, it’s shouting warnings about early-round picks who could disappoint. And for some, it’s both.
See the discussion on rookie defensive linemen here >>>
See the discussion on rookie linebackers here >>>
See the discussion on rookie defensive backs here >>>
We would be remiss not to close this IDP Roundtable series with a little flag-planting. Highlighting one Day 3 pick you believe will go on to outperform his draft slot and a player from the draft’s first two days you fear will fail to meet expectations.
Kyle Bellefeuil: Denver sixth-round safety JL Skinner is a Day 3 pick who could go on to outperform his draft slot for us IDP gamers. At 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds, Skinner has intriguing size and length to go along with the physical edge he plays with as a tackler. Skinner also has some nice ball production with six interceptions over his past two seasons. Skinner might have slipped to Day 3 of the draft due to the untimely pectoral injury he suffered right before the combine. However, Skinner could push for snaps at the spot next to Justin Simmons at some point, making him a nice deeper league late-round flier or free-agent pickup type.
Keion White is a Day 2 player I fear will fail to meet expectations for us IDP managers. I like White the player, but not so much the landing spot in New England. It could take longer than we’d like for White to be a reliable IDP asset with the Patriots.
Tripp Brebner: As I predicted (Hey, a coin toss is right half the time!), safety Antonio Johnson faded back into the pack. He landed, however, in a plum spot behind Rayshawn Jenkins in Jacksonville. Albeit a productive IDP, Jenkins is a lackluster, overpaid player. The rookie from Texas A&M could play his way into a starting role for 2024.