Tag: third round

Green Bay Packers 2024 third-round pick: LB Ty’Ron Hopper

The Packers selected Missouri linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers selected linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper in the third round (No. 91 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.

Height: 6-1
Weight: 228
Age: 23
From: Shelby, NC

College profile

Breakdown: Experienced SEC linebacker who produced 31.5 tackles for losses over 26 starts with Florida and Missouri. All-SEC and Butkus Award finalist in 2023. The Packers clocked him in the high 4.5s in the 40, highlighting his straight-line speed. Productive blitzer who created 65 career pressures, including 32 during breakout 2022 season. Extensive special teams experience. The Packers think he can be a run-and-hit linebacker with big-time tackling prowess and excellent overall length. Missed three games to finish 2023 season with a shoulder injury. Possible future starter in 4-3 base.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 44, Missouri LB Ty’Ron Hopper

Dane Brugler’s scouting report: “A two-year starter at Missouri, Hopper played Will linebacker in defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s 4-2-5 base scheme. After struggling to find a regular role at Florida, he transferred and averaged 5.8 tackles per game in two seasons with Missouri, earning All-SEC honors as a senior. With his initial quickness and rangy speed, Hopper aggressively responds to ball carriers and pass catchers and closes in a hurry. However, he lacks the play strength desired for an every-down role and needs to improve his block awareness. Overall, Hopper needs to be more consistent at the point of attack and as a finisher, but he is a fast-flowing athlete with the pursuit skills and blitzing talent to find a home in the NFL. He projects as a run-and-chase rotational linebacker with the skill set for special teams.”

Lance Zierlein’s scouting report: “An off-ball linebacker with length, speed and agility, Hopper is lacking in field vision and instincts. He can be a step late to diagnose play design and has moments where he looks lost in coverage. Hopper has sideline-to-sideline range and plenty of physicality to hit what needs to be hit. There are holes in his game that can be exploited, but he has traits and should get a chance as an NFL backup with special teams value.”

They said it: “He’s really physical, he can run, but his stopping power, when he takes on blockers, is pretty impressive. Very serious-minded guy, I think he really helped change that defense. The Missouri defense this year was excellent. They had a number of good players, but I think they’re very well-coached there, another one of those programs where we felt really good about taking somebody out of that program, because of how they do things there. But his stopping power as a tackler was really impressive.” — Brian Gutekunst

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Highlights

Green Bay Packers 2024 third-round pick: RB MarShawn Lloyd

The Packers selected USC running back MarShawn Lloyd in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers selected running back MarShawn Lloyd in the third round (No. 88 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.

Height: 5-9
Weight: 220
Age: 23
From: Wilmington, DE

College profile

Breakdown: Compact, well-built back with the burst, speed and balance through contact to create explosive plays. Big-play hunter on every run, creating boom or bust potential. Broke 47 tackles and averaged 7.1 yards per carry on only 116 carries last season. Caught 34 passes during collegiate career and showed ability to win 1-on-1 at the Senior Bowl. 23-year-old prospect but had only 291 carries. Led South Carolina in rushing in 2022 and USC in rushing in 2023. Scored 20 touchdowns on only 258 touches over final two seasons. Fumbled eight times (three in 2023), but Packers don’t think it’s an unfixable problem. Small hands. Likely to compete with A.J. Dillon for touches and snaps as the No. 2 running back behind Josh Jacobs right away.

Dane Brugler’s scouting report: “A one-year starter at USC, Lloyd was the top back on the depth chart in head coach Lincoln Riley’s RPO, spread (multiple-run) scheme. After three years at South Carolina, he transferred to the Trojans and had a productive 2023 season (led the team in rushing in 11 of 12 regular-season games), finishing as one of only five FBS running backs to average more than 7.0 yards per carry. With his vision and dynamic cutting skills, Lloyd is a shifty runner with the short-area explosion and lateral agility to leave defenders diving at air (20.87 percent of his carries resulted in a 10-plus-yard gain). He frequently springs free because of the creativity he shows with the ball in his hands, although he relies too much on his east-west options and needs to be more consistent finishing runs. Overall, Lloyd doesn’t have the profile of a high-volume back, but he can spark an NFL offense with his mix of patience, burst and promise as a pass catcher. His tape gives me flashbacks of a thicker version of Duke Johnson when he was coming out of Miami.”

Lance Zierlein’s scouting report: “Lloyd’s flashes on tape could lead a team to envision a more expansive role for him in its offense, but based on his play, he feels more like a good complementary option with big-play potential. Frankly, some of his South Carolina tape from 2022 felt more exciting than his 2023 USC film, despite the higher yardage-per-carry mark in 2023. While he ran with improved patience and set up blockers more diligently in ’23, he ran with a greater sense of urgency the year prior and proved he could create explosive plays without as much help from his offensive line. Lloyd runs with slightly below-average vision but has the juice to play the role of “chunk-play slasher” and dangerous open-field pass catcher. Lloyd is a low-mileage prospect, and the scope of his role will obviously depend on scheme fit.”

They said it: “He’s a 220-pound man. He’s packed in a tighter frame but like his ability to make people miss, he’s got a little juice to him and, again, he’s 220 pounds, he breaks tackles. We think his best football’s ahead of him…He’s got serious speed. He’s very elusive, he’s got great balance, so he’s a little bit different than some of the backs that we have in our depth chart right now.” — general manager Brian Gutekunst

New uniform

RAS card

Highlights

Packers select USC RB MarShawn Lloyd at No. 88 overall in 2024 NFL draft

The Packers selected USC running back MarShawn Lloyd at No. 88 overall in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers selected USC running back MarShawn Lloyd at No. 88 overall in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Lloyd, a transfer from South Carolina, rushed for 1,621 yards and 19 touchdowns over 32 games and 14 starts. Last season, he led USC with 820 rushing yards and nine scores. He also caught 34 passes for 452 yards and two more touchdowns.

Lloyd is 23 years old. He participated at the Senior Bowl.

Lloyd was Daniel Jeremiah’s No. 1 rated running back in the draft class.

The Packers swapped out Aaron Jones for Josh Jacobs in free agency. Lloyd will compete with A.J. Dillon to backup Jacobs in 2024 and have a chance to be the true No. 2 in 2025 and beyond.

Broncos select pass rusher Jonah Elliss in 3rd round of NFL draft

Edge rusher Jonah Elliss joins a promising group of Broncos pass rushers.

The Denver Broncos used the 76th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft to select edge rusher Jonah Elliss from the University of Utah on Friday night.

Elliss (6-3, 232 pounds) was a three-year player for the Utes, where he played 30 games. Elliss finished his collegiate career with 16.0 sacks, 23 tackles for losses and three forced fumbles.

In 2023, Elliss was a consensus All-American, when he had his best season. In the Pac-12’s final year, Elliss contributed with 12 sacks, 16 tackles for losses, 37 total tackles (23 solo, 14 assisted), three defensed passes and one forced fumble.

Elliss was rated the 58th-best prospect on Draft Wire’s big board of top 200 players ranked by Jeff Risdon.

Football runs in Elliss’ family. His brother Kaden played at Idaho and is now a member of the Atlanta Falcons. His other brothers Christian and Noah signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, with Christian also appearing in games with the New England Patriots.

Elliss’ father, Luther, played for the Detroit Lions from 1995-2003 and in Denver in 2004. Luther later returned to the Broncos as team chaplain for two years, including the team’s Super Bowl-winning season in 2015.

The pick was announced by Broncos legend and former tight end Tony Scheffler. Next pick: Round 4, 121st overall.

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Watch: Third-round pick Tucker Kraft gets the call from Packers

Watch South Dakota State TE Tucker Kraft get the call from the Packers in the third round of 2023.

The Green Bay Packers used the 78th overall pick in the 2023 draft to select South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft.

His wait to be drafted ended when the Packers gave him a call in the third round on Friday night, creating an emotional moment at his draft party in Timber Lake, South Dakota.

“I am just ready to rep that green and yellow,” Kraft said on the phone while talking to someone in Green Bay.

Here’s when Kraft got the call, via the South Dakota State football account on Twitter:

Here’s another video from the party:

Both videos end with a massive celebration at the party when Kraft’s name is announced on the live broadcast.

Kraft caught 99 passes at South Dakota State. He was a two-time All-American and a one-time national champion. In Green Bay, Kraft will team with second-round pick Luke Musgrave and give the Packers a dynamic pair of tight ends.

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2023 NFL draft: Watch highlights of new Chargers LB Daiyan Henley

A former receiver, Daiyan Henley might be the most intriguing prospect that the Chargers have selected in the 2023 draft.

The Chargers continued to invest in their defense after the selection of edge defender Tuli Tuipulotu in Round 2, adding Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley with the No. 85 overall pick on Friday night.

Henley is a smart and athletic linebacker with the ability to cover and blitz, who should prove to be a key asset in the middle of Los Angeles’ defense.

Check out his top college highlights below to get a better sense of his fit with the Chargers:

 

Instant analysis of Packers taking TE Tucker Kraft in third round of 2023 draft

Breaking down the Packers’ selection of South Dakota State TE Tucker Kraft in the third round of the 2023 draft.

The Green Bay Packers used the 78th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft to select South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft, who will join with Luke Musgrave to give Jordan Love two new dynamic weapons.

Here’s our instant analysis of the Packers taking Kraft in the third round:

Twitter reacts to the Bears’ selection of DT Zacch Pickens

The Bears doubled up on defensive line with the selection of Zacch Pickens and fans appear to be happy with the move.

Defense has been the story for Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft for the Chicago Bears. They completed their trio of defensive picks to open the third round, selecting South Carolina defensive tackle Zacch Pickens with the No. 64 pick.

Pickens is the second defensive tackle the Bears took in the draft, joining Gervon Dexter Sr. out of Florida. Unlike Dexter, though, Pickens has a solid first step coming off the line and could be the team’s solution at 3 technique. He totaled 42 tackles last season (four for a loss) and 2.5 sacks with the Gamecocks. Their other selection of the night was cornerback Tyrique Stevenson out of Miami.

This is the second time the Bears doubled up on defensive tackles in a decade, last doing so in 2014 when they selected Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton in the second and third round, respectively. Here is how Bears fans are reacting to the pick.

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2023 Draft: Best players remaining for Day 2

From @ToddBrock24f7: There’s a ton of talent to be had, thanks to a chaotic first round that left many marquee names waiting for a call. Here’s who’s out there.

Chaos reigned on Day 1, and the forecast for Day 2 calls for a good chance of more of the same.

Thursday’s opening round in Kansas City left a ton of big names on the board, so expect teams to jockey for position as they angle to dip into the cream of the remaining crop.

The Cowboys are set to add two more names to their rookie class on Friday with Picks 58 and 90. Here’s a cheat sheet on who’s still waiting for a phone call, with Draft Wire’s best players still available, plus a few extra notable names just to account for another night of wackiness.

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Instant analysis of the Packers drafting OL Sean Rhyan at No. 92 overall

Breaking down the Packers’ selection of UCLA OL Sean Rhyan at No. 92 overall in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers needed help on their offensive line and they got with their final pick of Day 2. With the 92nd overall pick, the Packers selected UCLA offensive lineman Sean Rhyan. As a three-year starter for the Bruins, Rhyan offers an option at both tackle and guard for Green Bay.   

In 2019, he became the first UCLA true freshman to start a season-opener at tackle since 2012. Rhyan became a mainstay at the left tackle spot, garnering multiple accolades for his outstanding play over three seasons.  

During his career, Rhyan was a key contributor for one of the top rushing offenses in the country. He also held his own in pass protection. As a freshman, Rhyan allowed only one sack and 37 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. In 2021, he allowed one sack and 13 total pressures in 12 games. Last year, Rhyan was named to the first-team All-Pac-12 team by the league’s coaches and the second team by the Associated Press and PFF.  

Rhyan has good size at 6-5 and 321 pounds and is surprisingly nimble. This was showcased through his short-area quickness and ability to climb to the second level as a run blocker. He has a proportional build, solid wingspan, and huge hands. It is believed that he can make a seamless transition to guard while offering flexibility as a tackle in a pinch.   

Rhyan’s versatility is exactly what the Packers look for in their linemen. And the good news is, he won’t have to play right away, even though that is an option. Green Bay’s starting line is up in the air after releasing right tackle Billy Turner during the offseason. They also won’t have Elgton Jenkins at the start of the regular season as he recovers from an ACL injury. Yosh Nijman is the expected front runner for right tackle duties, but the Packers could give Rhyan a look there as well.   

Ideally, Rhyan will sit at the beginning of his career to figure out his best position. He does have a lot of desirable traits, but his unpolished technique in pass protection may be ill-advised to leave out on the edge. Experts believe he has the hand usage, bend, and build to transition to guard. Green Bay already has a solid foundation of guards in Jenkins, Jon Runyan Jr, and Royce Newman. However, Jenkins could make the move to tackle once he is healthy. Rhyan will provide another solid option at multiple positions.  

It could be the perfect situation for Rhyan to enter. There is no pressure to play right away, and he is a part of an organization known for developing offensive linemen.   

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