2020 NFL Draft: Late-Round Picks Who Could Be Day 1 Starters

On Day 3 of the draft, NFL talent evaluators can flex their scouting muscles. With plenty of high-potential prospects left on board for Rounds 4-7, general managers can still find starting-caliber playmakers to fill roster needs.

Prospects with good upside fall for a variety of reasons, including inconsistent collegiate production, a recent injury, a poor showing at the NFL Scouting Combine or non-prototypical measurements at their positions.

Beyond those question marks and missteps, players find a way to succeed in the heat of competition. Late-rounders who contend for open roster spots have a chance to start Week 1 of the 2020 campaign if they're able to fast-track their learning curves and show off impressive traits.

We'll go through eight prospects who have pathways to starting roles. All of the offensive and defensive players are listed in selected order starting with the fourth round.    

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OT Saahdiq Charles, Washington Redskins (No. 108 Overall)

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

As Day 3 of the draft kicked off, the Washington Redskins traded left tackle Trent Williams to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-rounder.

Williams' departure leaves a vacancy on quarterback Dwayne Haskins' blind side. Unsurprisingly, Washington selected a left tackle to compete for the spot.

For the most part, Saahdiq Charles lined up at left tackle as a collegian. At 6'4", 321 pounds, he can move in space but lacks power in his jab and needs to establish a strong base against power bull-rushers.

On a positive note, Charles showed fluid lower-body movement, which will enable him to mirror bendy edge-rushers. Perhaps time at a pro facility boosts his play strength.

In March, Washington signed tackle Cornelius Lucas, who made eight starts on the right side last season for the Chicago Bears. He's opened 16 contests with the first unit through six terms. Unless Geron Christian, a 2018 third-rounder, flashes during training camp, Charles has a good chance to begin the 2020 campaign at left tackle.

CB Troy Pride Jr., Carolina Panthers (No. 113 Overall)

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The Carolina Panthers allowed cornerbacks James Bradberry and Javien Elliott to walk during free agency, opening up positions on the boundary and in the slot, respectively.

Although Elliott remains available, the Panthers seem ready to move on. The front office double-dipped at cornerback in the fourth and seventh rounds. Based on where team brass selected Troy Pride Jr., he seems to have a better shot at a starting role than Stantley Thomas-Oliver, the No. 221 overall pick.

Pride needs to improve his coverage on contested targets. He only recorded four interceptions through four collegiate terms. At 5'11", 193 pounds, the quick-footed cover man may struggle against bigger wide receivers.

Pride had a solid showing during Senior Bowl week, staying with a receiver at practice. He ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the combine—speed and agility will allow him to maintain pace with a pass-catcher downfield on deep balls.

Under head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow, the Panthers will probably open competition across the roster. Pride's ability to play zone coverage could lead to a future in the slot.

Corn Elder projects as Pride's biggest challenger to play outside or on the inside. The former has limited experience in both roles.

Nevertheless, Pride just needs an impressive offseason to move up the depth chart. The rookie's flexibility could be the key to a fair number of defensive snaps.

EDGE D.J. Wonnum, Minnesota Vikings (No. 117 Overall)

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The Minnesota Vikings could re-sign Everson Griffen, who's still available on the open market. In the meantime, team brass added potential replacements at defensive end.

The Vikings selected D.J. Wonnum in the fourth round and Kenny Willekes in the seventh round. Based on the selection order, the front office seems to hold the former to a higher regard, so his road to a starting spot seems more direct than the latter's pathway.

Wonnum's pass-rushing numbers on the collegiate level don't look impressive. He recorded 14 sacks through four terms. During his junior campaign, the edge-rusher suffered an ankle injury that cost him multiple games.

Physically, Wonnum fits the bill for an NFL pass-rusher. He's 6'5", 258 pounds with 34⅛-inch arms. If the coaching staff can develop his pass-rushing move set, the South Carolina product could earn a starting spot opposite Danielle Hunter.

On film, Wonnum showed some bend and great field awareness. He logged five pass breakups during his sophomore year and came away with an interception on a screen last season.

The Vikings could look to expand Ifeadi Odenigbo's role after he logged seven sacks during the last term. The three-year veteran only played 34 percent of defensive snaps in 2019.

As we all know, sacks aren't the end-all-be-all statistic for defensive ends. A complete edge-rusher is also equipped to contain and stop the run. If Wonnum shows the ability to play all three downs, he could take over the starting role with Odenigbo as a designated pass-rusher.

WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, Washington Redskins (No. 142 Overall)

Tyler Kaufman/Associated Press

Antonio Gandy-Golden checks two boxes: production and physical traits for the position. He registered 150 catches for 2,433 yards and 20 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Liberty. Standing at 6'4", 223 pounds, the big-bodied wideout can snatch contested targets in traffic.

Gandy-Golden ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash, though he looks a lot faster in game speed. Even quick-twitch cornerbacks may have issues keeping pace with him downfield. The fourth-rounder has the potential to become a viable red-zone threat and over-the-top playmaker.

In Washington, Gandy-Golden has a prime opportunity to start in Week 1 of the upcoming season. Terry McLaurin is the only established contributor at the position. The Redskins didn't add a notable veteran during free agency and released Paul Richardson.

Kelvin Harmon, a 2019 sixth-rounder, projects as the top competitor for the first-string spot opposite McLaurin. Steven Sims did most of his work out of the slot last season, logging 34 catches for 310 yards and four touchdowns.

In 2019, Harmon registered 30 receptions for 365 yards. At 6'2", 215 pounds, he also brings size on the perimeter. Gandy-Golden must clean up drops and make cleaner breaks in his routes to earn the starting job, though the coaching staff may find it difficult to ignore the rookie's physical traits.

IOL Tyler Biadasz, Dallas Cowboys (No. 146 Overall)

Mark Lomoglio/Associated Press

The Dallas Cowboys lost a five-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro center when Travis Frederick retired in March. The team has a few in-house options who could take over at the pivot.

In 2018, Joe Looney started 16 games at center when Frederick missed the season because of Guillain-Barre syndrome. He reverted to a reserve role last season. The coaching staff can also turn to Connor McGovern, who started a full season at the pivot during his sophomore campaign at Penn State.

Yet the Cowboys moved up for Tyler Biadasz in the fourth round. In order to land him, Dallas sent the No. 164 overall pick and a 2021 fifth-rounder to its NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.

Biadasz should have a chance to compete for the starting job. Looney is going into a contract year. McGovern strained a pectoral muscle and went on injured reserve for his entire rookie campaign in 2016.

Biadasz had a role in Wisconsin's dominant ground attack. He's a three-year starter who helped clear lanes for running back Jonathan Taylor, who recorded 6,174 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns in three seasons.

After the 2019 collegiate campaign, Biadasz underwent a shoulder procedure, which likely hurt his draft stock. If he's healthy for training camp, the former Badger could be a dark-horse candidate to earn the spot at center.

CB Bryce Hall, New York Jets (No. 158 Overall)

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The New York Jets have released cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts this offseason. Along with an offensive tackle and wide receiver, Gang Green needed a boundary cornerback.

The Jets selected Bryce Hall, who may have been an early-round pick if not for an ankle injury that required surgery last year. The 6'1", 202-pound cornerback gave reporters a positive update on his ailment.

"My ankle is healed," Hall said. "It's about getting back the same range of motion. I'm getting better and stronger every week."

The Jets may have snagged a Day 1 talent on Day 3. Before Hall's injury, he tracked the ball and showed significant improvement between his sophomore and junior terms. In 2018, the Virginia product registered 62 tackles, 3.5 for loss, two sacks, 21 pass breakups and two interceptions.

Despite Hall's recent collegiate production, he's not a slam dunk to start at cornerback.

The Jets have developed a habit of poaching cornerbacks from the Indianapolis Colts. The front office acquired Quincy Wilson from the AFC South club in exchange for a sixth-round pick. He'll join his former teammates Nate Hairston and Pierre Desir. Arthur Maulet and Blessuan Austin could compete for a perimeter spot in the secondary as well.

Nevertheless, if Hall is healthy, he possesses the talent to win the job outright.

EDGE Curtis Weaver, Miami Dolphins (No. 164 Overall)

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The Miami Dolphins may have picked up a steal in the fifth round. The club needed help on the edge, finishing last in sacks (23) and quarterback pressures (95) in 2019. Curtis Weaver could fill that void and put together a strong rookie campaign.

As a collegian, Weaver recorded 34 sacks through three terms. Despite his production, he doesn't have elite physical traits that jump off the game tape. At 6'2", 265 pounds, the Boise State product didn't show great strength or speed around the corner of the pocket.

In pursuit of quarterbacks, Weaver is smooth rather than quick. He uses leverage instead of power at the point of attack. While skeptics may have questions about how his production will translate to the pros, the edge-rusher has a proven track record over the last three years.

Weaver will face competitors with first-round draft pedigrees for a starting spot. Shaq Lawson (2016) should have a prominent role; he signed a three-year, $30 million deal during the offseason. Charles Harris (2017) and Taco Charlton (2017) could push for a decent workload on one side of the line.

Nevertheless, Weaver's pass-rushing ability could help him carve out a starting position within a varied front. Using his hands to shed blockers, he has the technique to threaten and collapse the pocket.

EDGE Bradlee Anae, Dallas Cowboys (No. 179 Overall)

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NFL teams may regret passing on Bradlee Anae multiple times. The Dallas Cowboys may wonder why they took so long to pick him up.

Anae told reporters he thinks a subpar 40-yard dash time factored into his draft-day drop:

"No matter how much people tell you that the 40 has nothing to do with where you're drafted, I think that's what [dipped] me a lot. I didn't run the time I wanted to run. Even though I had a pro day out in [Las] Vegas and fixed that time — I ran a 4.79 and a 4.81 verified — I wasn't able to get that 4.7, 4.8. I think that contributed a lot to this wait."

Through four collegiate terms, Anae recorded 131 tackles, 40 for loss and 29.5 sacks. He improved his sack number each year. On paper, the Utah product has numbers comparable to a Day 2 prospect.

Anae will have an opportunity to replace Robert Quinn at defensive end. For now, Dorance Armstrong and Tyrone Crawford list ahead of the rookie on the depth chart. If the league reinstates Randy Gregory and Aldon Smith, they could steal snaps. The latter hasn't played since 2015, though, and will need to work his way into game shape.

Coming off two hip surgeries, Crawford's age (30) may work against him. Armstrong has started one out of 30 contests in his career. If Anae opens his pass-rushing toolbox during the offseason, he has a decent chance to become a Week 1 starter.