2011 NFL Draft Results: The 5 Most Underrated Players from Day 3
The 2011 NFL draft is nearly over, folks. As I'm writing this, teams are currently making their way through the sixth round, which means we are not far from Mr. Irrelevant.
Personally, I've never been a big fan of Day 3 of the NFL draft. Half of the names that get called are total unknowns, and they make me miss the big names of the first round.
Nevertheless, they say that teams are made and unmade on the third day of the draft. Everyone is on the lookout for the next Terrell Davis or Tom Brady, and chances are there are going to be quite a few diamonds found in the final rounds.
One way or another, it will be a while before we know for sure which late-round players were true steals. But that doesn't mean I can't take a guess.
Here are five players who have gone on Day 3 that I think are totally underrated. With a bit of luck, I will affectionately be known as "Rymerdamus" a few years from now.
5. Karl Klug, DE, Tennessee Titans
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If somebody were to introduce me to a dude named Karl Klug, I would assume he was some kind of tow truck driver. It's a great name, but it's just not every day you hear of a professional athlete with a name like Karl Klug.
Well, there's a first time for everything. A defensive lineman out of Iowa, Klug was selected with the No. 142 pick in the fifth round by the Tennessee Titans. He played defensive tackle with the Hawkeyes, but the Titans will probably use him at defensive end.
The scouting reports on Klug indicate that there is nothing in his game to get excited about. He's a big dude at 6'3" and 275 pounds, but he doesn't really have elite athleticism. He's not explosive, and scouts aren't even sure he has good instincts.
What Klug does have, however, is a motor. He is absolutely ferocious, and he never gives up on a play. As a result, good things happen for him, as he had 13 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2010.
The Titans addressed their DT need in the third round when they took Jurrell Casey out of USC. He should be good, but I'm personally going to root for Klug.
I mean, come on, how can you not root for a dude named Karl Klug?
4. Johnny White, RB, Buffalo Bills
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The Buffalo Bills used the No. 9 overall pick on C.J. Spiller last year, and he didn't end up doing much in his rookie season. The speedy running back out of Clemson rushed for just 283 yards on 74 carries.
The Bills have added an awful lot of defense so far in this year's draft, but they did reach for another running back when they drafted North Carolina's Johnny White in the fifth round.
White didn't put up spectacular numbers at UNC, but he did come into his own in 2010. He rushed for 720 yards and seven touchdowns before missing the final four games of the season with a broken clavicle. At 5'9" and a little over 200 pounds, he's a little smaller than your average back, and he's not really a burner.
That said, you get the sense that these are things White has been hearing his whole life. He runs like a man possessed, and he has no problem whatsoever running between the tackles. At the same time, he's not reckless. He is a smart, patient runner, which basically means he's not going to run headlong into an injury.
The Bills did not need a running back. But with Fred Jackson getting up there in age and Spiller coming off a tough rookie season, White gives them good depth.
3. Owen Marecic, ILB/FB, Cleveland Browns
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Owen Marecic is not the best athlete you're going to find, but that doesn't mean he's not a beast. He played on both sides of the ball at Stanford, doing work as both a fullback and an inside linebacker. He's a high-energy guy—a true throwback.
The Cleveland Browns selected Marecic with the No. 124 pick in the fourth round, and the thinking is that they're going to use him as a fullback.
If that's the case, take a second to picture Cleveland's backfield. Last I checked, Peyton Hillis is still a monster of a man, and now he has Marecic paving the way for him. That's going to lead to a lot of bumps and bruises for opposing defenders.
Of course, if Hillis just so happens to need a breather around the goal line, that's where Marecic can step in. He had just 23 carries last season, but five of them went for touchdowns. All you need to do is get him in range, and he'll punch it in.
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2. Jeremy Kerley, WR, New York Jets
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The New York Jets shored up their defensive line with their first two picks in the 2011 NFL draft, but they turned to the offensive side of the ball in the fourth and fifth rounds.
The Jets took Louisville running back Bilal Powell in the fourth round, and they then grabbed TCU wide receiver Jeremy Kerley in the fifth. Between the two of them, I think Kerley could end up being the bigger steal.
Because Kerley is just 5'9", one would hope that he would be a burner. Alas, he ran a 4.56 40-yard dash at the combine, so we're not exactly talking about DeSean Jackson.
However, Kerley is explosive. He's an outstanding open field runner; at times it seems like he's moving in three dimensions. Because of that, he's tough to bring down after the catch. And the best part is that he doesn't have any issues going over the middle.
The Jets do need a wide receiver. Both Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes are free agents, and my guess is that only one of them will come back with Kerley in the mix. If he pans out, the Jets won't regret letting Edwards and/or Holmes go.
1. Roy Helu, RB, Washington Redskins
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I've said it before, I'll say it again: it's a good idea to take note when Mike Shanahan drafts a running back. This is the same guy who unearthed the likes of Terrell Davis, Mike Anderson, Olandis Gary and Clinton Portis. Not a bad collection.
On Saturday, Shanahan added Roy Helu Jr. to the list, as the Washington Redskins took him with the 105th pick in the fourth round.
Helu was pretty good at Nebraska, rushing for over 3,400 yards in four seasons. He was particularly good in 2010, rushing for 1,245 yards on 188 carries and averaging 6.6 yards per carry. He also scored 11 touchdowns.
Helu ran a 4.4 40-yard dash at the combine, so the speed is there. He is very good in open space, but he does need some development running between the tackles. He is definitely not a power runner, but the good news is that the strength is there.
The Redskins were pretty terrible running the ball in 2010. They got good production out of Ryan Torain, but the team as a whole was the third-worst rushing team in the NFL. In a perfect world, Helu will jump in right away and get things turned around.
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