Best available prospects for Day 3 in 2021 NFL Draft
By Rob Rang
FOX Sports NFL Draft Analyst
The 2021 NFL Draft featured the most intriguing quarterback class this century, as well as bumper crops at wide receiver, offensive tackle, center, cornerback, and linebacker. And even after the second and third rounds wrapped up on Friday night, there is still a lot of talent on the board.
Will there be players selected who are not included on my list or players whom I gave draftable grades who sign as free agents? Probably. But my rankings have proven to be among the most accurate in the business in the past, which is why I’m confident that even in an unprecedented year such as this, they’ll stand up to the competition.
Along with the numerical ranking, to help distinguish the tiers of talent available, we’ve provided Blue Chip (potential All-Pro), Red Chip (immediate starter, potential future Pro Bowler), Green Chip (can compete for starting role), Yellow Chip (developmental player who projects as a starter within two years) and Gray Chip (long-term project) grades for each player.
Here are the best players available heading into Saturday's final rounds of the draft.
BLUE CHIPS
There are no Blue Chips remaining after Round 1.
RED CHIPS
1. Jabril Cox, OLB, LSU, 6-3, 233
A star at North Dakota State, who ascended to LSU as a grad transfer, Cox is arguably the best coverage linebacker in this class, showing terrific awareness and agility in space.
2. Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas, 6-0, 193
Don’t let the small school background fool you, Rochell is among the elite athletes in the 2021 draft class and didn’t look the least bit out of place at the Senior Bowl – until, that is, he missed the last few days with a minor injury, which might be why he remains on the board. With the run on cornerbacks that capped the third round – five of the last seven picks went to this position – Rochell shouldn’t be waiting long.
3. Daviyon Nixon, DT, Iowa, 6-3, 313
Along with first-rounders Zach Wilson (QB), Jaelan Phillips (DE) and Jamin Davis (LB), Nixon was one of the true breakout players in college football last season, exploding for 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks to be named the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year. A junior college player who wasn’t as impressive as hoped during his Pro Day workouts and interviews, Nixon can use this slight as motivation to surprise again in the NFL.
4. Trey Smith, OG, Tennessee, 6-6, 321
The lack of normal medical evaluations may be the culprit behind the massive and mean Smith still being on the board. Smith missed time over his career with blood clots being discovered in his lungs – though the situation was thought to be under control – leading to his returning to All-SEC caliber play in 2020. A throwback brawler best suited to a power scheme, Smith is an easy NFL starter if a team will give him a chance.
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GREEN CHIPS
5. Jay Tufele, DT, Southern California, 6-2, 305
A bowling ball of butcher knives just scratching the surface of his potential, Tufele would almost surely have heard his name called in the Top 100 had he not opted out on the season. He did it for all the right reasons, however, with his sister contracting COVID and spending months in ICU, leaving her "little" brother understandably needing time with family. If teams are sure he is locked in and in shape, Tufele won’t be on the board long, as his quickness and power are starter-worthy.
6. Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State, 5-11, 194
Ultra-productive and reliable as both a pass-catcher and downfield blocker, Wallace has been overshadowed by many flashier receivers so far in this class. Don’t be surprised at all when he outlasts many in the NFL once he gets his opportunity.
7. Marlon Tuipulotu, DT, Southern California, 6-2, 307
A classic run-plugger stuck in an era that no longer places the same value on them, Tuipuloto is one of several defensive tackles in this class who are, frankly, being a bit disrespected by scouts. He’ll wind up making an NFL roster and sticking, outplaying his draft position. Football is still a big man’s game.
8. Hamsah Nasirildeen, S/OLB, Florida State, 6-3, 215
Viewed by some as a ‘tweener caught between strong safety and outside linebacker, Nasirildeen just needs to fall to the right team to wind up proving a steal. At worst, he’ll prove to be a special teams demon, possessing not only the speed and length to excel in this area but also the temperament and toughness.
9. Elerson Smith, DE, Northern Iowa, 6-7, 262
Another opt-out, Smith made the NFL leap following an eye-popping junior season at Northern Iowa in which he collected 21.5 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and five forced fumbles. Sure, it was against lower competition, but Smith flashed at the Senior Bowl practices. He’ll need a year in an NFL weight room to develop the strength needed to compete at the next level, but the talent is there.
10. Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford, 6-4, 227
Speaking of talent, in a class full of small receivers who boast blazing speed, Fehoko stands tall, boasting a Chase Claypool-like raw skillset at 6-4, 222 pounds with sub 4.4 speed. Like a lot of receivers his size, Fehoko is too straight-linish to run every route in the tree but he’s tall enough to catch over them, if necessary. Just ask former NFL head coach Chip Kelly, whose UCLA Bruins Fehoko destroyed in his final collegiate game with 16 catches for 230 yards and three scores – including the game-winner in overtime.
11. D’Ante Smith, OT, East Carolina, 6-5, 305
12. Rashad Weaver, DE, Pittsburgh, 6-4, 259
13. Tyler Shelvin, DT, LSU, 6-2, 350
14. Jordan Smith, DE, Alabama-Birmingham, 6-6, 255
15. Stone Forsyth, OT, Florida, 6-9, 315
16. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Southern California, 6-0, 197
17. Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State, 6-1, 196
18. Chris Rumph II, DE/OLB, Duke, 6-3, 235
19. Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina, 5-7, 201
20. Thomas Graham, CB, Oregon, 5-10, 182
21. Derrick Barnes, OLB, Purdue, 6-1, 238
22. Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis, 5-8, 201
23. Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State, 6-4, 303
24. Tyree Gillespie, S, Missouri, 6-0, 207
25. Bobby Brown III, DT, Texas A&M, 6-4, 321
26. Charles Snowden, OLB, Virginia, 6-6, 243
27. Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami, 6-3, 247
28. James Hudson, OL, Cincinnati, 6-5, 313
29. Drew Dalman, OC, Stanford, 6-3, 299
30. Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 210
31. Quincy Roche, DE, Miami, 6-3, 245
32. Tommy Doyle, OT, Miami (Ohio), 6-8, 320
33. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Oklahoma, 6-0, 231
34. Buddy Johnson, ILB, Texas A&M, 6-0, 229
35. Zech McPhearson, CB, Texas Tech, 5-11, 196
36. Jaylon Moore, OT, Western Michigan, 6-4, 311
37. Shakur Brown, CB, Michigan State, 5-10, 185
38. Royce Newman, OG, Mississippi, 6-5, 310
39. Marco Wilson, CB, Florida, 6-0, 191
40. Tommy Togiai, DT, Ohio State, 6-2, 296
41. Cade Johnson, WR, South Dakota State, 5-10, 184
42. Keith Taylor, CB, Washington, 6-2, 187
43. Seth Williams, WR, Auburn, 6-3, 211
44. Jacob Harris, TE/WR, Central Florida, 6-5, 219
45. Talanoa Hufanga, SS, Southern California, 6-0, 199
46. Brenden Jaimes, OL, Nebraska, 6-5, 298
47. Cameron Sample, DL, Tulane, 6-3, 267
48. Alaric Jackson, OT, Iowa, 6-6, 321
49. William Bradley-King, DE, Baylor, 6-4, 252
50. Khalil Herbert, RB, Virginia Tech, 5-09, 210
51. Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina, 5-10, 186
52. Josh Ball, OT, Marshall, 6-7, 308
53. Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU, 6-2, 325
54. Shaka Toney, DE/OLB, Penn State, 6-3, 242
55. Demetric Felton, WR, UCLA, 5-09, 189
56. Drake Jackson, OC, Kentucky, 6-3, 293
57. Isaiah McDuffie, ILB, Boston College, 6-1, 229
58. Larry Rountree III, RB, Missouri, 5-11, 211
59. Deonte Brown, OG, Alabama, 6-3, 344
60. Jermar Jefferson, RB, Oregon State, 5-10, 206
61. Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State, 5-11, 214
62. Dan Moore, Jr., OT, Texas A&M, 6-6, 311
63. James Wiggins, S, Cincinnati, 5-11, 209
64. Shawn Davis, S, Florida, 5-10, 202
GRAY CHIPS
65. Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame, 6-0, 200
66. Tre Brown, CB, Oklahoma, 5-10, 185
67. Daelin Hayes, DE, Notre Dame, 6-4, 263
68. Olaijah Griffin, CB, Southern California, 5-11, 176
69. Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia, 6-3, 234
70. Cornell Powell, WR, Clemson, 6-0, 204
71. DJ Daniel, CB, Georgia, 6-0, 185
72. Garrett Wallow, OLB, TCU, 6-2, 220
73. Feleipe Franks, QB, Arkansas, 6-7, 234
74. Trevon Grimes, WR, Florida, 6-4, 220
75. Jason Pinnock, CB, Pittsburgh, 6-0, 204
76. Quintin Morris, TE, Bowling Green, 6-2, 243
77. Darius Stills, DT, West Virginia, 6-1, 278
78. Kary Vincent, CB, LSU, 5-10, 185
79. Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas, 5-08, 174
80. Trey Hill, OL, Georgia, 6-4, 319
81. Tony Fields, OLB, West Virginia, 6-1, 222
82. Josh Kaindoh, Florida State, 6-6, 260
83. Shemar Jean-Charles, Appalachian State, 5-10, 184
84. Trill Williams, DB, Syracuse, 6-0 208
85. Kene Nwangu, RB, Iowa State, 6-0, 210
86. Wyatt Hubert, DE, Kansas State, 6-3, 258
87. Hamilcar Rashed, Jr., OLB/DE, Oregon State, 6-2, 251
88. Darren Hall, CB, San Diego State, 5-11, 188
89. Antonio Phillips, CB, Ball State, 6-0, 186
90. Larnell Coleman, OT, Massachusetts, 6-6, 307
91. Cameron McGrone, ILB, Michigan, 6-1, 234
92. Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas, 6-1, 220
93. Dylan Moses, ILB, Alabama, 6-1, 222
94. Darrick Forest, S, Cincinnati, 6-0, 206
95. Marquez Stevenson, WR, Houston, 5-10, 182
96. David Moore, C/OG, Grambling State, 6-2, 330
97. Victor Dimukeje, DE, Duke, 6-2, 262
98. Evan McPherson, K, Florida, 5’11, 185
99. Chris Garrett, DE/OLB, Concordia, 6-4, 241
100. Ben Mason, FB, Michigan, 6-3, 246
101. Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville, 6-2, 208
102. Camryn Bynum, DB, California, 6-0, 196
103. Sadarius Hutcherson, OG, South Carolina, 6-3, 321
104. Ta'Quon Graham, DT, Texas, 6-3, 292
105. Michael Strachan, WR, Charleston, 6-5, 226
106. Justin Hilliard, OLB, Ohio State, 6-1, 229
107. Kenny Yeboah, TE, Mississippi, 6-4, 250
108. Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana, 6-0, 205
109. Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State, 6-3, 207
110. Tedarrell Slaton, DT, Florida, 6-4, 330
111. Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo, 5-7, 195
112. William Sherman, OL, Colorado, 6-3, 304
113. Tyler Coyle, S, Purdue, 6-1, 209
114. Nick Niemann, OLB, Iowa, 6-3, 234
115. Elijah Mitchell, RB, Louisiana, 5-10, 201
116. Deommodore Lenoir, CB, Oregon, 5-10, 199
117. Racey McMath, WR, LSU, 6-3, 211
118. Tarron Jackson, DL, Coastal Carolina, 6-2, 254
119. Ar’Darius Washington, DB, TCU, 5-8, 176
120. Jose Borregales, K, Miami, 5-10, 206
121. Tony Poljan, TE, Virginia, 6-7, 250
122. Chris Evans, RB, Michigan, 5-11, 211
123. Tavante Beckett, OLB, Marshall, 5-10, 220
124. Caden Sterns, S, Texas, 6-0, 202
125. Frank Darby, WR, Arizona State, 6-0, 201
126. Jamien Sherwood, S, Auburn, 6-2, 216
127. Javian Hawkins, RB, Louisville, 5-08, 183
128. JaCoby Stevens, S, LSU, 6-1, 212
129. Zayne Anderson, S, BYU, 6-2, 206
130. James Smith, P, Cincinnati, 6-5, 231
131. Damar Hamlin, DB, Pittsburgh, 6-1, 200
132. hmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa, 6-1, 181
133. Larry Borom, OL, Missouri, 6-5, 322
134. Brady Breeze, S, Oregon, 6-0, 197
135. Jonathan Adams, WR, Arkansas State, 6-2, 210
136. Briley Moore-McKinney, TE, Kansas State, 6-4, 240
137. Max Duffy, P, Kentucky, 6-1, 196
138. Landon Young, OL, Kentucky, 6-6, 310
139. Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina, 6-4, 212
140. K.J. Britt, ILB, Auburn, 6-0, 235
141. Drew Himmelman, OT, Illinois State, 6-9, 323
142. Dylan Soehner, TE, Iowa State, 6-6, 268
143. Jaylen Twyman, DT, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 301
144. Jalen Camp, WR, Georgia Tech, 6-2, 227
145. Nick Eubanks, TE, Michigan, 6-5, 245
146. Quinton Bohanna, DT, Kentucky, 6-4, 327
147. Whop Philyor, WR, Indiana, 5-10, 184
148. Bryan Mills, CB, North Carolina Central, 6-1, 174
149. Jake Funk, RB, Maryland, 5-10, 204
150. Ben Skowronek, WR, Notre Dame, 6-3, 220
151. Zac Thomas, QB, Appalachian State, 6-1, 205
152. Thomas Fletcher, LS, Alabama, 6-1, 237
153. Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR, Illinois, 6-1, 218
154. Richard LeCounte, S, Georgia, 5-11, 197
One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang has been covering the NFL draft for over 20 years with his work found at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others.