2016 NFL Draft: Picks 71-80

The 2016 NFL Draft continues as the third round gets underway

71. New York Giants – Darian Thompson, Safety, Boise State – Another investment in the secondary for the Giants, putting him in a safety tandem with Landon Collins. Thompson works best in a zone system where he can break on balls in the air to make plays (19 interceptions in his career).

Thompson is definitely willing to stick his nose in there and make a hit, but he takes poor angles when it comes to making plays in space, leading to many missed tackles. He was also credited with allowing 10 touchdowns in three years.

72. Chicago Bears – Jonathan Bullard, DE, Florida – The Bears were expected to have a very defensive-heavy draft in 2016, and continue that trend by selecting Bullard. Despite being too small to play the nose, Bullard will see plenty of play in sub-packages as an interior pass rusher. He plays with high effort and never takes plays off.

Where Bullard does need to improve is his technique. He fires off the ball low and fast, but he needs to finish low. If a lineman can get a good shove on him, he can be forced out of his stance and out of the play. He also overruns plays at time.

73. Miami Dolphins – Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama – After losing Lamar Miller to the Texans, and questions about Jay Ajayi’s durability, the Dolphins needed to get some depth back at running back. With lightning quick feet, Drake has explosiveness that can really gash defenses.

That explosiveness can almost be a deterrent. Drake is so eager to hit the hole that he doesn’t have the patience to let his blocks develop. His hands are also inconsistent, leading to drops in the passing game.

74. Kansas City  Chiefs (from Tampa Bay) – KeiVarae Russell, DB, Notre Dame – After losing Sean Smith to the division-rival Raiders, the Chiefs needed to re-bolster their secondary. Russell offers flexibility, playing both safety and corner in college. He offers great recognition and has the speed to keep up with receivers in man coverage.

His ball skills could use some work, focusing in too much on the man he’s covering as opposed to tracking the ball in the air.  He also suffered a broken fibula at the end of 2015, so his recovery could be a concern. Russell missed all of 2014 due to an academic dishonesty scandal at Notre Dame.

75. Oakland Raiders – Shilique Calhoun, OLB, Michigan State – A three-time All-American at Michigan State, Calhoun totaled 27 sacks and 44 tackles for a loss in his career. He needs to add some weight if he wants to play defensive end, but has the athleticism to play outside linebacker. He also has a high football IQ and great play recognition.

Despite this athleticism, Calhoun doesn’t have the fluidness one would expect of an athlete of his caliber. His playstyle can get a bit stiff and clunky. He also needs to work on his technique and drive to fight off double teams and chip blocks from tight ends.

76. Cleveland Browns (from Los Angeles via Tennessee) – Shon Coleman, T, Auburn – An exemplary athlete, Coleman has the body to play tackle at the next level at 6-foot-5, 307 lbs. His arms are long and he knows how to use them to keep rushers at bay with proper hand placement and length. He kept Shaq Lawson at bay when his team played Clemson.

However like fellow Auburn tackle Greg Robinson, he has a lot to work on if he wants to succeed at the NFL level. He plays with his weight too far forward, and can find himself knocked off balance. He also had a problem with holding against better competition that he won’t get away with in the NFL.

77. Carolina (from Cleveland via Philadelphia/Detriot) – Daryl Worley, DB, West Virginia – After losing Josh Norman to the Redskins, the Panthers nab two corners in Worley and James Bradberry. Worley is a big bodied corner at 6-foot-1 and 205 lbs, size that coaches covet in today’s NFL. He’s a physical player who isn’t afraid to reroute receivers off the line.

However, Worley’s straight-line speed leaves much to be desired. Only running a 4.64 40 at the combine. Also missed a few games due to academic issues and a suspension for an assault case that he eventually pled no contest to.

78. New England Patriots (from New Orleans) – Joe Thuney, OG, NC State – After all their injuries in 2015, the Patriots have needed to rebuild their O-Line. A scrapper, Thuney plays a bit small, but has the effort to get the job done; a three-year starter and first team All-ACC in 2015.

Thuney likely needs to spend a year in the weight room before the Patriots get anything out of him. He also gets his nose out in front of his toes too much, allowing defenses to reroute him while blocking.

79. Philadelphia Eagles – Isaac Seumalo, C, Oregon State – The son of an OSU coach and the brother of a former OSU captain, Seumalo has Beaver football in his blood. Seumalo will be a huge boost to the Eagles O-Line depth. He has experience playing center, guard and left tackle. He gets off the line with a quick first step.

Like Thuney the pick before, he needs to spend a year in the weight room before contributing. He also missed all of 2014 with a foot injury, but showed in 2015 that it was not a lingering issue.

80. Buffalo Bills – Adolphus Washington, DT, Ohio State – The eighth Buckeye off the board at this point, Washington is quick off the line and has powerful hands to disrupt interior linemen. He also has the football IQ to get his hands in a passing lane if the rush is stalled.

However, he has some questions. He played with some elite talent next to him in Columbus, and his conditioning was poor even when rotating. He was also arrested in a prostitution sting before the Fiesta Bowl, and was subsequently suspended for the game.