Now that Rounds 2 and 3 have wrapped up, it’s time to take a look back at what unfolded on the second night of the NFL Draft. While picks like Pittsburgh taking Joey Porter Jr., Tennessee trading up for Will Levis, and Detroit taking Brian Branch will be the highlights of the night, there was also several questionable picks. Let’s take a look at some of the picks from Rounds 2 and 3 of the NFL Draft that left some fan bases scratching their heads.
2023 NFL Draft: Head scratching picks from Day 2
Seattle Seahawks use a 2nd Round pick on a RB in back-to-back years
Pick 52: Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
The issue with this pick isn’t Zach Charbonnet’s talent as this felt right around the range that he probably should’ve been picked. Charbonnet has a lot of the tools that most teams are looking for in a running back as he has ideal size (6’0/214lbs), strong vision between the tackles, and he’s reliable on passing downs.
So what’s the issue with picking up a solid all around running back? Just a year ago, Seattle selected Kenneth Walker III with the 41st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Looking back, it was one of the better picks in the draft as Walker III put up over 1,200 scrimmage yards, despite starting only 11 games.
After crushing the first round, this was such a head scratching pick considering the depth of this running back class and the names that were still on the board. After addressing CB and WR in Round 1 and EDGE at pick 37, this pick feels like it would’ve been better served to address the interior of the offensive line (John Michael Schmitz, O’Cyrus Torrence) or their defensive line (Adetomiwa Adebawore, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens).
Houston Texans grabs a center for their new franchise quarterback
Pick 62: Juice Scruggs, C, Penn St.
After seeing centers Joe Tippmann and John Michael Schmitz come off the board in the second round, Houston decided they needed to get in on the action. They ended up sending picks 65, 188, and 230 to Philadelphia for pick 62.
While Scruggs played guard and center at Penn St., he might be a bit lean to play guard in the NFL at his current weight. He’s a solid straight line athlete, but he can struggle to move laterally. Overall Scruggs has starting potential, but the second round feels like a reach, especially considering they gave up assets to acquire him.
Houston could’ve gotten better value with looking at a pass catcher for Stroud, whether it be a receiver (Marvin Mims, Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman) or a tight end (Tucker Kraft, Darnell Washington)
Detroit Lions reach for a trash can full of dirt
Pick 96: Brodric Martin, DT, Western Kentucky
Detroit seemed to think they were in the 90s during the opening round where they picked a running back and an off-ball linebacker at 12th and 18th. They bounced back in a big way to open the second night as they were able to grab Sam La Porta, Brian Branch, and Hendon Hooker with their first three picks. Then they left us with a real head scratcher…
Brodric Martin is a big ole boy at 6’4 and 330lbs and he eats up a lot of space in the middle of the defense. He’s got plenty of power and length, but he’s never going to have the explosiveness to make a huge impact on passing downs. Is a player of that caliber who will be 25 years old as a rookie really worth a top 100 pick? Not really. Similar to Scruggs, Detroit also traded up to secure Martin. Most boards had a late Day 3 grade on Martin.
After a fantastic start to Day 2, it would’ve been nice to see Detroit end in a little better fashion. This pick might have been better utilized on a depth piece for their pass rush (Isaiah McGuire, Nick Hampton, Colby Wooden).
Minnesota Vikings finally addresses their cornerback needs
Pick 102: Mehki Blackmon, CB, USC
Minnesota wisely traded back from their original slot in the third round of the NFL Draft to pick up some draft capital, but did they spend the first of those picks wisely? That’s debatable.
Despite being under 180lbs, Blackmon is at his best when he can get physical with receivers and he does a great job at finding the ball in the air. However, his physicality can get him in trouble at times and he’s going to have to clean up his technique in the league or he’s going to be a penalty magnet.
Blackmon has the talent to make a roster, but he’s more of a Day 3 pick than a late third rounder, especially when you consider some of the names still on the board. While guys like Kelee Ringo, Darius Rush, Corey Trice, and Clark Phillips might have some warts to their game, they all would’ve felt like much better values at this point in the draft.