2024 NFL Draft Day 3 Takeaways: College Teammates Reunited, Notable Legacy Picks Stand Out

Like father, like son in Philadelphia

This draft was littered with legacy players. Marvin Harrison Jr. kicked things off. His dad was a Hall of Fame receiver for the Colts. Joe Alt, Jonah Elliss and Kris Jenkins were other notable draft picks whose fathers played in the league. It is a special connection and a fun talking point for us. Nothing can top the Eagles though, who traded up to draft Jeremiah Trotter Jr. His dad, Jeremiah Trotter Sr. was a standout for Philly, making four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams in eight total seasons with the team. Now, his son will get to don the same jersey. I hope they let him wear No. 54.

Jets very active in trade market on Day 3, take two running backs

The Eagles traded up and mostly down throughout the draft. They were joined by the Jets, who traded back and then largely out of the fourth round. New York then jumped back up in the 5th round and made three late selections in that round.

One of those picks was notably South Dakota State running back Isaiah Davis. In a vacuum, it made sense. The Jets needed a power back and late fifth round feels like a good spot to grab a rotational running back. However, Joe Douglas had already tabbed Braelon Allen in the fourth round, who figures to fill a power back role. New York also sent John Franklin-Myers to Denver, marking the second trade between those two squads this week.

Patriots draft a second quarterback

This is not the first time we have seen this before. The Packers did it in 2008, selecting Brian Brohm in the second and Matt Flynn in the seventh. Washington famously did so as well in 2012, drafting Robert Griffin III second overall and adding Kirk Cousins in the fourth round.

The Patriots will be hoping this works out better than it did for those two teams. Brohm flopped and RGIII suffered career-altering injuries at the end of his rookie season. Joe Milton III has a massive arm, but struggled with accuracy and ball placement in his time at Tennessee. He is an interesting project quarterback and could point to Bailey Zappe's time in New England being up.

Brendan Rice tumbles to the 7th round

This was one of the most surprising draft slides we saw all weekend. Rice was No. 81 on ESPN's consensus draft rankings, 125th on PFF's big board, 126th on Daniel Jeremiah's big board and No. 103 in Dane Brugler's rankings. He fell to 225th overall in the actual draft. I really can't figure out why. He has good measurables, solid speed, reliable hands and decent production. On the bright side for Rice, this is a great landing spot for him. Los Angeles desperately needs receivers to step up. Plus, he won't have to travel far to join his new team.

Draft picks go international

I'm not referring to all of the picks on Day 3 seemingly being announced from Germany. The NFL welcomed three players who played football outside the U.S., or didn't play football at all. The Lions started the international party, drafting Giovanni Manu, who played his college football at the University of British Columbia in Canada. It was one of the most surprising picks of the draft with him coming off the board in the fourth round.

The Jets closed the fifth round drafting CFL standout Qwan'tez Stiggers. Stiggers' path to the NFL is a wild one. He wasn't playing football in 2021. He spent 2022 in the Fan Controlled Football league before starring in the Canadian Football League, earning Rookie of the Year honors, in 2023. Now, he will head to New York in hopes of making the roster.

The Bills swung for the fences in hopes of finding the next Jordan Mailata. They kicked off the seventh round by selecting Travis Clayton, an English rugby player who went through the NFL's International Pathway Program. It was only three picks out of 257, but a good reminder that the NFL looks everywhere to find potential talent.

Biggest draft snubs
Gabriel Murphy, EDGE, UCLA
Javion Cohen, G, Miami
Blake Watson, RB, Memphis
Leonard Taylor III, DL, Miami
Dallin Holker, TE, Colorado State
Fabian Lovett Sr., DL, Florida State
Daijun Edwards, RB, Georgia
Cody Schrader, RB, Missouri
Tyler Owens, S, Texas Tech