Previewing Day 3 of The NFL Draft

The first three rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft have been as unpredictable as ever, and it's set up a Day 3 event that fans are really looking forward to.  Today, rounds 4 through 7 will be completed, and there are still a number of quality players available  Here's a guide to Saturday afternoon.

1. The Plight of Matt Barkley

Photo Rights to Sports Illustrated

Barkley (right) was a likely Top 10 pick last year before he opted to return to USC for his senior season.  He had a disappointing year and dealt with a shoulder injury, but he was still believed to be a 1st or 2nd round pick in this draft.  3 rounds in, he still hasn't been drafted.  The amount of money he has lost over the last 12 months is enough to make even a Notre Dame football fan feel bad for him.  He paid a multi-million dollar price for staying in school, which sends a bad message to college kids.  Here's to hoping someone gives him a chance to show why he was so highly regarded 12 months ago.

2. Will the TV Coverage Be Watchable?

In short, probably not.  Let's face it, the talking heads on ESPN and NFL Network only had around 3 hours to talk about Geno Smith, Manti Te'o, and Tyrann Mathieu yesterday, so they're going to need to cover those bases again all day tomorrow.  Throw in the involvement of Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Manti Te'o's fake dead girlfriend, and The Honey Badger not playing any football last year, and I'm thinking they can fill 4 or 5 hours of solid Geno/Badger/Te'o coverage.  And the rest of the time will be spent on Matt Barkley.  You've been warned.  I'd advise either a) Muting the TV, and covering up your whole screen except the ticker on the bottom that scrolls the picks.  Check in every 20 minutes and read the ticker for your updates OR b) just follow me on twitter and I'll keep you informed.  I will bite the Geno/Badger/Te'o bullet for you. , 

3. Jack's Best Players Available

OLB Khaseem Greene of Rutgers, RB Johnathan Franklin of UCLA, C Barrett Jones of Alabama, WR Ryan Swope of Texas A&M, DE/OLB Alex Okafor of Texas, QB Matt Barkley of USC, CB Jordan Poyer of Oregon St., S Bacarri Rambo of  Georgia, RB Mike Gillislee of Florida, WR Quinton Patton of Louisiana Tech, WR Da'Rick Rogers of Tennessee Tech, QB Ryan Nassib of Syracuse, and RB Marcus Lattimore of South Carolina are 14 players that I think are big steals at this juncture.

4. What Will the Patriots Do?

Photo Rights to walterfootball.com

Yesterday, I said "I think they'll look to draft some combination of  a wide receiver, offensive lineman, pass rusher, and/or defensive back with their 4 picks Friday."  That statement rang true as they grabbed a pass rusher, receiver, and a pair of defensive backs.  I was surprised that they kept all 4 picks, but they could still trade some Saturday.  With 1 fourth rounder (#102) and then no picks until the seventh round (they have 3 of them), the Patriots are likely candidates to trade down from 102 to pick up a pick(s) in the 5th and/or 6th round(s).  I also could see them trade one of the 7's for a future 6 or 7.

As far as positions to target, I think the offensive line is definitely in play.  The Patriots will use more than one pick on the offense, so I think O-Line and WR are still big options.  I think they are done in the secondary, but they could add another player or two in the front 7.  As far as names go, I'm shocked Alabama C Barrett Jones is still on the board.  He's a guy the Patriots could target at 102.  I also really like Khaseem Greene (right), the coverage linebacker from Rutgers. The Patriots have shown an affinity for Rutgers defenders already, so Greene is absolutely an option.