NFL Analysis
3/25/24
8 min read
2024 NFL Draft: 3 Potential Day 3 Picks Who Could Contribute as Rookies
Puka Nacua took the league by storm in 2023, and it happened right away. In his first NFL game, he caught 10 passes for 119 yards against the Seattle Seahawks. He was a Pro Bowl selection and won the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award despite falling to the fifth round.
But Nacua wasn't the only Day 3 rookie who made a significant impact in Year 1. Dawand Jones (Cleveland Browns), Dontayvion Wicks (Green Bay Packers) and Aidan O’Connell (Las Vegas Raiders) all had nice seasons for their respective teams.
Which potential Day 3 picks could have an instant impact in the NFL as rookies? Here are three names to keep an eye on during the next month leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft:
3 Late-Round Picks Who Could Contribute Early
Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky
Running back is the one position where we frequently see Day 3 picks excel as rookies. Dameon Pierce, Tyler Allgeier and Isiah Pacheco are three recent Day 3 picks who had successful rookie seasons. The player with the best chance to do that in 2024 is Ray Davis of Kentucky.
As of this posting, Davis is ranked as the No. 132 player on the consensus board. He is the 10th-ranked running back in a group that isn’t particularly strong. But his ability isn’t the reason he's ranked so low.
The biggest reason Davis won't be a top-100 pick is his age. He will turn 25 during his rookie season after playing at three schools during his collegiate career (Temple, Vanderbilt and Kentucky). However, he is a pro-ready back who can handle a lot of work early in his career.
During his previous two seasons in the SEC, Davis racked up more than 2,600 yards from scrimmage and scored 29 touchdowns. At 5-foot-8 and 211 pounds, Davis is a battering ram who excels between the tackles. However, he has enough speed (4.52 40-yard dash) to create explosive plays and has 94 career receptions.
Considering his age, the team that drafts him will likely play him a lot early in his career. He is already in his prime and has a bunch of high-level experience that should allow him to thrive as a rookie. Teams searching for adequate running back play immediately (Cowboys, Patriots and Texans) could be interested in Davis anytime after the first three rounds.
>>READ: Ray Davis' Scouting Report
Tanor Bortolini, OL, Wisconsin
It's rare for offensive linemen to play well as rookies. Even some of the NFL’s top offensive linemen struggled in their first season. But what is even rarer is for a Day 3 pick on the offensive line to come in and have success. Most of the time, they just don’t see the field as they need time to get up to speed.
But if one late-round offensive lineman can be a good starter as a rookie, it’s Tanor Bortolini of Wisconsin. Currently ranked as the No. 151 player on the consensus board, Bortolini is expected to be an early Day 3 pick for teams that need interior offensive line depth. But don’t be surprised if he is more than just depth early.
>>READ: Top 7 Draft Prospects at Center
The No. 1 reason why Bortolini can have success right away is his position flexibility. He was a full-time starter at center in 2023, earning Third-Team All-Big Ten honors. In 2022, he spent most of his time playing left and right guard before eventually moving to center. In 2021, Bortolini started several games at right tackle for the Badgers. He's started multiple games at four different positions in his college career. That kind of versatility is unheard of in a major school like Wisconsin.
That is another reason why it wouldn’t be a shock to see Bortolini thrive in the NFL. Wisconsin is known for producing NFL starters on the offensive line. The school's talent comes into the league with a lot of experience and isn't overwhelmed by any situation.
Joe Tippmann and Tyler Biadasz are recent examples of Wisconsin offensive linemen who started right away during their rookie seasons. Bortolini played nearly 2,000 career college snaps, so it shouldn’t be a surprise if he is NFL-ready and could contribute anywhere.
The final reason teams should be really excited to draft Bortolini is his incredible athleticism. At the NFL Combine, Bortolini shocked teams by running a 4.94 40-yard dash at 303 pounds.
He ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash among offensive linemen and posted elite jump scores above the 90th percentile. In total, he posted a 9.97 RAS, which is the sixth-best of all time for guards.
To recap, Bortolini has a ton of experience from a school known for producing NFL linemen, and he has all-time great athleticism for an interior offensive lineman. That is a recipe for success at the next level.
Teams that miss out on Graham Barton or Jackson Powers-Johnson in Round 1 will love that they can get Bortolini multiple rounds later. If he does fall to Day 3, Bortolini could become one of the weekend's biggest steals.
>>READ: Tanor Bortolini's Scouting Report
Tahj Washington, WR, USC
This might be the best wide receiver class that we've seen in the last decade. There is an excellent chance that three receivers will be picked inside the top eight selections, and we could see as many as seven be picked in Round 1. But that's not all.
The depth of this class is excellent and extends well into Day 3. Players who would usually be fringe top-100 selections could fall to the 200s, and there is a chance they could go undrafted.
We’ve never seen a class this deep before.
One player who has gotten lost in the shuffle during the pre-draft process is Tahj Washington of USC. Washington sits at No. 235 on the consensus big board, and there are 32 receivers ranked ahead of him.
There were 32 receivers drafted in 2023 and 28 in 2022. If that trend holds, there is a decent chance Washington could be a seventh-round pick or go undrafted. That is pretty wild, considering he was the Trojans' leading receiver in 2023.
It's easy to assume Washington is just a product of Caleb Williams, but that isn't remotely true. Before transferring to USC, Washington had a 750-yard season as a freshman at Memphis. Playing alongside Calvin Austin III, Washington earned freshman All-American honors for his magnificent 2020 season.
But Washington took a big step in 2023 as he developed into the Trojans' No. 1 receiver. While he isn’t very big (5-foot-10 and 174 pounds), he has fantastic speed (4.42 projected 40-yard dash time) and can play in the slot and on the outside.
It also doesn’t hurt that Washington has plenty of special teams experience, including working as a gunner on punt coverage. The fact that USC played him on special teams as a gunner shows his toughness and willingness to help in any way.
>>READ: 7 Best Route Runners in the Draft
Washington projects as a slot receiver in the NFL, but his experience on the outside could get him on the field sooner rather than later. He’s also one of the better route runners in this class, which is why he was so productive in college.
Washington posted four seasons of at least 600 yards and scored a combined 22 touchdowns. With more than 200 college receptions, he is one of the draft's more polished receivers.
He isn’t all that dissimilar to Tyler Lockett coming out of Kansas State, and that is a good comparison for him in the NFL. Lockett was viewed as primarily a kick returner who could help out as a No. 3 or No. 4 receiver, but he quickly got onto the field as a rookie and recorded 684 yards and six touchdowns.
It wouldn't be shocking if Washington did something similar, considering his production, toughness, and versatility. He will likely be a late Day 3 pick but expect Washington to make an impact in Year 1.
>>READ: Tahj Washington's Scouting Report
