1 of 4 John Raoux/Associated Press 103. Arizona Cardinals: Hakeem Butler, Wide Receiver, Iowa State They’re mighty! They’re fascinating! They’re flawed! Get ready, true believers: Here’s the skinny on a member of the 2019 Draft Class Legion of Wide Receiver Superheroes! Superpowers: Super size, super speed, super everything One Weakness: Hands cursed by the ancient trickster deity Dropskizotl Superhero Comparison: Groot Butler shares the beloved Guardian of the Galaxy’s ability to reach out with branch-like appendages and overpower opponents with his size and arboreal strength. Groot is also the ultimate team player. Wide Receiver Comparison: Vincent Jackson Secret Superhero File Butler dropped 12 passes last season and 21 in the last two, per Sports Info Solutions. The drops are a combination of obvious concentration lapses and plays in which Butler brings in the ball awkwardly. He needs some work on the JUGS Machine, and probably some coaching on the finer points of catching a football (hand placement when waiting for the ball to come, etc. ). Once the dropsies are brought under control, the Cardinals will have an uncanny weapon on contested catches and along the deep sidelines. Butler tracks the ball well and can snatch it from impossible-looking locations. He’s also a load after the catch with surprising agility to go with his size and speed. He also gets high marks for character/work habits. This is a great pick: outstanding value, a player who can be mentored by Larry Fitzgerald and someone who can combine with tiny second-round pick Andy Isabella to create a variety of mismatches in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. Grade: A 104. Cincinnati Bengals: Ryan Finley, Quarterback, North Carolina State Deadly accurate quarterback comparison: Mike Glennon 2.0 Finley is the ultimate generic-brand quarterback prospect: tall and experienced at a major program with a pretty good arm. I once described Daniel Jones as a “chicken quesadilla” prospect: the quarterback equivalent of the bar snack you order when you are hungry but don’t know what you want. Finley is the shrink-wrapped turkey sandwich for which you pay $16 at the airport. He’s a good underneath passer who puts nice touch on deep passes between the numbers. But his deep sideline throws lack zip and accuracy, he locks on to his primary receiver, and mistakes snowball when he gets pressured. Finley maxes out as a peripatetic backup who will probably get a handful of starting opportunities because NFL decision-makers are the kinds of guys who eat an awful lot of airport turkey sandwiches. This is the Bengals’ version of the Giants’ Daniel Jones selection. Finley isn’t a replacement for Andy Dalton. He’s a justification to keep starting Andy Dalton. And the Bengals traded up to do it. Ugh. Grade: D+ 105. New Orleans Saints: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Safety, Florida Strengths: Speed, versatility Weaknesses: Physicality, tackling technique Gardner-Johnson called himself the “most versatile defensive back in the draft” at the combine, and there may be something to that. He played mostly slot corner for the Gators, moving to strong safety in some packages, and he has the man-coverage chops to handle tight ends and running backs who flex out. Gardner-Johnson was a prep track star who ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at the combine, and the speed and burst are evident on tape. He can be effective as a blitzer, and while he’ll overrun some plays and get washed out by the left tackle in others, he’s good enough in run support to be a factor. It’s a matchup-based league, and every defense needs a player like Gardner-Johnson who can handle a variety of assignments based on the offensive personnel. This is a safe, smart selection that feels a need. It’s also a fine value at the start of the fourth round. Grade: A 106. Oakland Raiders: Maxx Crosby, Edge-Rusher, Eastern Michigan Strengths: Length, quickness Weaknesses: Power/leverage Crosby recorded 18.5 sacks in the last two seasons, with enough production against opponents like San Diego State (2.5 sacks last year) and Kentucky (2.0 sacks in 2017) to prove he wasn’t just feasting on mid-major also-rans. Crosby has long arms and legs, some pass-rushing moves and a careening style that straddles the line between “aggressive” and “almost uncoordinated.” He flails around the field in pursuit and is easy to knock off balance because of a lack of leverage and upper-body strength. Crosby is a long-range project with traits that could turn him into a top sack producer if harnessed. He also joins Maxx Williams as the only double-X Maxxes in NFL history. Double-X Maxx was probably a popular baby name in the mid-1990s, because even babies were really exxtreme in the mid-1990s. The Raiders need edge-rushers in bundles after recording just 13 sacks last year, and Crosby and top pick Clelin Ferrell will upgrade their pass rush. But then, there was nowhere to go but up, and the Raiders appear to have picked both players a little too high. Grade: B- 107. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Anthony Nelson, Defensive End, Iowa Strengths: Size, quickness, hand technique Weaknesses: Leverage, high-end agility This is a great draft for both eye-popping edge-rushers and sturdy defensive ends who don’t blow you away with superheroic moves but do a lot of things well. Nelson falls into the latter category: He’s a big guy (6’7”, 271 lbs) with a rip move and other techniques to keep pass protectors off balance, plays the run well and has enough quickness to be more than a blocking sled on passing downs. Don’t expect double-digit sacks from Nelson, but he can stay on the field for three downs and be a factor against both the run and pass. He’ll play an immediate role on a team whose defensive end depth chart consists of Jason Pierre-Paul and a lot of failed projects. Grade: B 108. New York Giants: Julian Love, Cornerback, Notre Dame Strengths: Zone coverage awareness Weaknesses: High-level traits Love, a three-year starter for the Irish, projects as a useful nickel or dime cornerback: smart, alert, capable of handling most assignments and just big and fast enough to not be a liability. His upside is limited, and his man coverage, press technique and ability to shed blocks all need refinement before he becomes anything more than a role player. Other draft analysts are much higher on Love than I am. But Love does fill a need for a team that drafted Deandre Baker late in the first round and needs a lot more depth and competition in the secondary. Grade: C+ 109. Indianapolis Colts: Khari Willis, Safety, Michigan State Strengths: Hustle, physicality Weaknesses: Overall athleticism Hey, the Colts traded two fourth-round picks to move up! And they didn’t use the pick on a linebacker I think is a reach. Instead, they crossed things up by selecting a strong safety I think is a reach. Willis is a high-effort defender with a knack for showing up at the end of the play to clean up a tackle or pull a teammate off the ground after a pass breakup. Yep, that’s faint praise on a scouting report. Willis lacks the speed and lateral quickness to be effective in coverage or be a factor off the blitz, and he will overrun some tackling opportunities because he has to go full speed to get involved. Hustle and experience make him worth a look to see if he can become more than a special teamer. The Colts are just trolling at this point. I’m gonna give this one a harsh grade, and if I look like a nitwit about it by mid-October, so be it. Grade: D 110. San Francisco 49ers: Mitch Wishnowsky. Punter, Utah Strengths: Athleticism Weaknesses: Technique Wishnowsky is a former Aussie rules football player. He’s a big, physical athlete (6’2”, 218 lbs) who ran a 4.63 40-yard dash at the combine. Most of his booming punts came on running-start-style kicks (which would get blocked in the NFL), but he has other clubs in his bag, including the ability to flop the ball in the coffin corner after a quick-step delivery. He has the upside to be a Pro Bowl-caliber punter, but his delivery needs a lot of fine-tuning.<doc-sep>Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama Thompson was expected to go much earlier, so great value here for the Cardinals. While not much of a playmaker for the Crimson Tide, he's long, explosive, and gets to his assignment quickly in coverage and against the run. Grade: A- Ryquell Armstead, RB, Temple Armstead is a big, physical and at times dynamic ball-carrier who runs high but never stops churning his legs and flashed some wiggle to beat the initial defender at the line. The Jags need better depth behind Leonard Fournette. Grade: B- Zach Gentry, TE, Michigan Here's Pittsburgh's replacement for Jesse James. Gentry was the biggest tight end prospect in this class, has blocking chops coming from Michigan, and flashed, albeit not often at all, some seam-stretch ability as a receiver. Grade: C+ Ben Burr-Kirven, LB, Washington Burr-Kirven is an efficient block-shedder who flies around the field and gets to the ball in a hurry thanks to plus twitch and impressive speed. He stars in coverage too, breaking on the football almost instantaneously. Complete, modern-day linebacker. Grade: A+ Ryan Connelly, ILB, Wisconsin Connelly taps into his full potential athletically but sifting through traffic efficiently and using his hands to defeat blocks inside. He has good range and flashed good coverage skills at Wisconsin though it's not a specialty. Grade: B- Marvell Tell III, S, USC Tell can look like a future All-Pro one game then a practice squad player the next. He's a tall, lanky, ridiculously explosive safety with an inconsistent motor and tackling willingness. Expect him to contribute on special teams out the gate. Grade: B- Matt Gay, K, Utah Gay has a huge leg and was accurate on long kicks in 2018 but missed some in the intermediate range. Too early for a kicker anyway, but the Bucs cleary are prioritizing competition for Cairo Santos. Grade: D Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State Oruwariye is a long versatile outside cornerback with smooth athleticism and springy plant-and-drive ability. Big fan of his ball skills too. Awesome value here for Detroit. Grade: A- Vosean Joseph, LB, Florida When he's on his A game, Joseph can be as productive as any linebacker in this class because of his quick-twitch athleticism, speed, block-defeating skills, and awareness in coverage. Too often, he fails to wrap up as a tackler. Still, nice value this late. Grade: B+ Dre Greenlaw, LB, Arkansas Greenlaw fits the mold of how the NFL wants their linebackers today. Smaller, faster, sleeker. He needs to be kept clean to thrive in the NFL but has impressive burst to the football. Grade: C- Hunter Renfrow, WR, Clemson Renfrow has tiny hands and didn't test like an NFL-caliber receiver, but he destroy the odds time and time again at Clemson, is a super-savvy route runner and has unfairly soft hands. Raiders have completely rebuilt the WR position this offseason. Grade: B- Kingsley Keke, DL, Texas A&M Keke has adequate strength and can play anywhere on the defensive line but has limited pass-rushing moves and twitchiness. Likely just a sub-package player in Green Bay wih the talent they already have up front. Grade: C+ Andrew Van Ginkel, LB, Wisconsin Van Ginkel is a fluid athlete with moments of impressive burst off the ball and a nice arsenal of pass-rushing moves. He just needs to spend a year in an NFL weight room to survive on the edge on Sundays. Grade: B Qadree Ollison, RB, Pittsburgh Ollison is a tall, powerful back who runs high and flashed the ability to make one cut and get down field in a hurry. Good fit in Atlanta's zone-blocking scheme, and good spot for Ollison after Tevin Coleman left in free agency. Grade: C+ Ross Pierschbacher, C, Alabama Pierschbacher's value comes from his vast experience in the trenches and his versatility on the inside. He's an adequate run blocker but lacks the anchoring ability and athleticism to win regularly in pass protection. Redskins attacking offensive line on Day 3. Grade: C Jordan Scarlett, RB, Florida Scarlett has impeccable footwork and flexibility in his lower half to break off dazzling, multi-cut runs to leave defenders whiffing at air. The Panthers absolutely had to add help behind Christian McCaffrey and did it here. Grade: A- Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama Wilson looked like a future first-round linebacker from Alabama early in his career but actually regressed from that point. He doesn't play with much assertiveness, struggles to get off blocks, and isn't as impactful in coverage as his athleticism would indicate. Grade: B Justin Hollins, EDGE, Oregon Hollins is a sleek, springy edge rusher with good pass-rush plans and the ability to flatten to the cornerback. Plenty of speed to his game, he just needs to add weight and strength at the next level. Nice depth piece for Denver. Grade: A Blake Cashman, ILB, Minnesota Cashman isn't flashy. He's just always around the ball and knows how to beat blocks to get there against the run. He's a reliable zone coverage linebacker who reads routes quickly and reacts. Tested better than what he shows on the field but someone bound to outplay his draft position. Grade: A- Michael Jackson Sr., CB, Miami Jackson is a big, physically imposing outside corner who tested well at the combine but has trouble staying in phase with receivers down the field. His 2017 was much better than his 2018. Decent depth, has upside in Dallas if he can play up to his ceiling. Grade: C+ Byron Cowart, DE, Maryland Cowart was a highly sought after recruit who had a disappointing college career until his senior season at Maryland, when he flashed a bit because of his first step. He doesn't have pass-rushing moves and can get washed out against the run. Not sure he's worth a trade up. Grade: D+ Daylon Mack, DT, Texas A&M Mack is a bit of a throwback nose tackle, yet as a senior he really came on as a pass rusher. He's an ultra-strong, squatty defensive lineman who gets off blocks relatively well and boasts one of the best, most effective bull rushes in the class. Classic Ravens trench player. Grade: B+ Charles Omenihu, DE, Texas Omenihu was one of the biggest, longest defensive linemen in combine history, and after years spent eating blockers at Texas, he was freed in 2018 and demonstrated good pass-rushing moves. He can play, and succeed, on the inside too if need be. Great value pick. Grade: A- Cameron Smith, LB, USC Smith dropped weight before his senior season at USC in hopes of getting faster, and he did. He's good, not great shedding blocks and still a little stiff in coverage. Typically knows where to be and can quarterback the defense. Vikings needed better depth at the position. Grade: B- Jake Bailey, P, Stanford Bailey can boot the ball a mile into the air but isn't the best directionally. Trading up for a punter is not good, though the Pats have the capital to do it. Grade: D+ EJ Speed, LB, Tarleton State Speed is a tall, lanky linebacker with impressive athleticism who had a productive career but is a project mainly because he's making the gigantic jump from playing at Tarleton State to the NFL. Likely should have been a UDFA. Grade: D+ Joe Jackson, DE, Miami Jackson is a large, heavy-handed edge setter with slower-than-ideal feet but plenty of strength to his game. He doesn't bend the edge well but his hand use is effective. Great value for this late on Day 3. Grade: B+ Easton Stick, QB, North Dakota State Stick is my favorite small-school quarterback in this class. He zips through his reads, throws with good accuracy -- especially down the field -- and is an elusive scrambler. Worthwhile signal-caller to sit and learn behind Philip Rivers. Grade: B+ Clayton Thorson, QB, Northwestern Thorson had a big sophomore year and wasn't able to improve upon it statistically in 2017 or 2018, but he's big, has a live arm, knows how to move inside the pocket, and while he can force the football into precarious situations, he throws with good accuracy. Nick Foles replacement here. Grade: A- D'Andre Walker, OLB, Georgia<doc-sep>Byron Murphy, CB, Washington I like this move. I think this kid is a feisty kid. He'll stick his head in there and he will tackle. There are some corners in this draft that don't tackle (see Greedy Williams), but this kid is tough. The Cardinals rebounded from a tough first night. Grade: B+ Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple The Colts got a great season from Pierre Desir last year, they need help on the other side. I think this pick makes all the sense in the world for the Indianapolis Colts. Good pick and they've got a lot of picks and will be very active today. Grade: B Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida The Jaguars have knocked it out of the park (with Josh Allen in first round and now Taylor). This kid is nasty. Talk about big, physical guys. Put him at right tackle and now all of a sudden your offensive line is solidified. I love this pick. Jaguars nailed it. Grade: A Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina I think there were better options here. I think Parris Campbell or even DK Metcalf would have been a better option. This kid just does not run that well and I'm concerned, he's only 5-11. Grade: B Greg Little, OT, Mississippi I love this kid. This is an A+ in my book. This kid is a first-round talent. There was talk before the season that he was Top-10. He didn't quite play to that, but you get him under the right coaching and I think he has all the skills to be an All-Pro. Grade: A+ Cody Ford, OL, Oklahoma When I talked to (Bills head coach) Sean McDermott at the combine, one of the things he said is we have to get better around Josh Allen, well, they did. This kid gets them really that much better. This is a heck of a tackle. Nice move by the Buffalo Bills. Grade: A Sean Bunting, CB, Central Michigan The Bucs had corner issues all last year. Vernon Hargreaves never has come close to playing up to how they thought he could play. They have to get better on the corner. It's a pick of need. Grade: B Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson I think there were better options here. I think Greedy Williams, even though he's a pile jumper because he doesn't tackle anybody. You've still got to get that cover guy. He covers, he just doesn't tackle. Don't like what the Raiders are doing. Grade: C+ Dalton Risner, OL, Kansas State I don't love the kid. The Big 12, I think I could play left tackle in that conference and not give up any sacks. There's not a lot of pass rushers in the Big 12, so you've got to slow the roll there. Grade: B Drew Lock, QB, Missouri I love the kid. He's got the swagger and a big arm. Everything I love in a quarterback. I think he's gonna command the huddle. He's a gunslinger. A lot of people compare him to Jay Cutler, but you know what, there's a little Brett Favre in there too. Grade: A Jahlani Tavai, LB, Hawaii I love him. He flies around to the football. Nowadays you've gotta have a guy that can fly around and run and chase. Grade: B+ Elgton Jenkins, OL, Mississippi State This is one of the guys that was on my better than list. People say McCoy and Bradbury, but he was right there with them. He's an athletic kid, he can get up the field and he's a nasty kid at times. He's gonna be a good player for the Packers. Grade: B Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt He was the captain of my better than team, that tells you what I think about him. I love this kid. The New England Patriots get it. Bill Belichick works the system better than anybody. Belichick the master at work again. Grade: A+ Greedy Williams, CB, LSU I do like his cover skills, don't get me wrong. Let's face it when you can rush the passer with Olivier Vernon on one side and you got the other guy Garrett on the other side, you are gonna be able to attack and play press man. I just don't like his ability to tackle. Grade: B Marquise Blair, S, Utah What does Seattle want? They want another Earl Thomas, a guy they can pluck in the middle of the field and go sideline to sideline. Now this kid, I'm not saying he's Earl Thomas, but that's the kind of player they want. I think there were better options. Grade: B Erik McCoy, OL, Texas A&M This was a smart pick because they had to replace Max Unger. Drew Brees has to be protected inside since he is a short quarterback, so it works. Grade: B+ Ben Banogu, EDGE, TCU This guy is a DPR (designated pass rusher). He's gonna play on third down. The Colts need to get better on third down. I like this pick. I don't love it, but here's the deal in that division now you better be able to rush the passer. Grade: B Irv Smith, TE, Alabama I like this pick. Look, here's the deal, he can block. There aren't a lot of tight ends that can block and catch. This guy is a complete tight end. Irv Smith will block, so I think that makes him an impact player right away. Grade: B A.J. Brown, WR, Mississippi He's a better receiver than DK Metcalf. I like this kid, I think this is a good pick. The Titans have to do everything in their power to make Marcus Mariota better, he has to get better, so why not give him another weapon, allow him to throw the football, be better throwing the football, be more productive. Grade: A Drew Sample, TE, Washington This is a strange pick for me. It's hard to kill them for this pick because he wasn't used at Washington, I think once he gets to the NFL game he might be a better player than he showed at Washington because the skill set is there. Grade: C Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State I give this an A grade, you know why? You draft a running back in the second round and it's okay, you can get away with that. Not in the first round, second round is fine. One-year wonder, right? He only played one year behind Saquon Barkley. That's okay when you are a running back, there's no wear and tear. Grade: A Lonnie Johnson, CB, Kentucky They had issues last year really big-time in coverage. Big, long, instinctive corner, played in the SEC. Surprised he lasted this long. Grade: B Max Scharping, OT, Northern Illinois Their offensive line was a disaster last year, Deshaun Watson was sacked 62 times. He can move, you have to get better up there. Good pick. Grade: B Mecole Hardman, WR, Georgia This is definitely a pick where you say if something happens with Tyreek Hill it's a 'B-.' I think this is a reactionary pick. I think there were better options. Parris Campbell or Riley Ridley would have been better choices. He wasn't even the best WR on his team, Ridley was. Grade: B- JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford I think there were better options on the field. He didn't play to that speed. When you watched him on tape you say he's a big, physical guy but he doesn't run that well, well he did run that well. I worry when guys don't play to their speed. Grade: B+ Trysten Hill, DL, UCF There were some issues off the field that led to him sitting out some games, spending time on the bench. When you pop on the tape the kid is a force. I love this pick. Grade: A Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State GM Chris Ballard is knocking it out of the park. He is one of my favorite receivers. One of my No. 1 guys in this draft as it relates to outside guys. He can flat out fly. He was misused at Ohio State. Grade: A<doc-sep>
Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa State The Cardinals got a huge, fast, contested-catch extraordinaire in Hakeem Butler in the start of the fourth round. Outstanding value. Butler can play inside or outside and dominate with his size and big catch radius. Grade: A QB Ryan Finley, NC State Arm-strength concerns likely were the reason Finley sank to the fourth round, but he's a rhythm pocket passer who can throw with anticipation. Accuracy is good. Nice depth at QB for Cincinnati. Grade: B+ CB/S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Florida The Saints add to a talented young secondary with Gardner-Johnson, a safety/corner hybrid who's as comfortable manning the slot as he is ranging from center field. Some tackling concerns, but awesome value. Grade: A- Maxx Crosby, DE, Central Michigan Crosby is an elite athlete for the edge rusher spot and was a dominant player in the MAC for multiple seasons. He uses his hands very well to beat tackles but must get a lot stronger to be productive in the NFL. Grade: B Anthony Nelson, OLB, Iowa Nelson is a large, long, refined pass-rusher who crushed his combine and consistently won on the edge. With a little more strength, he can be a reliable, three-down end in Tampa for a long time. Grade: A Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame Love was an insanely productive cornerback for the Fighting Irish, and while he doesn't have great top-end speed, he's a fluid mover, good in man and zone, and very aware when the ball is arriving. Grade: A Khari Willis, S, Michigan State Willis was a late-riser who takes an extra second to recognize route combinations yet gets his hands on the football often. He's rangy as a tackler but a below-average athlete for the position with good strength. Grade: C Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah Punter in Round 4? Wishnowsky was by far the best punter with the biggest leg in this draft, but the value is simply not here early on Day 3. Grade: D- Kendall Sheffield, CB, Ohio State Sheffield has 'Ohio State speed,' but he's a small corner who's not very natural mirroring receivers down the field. Too early for him, even if he fills a need in Atlanta. Grade: C- Bryce Love, RB, Stanford If healthy, Love has deceptive, blazing speed down the field and showcased awesome vision and twitch between the tackles. After heavy-usage at Stanford and a torn ACL, can he regain all of his athleticism? Grade: B- Justice Hill, RB, Oklahoma State Hill is as dangerous in space as they come at the RB position and is freakishly fluid in his hips. Vision and a tendency to bounce outside are the only concerns with his game. The Ravens are committed to the run game. Grade: B+ Dru Samia, G, Oklahoma Samia is an experienced battler at guard who knows how to use his hands to his advantage and plays with a mean streak. His lateral mobility will be stretched to the max. Vikes keep adding to O-line. Grade: B+ Christian Miller, EDGE, Alabama Miller wasn't on high snap count player for Alabama yet made the most his opportunities, and was clearly the team's most impressive outside pass rusher in 2018. He's an explosive athlete that gives the Panthers another versatile edge talent. Grade: A- Amani Hooker, DB, Iowa Hooker loaded the stat sheet at Iowa, and on the field, it seemed to almost solely be due to brilliant football intelligence. He's a step ahead of everyone and aced his combined workout. Complete safety but can play nickel in Tennessee. Grade: A- Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson Bryant's resume shows a super-productive defender, but he benefited from Clemson's other star linemen. He's strong with good length but really struggles to change direction and doesn't have pass-rushing plans. Grade: C Hjalte Froholdt, G, Arkansas This is such a classic Patriots pick. Underrated, experienced, high-caliber athlete in the trenches to add depth to the offensive line. Froholdt had an awesome game against Quinnen Williams and has outstanding feet. Length and lower-body strength are slight issues. Grade: A- Sheldrick Redwine, S, Miami Redwine checks the size and athleticism boxes for the safety spot but is more of a run stopper than a playmaker in coverage. He could emerge as a box defender for the Browns. Grade: B- Gary Jennings, WR, West Virginia Jennings was a chain-mover in 2017 and erupted as a downfield specialist in 2018 for Will Grier. Good size and tremendous contested-catch skills yet there are some easy drops on film.