Deadpool's 2024 Big Board by Position List - Defense

These are my final positional rankings. Some of these guys could end up on 2 lists (S/CB or DL/EDGE/L

I put this is in a separate post from my Big Board to make it easier to ask and answer questions, but if the admins want to join them, I do not care.

I will put my own thoughts under each position as far as depth and what I think of some of the prospects.

And just for R2K, I will throw in lines where there are tier breaks. Not all tiers are created equal, so keep that in mind.

DL: (23)

19. Jer'Zhan Newton - IDL - Illinois - 6'-2" 304 lbs. - Athletic with an explosive first step. Nonstop motor. Solid against the run, 3 down IDL.

26. Byron Murphy - IDL - Texas - 6'-1" 297 lbs. - At his best rushing the QB, super athletic and explosive, he is quickly in opponents backfields. Big effort guy.
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30. Darius Robinson - DL - Missouri - 6'-5" 285 lbs. - Long 5T that uses it to his advantage, still raw with his pass rush, he has all the physical attributes to put it all together.

35. Braden Fiske - IDL - FSU - 6'-5" 292 lbs. - Good athlete that is a super smooth mover, big time motor and quick.

38. T'Vondre Sweat - IDL - Texas - 6'-4" 366 lbs. - He is a powerful space eater that demands double teams and has some pass rush juice.
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51. Michael Hall Jr. - IDL - Ohio St. - 6'-3" 290 lbs. - Youngest prospect in the draft. Bigtime upside. Explosive and athletic, he is a pass rush guy, won't beat alot of double teams or eat up blockers.

56. Kris Jenkins - IDL - Mich. - 6'-3" 299 lbs. - All day strong with a good motor that can eat up blockers and push a pocket. Above average against the run.

69. Ruke Orhorhoro - IDL - Clemson - 6'-4" 294 lbs. - Late to football, so upside. His first step plus leverage really puts pressure on the OL. Can he put everything together to pressure the QB?
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88. DeWayne Carter - IDL - Duke - 6'-2" 302 lbs. - Stout against the run, has some pass rush arsenal in his bag. Could use more good weight. captain and team leader.

107. Mekhi Wingo - IDL - LSU - 6'-0" 284 lbs. - He's nimble and has a great first step, good motor. Power and length can give him issues.

112. Tyler Davis - IDL - Clemson - 6'-2" 301 lbs. - Explosive NT with powerful hands and a good understanding of leverage. Pass rush needs refinement.

113. Brandon Dorlus - DE - Oregon - 6'-3" 283 lbs. - Explosive with good hands and is adept at attacking gaps, run defense is a work in progress. 34 or 43 DE, maybe a 3T?

118. Leonard Taylor III - IDL - Miami - 6'-4" 303 lbs. - Good overall strength, nice first step and is athletic. Needs technique work to unlock full potential.
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123. McKinnley Jackson - IDL - Texas A&M - 6'-2" 326 lbs. - A 3T in a NT body. He's fairly athletic and has a good first step. Could stand to get stronger to hold up at the point of attack.

132. Maason Smith - IDL - LSU - 6'-5" 306 lbs. - He's super long and uses that to his advantage, He's a good athlete with good strength. Plays too upright to be a solid anchor and lacks on field production.

135. Justin Eboigbe - IDL - Alabama - 6'-5" 297 lbs. - He's strong against the run, uses his power and first step to create pass rush opportunities. Excellent motor. Can play inside and out. Needs to develop a pass rush toolbox.
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160. Myles Cole - DE - Texas Tech - 6'-6" 278 lbs. - Height/weight/speed trifecta that is super long and keeps blockers out of his body. Lacked production for his profile.

163. Khristian Boyd - IDL - Northern Iowa - 6'-4" 317 lbs. - Quick first step and good power can push a pocket. Good motor with good awareness of the ball. A bit stiff and needs more pass rush moves.

170. Keith Randolph Jr. - IDL - Illinois - 6'-4" 296 lbs. - Uses leverage and decent power to rack up tackles. Doesn't offer a ton in pass rush, but he can muddle a pocket.

178. Fabien Lovett Sr. - IDL - FSU - 6'-4" 314 lbs. - He's a double team eater with his power and length. 2 gap run stuffing NT with little pass rush juice.

204. Logan Lee - DL - Iowa - 6'-5" 281 lbs. - A nice blend of power and athletic ability, neither is extrordinary, Good motor and can set an edge against the run. 34 DE
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206. Marcus Harris - DL - Auburn - 6'-2" 286 lbs. - Strong with a good first step, can play up and down the line, depending on the situation. Not a real flexable athlete, tad undersized.

208. Myles Murphy - DT - UNC - 6'-4" 309 lbs. - Powerful run stopper that can fill gaps and plug up the middle. Lacks the agility to really impact the passing game.

219. Jordan Jefferson - IDL - LSU - 6'-3" 313 lbs. - Quickness to shoot gaps, above average athlete for his size and the position. He needs to get stronger.

This is a mixed class for me. I don't think there are any can't miss blue chippers. But the depth is nice, unless you need a 34 DE. Then it gets thin. And before I recap this group, a note: T Sweat is no longer a 2nd rounder for me. He is more like a 4th rounder. He admitted to partying too much in college to the teams he interviewed with and told them that those days are over. Then he gets a DWI or DUI or whatever its called in Texas. Ok, everyone makes mistakes, but he lied to teams and now can't be trusted. He will be off my Rams Stacked Board completely. I like the top 2 guys and have no issues with the Rams taking either guy. I think Newton is safer and Murphy has the higher upside. The next 2 tiers are alot of fun and represent the best value in the DL groups. 15 of the 23 prospects come after 100. So there is a ton of day 3 talent. Oddly enough, I wouldn't mind any of these day 3 guys joining the Rams.

EDGE: (20)

10. Laiatu Latu - EDGE - UCLA - 6'-5" 259 lbs. - Massive array of pass rush moves, explosive speed to power rusher with alot more athleticism than he's getting credit for.

11. Dallas Turner - EDGE - Ala. - 6'-3" 247 lbs. - Explosive out of his stance, fluid, bendy athlete that can go low and turn a sharp corner to the QB.

15. Jared Verse - EDGE - FSU - 6'-4" 254 lbs. - Twitched up, speed to power merchant that can really apply pressure to OL early in the rep. Solid setting an edge as well.

24. Chop Robinson - EDGE - Penn St. - 6'-3" 254 lbs. - The most explosive first step at EDGE in the draft, Super athletic, needs more pass rush moves and production doesn't match his athletic profile...yet.
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43. Chris Braswell - EDGE - Ala. - 6'-3" 251 lbs. - He's a good pass rusher with a nice set of moves, struggles a bit against the run, setting a strong edge. Upside pick.

61. Adisa Isaac - EDGE - Penn St. - 6'-4" 247 lbs. - He's got a nice set or pass rush moves and big time motor. He needs to get stronger.
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71. Jonah Elliss - Edge - Utah - 6'-2" 248 lbs. - Red hot motor with a built in set of rush moves. Needs to get stronger for run support.

80. Bralen Trice - EDGE - Wash. - 6'-4" 245 lbs. - Big time motor and hustle kid with a nice set of pass rush moves that is ok against the run, could get stronger.

89. Marshawn Kneeland - Edge - West. Mich. - 6'-3" 267 lbs. - A bull rusher that relies on power, he can set an edge and has a great motor. Is he big enough to be a 43 DE or agile enough to be a 34 edge?

97. Mohamed Kamara - EDGE - Colorado State - 6'-1" 248 lbs. - He gets after the QB with an array of pass rush moves, an explosive first step and a red hot motor. Solid edge setter. Has issues disengaging from blockers due to lack of length.
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114. Austin Booker - EDGE - Kansas - 6'-5" 240 lbs. - Advanced rush set considering he has 14 career starts and only 500 snaps total. He needs to add good weight and strength to reach his potential. 34 EDGE

126. Gabriel Murphy - EDGE - UCLA - 6'-2" 247 lbs. - Really athletic and technically sound. His length is what I worry about. Big motor.

136. Jaylx Hunt - EDGE - Houston Christian - 6'-4" 252 lbs. - Long, explosive and relentless. Raw as he moved from SAF. Run defense is a work in progress.
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147. Javon Soloman - EDGE - Troy - 6'-1" 246 lbs. - 16 sacks last year. Nice blend of speed, power and pass rush moves. Level of competition and lack of length are concerns.

153. Xavier Thomas - EDGE - Clemson - 6'-2" 244 lbs. - Speed to power rusher with a hot motor and a solid skill set. A bit undersized and power gives him issues.

158. Jaylen Harrell - EDGE - Mich. - 6'-4" 250 lbs. - Speed to power rusher with a great motor and an innate ability to find the ball. Could use a power up in the strength dept.
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189. Cedric Johnson - EDGE - Ole Miss - 6'-3" 260 lbs. - A speed to power converter. Can set a solid edge and works from a two and 3 point stance. Spin move, needs more in his pass rush toolbox.

195. Grayson Murphy - EDGE - UCLA - 6'-2" 251 lbs. - Gabriel's identical twin. Not quite as athletic, but tenacious with the same big motor and an NFL ready spin move. Length is my main concern.

213. Zion Tupuola-Fetui - EDGE - Washington - 6'-3" 244 lbs. - Speed to power converter with a decent set of pass rush skills and an explosive motor. Needs to get better at setting an edge.

217. Nelson Ceaser - EDGE - Houston - 6'-3" 254 lbs. - An edge setter and a speed to power rusher. Can drop into zone coverage. Not super bendy or twitchy.

20 EDGE out of 220 is pretty light class. I do like the top 4 in the first round and I wouldn't even be bothered by staying put for Robinson. That said, I do like the Tier 2 guys alot. Braswell is one of my favorites in the class. If they go WR or OT in the first round, I think he is in play on day 2. Tier 3 & 4 are solid groups unlike last years middle round groups. I'm not nearly as high on Booker as everyone else, but I guess that is what makes mine unique. Otherwise its copy paste. I have Hunt at 136, but I feel like I missed on him due to lack of actual game footage, I am convinced he goes top 3 rounds and I would not have an issue with that. The day 3 guys I like are Harrell, Thomas and Johnson. One name that didn't make my list is Luke Brubacher, 2 or 3 years of Canadian college football, no HS football. 6'-5" 250 and a former boxer. His motor is insane and his hand usage is violent and effective as one might guess. 2 and 3 point stance.

LB: (15)

39. Payton Wilson - LB - NCST - 6'-4" 234 lbs. - He is the prototypical LBer, sideline to sideline, can drop into coverage. Never has to leave the field. Injury history.

49. Edgerrin Cooper - LB - Texas A&M - 6'-2" 230 lbs. - fast, athletic and a red hot motor. He can cover and blitz. Shedding blocks is an issue at times.

63. Junior Colson - LB - Mich. - 6'-2" 238 lbs. - All around ILBer that can go side to side, drop into zone coverage and is a sloid tackler. Strong enough to stack and shed.

74. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. - ILB - Clemson - 6'-0" 230 lbs. - Smart, fluid and sideline to sideline ability. Plays under control and flows well. His size makes it tough for him to shed blocks.
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108. Cedric Gray - ILB - UNC - 6'-2" 234 lbs. - Athletic with sideline to sideline speed, can drop into coverage. Could be more physical.

124. Tommy Eichenberg - ILB - Ohio State - 6'-2" 233 lbs. - Solid run defender that plays with an old school mentaility and never takes a play off. Can drop into zone. But is a limited athlete.

139. Jaylan Ford - ILB - Texas - 6'-2" 240 lbs. - Physical backer with decent ball skills. Strong at the point of attack. Lacks true sideline to sideline range.
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157. Curtis Jacobs - LB - 6'-1" 241 lbs. - A SAM backer that can cover RBs and TEs. Is a decent blitzer and is fairly athletic. Play strength could use an upgrade.

164. Trevin Wallace - ILB - Kentucky - 6'-1" 237 lbs. - Rangy, physical LBer with good ball skills. False steps put him out of position too often.

168. Ty'Ron Hopper - ILB - Missouri - 6'-2" 231 lbs. - Sideline to sideline range, flies to the ball with bad intentions. Undersized and can get washed out of the play.

174. Marist Liufau - LB - ND - 6'-2" 234 lbs. - A coverage LBer that can offer some juice as a pass rusher. Lack of size and strength creates issues working thru traffic,

182. Nathaniel Watson - ILB - Miss. St. - 6'-2" 233 lbs. - Stack and shed ability, good blitzer, a thumper and I think he can drop into zone coverage. Not sideline to sideline and a bit stiff.
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197. JD Bertrand - ILB - ND - 6'-1" 235 lbs. - I question his range, but he can blitz, shed blocks and fill gaps and drop into zone coverage. Not the most athletic, could get stronger.

211. Steele Chambers - ILB - Ohio St. - 6'-1" 226 lbs. - Sideline to sideline range with a nose for the ball. Can drop into coverage. Struggles shedding blocks, needs to get stronger.

215. Edefuan Ulofoshio - ILB - Washington - 6'-1" 236 lbs. - Physicality is his calling card. Physical with TEs and RBs, a punishing tackler, and can stack and shed. Lacks ideal instincts and range.

Thin class. No first rounders and not because I devalued the position, but because no one is good enough. Wilson is a fine player. But his extensive injury history, age and lack of sand in his pants keeps him firmly in day 2. Top 4 are solid starters, after that pick a guy that fits your scheme. Gray, Ford and Watson are my personal favorites.

CB: (30)

12. Quinyon Mitchell - CB - Toledo - 6'-0" 195 lbs. - Sticky in man or zone, has a nose for the ball and competes against the run. Best player at Senior Bowl.

14. Terrion Arnold - CB -Ala. - 6'-0" 189 lbs. - He's scheme diverse with developing ball skills. Physical in run support. Smooth lower half.

16. Cooper DeJean - CB/S - Iowa - 6'-0" 203 lbs. - A ballhawking DB that is scheme diverse and can play anywhere in the secondary. I like him as a CB in a zone heavy scheme.

21. Nate Wiggins - CB - Clemson - 6'-1" 173 lbs. - Ultra fast, thin frame and light, he works best in zone. Smooth athlete with seemingly good instincts.

27. Kool Aid McKinstry - CB - Ala. - 6'-0" 199 lbs. - He is physical in all aspects of the game. He is at his best as a press man CB on the outside.
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44. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. - CB - Missouri - 5'-11" 183 lbs. - Physical and fiesty CB that works in a press man scheme only IMO. He can get handsy.

48. Kamari Lassiter - CB - Georgia - 6'-0" 180 lbs. - Can play press or zone. Although my concern is his deep speed will limit him to zone in the NFL. He's a physical DB against the run and pass.

60. TJ Tampa - CB - Iowa St. - 6'-1" 185 lbs. - Big and physical, against both the pass and in run support. I like him in a zone scheme with his eyes facing the action.

67. Mike Sainristil - CB - Mich. - 5'-10" 182 lbs. - He's a baller. Plays above his weight class. Smart, instinctual with good ball skills.

68. Renardo Green - CB - FSU - 6'-0" 186 lbs. - Physical press man CB with the speed and fluidity to carry his man downfield. Can get grabby at times.

70. Max Melton - CB - Rutgers - 5'-11" 187 lbs. - Can play inside or out. Scheme diverse, but he seemed most comfortable in zone. Excellent ball skills. Run support is average.
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75. Kris Abrams-Draine - CB - Missouri - 5'-11" 179 lbs. - Scheme diverse with excellent ball skills and a willingness to support the run. His slight frame may be an issue.

84. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. - CB - Louisville - 5'-10" 190 lbs. - I love his physicality in press man and in run support. Plays way bigger than he is. Speedy WRs give him a problem.

86. Caelen Carson - CB - Wake Forest - 6'-0" 199 lbs. - Physical in press man and in run support, solid in zone. Excellent size for the position. Needs to get better at locating the ball when its in the air.

94. Elijah Jones - CB - BC - 6'-2" 185 lbs. - Lean frame makes me think zone corner, with great length and speed, and is smooth in space. Not a great run defender.

96. DJ James - CB - Auburn - 6'-0" 175 lbs. - Lean, fast and has a smooth lower half. Good ball skills, Can he hang outside at that weight? Iffy run supporter.

99. Andru Phillips - CB - Kentucky - 5'-11" 190 lbs. - Physical is run support, scheme diverse in coverage and is fluid in his lower half. Ball skills are a work in progress.
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103. Khyree Jackson - CB - Oregon - 6'-4" 194 lbs. - Rare size/strength for the position. 14 D1 starts, so raw. I think he can play zone, press man or even safety. Upside pick.

110. Cam Hart - CB - ND - 6'-3" 202 lbs. - Great size and a very good athlete with a smooth lower half. Could stand to be more physical in run support. No ints in last 2 seasons. Scheme diverse

128. Josh Newton - CB - TCU - 5'-11" 190 lbs. - Physical in run support and can play inside or out, Not super smooth in his transition, so I like him facing the action in zone.

133. Nehemiah Pritchett - CB - Auburn - 6'-0" 190 lbs. - Size and length in press man, but lacks the strength. His best fit might be in zone. Excellent speed.

145. Kamal Hadden - CB - Tenn. - 6'-1" 196 lbs. - Scheme diverse CB with good ball production, and good size for the position. A bit stiff in his movement.
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150. Chau Smith-Wade - CB - Wash. St. - 5'-10" 184 lbs. - He's a smaller scheme diverse corner that is fluid and quick. Nickel might be his future, but he is willing in run support and outplays his size.

156. Jaylin Simpson - CB/S - Auburn - 6'-0" 179 lbs. - Played both FS and CB. Nickel safety seems perfect for me. Good ball skills. Needs to add good weight to support the run.

171. MJ Devonshire - CB - Pitt - 5'-11" 186 lbs. - Man cover corner with long arms and very good ball skills. Run support needs work. Man scheme

173. Jarrian Jones - CB - FSU - 6'-0" 190 lbs. - Great size, great athlete, aggressive sometimes too aggressive. scheme diverse, but I like him in zone after watching his back pedal.

179. Dwight McGlothern - CB -Arkansas - 6'-2" 185 lbs. - Ballhawk with great size. At his best in zone facing the action. Run support is poor. OK speed.
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199. Johnny Dixon - CB - Penn St. - 5'-11" 188 lbs. - Aggressive and scheme diverse, can play inside and out. Lacks long speed and his transition is rough.

207. Qwan'tez Stiggers - CB - Toronto - 5'-11" 204 lbs. CFL kid that looked good at Shrine Bowl practices. Scheme diverse with good ball skills. Ran 4.45-4.47 at pro day. Can get handsy. Rams 1 of 3 teams not at his pro day.

214. Kalen King - CB/S - Penn St. - 5'-11" 191 lbs. - Good ball skills and effective getting a WR off bakance in press man. Lacks speed and has a clunky lower half. I think he becomes a FS.

SAF: (17)

16. Cooper DeJean - CB/S - Iowa - 6'-0" 203 lbs. - A ballhawking DB that is scheme diverse and can play anywhere in the secondary. I like him as a CB in a zone heavy scheme.
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42. Tyler Nubin - SAF - Minn. - 6'-1" 199 lbs. - Good all around SAF with good ball skills and is solid against the run. I like him in a split safety system.

55. Calen Bullock - SAF - USC - 6'-2" 190 lbs. - He's a ballhawking SAF that can line up in any style of defense. His run defense is hit or miss, but there is upside there.

57. Javon Bullard - SAF -Georgia - 5'-11" 198 lbs. - He can work split or in the box. He's solid in run support and seems to have good instincts. Big Nickel/STAR potential.
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79. Cole Bishop - SAF - Utah - 6'-2" 206 lbs. - A thumper with the size/speed and athleticism to hang with TEs. Not enough range to play single high.

85. Kamren Kinchens - SAF - Miami - 5'-11" 203 lbs. - Turnover machine, brings it when in the box. Not the rangiest SAF in the class.

105. Dadrion Taylor - SAF - Texas Tech - 5'-10" 197 lbs. - Sees the field well with ball skills. I think he is a moveable chess piece on the field. Lacks ideal size for a safety.

111. Beau Brade - SAF - Maryland - 6'-0" 203 lbs. - Solid against the run and the pass. Makes plays on the ball and plays with physicality. Not the rangiest safety. split safety fit.
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121. Jaden Hicks - SAF - Wash. St. - 6'-2" 211 lbs. - Great size for the position, good in run support and has ball skills. Not super rangey and would be better in split zone.

140. Sione Vaki - S/RB - Utah - 5'-11" 210 lbs. - Physical with decent ball skills. Good in the box, lacks range. Played some RB, and looked good doing it.

148. James Williams - SAF - Miami - 6'-4" 231 lbs. - A hammer dropping into the box. Lacks NFL level coverage skills. So a box safety or a nickel backer, maybe a Will backer.

151. Kitan Oladapo - SAF - Oregon St. - 6'-2" 216 lbs. - Big and physical that works best as a box safety, maybe in a split safety system due to his lack of range.

154. Tykee Smith - SAF - Florida - 5'-10" 202 lbs. - Played the STAR position, and although he lacks size, he is good moving forward. His lack of length was a problem against bigger WRs.

156. Jaylin Simpson - CB/S - Auburn - 6'-0" 179 lbs. - Played both FS and CB. Nickel safety seems perfect for me. Good ball skills. Needs to add good weight to support the run.
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180. Evan Williams - SAF - Oregon - 5'-11" 200 lbs. - He's a box safety thru and thru. Limited range in coverage.

203. Malik Mustapha - SAF - Wake Forest - 5'-10" 209 lbs. - Heat seeking missle box safety that lacks the speed and athleticism to play deep. Big nickel or ox safety.

214. Kalen King - CB/S - Penn St. - 5'-11" 191 lbs. - Good ball skills and effective getting a WR off bakance in press man. Lacks speed and has a clunky lower half. I think he becomes a FS.

Not a great class. DeJean is in a tier of his own, if the team that drafts him decides thats where they want him. I like Nubin, Bullock and Bullard, but not enough to spend a Rams 2nd round pick on them. My favorite tier is #3. If Kinchens is around in round 3, he would compliment what the Rams already have. They could use a ball hawking safety. Bishop is fun, I really like him. Taylor makes the most sense in round 4. Vaki might be the best value at SAF in the draft.

Overall if you are looking for a starting DL, its round 1 or 2. Depth after that. you are looking for depth/rotational piece with future starter in mind. EDGE is deeper than just 4 guys. I think the best fits for the Rams are Turner (gone) Latu, Robinson, Braswell, Isaac, Kamara, Hunt, Harrell and Eliss. You can find a good edge in every round. ILBer is thin again and I am waiting until day 3 or UDFA to find depth there. CB is good thru 3 rounds. Day 3 is about backups and STers. SAF is a mess, unless you hit on a guy that drops into late round 3.

Without guys overlapping, in my top 220, 102 are Defense, 118 are offense.

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Don't waste your time looking back, you're not going that way. - Ragnar Lothbrok