The DFF Army banded together for another 12-team full PPR Superflex rookie mock draft! This time we are post-Combine and Pro Day, but pre-NFL Draft. Check out every third-round selection below and each writer’s reasoning behind their pick. Stay tuned for round four publishing tomorrow!
3.01 – James Cook, RB Georgia
JC – @JCJDynasty
So at the start of round three, I was thinking of a few different RBs here in Dameon Pierce and Brian Robinson. I ultimately went with James Cook because while he may not be as good of a downhill runner between the tackles as Pierce or Robinson. He is however a good zone runner and he is ELITE at running routes from the RB position. In a PPR format, we need RBs to catch passes to hold a steady floor week to week for our teams. James Cook will do this at the next level unquestionably. When you hear the name James Cook you’re immediately brought to another talented RB in the NFL with the same surname. Yes, they are related. They aren’t too similar in playstyle, however.
Honestly when I watch James Cook play a guy jumps out to me. Now I know around this time of year, we hit the peak of rookie fever with the NFL Draft just a month away. This leads us to make bold proclamations about players, leading to incredibly lofty expectations. I’m going to be guilty of it with James Cook because he just looks so much like Alvin Kamara on the field. He almost exclusively runs out of shotgun zone schemes, shows a quick burst to the second level on his runs, and runs great routes that lead to gaps in coverage against less athletic players being assigned to guard him. To go back to Math Bomb, their Relative Athletic Scores are fairly similar, in fact, Cook graded out higher.
This isn’t to say Relative Athletic Score is the end all be all in player comparisons. It does go to show that we’re talking about the same kind of athletically gifted player though. I can easily see cook getting 5-8 carries a game and being targeted 6-8 times per game as a receiving option. Give me that skillset and those kinds of touches and you’re getting a steal at 3.01 who can easily fill in as a flex. If the landing spot permits it, he just may be looking at high-end RB2 upside.
Here’s a little do-it-all video for James Cook:
3.02 – Tyler Allgeier, RB BYU
Chris Miles – @ChrisMiles1017
Tyler Allgeier is one of my favorite prospects in this class, and it is largely due to the market value he currently has. In our last mock draft, I selected Allgeier at pick 2.02 because that is how highly I think of him as a prospect. Since then the combine happened, and while he did not bomb it, he did not have a great performance. This has depressed Allgeier’s value and made him a common third or even fourth-round selection. My general rookie draft strategy also states to heavily avoid WRs after the early second round has passed. This pushes me towards high production or high athleticism RBs (since the players with both are gone by now) and day two QBs. Allgeier was hyper-productive at BYU, and thus the reason I selected him here.
3.03 – Dameon Pierce, RB Florida
MG – @AlwaysBBuilding
Finally, I wasn’t sniped! Dameon Pierce marks my first RB selection of this mock (RB8). I dare say, the RB position is the deepest skill position in this year’s draft, if you don’t land one of the “big 3” of Hall, K9, or Spiller you will be just fine securing an intriguing prospect a little later.
Pierce is the epitome of the type of back I favor. 5’10, 215 lbs., backing up his talents with a solid NFL Combine performance. Pierce can run, catch, and block, all with more than adequate efficiency and effectiveness. He has a nose for not only the endzone but “finishing plays”. Bottom line: he is tenacious with the ball in his hands.
Now for the fantasy-fueled question…does he possess the ability to be a 3-down back at the next level? In this analyst’s opinion, the short answer is a resounding “yes”! However, and this is where things get a bit muddy, it’s important to consider the way NFL teams are deploying their RBs. It’s both refreshing, and frustrating. Teams like the Patriots, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Ravens, Chiefs, Eagles, Commanders, 49ers, Seahawks, etc. have been notorious for implementing some type of committee. For fantasy owners, this is maddening. But at least we can hang our hats on the fact that we can expect some form of production.
At the end of the day, rookie drafts are about maximizing the value of your draft capital. So, snagging DP in the third round gives me a comfortable peace of mind. Note: I was debating between Dameon Pierce and Brian Robinson with this selection. I chose to go with Pierce since I had never had the chance to grab him in previous mocks. As you can see, Robinson was selected with the next pick. So, I wouldn’t fault you for grabbing either back at this stage of your draft.
3.04 – Brian Robinson, RB Alabama
Chris Museezer – @force_fantasy
Thank you for real this time, MG. I see you were debating between Pierce and Robinson.
Unlike the first two rounds, I was very happy to see Brian Robinson still on the board at 3.04. I am even happier now that I see MG was considering him with the pick right before me considering he sniped me with London and Howell in the first two rounds.
Robinson has a prototype NFL size at 6’2” and 225 lbs. For a man this big, a 4.53 forty-yard dash is solid. His speed score was 85th percentile. He rushed for 1337 yards and flashed an ability to catch with 35 receptions. He was also a forced missed tackle machine.
3.05 – Jerome Ford, RB Cincinnati
Jared Hines @Ship_Chaser
5’11” 210 lbs. Birthday: 9/12/1999
40-yard dash: 4.46 seconds
31” vertical 9’9” broad jump
He had over 1,500 scrimmage yards and 20 total TDs as a fourth-year junior for the Bearcats. He was a three-star recruit at Alabama before transferring and then eventually declaring for the NFL draft. His burst scores with his leaping tests are not nearly as impressive as his 40-time. His college production looks really good, though, and he has tremendous vision and patience in my opinion. Look at the run at the 0:45 mark. He sets up his defenders and he uses his blocks well. He has a three-down skill set and I honestly considered taking him at 2.05. I fear his athletic scores may drive him down but I still think he is a day two selection and a potential fantasy steal in the third.
3.06 – Jalen Tolbert, WR South Alabama
Matt Ward – @PsychWardFF
Watching a five-pick run of RBs, leading to Jalen Tolbert falling in my lap at 3.06 was a beautiful sight. I have waxed poetic on Jalen Tolbert’s profile on every available occasion and saw no need to overthink this selection. Tolbert evolved from a silky under the seam operator to a goliath of dominant production during his junior and senior years at South Alabama. Tolbert’s small-school FBS background should raise zero concerns as he has several inspiring performances against upper-echelon defensive matchups. His route-running appears effortless in motion with breathtaking cuts that could rival Picasso’s artistry. Tolbert is a smash selection at any spot in the third round.
3.07 – Tyler Badie, RB Missouri
Carl – @RookieWhisper
I am very happy with the value I got here! Badie was a mega-producer at the college level, sporting a 94th % dominator rating and a 97th % target share. On tape, the Missouri RB’s speed, quickness, and pass-catching ability are easy to see. Despite being only 5’8” 197 lbs., Badie shows the ability to break tackles and finishes at the goal-line. His style of play reminds me of a smaller Aaron Jones (Badie is 1” shorter and 11lbs lighter). Jones was also extremely productive in college but fell to the fifth round in the NFL Draft. However, it would not surprise me if Badie heard his name called in Round 3 or 4 this month, as his pass-catching ability should be valued by NFL teams as the league seems to be moving to a more pass-heavy approach.
3.08 – Pierre Strong, RB South Dakota State
Paul Patterson – @fantasyfreezer
At this point in rookie drafts, all of the QBs or WRs have a vanishingly small chance of breaking out in the NFL. The RB position is different. Injuries always open up opportunities for players like Khalil Herbert and Chuba Hubbard to flash their ability and contribute useful fantasy production. As an incredible athlete with a strong (pun intended) production profile, Pierre Strong should find himself in a similar position. There’s always the chance he stays buried on a depth chart, but the upside is there.
3.09 – Khalil Shakir, WR Boise State
Julio – @mistermartinez9
Khalil Shakir declared for the NFL Draft after a four-year run of success at Boise State. While his athleticism is average, his measurables leave a lot to be desired. However, Shakir is more of a football player than he is an athletic specimen. He combines high character and high football IQ and does all the little things the right way. Shakir does have reliable hands and moves relatively smoothly through his routes.
https://twitter.com/TheHQNerd/status/1509878576019091456?s=20&t=aEkfNnyIKgOEaDtLjHNakA
With this pick, I felt I could potentially nab a future starting slot receiver in the league.
3.10 – Calvin Austin III, WR Memphis
Charles – @Heady_Football
Once you start getting this deep in the draft, impact players are at a premium and I start looking for potential. Calvin had back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons and has that quick twitch movement that will help him separate against press coverage at the next level. In addition, he can work all levels of the field but at his size, there are some concerns about 50-50 balls along with tackle-breaking ability. The only issue is whether or not he will get that opportunity. If given that chance, he should become a nice flex player with WR3 potential on my squad.
3.11 – Kevin Harris, RB South Carolina
Billy Beaman – @WillieBeamanDFF
Keep allowing one of the best running backs in this class to fall to the third round and I’ll keep taking him. At some point, I’m going to have to start reaching higher as the community catches on when the hype builds in the NFL. He profiles as a three-down back but was held back in college due to injuries. Don’t let your league mates get lucky and snag Harris in the fourth round. Reach late second and third rounds to secure what could be one of the best values in the draft.
3.12 – Carson Strong, QB, Nevada
DocFFFN – @DocFFFN
Previous mocks had Carson Strong going in the late-first to early-second round, so taking a stab at him at the 3.12 spot is something your author can get behind. Strong has the prototype QB look, as a height, weight, arm-strength type of prospect that NFL execs fall in love with and hope their coaching staffs can refine.
Not unlike another tall, strong-armed pocket passer we saw this time last season in Davis Mills, Strong could hear his name called in the late-second or early-third rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft next month. Reports had surfaced that scouts loved what they saw from Strong at the Senior Bowl. With time to develop and in the right system, your author may have just stolen a serviceable QB in a Superflex league at the end of the third round.
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