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The NFL Draft is an emotional rollercoaster for everyone. Scouts, players, teams, general managers, coaches and many more have altered their lives with the 259 picks on Draft Night.
Hence, it shouldn't come as a surprise that some players are selected low and still end up doing great teams in the league. Tom Brady was selected way down in the sixth round but ended up as the GOAT.
On that note, we look at ten rookie sleepers who are bound to take the league by storm in the coming years.
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Top rookie sleepers after Day 3 of 2023 NFL Draft
Here's a list of ten rookie sleepers after Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Kindly note that this is in no particular order:
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#1 Ivan Pace Jr., Linebacker, Cincinnati (Undrafted)
Ivan Pace Jr. was one of the most polarizing linebackers heading into this year's NFL Draft.
He had a decent college football career, becoming an All-American with ten sacks and forced three fumbles in 2022. He ended up undrafted following Day 3, which might be the chip on his shoulder heading into his NFL career.
#2 Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Wide Receiver, West Virginia (Undrafted)
Ford-Wheaton owned it during West Virginia's first two games against Pitt and Kansas in 2022, putting up a stat line of 20 catches for 249 yards and four touchdowns.
He remains an appealing combination of speed, size and versatility with enough of a college track record to suggest that teams made a mistake not picking him in the NFL Draft.
#3 Chase Brown, Running Back, Illinois (Cincinnati Bengals Round 5)
Chase Brown led Illinois to their best season in 15 years by putting up a stat line of 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging five yards a run, even when opposing defenses knew he was picking the ball.
He also bossed as a pass catcher, catching 27 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns last season. There's not much separating him from the higher-selected backs in this class.
It's easy to imagine Brown becoming the secondary back for an NFL franchise in year one.
#4 Jaxson Kirkland, Offensive Lineman, Washington (Drafted)
Jaxson Kirkland spent six seasons in college, which is why he will be 25 when the season starts.
He anchored the Husky's O-line as the left tackle in the last two years, and the unit let up just seven sacks last year. Kirkland's versatility, size, college success and intangibles indicate him becoming an excellent NFL offensive lineman.
#5 Yasir Abdullah, Linebacker, Louisville (Jacksonville Jaguars Round 5)
Yasir Abdullah racked up 19.5 sacks in the ACC Conference over his final two seasons in college. He needs to be more significant to fit the description of a traditional edge rusher.
Nevertheless, a brilliant coach will find ways to get Abdullah onto the field and attack opposing backfields. Abdullah is athletic enough to drop into coverage and has the tools and record to play through any concerns over the "tweener" label attached to his name during the pre-NFL Draft process. He's entering a solid system at Jacksonville.
Five other rookie linebackers are as follows:
6. SirVocea Dennis, Linebacker, Pitt (Miami Round 5)
7. Charlie Jones, Wide Receiver, Purdue (Tampa Bay Buccaneers Round 5)
8. Jarrett Patterson, Offensive Lineman, Notre Dame (Minnesota Round 6)
9. Tyrus Wheat, EDGE, Mississippi State (Undrafted)
10. Will Mallory, Tight End, Miami
