Packers Take QB Sean Clifford At No. 149
The Packers seem committed to rolling with Jordan Love in a post-Aaron Rodgers offense. However, that hasn’t stopped the organization from selecting a quarterback in the draft. The Packers have picked Penn State signal caller Sean Clifford at No. 149.
Clifford once beat out second-round QB Will Levis for the Nittany Lions’ starting gig. While his former teammate ended up showing more promise for the NFL, Clifford still managed to hear his name called during this weekend’s draft. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter points out (on Twitter), Clifford is the 11th QB drafted this year, tying the Common Draft Era record set in 1995 for most quarterbacks selected in the first five rounds.
Clifford ended up spending four seasons as Penn State’s starter. That stint included a 2022 campaign where he completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 2,822 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets, many teams viewed Clifford as a priority undrafted free agent, but the Packers were apparently motivated to add him now.
Love will be positioned atop Green Bay’s depth chart in 2023, but the rookie could make a run for the QB2 spot. The only other Packers quarterback on the roster besides Love and Clifford is Danny Etling.
Browns Tab QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson At No. 140
We have moved into a Day 3 run on quarterbacks. The Browns are continuing the trend by taking UCLA passer Dorian Thompson-Robinson at No. 140.
Thompson-Robinson follows Fresno State’s Jake Haener (Saints), Georgia’s Stetson Bennett (Rams), Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell (Raiders) and Houston’s Clayton Tune (Cardinals) off the board.
Thompson-Robinson decided to use his fifth year of college eligibility and return to UCLA for the 2022 campaign. In his fifth season as the starter, the quarterback set career-highs in completion percentage (69.6), passing yards (3,169), and touchdowns (27). Thompson-Robinson was also a threat on the ground, adding another 645 yards and 12 touchdowns.
It was only a year ago that the Browns gave up a historic haul to acquire Deshaun Watson. The front office is likely hoping that Thompson-Robinson can develop into a steady backup who won’t disrupt the offense. The team let 2022 Watson fill-in starter Jacoby Brissett defect to the Commanders in free agency. The rookie will be joining a depth chart that also features Joshua Dobbs and Kellen Mond.
Cardinals Choose QB Clayton Tune At No. 139
Houston quarterback Clayton Tune is heading to the desert. The Cardinals are taking the multiyear Cougars starter at No. 139.
Tune’s arrival comes after Trace McSorley left for the Patriots and at a time in which the Cardinals are not certain who their Week 1 starting quarterback will be. Kyler Murray‘s status for the Arizona opener is very much in doubt, and Colt McCoy also missed the conclusion of the Cards’ 2022 season.
Murray is expected to make an early-season return from his December ACL tear, but the Cards’ franchise quarterback does not sound like he will be ready for Week 1. McCoy battled arm and calf issues, leading him to IR, but he resurfaced to replace Murray for two games prior to the latter’s ACL tear. McCoy sustained a concussion in Week 15, his third start of the season, and did not play again. The Cardinals cleared their backup from concussion protocol in Week 17, but McCoy experienced more symptoms during a practice soon after and finished the season out of action. McCoy is going into his age-37 season; one year remains on his contract.
While Murray and McCoy did not finish last season, the Cardinals do now have a crowded QB room. They recently signed Jeff Driskel, and David Blough is on Arizona’s offseason roster as well. Tune moves the position group to five.
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranked Tune as this year’s ninth-best QB prospect, slotting him 188th overall. The Cougars gunslinger posted a 40-touchdown pass, 10-interception season as a senior last year, throwing for 4,074 yards. This comes after a 30-10 year in 2021. Taking over for D’Eriq King with the American Athletic Conference school, Tune put up some nice numbers in helping the team to 20 wins over the past two years. Houston was a bit more successful in 2021, going 12-2. The 6-foot-2 passer will now see if he can crack the Cardinals’ 53-man roster.
Commanders Acquire No. 137 From Bills
The Commanders made a move up the board early in Round 5. They are acquiring No. 137 overall from the Bills, who will add No. 150 and No. 215, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
With the pick, Ron Rivera‘s team chose Clemson edge rusher K.J. Henry. This marks the third Clemson D-lineman to be chosen in this draft, following first-rounders Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee. Overall, the Tigers have seen four front-seven standouts chosen in this draft, with the Ravens taking linebacker Trenton Simpson in Round 3.
This pick proves interesting for the Commanders, given their present defensive line situation. The four first-round D-linemen chosen from 2017-20 — Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat, Chase Young — remain on the team. But Washington now has both Sweat and Young going into contract years. The Commanders passed on Young’s fifth-year option this week.
Henry posted 13 sacks over the past four seasons and finished with a career-high nine tackles for loss in 2022. The Commanders used former seventh-round pick James Smith-Williams as Young’s primary fill-in last season; Young’s 2021 ACL tear — a complex injury that led to the option decline — has given Smith-Williams considerable run opposite Sweat. But Washington will bring in some additional depth in Henry.
Raiders Trade Up For Purdue QB Aiden O’Connell
The Raiders have moved up to select a quarterback. Las Vegas has acquired No. 135 from the Patriots and will select Purdue quarterback Aiden O’Connell. The Patriots are moving back to No. 144 while picking up No. 214 in the process.
O’Connell had a breakout season at Purdue in 2021, finishing with 28 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions. He took a bit of a step back during his senior campaign, seeing regression in completion percentage (64.1), passing yards (3,490), touchdowns (22), and interceptions (13).
With no mobility and a shaky deep ball, O’Connell earned his draft stock thanks to his quick decision making. That gives him some hope in the NFL, especially if he gets competent offensive line play in front of him.
The Raiders are now preparing for a post-Derek Carr era. The team brought in Jimmy Garoppolo to lead the depth chart, but the veteran has his fair share of injuries. Veteran Brian Hoyer isn’t a future option at the position, and while the team retained 2022 undrafted free agent Chase Garbers, he projects as more of a backup. In other words, if things go his way, O’Connell could find himself quickly climbing the Raiders depth chart.
Rams Select QB Stetson Bennett At No. 128
The draft’s seventh quarterback is off the board, and the Rams will now have two former Georgia passers on their roster. Stetson Bennett, the No. 128 overall pick, will join Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles.
Bennett finally emerged as Georgia’s starting QB over the past two years and proceeded to win a pair of national championships. This past season, he completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 4,182 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also added another 205 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He accounted for six touchdowns during Georgia’s 65-7 championship win over TCU, earning him offensive MVP for the game.
At 5-foot-11, Bennett lacks the stature of a typical NFL quarterback, leading him to fall behind the six previously selected quarterbacks in the draft. However, he has many of the other intangibles, including top-notch mobility, accuracy, and decision making, providing him some hope of success at the next level.
It’s uncertain how much longer Stafford will be sticking around the NFL, perhaps opening a door for Bennett to eventually take over. At the moment, the rookie is the only other quarterback on the Rams roster.
Saints Acquire No. 127, Select QB Jake Haener
The Saints are giving up a future draft pick to get into the fourth round. New Orleans has acquired pick No. 127 from Jacksonville. In exchange, the Jaguars have acquired pick No. 227 and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
The Saints will be using their selection on quarterback Jake Haener. The Fresno State product was widely considered to be atop the remaining tier of QBs, generally ranking sixth in his draft class.
While he won’t have the draft stock of the QBs selected before him, Haener can keep up with his upside. He didn’t play in a Power 5 conference and has generally been viewed unfavorably from a physical perspective, but he’s been lauded for his ability to control the game from under center.
Haener truly had a breakout campaign in 2021, when he finished with 33 touchdowns vs. only nine interceptions. He followed that up with a 2022 campaign where he connected on 72 percent of his passes for 2,896 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only three picks. He also earned the 2023 Senior Bowl MVP after the season.
The Saints made a move for Derek Carr this offseason and seem fully committed to their acquisition. The team also kept mainstay Jameis Winston, meaning Haener will likely spend his rookie campaign as the third quarterback on the depth chart.
Chiefs Trade Up For S Chamarri Conner
The Chiefs are moving up. Kansas City has acquired pick No. 119 from the Vikings. In exchange, Minnesota is acquiring pick No. 134 and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
The Chiefs have used the fourth-round selection on Chamarri Conner. The Virginia Tech defensive back had a productive collegiate career, collecting 207 tackles and four interceptions. He earned a Reese’s Senior Bowl selection this past year after compiling 67 tackles and two passes defended.
Conner’s ability to hold his own against tight ends could lead to him seeing time at safety in the NFL. Thanks to his speed, he also has the ability play outside or slot cornerback, making him an interesting piece for the Chiefs secondary.
Patriots Acquire No. 112 From Jets, Select K Chad Ryland
Two AFC East rivals have pulled off a trade. The Patriots have acquired pick No. 112 from the Jets. In exchange, New England is sending New York picks No. 120 and No. 184.
The Patriots are using their newfound pick on kicker Chad Ryland. The special teamer spent four years at Eastern Michigan, setting the school’s all-time record for scoring (309 points). He transferred to Maryland for the 2022 campaign and proceeded to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors after connecting on 19 of his 23 field goal attempts and 39 of his 40 extra point tries.
Ryland is now the second kicker to be selected in the top-112, joining Michigan’s Jake Moody, who was selected by the 49ers at No. 99.
Veteran Nick Folk has served as the Patriots kicker for the past three-plus seasons. He hit on 86.5 percent of his field goal tries last year, his lowest total since 2019. He inked a two-year, $5MM deal with the organization last March, and he’ll likely be part of a kicking competition in the preseason.
It’s not every day that you see the Patriots and Jets pull off a trade. Earlier this draft, some pundits suspected if Bill Belichick spited his former employer by pulling off a trade with the Steelers. Pittsburgh jumped ahead of the Jets in the first round and took the last top-rated offensive tackle in Broderick Jones, forcing the Jets to pivot to edge Will McDonald at No. 15.
Saints Trade Up For No. 103
The Saints will now be picking first on the third day of the NFL Draft. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that New Orleans has acquired the No. 103 pick from the Bears.
Chicago will be receiving picks No. 115 and No. 165, per Pelissero (on Twitter). As our Team-by-Team 2023 NFL Draft Results show, the Bears will now have five picks today while the Saints will have four selections.
With the pick, the Saints are taking Old Dominion offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri. The Saints still have their five 2022 O-line starters under contract, with starter-turned-swingman James Hurst also still rostered. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rated Saldiveri as its No. 116 overall prospect; this selection gibes with that assessment.
While Hurst is a former free agent signing, Saldiveri gives the Saints six homegrown O-linemen drafted in the first four rounds. The Bears will pick up an additional fifth-round pick for moving down.