– Rounds 2 and 3
By: Jay Pounds (@jaypoundsnfl)
Dynasty Owners! Free agency has officially come and gone, and it is now time to turn our full attention towards the 2023 NFL Draft and our Dynasty Owner rookie draft. The NFL Draft will start on Thursday, April 27th and end on Saturday, April 29th and Dynasty Owner rookie drafts start in May. Be sure to enter the Dynasty Owner Draft Pick Challenge for your chance to take home $10,000 by picking a perfect first round. Today’s article is rather long, so let’s jump right into things!
Remember this is a mock draft geared towards rebuilding Dynasty Owners who are somewhat early in the process.
Round 2
- Josh Downs (WR – North Carolina)
If this is not a time of year where your rankings are constantly changing, you may need a new process. Had my previous article happened today, Josh Downs and Kayshon Boutte would have flipped spots for both rebuilding and contending Dynasty Owners. Downs will be a first round pick in Dynasty Owner rookie drafts with a good landing spot. Downs is small for the position, but after posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons his college production will be tough to ignore come draft day despite size concerns.
- Zay Flowers (WR – Boston College)
Zay Flowers is another player who Dynasty Owners could take in the first round of rookie drafts depending on his landing spot, though I won’t be one of them. Flowers is on the smaller side, and I don’t see him developing into much more than a gadget player at the NFL level. Flowers is excellent with the ball in his hands and that should help him see touches early in his career. As someone who is in the middle of a rebuild, I would take Flowers here as I believe there is a decent drop off in talent at the position after him.
- Zach Charbonnet (RB – UCLA)
Our first running back of the second round! Zach Charbonnet is a player I expect to be all over the place in Dynasty Owner rookie drafts ranging from the middle of the first round to the middle of the second round. As a top 5 nationally ranked running back coming out of high school. Charbonnet is a very talented running back and has the tools to succeed but landing spot will play a major role. I know I talk about not liking running backs when rebuilding quite often but at this point in the draft you should take players no matter how they add value to your roster. Remember running backs who are producing are very easy to trade.
- Hendon Hooker (QB – Tennessee)
Up next, we have the player who will likely be the most controversial pick in our rookie drafts, Hendon Hooker. Had Hooker not went down to a torn ACL in 2022, he would be a lock for the first round of our upcoming rookie drafts and likely the NFL Draft too. Unfortunately, this is not the case and Hooker’s draft stock has taken a major hit because of this injury. As a rebuilding Dynasty Owner if Hooker is here at this spot you have to pull the trigger. He is much too talented to not take a chance on this late.
- Kendre Miller (RB – TCU)
In the 5 spot we have a part of TCU’s three-headed monster on offense, Kendre Miller. While Quintin Johnston and Max Duggan were the stars of the TCU offense, Kendre Miller was the heartbeat who kept the chains moving. Miller is also a player who I can see rising up draft boards rather quickly and hitting the back end of the first round of Dynasty Owner rookie drafts. If that does not happen, rebuilding Dynasty Owners should jump at the chance to draft Miller. At just under 6 feet tall and weighing in at 215 pounds, Miller has everything the NFL looks for in a running back including the ability to catch passes out of the backfield. Keep an eye on Miller throughout the process.
- Jalin Hyatt (WR – Tennessee)
Jalin Hyatt, the player best known as the guy who torched Alabama for 5 touchdowns on 6 catches while leading his team to an upset victory. Yes, Hyatt had a huge game in college but there is much more to him than that. Hyatt is a burner who can help any offense take the top off of a defense and will help stretch the field from Day 1. The big knock on Hyatt is the fact that he is good, not great, at everything else but as a rebuilding Dynasty Owner, you have plenty of time to be patient and let him develop. I remember hearing the same concerns with DK Metcalf ($24,000,000) coming out of the SEC and we all saw how that worked out.
- Dalton Kincaid (TE – Utah)
Dalton Kincaid has been skyrocketing up draft boards as of late and it doesn’t seem to be stopping. By the time Dynasty Owner rookie drafts roll around, Kincaid could be even higher than this. As you all know, the tight end position is one of my top priorities when rebuilding and it isn’t going to change anytime soon. Kincaid is a fantastic receiver and route runner for a tight end and that is exactly what we fantasy nuts love. If Kincaid develops the way scouts think, he will be an absolute steal this late in your rookie draft.
- Roschon Johnson (RB – Texas)
In the 8 spot of the second round, we have the man behind Bijan Robinson in Roschon Johnson. Had Johnson transferred out of Texas, he may have been a star in his own right, but he did the unthinkable and stayed at Texas behind a generational prospect. I don’t see Johnson becoming a star in the NFL, but he could end up as a consistent producer at the next level in the right situation. If Johnson lands with a team who could use a goal line back, I believe he may go a little higher than this draft spot. As a rebuilding Dynasty Owner, I would take a chance here on Johnson and trade him the minute he starts producing. The goal here is to turn the 2.8 pick into a player and another second round rookie pick during the 2023 season.
- Marvin Mims (WR – Oklahoma)
Having a player like Marvin Mims available this late in a rookie draft is a testament to the quality of talent in this draft class. Mims is a speedy receiver who should find a home in the slot position at the NFL level, but I would consider him more of a hybrid slot receiver as he will definitely get some deep balls thrown his way throughout the season. As we see with Jalin Hyatt, Mims does not have a full route tree under his belt, but he does have the tools to add it to his game. If Mims develops well over the first couple seasons of his career, he could become a great Dynasty Owner player.
- Sean Tucker (RB – Syracuse)
Sean Tucker is a player who will likely go much higher than this in Dynasty Owner rookie drafts but in a world where everyone is rebuilding, this is where I expect him to go. Should players like Tank Bigsby or Zach Evans fall, Tucker may rise up my rebuilding rankings but until then I don’t see many rebuilders adding Tucker to their roster at this spot. Tucker does have the talent to succeed in the NFL, but I like some of the others at the position more for rebuilders.
- Cedric Tillman (WR – Tennessee)
In the 11 spot, we have our second Tennessee receiver of the second round, Cedric Tillman. Tillman is a player who I believe rebuilding Dynasty Owners should be all over as I think he got overlooked a bit while playing for the Volunteers. Tillman doesn’t have great speed, but he does have enough to keep defenses honest. At 6 feet 3 inches tall, he has a huge catch radius and should be a great possession receiver for years to come should he develop properly. I would take a chance on Tillman time and time again at this point in the draft.
- Tyjae Spears (RB – Tulane)
At last, we have our final selection of the second round, Tulane running back Tyjae Spears. Spears was an absolute beast in college averaging 6.0 yards per carry or more in each season he played for the Green Wave. It wasn’t against elite competition, but it was impressive, nonetheless. Spears lacks the high-end speed NFL teams love, but he does have the size to go along with average speed and great athleticism. If he is still here at this spot, I think you pull the trigger, rebuilding or not.
Round 3
- Devon Achane (RB – Texas A&M)
Achane is a player everyone should keep an eye on. Top end speed to pair with high end athleticism.
- Tanner McKee (QB – Stanford)
Is it just me or does Stanford always seem to have a quarterback drafted every couple of years? Tanner McKee has great upside for rebuilders early in the third round of your Dynasty Owner rookie draft.
- Rashee Rice (WR – SMU)
Rice is a player I see getting on the field a lot, but not becoming a star. Hey if you can get 700 yards a season out of a third round rookie draft pick, you’d take it all day, right?
- Luke Musgrave (TE – Oregon State)
Musgrave is an excellent choice at this point in your rookie draft. He needs to bulk up more for blocking purposes, but could develop into a nice fantasy asset.
- Darnell Washington (TE – Georgia)
Up next, we have the Andre the Giant of tight ends! If Washington develops, he could be an absolute force in the Red Zone.
- Israel Abanikanda (RB – Pittsburgh)
The Pittsburgh product has an unbelievable blend of size and speed. As a former track star who weighs 216 pounds, NFL teams may take him much earlier than expected.
- Eric Gray (RB – Oklahoma)
Eric Gray is a late round pick who has a chance to play at some point in 2023. Gray has good pass catching skills which will only help him get on the field.
- Sam LaPorta (TE – Iowa)
It pains me to have Sam LaPorta going this late as he is on my Devy team, and I expected more out of him. Iowa tight ends always seem to make a name for themselves and LaPorta has the talent to continue that trend. Rebuilders, this should be your tight end sweet spot in drafts!
- Parker Washington (WR – Penn State)
A great chance for rebuilding Dynasty Owners this late in the draft. Washington is no lock, but he does have the skills to be an above average receiver at the next level.
- Chase Brown (RB – Illinois)
Brown is the last running back I would recommend rebuilding Dynasty Owners spending a draft pick on. Save the rest of the running backs for the Free Agent Auction.
- Rakim Jarrett (WR – Maryland)
Rakim Jarrett is definitely going to be a project, but he is a project I feel could pay off big time if he happens to find success.
- Stenson Bennett (QB – Georgia)
Here we have our very own Dynasty Owner Mr. Irrelevant. The end of the third may be a little high, but Bennett is a proven winner and has shown his doubters they were wrong every step of the way.
Thank you all for reading and be sure to check out all of the upcoming Dynasty Owner content. We have the Dynasty Owner podcast, the Dynasty Owner Livestream, and articles to help with your Dynasty Owner teams. Good luck on your 2023 Chase for the Ring!