Lions rebound on Day 2 as 49ers puzzle

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Detroit Lions

Credit where credit is due: Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell seemed to get back on track in finding value after a bewildering pair of Day 1 decisions. Alabama safety Brian Branch is the perfect piece in the secondary for Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, as his versatility, intelligence and sure tackling should set him up for early success. It was surprising to see LaPorta come off the board earlier in the second before Mayer, but he should be a good fit in Ben Johnson’s offense. And although Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is already 25 and coming off a torn ACL, allowing him to sit behind Jared Goff for at least a season could provide him with a favorable setting for his development.

OK, OK. This probably wasn’t what the Packers were aiming for Friday when they took two field-stretching tight ends in Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft as well as speedy receiver Jayden Reed. But it was undoubtedly a nice way to support Jordan Love after the team finally sent Rodgers off to the New York Jets via trade.

Rashee Rice

What young receiver doesn’t want to be paired with Patrick Mahomes? The SMU product looks set to take over for JuJu Smith-Schuster as the possession receiver in the defending champions’ collection of pass catchers. As the Chiefs have employed a more methodical approach and spread the wealth among their wideouts, there’s still a significant role for Rice, even with Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore likely seeing more work in 2023.

Mike McDaniel

Adding an All-American track talent at running back to the Dolphins’ blazing-fast collection of skill-position talent almost feels like a cliché. But with third-round running back Devon Achane, McDaniel can enjoy yet another threat to break off a long gain at any moment. The 5-foot-8, 188-pound Texas A&M product can share a workload with Raheem Mostert to keep the two fresh and in top form.

Matt Eberflus

New Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles clearly is attuned to Eberflus’ predilections, as he followed up the selection of first-round right tackle Darnell Wright by equipping the coach with two formidable defensive linemen (Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens) and a rangy cornerback (Tyrique Stevenson). For whatever faults this outfit still has, toughness shouldn’t be one of them next season.

Marte Mapu

Let’s give a shoutout to the first player who might have elicited a “who?” from several fans when he was chosen. The versatile Sacramento State product was not invited to the NFL scouting combine and later tore his pectoral while training for the draft, yet he still managed to crack the third round. And the hybrid linebacker/safety lands with Bill Belichick, who is no stranger to that type of defender.

LOSERS

A little more than a year ago, many analysts were confident that the rocket-armed Liberty product would find a home somewhere in the first 32 picks. Fast forward to Friday, when the 2022 third-round selection already looks like the odd man out in Tennessee after the move to grab Levis. Between a regime change and his benching for the final two games of the regular season, it was already clear which way things were trending for Willis. But it looks like the door truly closed on him on Friday.

Taking an H-back in Brenton Strange felt like a reach in the second round, especially with the team set to bring Evan Engram back into the fold. Running back Tank Bigsby was a fine addition in the third round, but a cornerback or defensive lineman seemed like the better route. Time for Trent Baalke to do some maneuvering with his 10 picks in the final four rounds.

A second-year signal-caller with the apparent lead over Jacoby Brissett for the Commanders’ starting role, Howell wasn’t given much support via the draft. Washington followed up its first-round choice of cornerback Emmanuel Forbes with defensive back Jartavius ​​Martin in the second, although third-round center Ricky Stromberg provides some depth up front. An offensive lineman or tight end in the first two rounds might have gone a long way toward making Howell more comfortable.

Never count out the possibility that Pete Carroll will take a running back early, no matter what his team’s outlook is. This time, he pounced on UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet in the second round in a move that was hard to square with 2022 second-rounder Kenneth Walker’s abundantly successful rookie campaign. Walker should still operate in the lead role, but this is a hefty investment for a change of pace.

Speaking of teams overly invested in the running game … Atlanta doubled down on Thursday’s Bijan Robinson selection by grabbing Syracuse offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron, who could be poised for a move to guard. It wasn’t until the third round that the Falcons addressed a pass rush that has tallied a league-worst 39 sacks in the last two years by adding Ohio State defensive end Zach Harrison. Better hope that proves sufficient for keeping inexperienced quarterback Desmond Ridder out of shootouts.

Hendon Hooker

Erroneous first-round quarterback hype strikes again. While some posited that Hooker could crash the Day 1 party in the final few picks, the Tennessee passer ended up a good deal behind the top four players at the position, making it clear he’s more of a developmental prospect than an expected eventual starter. There’s a path for him to become a first-stringer, but it’s definitely narrower than it appeared before the draft.

Kelee Ringo

It doesn’t seem that long ago that the 6-2, 207-pounder seemed ticketed to join many of his former Georgia teammates as an early draft pick. Now, his wait has extended all the way into Saturday. His physical tools are undeniable, but his change-of-direction problems and underdeveloped instincts might be a sticking point for some teams.

With the no. 99 overall pick, the 49ers selected … Michigan kicker Jake Moody, making him the highest selection at the position since Roberto Aguayo was taken by the Buccaneers in the second round in 2016. That’s hardly a company you want to join. Yes, the 49ers are probably better situated than most teams to make this kind of gamble, but history indicates it’s overwhelmingly likely to be a losing bet.