Utah defensive again Clark Phillips III participates within the faculty’s NFL professional day on the College of Utah follow facility on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Laura Seitz, Deseret Information
It’s anticipated to be a superb NFL draft for prospects with Utah ties.
That bought began Thursday night time within the first spherical, when Utah tight finish Dalton Kincaid went No. 25 total to the Buffalo Payments.
And, in contrast to final 12 months, when no Utah ties have been chosen throughout the draft’s second day, there are a trio of Utah prospects who're robust candidates to be taken throughout the second or third spherical of the 2023 draft.
There can be 71 complete picks made on Friday: 32 within the second spherical and 39 extra within the third spherical.
Spherical 2 begins at 5 p.m. MDT and can be televised on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes and NFL Community.
Right here’s the place the highest obtainable Utah prospects sit on large boards heading into Friday’s Rounds 2 and three.
Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah
ESPN’s finest obtainable:No. 8 amongst cornerbacks.
NFL.com’s finest obtainable:No. 8 amongst cornerbacks.
CBS Sports activities’ finest obtainable:No. 7 amongst cornerbacks.
Cornerbacks taken in first spherical: 4 (Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon — No. 5 to Seattle Seahawks; Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes — No. 16 to Washington Commanders; Oregon’s Christian Gonzales — No. 17 to New England Patriots; Maryland’s Deonte Banks — No. 24 to New York Giants).
Phillips in Day 2 mock drafts
NFL.com, Lance Zierlein: Spherical 3, No. 65 total to Houston Texans.
The Athletic, Dane Brugler: Spherical 3, No. 68 total to Denver Broncos.
CBS Sports activities, Christ Trapasso: Spherical 3, No. 84 total to Miami Dolphins.
Professional Soccer Focus, Jon Kosko: Spherical 3, No. 72 total to Tennessee Titans.
Fast take: Phillips is probably going the subsequent Utah tie off the board — not solely do Day 2 mock drafts have him being a third-round choice, he exhibits up in or close to the highest 50 of the very best remaining abilities on the board in a number of best-available lists. USA Right this moment’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz had Phillips because the No. 37 total prospect earlier than the draft, and now tenth among the many finest obtainable.
“It’s all about instincts for Phillips, who tapped into his quick-developing recognition and speedy closing velocity to nab six interceptions final 12 months,” Middlehurst-Schwartz mentioned in his predraft evaluation.
Siaki Ika, DT, East Excessive
ESPN’s finest obtainable:No. 4 amongst defensive tackles.
NFL.com’s finest obtainable:No. 3 amongst defensive tackles.
CBS Sports activities’ finest obtainable:No. 11 amongst defensive tackles.
Defensive tackles taken in first spherical: 4 (Georgia’s Jalen Carter — No. 9 to Philadelphia Eagles; Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey — No. 19 to Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Michigan’s Mazi Smith — No. 26 to Dallas Cowboys; Clemson’s Bryan Bresee — No. 29 to New Orleans Saints).
Ika in Day 2 mock drafts
NFL.com, Lance Zierlein: Not chosen.
The Athletic, Dane Brugler: Spherical 3, No. 85 total to Los Angeles Chargers.
CBS Sports activities, Christ Trapasso: Spherical 3, No. 86 total to Baltimore Ravens.
Professional Soccer Focus, Jon Kosko: Spherical 3, No. 70 total to Las Vegas Raiders.
Fast take: Ika leads a trio of projected draft picks who performed their highschool ball in Utah however performed collegiately out of state — the others embody Orem Excessive linebacker Noah Sewell and Olympus Excessive tight finish Cameron Latu.
In his predraft evaluation of Ika, ESPN’s Steve Muench wrote, “Ika makes extra of an influence on tape than his stats counsel. He's an enormous defensive deal with who's tough to seal and transfer with one man.”
Blake Freeland, OT, BYU and Herriman Excessive
ESPN’s finest obtainable:No. 5 amongst offensive tackles.
NFL.com’s finest obtainable:No. 7 amongst offensive tackles.
CBS Sports activities’ finest obtainable:No. 3 amongst offensive tackles.
Offensive tackles taken in first spherical: 5 (Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. — No. 6 to Arizona Cardinals; Tennessee’s Darnell Wright — No. 10 to Chicago Bears; Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski — No. 11 to Tennessee Titans; Georgia’s Broderick Jones — No. 14 to Pittsburgh Steelers; Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison — No. 27 to Jacksonville Jaguars).
Freeland in Day 2 mock drafts
NFL.com, Lance Zierlein: Spherical 3, No. 76 total to New England Patriots.
The Athletic, Dane Brugler: Not chosen.
CBS Sports activities, Christ Trapasso: Not chosen.
Professional Soccer Focus, Jon Kosko: Spherical 3, No. 102 total to San Francisco 49ers.
Fast take: Freeland represents what's seen probably as BYU’s highest draft choose this season, although there are different opinions the place he'll come off the board. Some mock drafts have him being chosen in as excessive because the third spherical, whereas others see Freeland falling to maybe the fifth spherical.
One staff that has been linked to Freeland a number of instances all through the predraft course of has been the 49ers, whose first choose is late within the third spherical — they've three of the ultimate 4 to finish the third spherical. Kosko defined why he despatched Freeland to San Francisco, writing, “Freeland is a high-end athlete on the place who has a novel ability set to develop. That confirmed within the run sport, the place he earned an 87.9 grade in 2022.”
Different Utah ties to observe
Braeden Daniels, G/T, Utah: Daniels, who’s projected as a mid-round choice, exhibits up at No. 72 total and the No. 4 obtainable offensive guard on ESPN’s finest obtainable large board. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler rated him the No. 144 total expertise previous to the draft, writing, “His expertise at a number of positions is a plus and he grades as a swing deal with/guard with down-the-road beginning upside.”
Jaren Corridor, QB, BYU and Maple Mountain Excessive: Three quarterbacks went within the high 4 picks within the first spherical, although guys like Kentucky’s Will Levis and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker stay on the board heading into Day 2. NFL Community’s Tom Pelissero mentioned throughout a TV phase Friday morning that Levis and Hooker ought to be Spherical 2 alternatives — past these two, Pelissero listed Corridor (No. 4 finest obtainable QB on ESPN’s listing) and Fresno State’s Jake Haener as potential third-round alternatives. “He’s handled quite a lot of accidents in his profession, however coaches say his tape is absolutely, actually enjoyable to observe,” Pelissero mentioned of Corridor.
Noah Sewell, LB, Orem Excessive: Sewell entered the draft seen as a Day 3 choice, and little has modified in that regard after just one inside linebacker (Iowa’s Jack Campbell) was taken throughout the draft’s first spherical. Sewell is rated No. 10 amongst obtainable inside linebackers on ESPN’s listing.
Cameron Latu, TE, Olympus Excessive: Latu, like Sewell, is seen as a late-round choice. With just one tight finish being chosen within the first spherical — Utah’s Dalton Kincaid to the Buffalo Payments at No. 25 — it could be a shock to listen to Latu’s identify known as on Day 2.