2024 NFL Draft: Best players available in Day 3

One need only look back to the Super Bowl to understand the importance of Day 3 of the NFL Draft .

While the Kansas City Chiefs were led by former first-round pick and NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, his brilliant play was enhanced by players like right guard Trey Smith, who has started all 50 games since being drafted 226th overall in 2021.

Meanwhile the San Francisco 49ers were led by quarterback Brock Purdy — the very last pick of the draft two years ago — and a five-time Pro Bowl tight end in George Kittle who was a fifth-round pick back in 2017.

The strengths of the 2024 NFL draft have been proven during the first three rounds, with a full quarter of the 100 picks made thus far being offensive linemen and another 16 being wide receivers.

After two rounds in which no quarterbacks were selected, it is easy to see why six of the first 12 picks of this draft were used on the position. The talent at signal-caller has not dried up yet, however, as two of the top-rated remaining prospects are South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler and Tulane’s Michael Pratt, who I anticipate being among the first players off the board Saturday.

The other positions that seem ripe for early runs in Round Four include linebacker and tight end. Here are the best players available, sorted by their overall rankings on our big board.

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42. Cade Stover , TE, Ohio State — 6-4, 247, Senior 

A former linebacker and defensive end, Stover emerged as the top tight end in the Big Ten in 2023, showcasing impressive agility, physicality and soft hands. 

50. Brandon Dorlus, DT, Oregon — 6-3, 283, Senior

If the Florida-born Dorlus had remained in SEC country, he'd probably be