3rd round, 101 overall: West Virginia OL Yoday Cajuste
Bio: Cajuste played his prep ball in the talent-rich state of Florida but wound up at West Virginia, where he shrugged off a couple of early knee injuries to ultimately start 31 games for the Mountaineers - all at the critical left tackle position.
Team doctors will certainly want to check out his knees, but Cajuste showed no ill-effects the past two seasons, starting all but the 2018 bowl game (so he could begin preparation early for the Combine). He earned recognition from Big 12 coaches as the conference’s top blocker, an honor he shared with Oklahoma’s Dru Samia and Kansas State’s Dalton Risner. Cajuste (pronounced Kuh-just) has not generated as much national attention of some of this year’s other tackles, but he is a proven pass protector in a pass-happy scheme whose flaws appear correctable. With some refining, Cajuste could just wind up proving a middle-round steal, either at left tackle or left guard.
Analysis: Sports a well-distributed, almost shockingly athletic frame for his size with no extra weight around his middle. Up to the challenge of trading jabs with pass rushers 50 pounds lighter than him, showing light feet, active hands and a competitive nature. Quick off the snap in pass protection, generating depth in his kick-slide and often landing a forceful first punch to remind pass rushers that they are in for a battle. Cajuste is equally combative in the running game, firing off the ball to initiate contact and working to finish his blocks. He shows some knee bend to win the leverage battle, as well as the hip snap to create torque and movement. Where he gets himself in trouble is occasionally ducking his head on contact - leaving him vulnerable to over-arm swim moves - and extending his long arms (34") too far in last ditch efforts to control opponents. His strength (34 repetitions of 225) and tenacious nature could earn Cajuste some looks inside at guard should his future NFL team have a need there. — First Level Media
3rd round, 87 overall: Alabama RB Damien Harris
Bio: A five-star recruit from Berea, Kentucky, Harris played 54 games at Alabama, bridging the gap from Derrick Henry to Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris (no relation).
After playing sparingly as a freshman, Damien Harris totaled 2,037 yards and 13 touchdowns on 281 carries (7.2-yard average) from 2016-17, and many pegged him as a first- or second-round pick in 2018.
Instead, he stayed in school and ceded some of his workload, finishing with 876 yards and nine touchdowns on 150 carries (5.8 average). He also had 22 catches for 204 yards.
Analysis: Coaches will love Harris because they know exactly what they’re getting: A high-character worker and disciplined runner who gets what’s blocked for him and can create a bit more on his own. Harris has the frame (5-foot-10, 216 pounds) and physicality to earn tough yards and enough elusiveness to get loose in space at times. He is a reliable blocker and an effective checkdown receiver and virtually never fumbles. Harris’ ceiling is limited by his lack of explosiveness, as he isn’t fast or agile enough to create many big gains. After sharing carries at Alabama, he is far from worn down, but his style -- heavily reliant on broken tackles -- doesn’t project well for longevity. Less dynamic than some other recent Crimson Tide backs, Harris likely won’t be a featured starter, but he should slot in as a quality piece of a rotation. — First Level Media
3rd round, 77 overall: Michigan DE Chase Winovich
Bio: While teammates Rashan Gary and Devin Bush generated most of the buzz, Winovich might have been Michigan’s most dependable defender. He capped his career with the Wolverines by earning All-American honors, posting 69 tackles, including 17 for loss and 5.0 sacks. Anyone would be proud of those numbers, but they were actually a slight drop from 2017, when his 18 tackles for loss paced the Big Ten, along with 77 overall tackles and 8.0 sacks - more than either Gary or Oakland Raiders’ draft pick Maurice Hurst, Jr., who each had 5.5.
With long-flowing hair and kamikaze playing style, it is easy to see why scouts traveling through Ann Arbor have compared him to longtime NFL standout edge rusher Clay Matthews. Whether attacking out of the two- or three-point stance, Winovich has the look of a future difference-maker in the NFL, just as he was for the Wolverines.
Analysis: A master at guessing the snap count, Winovich is quick enough to cross the face of tackles and make plays off the edge and excels on counter-moves.
He is an effective bull rusher, showing impressive functional power and pad level to get underneath and drive back much larger opponents. His best attribute are his hands, which are spinning cinder blocks that help him quickly chop through the efforts of tackles to latch onto him. Winovich compensates for his straight-line style with anticipation and vision, adjusting angles in pursuit with a high-revving, almost maniacal manner sure to win over coaches. Routinely chases plays from the backside, often 10-plus yards downfield. Physical wrap-up tackler who can separate the ball from the ballcarrier when he has a runway. Length and strength show up as a tackler. — First Level Media
2nd round, 45 overall: Vanderbilt CB Joejuan Williams
Bio: A highly touted prep dating back to his sophomore year at Father Ryan High School, Williams had his hardship appeal surprisingly denied by the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Commission, which left him ineligible to play football his senior season after he and his mother moved. That would wreak havoc on most players’ recruiting but not for the gifted Williams, who proved an immediate standout at Vanderbilt, playing in all 12 games as a true freshman for Derek Mason’s Commodores. He quietly developed into one of the conference’s best (if somewhat anonymous) defensive backs over the past two seasons. Williams posted a career high with 13 passes defensed in a breakout 2018 campaign, also finishing second in the league with four interceptions. Far from just a coverage specialist, Williams also showed instincts and physicality in run support, which could have some NFL teams viewing him as a potential safety.
Analysis: Rare size for the position at 6-4, 211 pounds. Towers over opponents with excellent height, broad shoulders and a tapered, athletic frame complete with the long arms so helpful at the position. Surprisingly nimble for a cornerback of his size, showing light feet and a relatively smooth turning motion to handle deep coverage responsibilities. Accelerates smoothly, gobbling up yards with his long strides and yet showing impressive balance when throttling down, changing directions efficiently. Williams is an instinctive defender with very good route recognition, running some shallow routes cleaner than the receivers he was tasked with covering. He locates the football quickly and snakes his hands between those of the intended receiver to rake the ball free as it arrives, showing poise with the ball in the air. Williams plays up to his size as a tackler, showing awareness and grit to fight through blocks and delivering consistent, physical tackles. He shaved approximately a tenth of a second off his Combine 40-yard dash time (4.64) at his Pro Day (4.55), though this will still be considered too slow for cornerback for some teams. — First Level Media