2023 NFL Draft Day Two Recap: IDP

2022 NFL Draft Day Two Recap: IDP

Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft is over and we are onto Day 3 already. You can find IDP contributors on Day 2 each year and this year does not look to be much different in that regard. Most of these players won’t have a lot of redraft potential for 2023 but there is certainly a lot of dynasty intrigue, especially at the safety and EDGE (defensive end/outside linebacker) positions. We will not be diving into most cornerbacks and defensive tackles, as most of them do not end up as relevant in the majority of IDP leagues.

2022 NFL Draft Day Two Recap: IDP Round 2

Pick 37 – Derick Hall (OLB – Auburn) to the Seattle Seahawks
Hall is a strong pass-rusher with a relentless motor. Similar to Boye Mafe (taken at pick 40 in the 2022 NFL Draft by Seattle), the Seahawks are working to improve an atrocious pass rush. With Darrell Taylor and Uchenns Nwosu still there Hall does not appear likely to get starter snaps as a rookie, but he may have a pass-rushing role to start the year.

Pick 40 – Isaiah Foskey (DE – Notre Dame) to the New Orleans Saints
The Saints’ seemingly never-ending search for a Cameron Jordan (34 this season) replacement (in the long-term) and a starter opposite of him (in the short-term) continues here. Payton Turner was the 28th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but only has 28 combined tackles and 2 sacks in 13 games over two years. Starter Carl Granderson is a free agent after this year so Foskey may have a chance to start as early as 2024.

Pick 41 – BJ Ojulari (LB – LSU) to the Arizona Cardinals
The younger brother of the Azeez (pick 50 in 2021 to the Giants) should have a chance to start right away on a team going through a rebuild. An EDGE rusher with elite bend, BJ may be one of the players here with immediate redraft value.

Pick 45 – Brian Branch (S – Alabama) to the Detroit Lions
My top safety in this draft class and the first safety taken in the draft, it remains to be seen where he will play for Detroit. The Lions have Tracey Walker and Kerby Joseph as safety already, although the former has had bad luck with injuries and the latter was a 5th-round rookie last year. CJ Gardner-Johnson was signed to a one-year deal and can play in the slot or at safety. Regardless of where he plays, Branch should be on the field plenty this year for Detroit as he is versatile enough to play all over the secondary.

Pick 46 – Keion White (DE – Georgia Tech) to the New England Patriots
Keion was one of my favorite defensive line players in this draft. Whether he is a defensive end (like he was at Georgia Tech after converting from tight end) or a defensive tackle remains to be seen. He is extremely athletic with a high potential ceiling, but I don’t like this landing spot. The Patriots use a high defensive line rotation which is going to limit Keion’s playing time, barring any system changes.

Pick 47 – Jartavius Martin (S – Illinois) to the Washington Commanders
A defender who can play all over the defensive backfield, including outside corner. With Kamren Curl and Darrick Forrest at safety, and cornerback help needed even after drafting Emmanuel Forbes in the first round, it remains to be seen where Martin will spend the majority of his rookie year. This feels like a better real-life fit than fantasy fit to start his career.

Pick 53 – Gervon Dexter (DT – Florida) to the Chicago Bears
Gervon is a mountain of a man, coming in at 6’6″ and 310 lbs. A former basketball player who did not get into football until his junior year of high school. Why is he on here then when most defensive tackles aren’t? Well, he had good tackle numbers (50 combined and 55 combined in his sophomore and junior years, respectively) and he is just coming into his own as a football player. He has a high tackle ceiling in the NFL if he figures it out, which is what I want in a defensive tackle in fantasy.

Pick 54 – Tuli Tuipulotu (DE – USC) to the Los Angeles Chargers
Whether he starts as an EDGE player backing up Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, or on the defensive line, Tuli has the makings of a long-term dynasty asset. Tuli’s size has vacillated from closer to defensive tackle weight to potential outside linebacker while at USC. He is not big enough to be a regular defensive tackle in the Chargers’ 3-4 base defensive, and not athletic enough to be a three-down outside linebacker. Regardless, his impressive strength, great hand usage, and high motor will make him a quality NFL pass-rusher.

2023 NFL Draft Day Two Recap: IDP Round 3

Pick 66 – Sydney Brown (S – Illinois) to the Philadelphia Eagles
It figures that my favorite (not highest ranked) safety in the class goes to a division rival of my Cowboys. *sigh* Such is life. Sydney is a bit undersized, but fantastic in coverage, and athletically on the high end of safeties. He could end up being a Day 1 starter for the Eagles who were slated to start Reed Blankenship and Terrell Edmunds in 2023.

Pick 67 – Drew Sanders (LB – Arkansas) to the Denver Broncos
My favorite and highest-rated true linebacker in this year’s draft, Drew goes to a spot that is not great for immediate production. Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton are entrenched in the middle linebacker spots to start. Randy Gregory, Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper, and Nik Bonitto are their current top four outside linebackers. Drew can play any of those spots which may be the point of the pick; he can back-up those spots while getting more playing time before becoming a starter down the road. Short-term not great, but long-term a great spot.

Pick 75 – Zach Harrison (DE – Ohio State) to the Atlanta Falcons
A quality athlete and big-name high school recruit who just never lived up to expectations, Zach is going to be a part of the Falcons’ defensive rebuild. The Falcons have not had a good pass rush in years, and Zach will try to fix that across from Arnold Ebiketie in the long term, while learning from presumed started Lorenzo Carter and Bud Dupree.

Pick 76 – Marte Mapu (S/LB – Sacramento State) to the New England Patriots
Another player in the safety-linebacker mold that we see becoming popular in today’s NFL, Marte will likely not see much playing time this year barring injury for the Patriots. A highly athletic leader on and off the field in college, he is a big, long, versatile, and high-character player. This is a name to keep an eye on to stash in dynasty leagues.

Pick 80 – D.J. Johnson (LB – Oregon) to the Carolina Panthers
D.J. has played at various defensive positions while at Oregon, and the Panthers traded up for pick 93 to grab him here. The Panthers do not have a lot of depth across from Brian Burns for their second EDGE defender as they transition to more of a classic 3-4 defense, so it is conceivable that he will end up starting at some point this year. He is a better pass rusher than run defender at this point, so if I had to bet he won’t have more than a situational role this year.

Pick 82 – YaYa Diaby (OLB – Louisville) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“Relentless” is a word often used to describe YaYa’s motor and passion. With good speed and strength, YaYa projects as a back up to Shaq Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to start his career, with the potential to take over one of those spots in a few years.

Pick 87 – Ji’Ayir Brown (S – Penn State) to the San Francisco 49ers
A favorite of Austin’s, Ji’Ahyir should have a chance to start no later than Year 2. Tashaun Gipson (who resigned for one year this offseason) will likely start over him this year as the team has Super Bowl aspirations. But like Talanoa Hufanga in 2021, a year two starting gig and breakout is very much a possibility. Ji’Ayir can play all over the defensive backfield, as he has good coverage instincts and is a willing and able run defender.

Pick 89 – Kobie Turner (DE – Wake Forest) to the Los Angeles Rams
A former walk-on at Richmond, Kobie gets to learn from one of the best ever in Aaron Donald. A good run defender with twitchy traits and a relentless work ethic, Kobie has unrealized pass-rush potential that could end up making him a fixture on the defensive line for a long time to come.

Pick 90 – DeMarvion Overshown (LB – Texas) to the Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys keep collecting young linebackers as they try to find a long-term solution. Leighton Vander Esch just signed a two-year deal this offseason, although it has an easy out after 2023. Jabril Cox was drafted in the 4th round in 2021, and Damone Clark was drafted in the 5th round in 2022 (although he would have gone higher if not for back surgery). A former safety that improved each year in college, Overshown quickly processes plays and could find himself as the best of the bunch if he continues to improve.

Pick 91 – Dorian Williams (LB – Tulane) to the Buffalo Bills
Dorian will likely get a shot to compete with Tyrel Dodson and Terrell Bernard to start next to Matt Milano. He is great in coverage which gives him a great shot for playing time right away, even if it is just on third down. This camp battle will be one to watch.

Pick 95 – Jordan Battle (S – Alabama) to the Cincinnati Bengals
A “good at everything but not elite at anything” safety, Jordan could end up as a starter for the Bengals this year. They signed Nick Scott from the Rams who looks to be one starter, and drafted Dax Hill at the end of Round 1 in 2022, but Hill can play in the slot too. Keep an eye on this one for 2023 redraft purposes.

Pick 98 – Siaki Ika (DB – Baylor) the Cleveland Browns
The Browns had to get better at stopping the run after being gashed in the middle of their defense last year. He is extremely athletic for a nose tackle (this is different from your normal defensive tackle) and is a superb run defender. In the mold of Vita Vea with Tampa Bay, Ika will have value in defensive tackle required leagues as soon as he is getting starter-level playing time.

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