The Michigan Wolverines' football program saw three of its players come off the board in the third round of the NFL Draft tonight — offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield (No. 68 to the Atlanta Falcons), wideout Nico Collins (No. 89 to the Houston Texans) and cornerback Ambry Thomas (No. 102 to the San Francisco 49ers).
Experts and analysts across the nation have already weighed in and provided their thoughts on the aforementioned picks, and we have rounded up several of the top takes below:
Jalen Mayfield — No. 68 to the Atlanta Falcons
Draft Grade: A
"The Falcons stopped the fall of this borderline first-round pick with great value in Round 3. Mayfield has the strong, compact frame to boost their run blocking for offensive-minded [head coach] Arthur Smith.
"He’s bound to start at left guard next to Jake Matthews.” — Vinnie Iyer of SportingNews
Draft Grade: B
"Mayfield battles hard and has positional flexibility. A tick clunky but locks out vs. bull rushes and initial burst is good. Smart pick for Falcons at this stage of [quarterback] Matt Ryan's career." — Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
Draft Grade: B
"All 15 of Mayfield’s college starts came at right tackle, but he could swing inside to guard in the NFL. Mayfield (6-foot-5, 326) missed four games last year due to injuries. He had a relatively small body of work but offers upside as a quality starter.
"This is a fine pick by Atlanta." — Sheil Kapadia of TheAthletic.com
Draft Grade: B
"Mayfield only has 15 starts under his belt, but has good footwork and a willingness to get out as a run blocker. Like any player taken in the third round, he’s not going to make a big impact to start, but he has good instincts and will get better." — Chet Gresham of DraftKings.com
Nico Collins — No. 89 to the Houston Texans
Draft Grade: A
"Collins, at 6’4”, 215 pounds, is an accomplished deep receiver, who can track the ball and make 50/50 catches with regularity. As with many receivers at this point in the draft, creating separation is a weakness unless he’s just blown by the secondary.
"He’ll need to work on his route running and footwork, but his hands and ball skills are great." — Chet Gresham of DraftKings.com
Draft Grade: A-
"The Texans needed a bigger, strong possession type receiver to help speedy and quick No. 1 [wideout] Brandin Cooks, with slot types Randall Cobb and Keke Coutee as their next best options for whoever their starting QB will be.
"Collins has a massive frame to provide a better asset on third downs and in the red zone." — Vinnie Iyer of SportingNews
Draft Grade: B-
"Size/speed/contested-catch specialist. Big-time athlete. Separation skills are decent for a bigger type." — Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
Draft Grade: D
"The Texans moved up 20 spots, trading picks No. 109 and 158, along with a 2022 fourth-rounder to draft Collins. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Collins ran a 4.45. But he never had more than 38 catches in a season.
"Collins is a fine prospect, but given the depth at wide receiver in the draft and the Texans’ limited resources, swapping three picks for one to select him here was bizarre." — Sheil Kapadia of TheAthletic.com
Ambry Thomas — No. 102 to the San Francisco 49ers
Draft Grade: A
"Thomas is a physical player who can get into trouble with penalties, but the aggressiveness is good to see and something the 49ers can work with. He’s consistent and willing to learn." — Chet Gresham of DraftKings.com
Draft Grade: B
"The 49ers got their versatile contingency plan for aging Jimmie Ward. Thomas is a physical cover man built to work the inside. But with more short-area quickness and good run-stopping traits, he might be primed to play more safety than nickel." — Vinnie Iyer of SportingNews
Draft Grade: B
"Thomas (6 feet, 191 pounds) performed well in his one full season as a starter in 2019, producing seven passes defended and three interceptions in 13 games. He is a solid developmental corner prospect for the 49ers." — Sheil Kapadia of TheAthletic.com
Draft Grade: B-
"Speedy skinny man coverage cornerback. Not physical and will struggle against bigger wideouts. Good, not great agility. Serious recovery speed." — Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
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