Best players available on Day 3 in 2022 NFL Draft

Three rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft are in the books. 

With Travon Walker going No. 1 overall in Round 1 and Malik Willis and Nakobe Dean headlining some of the picks on Day 2, there are four more rounds to go on the final day of the draft. 

There are still plenty of players who are waiting for their names to be called. These prospects are among the best still on the board on Day 3:

QB Sam Howell, North Carolina

It hasn’t been a memorable quarterback class. Only four signal callers heard their names called during the first three rounds: Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder, Matt Corral and Willis. The next likely quarterback who could be off the board in Round 4 is Sam Howell out of UNC.

The 21-year-old quarterback has seen his statistics drop every season. As a freshman in 2019, Howell threw for 3,641 yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions, which was his best personal campaign. 

CB Tariq Woolen, UTSA

Statistically, Tariq Woolen left a lot to be desired. The soon-to-be 23-year-old defensive back got going in his junior and senior seasons, where he totaled nine pass breakups and two interceptions. 

But where the UTSA corner stands out are intangibles and upside. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he has the frame to hang as an outside corner against bigger wideouts and the speed – 4.26 40-yard dash time – to keep up with the league’s fastest players. If a team wants to take a swing, Woolen fits the bill.

DT Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma

It’s not often you see a defensive lineman like Perrion Winfrey still available on Day 3, but he can become a late-round steal for any team. The 6-foot-4 defensive tackle developed into an interior force with the Sooners his sophomore year.

After registering just 17 tackles and 0.5 sacks as a freshman, Winfrey improved his numbers to 23 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He can immediately help a defensive line rotation the moment he steps onto the field. It’s just a matter of when he goes at this point. 

TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State

As far as tight ends go, Charlie Kolar out of Iowa State is a solid one. He can give an offense the basics without making too many mistakes, which is all you can ask for from someone who has positional versatility.

Kolar, who posted career-high receptions (62) and yards (756) as a senior, has the ability to line up as a receiver and run short routes, even though he lacks the speed to take on vertical routes at 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds. He could stick as the No. 2 or 3 tight end on a depth chart.

WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State

Wide receivers have been one of the central storylines coming out of the 2022 class. Even though a lot of the marquee ones are off the board, there are several available who can beefen a team’s roster. 

Shakir, a fourth-year senior, feels like one of them. Despite measuring just a hair under 6-foot at the combine, Shakir displayed the ability to work as an outside and inside receiver. He has strong hands, can beat press coverage and possesses quick bursts which can make him tough to stop. He had a career year as a senior, going for 77 catches, 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns.

Other key players available on Day 3

OT Daniel Faalele, Minnesota

WR Calvin Austin III, Memphis

RB Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M

LB Brandon Smith, Penn State

OT Braxton Jones, Southern Utah State

TE Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina

EDGE Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina

TE Cade Otton, Washington

LB Damone Clark, LSU

LB Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati

RB Dameon Pierce, Florida

S Verone McKinley III, Oregon

QB Carson Strong, Nevada

OT Max Mitchell, Louisiana-Lafayette

OT Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

CB Coby Bryant, Cincinnati

CB Jose Jobe, Alabama

CB Derrion Kendrick, Georgia

EDGE Tyreke Smith, Ohio State