I identified my favorite early-impact first-round picks from the Class of 2017 on Tuesday, and now it's time for Rounds 2 and 3.
As a reminder, "early impact" is more about having a clear role, which is tough to figure out for players past Day 1. Some of these guys are situational players, or they dropped out of the first round. Here are a few names on both sides of the ball who I expect to play early, along with some notes on other prospects I like. I'll run through Rounds 4-7 on Thursday.
Mel Kiper's draft grades | Todd McShay's favorite picks
Offense
Forrest Lamp, G, Los Angeles Chargers
Pick: No. 38 (Second round)
I love the Chargers' first three picks -- receiver Mike Williams in Round 1, guards Lamp and Dan Feeney on Day 2 -- and I think they are one of the most improved teams from the draft. Lamp is my top-ranked guard, a guy I thought was a lock for Day 1. But Baltimore passed, then Miami and Denver and Atlanta, and Lamp fell. Now Los Angeles has a plug-and-play starter.
My comparison for Lamp is 2016 second-round pick Cody Whitehair, who played tackle at Kansas State and then moved to center and had a great season for the Bears. Lamp, a four-year starter at left tackle for Western Kentucky, has shorter arms and is destined for the interior of the Chargers' O-line. He'll start somewhere, competing with Feeney, Max Tuerk, Matt Slauson, Spencer Pulley and Kenny Wiggins, and Los Angeles won't have to worry about that spot for years. If Lamp is indeed the starting center, expect Melvin Gordon to be happy. The running back averaged only 2.9 yards per carry on 106 runs up the middle, and the Chargers ranked 29th in league on those runs overall (3.3 YPC).
Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Pick: No. 69 (Third round)
I thought the Rams reached a little for Kupp when there were better receivers on the board, but that doesn't mean I don't like him, and Los Angeles certainly needs guys who can catch. That's Kupp, who had 428 catches, 73 touchdowns and 6,464 receiving yards in his career at Eastern Washington. I said last month that he is one of the most NFL-ready wideouts in this class.
Kupp isn't physically overwhelming -- 6-foot-2, 204 pounds with a 4.62 40 at the combine -- but he should make an impact on a depth chart with only two surefire contributors in Tavon Austin and free-agent signing Robert Woods. A bunch of Kupp's catches came from the slot in college. New Rams coach Sean McVay coordinated the Redskins offense that was fifth in the league last season in total snaps with three wide receivers on the field (730 total), so I expect Kupp to get chances. And maybe second-round pick Gerald Everett can develop into QB Jared Goff's Jordan Reed. Kupp also had three punt return TDs in college and could get some opportunities there, along with Austin.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Pick: No. 86 (Third round)
I'm taking a gamble here on a third-round running back, but I'm betting on Hunt getting a few touches per game, even in a crowded backfield. With Jamaal Charles gone, Spencer Ware is expected to be the starter and Charcandrick West and C.J. Spiller are still around. The Chiefs traded up to get Hunt, the versatile former Toledo back who had 41 catches last season and rushed for more than 100 yards 28 times in his collegiate career.
My sixth-ranked running back, Hunt could play on third downs and help QB Alex Smith in the passing game. Ware and West combined for 61 catches on 76 targets last season, and Kansas City attempted 54 passes with two running backs on the field (10th in the league). Hunt should get opportunities to make an impact.
Next up
I really like Buffalo's second-round selections of wide receiver Zay Jones and guard Dion Dawkins, who might both be starters early in 2017.
I thought Seattle reached for my No. 2-ranked center Ethan Pocic at No. 58, but it sounds like he'll get every opportunity to win one of the guard jobs.
With Bengals running back Giovani Bernard recovering from a torn ACL, I wonder how much we'll see of Joe Mixon early. Jeremy Hill figures to be the lead back, but Mixon is a stellar receiver. He could be the primary kick returner too.
The Broncos took Carlos Henderson, my second-ranked kick returner, in the middle of Round 3. He had 23 total touchdowns last season.
Todd McShay said on our podcast that he thinks second-round pick JuJu Smith-Schuster will have a solid rookie year in Pittsburgh. Are there enough targets to go around, especially if Martavis Bryant returns?
Defense
Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals
Pick: No. 36 (Second round)
Arizona lost both of its starting safeties in free agency and replaced them only with veteran Antoine Bethea. Even if Tyrann Mathieu is expected to play more free safety in 2017, there are openings for Baker. But I also think he could play slot corner for the Cardinals, who didn't get much competent cornerback play last year outside of Patrick Peterson. Marcus Cooper was OK and is now in Chicago, and rookie Brandon Williams and veteran Justin Bethel struggled.
As I wrote in my draft grades, the comparison I made for the 5-10 Baker before the draft was to Mathieu. Now the Cardinals have two similar tenacious defenders who can play safety and corner.
DeMarcus Walker, DE, Denver Broncos
Pick: No. 51 (Second round)
Derek Wolfe and Jared Crick took the majority of defensive end snaps in Denver last season -- 2016 second-round pick Adam Gotsis played only 208 snaps -- but I really like Walker, who could be an instant starter. Denver's defense allowed 130.3 rushing yards per game (28th in the league), so upgrades are needed. At the very least, he'll join the rotation and likely start in 2018 as Crick is signed only through the upcoming season.
Walker won't be the pass-rusher he was in college -- he had 16.0 sacks at Florida State last season -- playing end in a 3-4, but I wonder if he could have the impact Malik Jackson had in Denver. A former fifth-round pick, Jackson had 14.0 sacks over three seasons before signing a megadeal with the Jaguars before the 2016 season. I'm sure Walker would take that monster second contract, anyway.
Jordan Willis, DE, Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: No. 73 (Third round)
Willis falling to the Bengals here qualifies as a steal on my board -- I ranked him 53rd. I thought there was a chance he could sneak into the first round for a 4-3 team looking for a pass-rusher. Cincinnati is a good fit. Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins had more than half of Cincy's sacks last season (17 of 33), and Willis should join the rotation immediately. He had 21 sacks at Kansas State the past two seasons and impressed at the combine with a 4.53 40 and the fastest three-cone drill time among D-linemen (6.85).
The 30-year-old Michael Johnson could be a cap casualty after 2017, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Willis replace him in 2018.
Next up
How quickly will second-round pick Kevin King assume a starting job in Green Bay? Free-agent signing Davon House might be the front-runner, but King has first-round talent.
Cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis, the Cowboys' second- and third-round picks, will have to play early. Dallas lost three of its four starters in the secondary in free agency.
I'd like to see Tarell Basham get 20-25 snaps per game as a pass-rusher for the Colts. The No. 80 pick had 11.5 sacks for Ohio last season.
Same goes for new Baltimore pass-rushers Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams, who were taken in Rounds 2 and 3, respectively.