Sam Howell and the top 5 steals from Day 3 of 2022 NFL draft

Hassan Haskins to Titans (4th round)

You could probably make the case that the only guy on this list that went earlier than expected in the 2022 NFL draft was Hassan Haskins, who was picked in the fourth round by the Titans.

Some projections had him going as late as the seventh round. Yet, day three of the draft is about taking chances on guys you like and as far as matches made in heaven from a draft perspective, you couldn’t find a better home for Haskins than Tennessee.

Despite carrying the ball a lot last season for Michigan (270 times), Haskins has just 452 career carries and averaged 5.1 per attempt to rush for over 2,300 yards. Last season, Haskins went over 1,300 yards and set a Michigan record with 18 rushing touchdowns, including five against Ohio State.

Haskins isn’t overly explosive. He is powerful and he’s a straight-line runner who seeks out contact. The Titans, of course, have Derrick Henry, but after he had back-to-back 300-carry seasons in 2019 and 2020, Henry rushed for fewer than 1,000 yards in 2021 and just 4.3 per attempt.

Henry has gone over 220 rushing attempts in four straight seasons. Tennessee ran the ball more than any team in the NFL last season and drafting Haskins is a sign that it would like to continue to be that kind of team.

Henry can’t carry the load all by himself though and adding Haskins should allow him to take some of that pounding, which will hopefully mean keeping Henry fresh for a run at the playoffs.