Three Ole Miss football players who could be value picks at 2023 NFL Draft

OXFORD — It's bargain hunting season in the NFL, and Ole Miss football might have a couple of deals to offer teams at the 2023 NFL Draft.

Before the first selection is made Thursday (7 p.m. CT, ESPN and NFL Network), here's a look at three Rebels who could be draft values.

Zach Evans, running back

Between dealing with injuries and sharing time in the backfield with the phenom otherwise known as Quinshon Judkins, the 2022 season might not have been the perfect showcase for running back Zach Evans.

Add in the fact that he couldn't show off his skills in front of scouts at the NFL Combine due to an injury, and Evans appears to be the perfect example of a potential under-the-radar discovery for one of the NFL's 32 franchises.

Only six Power Five running backs had more yards per carry than Evans last season, averaging 6.5 yards. He was even better than that in his first two seasons at TCU, averaging 7.7 and 7.0 yards.

If Evans can stay healthy and sharpen the other aspects of his game – especially his blocking skills – he can certainly contribute at the NFL level.

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Tavius Robinson, defensive end

Tavius Robinson will offer whichever NFL team drafts him some valuable mid-to-late-round upside.

That might be a strange thing to say about a 24-year-old, but Robinson ‒ who grew up in Canada ‒ did not play elite-level high school football like many of his draft peers. He arrived late to the top-level college game, too, starting his career at the University of Guelph in Ontario before transferring to Ole Miss.

He improved every season with the Rebels, leading them with six sacks in 2022.

Listed at 6-foot-6, 257 pounds, there's little question that Robinson can stick in the NFL physically. And if he continues to improve at his current trajectory since arriving in big-time college football, he could be a really nice piece at the next level.

AJ Finley, safety

If this week's mock drafts are to be believed, safety AJ Finley could wind up undrafted.

If that turns out to be the case, he could become a solid pickup as an undrafted free agent.

Finley's college game was well-rounded, with Pro Football Focus giving him a 76.2 grade as a run defender and a 76.5 grade in coverage. His speed metrics also compare favorably with some of his peers; the 4.47 40-yard dash he ran at Ole Miss' pro day would have ranked fourth among safeties at the combine.

At 6-3, 205 pounds, his frame fits the NFL, too.

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Zach Evans among Ole Miss football players who could be value NFL draft picks