2023 NFL draft: Here are the Utah players selected in rounds 4-7 Saturday

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SALT LAKE CITY — The first three rounds of the 2023 NFL draft are in the book, with the final four rounds concluding on Saturday.

Already, the state of Utah has had three players with local ties drafted in the first two days of the draft.

Former University of Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid was selected in the first round with the No. 25 overall pick to the Buffalo Bills, former East High and Baylor defensive lineman Siaki Ika was selected in the third round by the Cleveland Browns, and former Olympus High and Alabama tight end Cam Latu was selected with the penultimate pick of the third round by the San Francisco 49ers.

The following are all the players with local ties who were selected on Day 3 by an NFL team.

Saturday, 02:40 pm

The highlight-reel plays Blake Freeland is taking to the Colts (via ESPN)

Saturday, 01:37 pm

Rams select BYU WR Puka Nacua with final pick of 5th round

Puka Nacua is headed to the City of Angels.The former Orem High star who transferred to BYU from his original commitment to Washington had to wait until Day 3 to hear his name called in the NFL draft, but his landing spot will keep him on the West Coast.The Los Angeles Rams selected Nacua with the final pick of the fifth round Saturday, No. 177 overall, and the third former BYU player to come off the board.Nacua was a compensatory selection by the Rams.Nacua started 14 of 21 games for the Cougars from 2021-22, totaling 1,430 yards with 11 touchdowns and leading BYU in 2022 with 48 receptions for 625 yards and five scores and an average of 69.4 yards per game.Named the independent wide receiver of the year by Colege football Network, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound do-everything wide-out fought through multiple injuries during his time at BYU, casting doubt on his NFL durability. But the younger brother of former BYU safety Kai Nacua and Utah/BYU receiver Samson Nacua — who both played in the league — has the athletic tools to make an NFL roster.

Saturday, 12:57 pm

Jaren Hall selected in 5th round by Minnesota Vikings

Jaren Hall's time at BYU has come to a close, but his NFL reality is just beginning.The longtime BYU quarterback who joined the Cougars in 2018 following a two-year church mission was drafted Saturday by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft (No. 164 overall).Not that that number — like many of the figures Hall put up during a prolific BYU career — means much to him."I'm just looking for an opportunity. I don't care what number I'm called," Hall told KSL.com last month from Southern California, where he was training daily with fellow BYU alum and 3DQB co-founder John Beck at Golden West College. "It's not about how high you get called or how much money I make; it's just about being in the right situation. That's all I'm praying for."Hall, the first Black starting quarterback in BYU football history, also played two seasons in the outfield for BYU's baseball team. But after splitting time each spring and laboring through a number of injuries, he finally switched to football full-time before his junior season.Hall was always destined to play football for BYU. His father Kalin played running back from 1992-93, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and met and married his mother, Hollie, a former BYU gymnast from Springville. The two raised Jaren and his siblings in Spanish Fork, where Hall threw for 5,109 yards and 52 touchdowns in three years starting at Maple Mountain.The 6-foot-1, 205-pound signal caller finished his BYU career No. 1 all-time in interception avoidance, a 52 touchdown-to-11 interception ratio that included a career passing efficiency of 65.2% that tied with Steve Young for No. 4 all-time.In all, Hall racked up 6,174 passing yards at BYU and ran for 798 yards and nine scores on the ground — and he probably could've earned more before he opted to declare for the draft rather than exhaust an extra season of eligibility as a redshirt senior provided by playing through the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision helped BYU land former USC quarterback Kedon Slovis, a Pitt transfer, who his final season of collegiate eligibility.That's because Hall, who is married to former Utah Valley soccer player Breanna McCarter and father to a daughter, Jayda, was already significantly older than the rest of this year's draft class. Due to serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Roseville, California, Hall recently turned 25 in March.Not that he regrets any of the choices that brought him to this point, including the NFL's reported concerns around "durability" after suffering two concussions in 2019 and a season-ending injury in 2020, in addition to a lingering ankle injury that limited his time at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis."It kind of gets me fired up, because obviously someone's not watching the film," he says with a laugh when asked about the injury concerns.

Saturday, 12:22 pm

Noah Sewell a 5th-round pick by Chicago Bears

Noah Sewell went from the islands of American Samoa to high school football in Utah to the Pacific Northwest, and now his NFL career will start in the Windy City.Sewell was drafted in Saturday's fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft, the No. 148 overall selection by the Chicago Bears.The hard-hitting linebacker who measured at 6-foot-1 and 246 pounds at the NFL Combine totaled 215 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 11 passes defended and two interceptions in three years at Oregon, where he played inside linebacker.Sewell, a former five-star recruit, was a two-way threat at Orem High at linebacker and running back, finishing his prolific high school career with 1,242 passing yards and five touchdowns; 2,605 rushing yards and 48 scores; and seven receiving touchdowns on offense.But he was always meant to play defense, pouring in 210 tackles, seven sacks, four interceptions and four defensive touchdowns for a menacing Tigers defense en route to Deseret News Mr. Football honors in 2019.He also comes from a family of pro football players, led by Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell, older brother Nephi, who spent time last year on the Saints' practice squad, and Gabriel Sewell, who played in the USFL.

Another Sewell in the NFC North 😏

Let's get it, @B1essah! pic.twitter.com/wMOBNow8mV

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 29, 2023

Saturday, 10:52 am

Utah's Braeden Daniels selected in 4th round by Washington Commanders

Braeden Daniels can do it all on the offensive line.That versatility helped the 6-foot-4, 294-pound offensive lineman do whatever the University of Utah needed him to do in his five years with the program. But most importantly, it helped him develop a wide-ranging skill set that will now be utilized in the NFL.On Saturday morning, Daniels was selected by the Washington Commanders with the No. 118 overall pick, which took place in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft. Daniels becomes the third player from the University of Utah drafted this year.

Monica bringing the energy!

Welcome, @B_Daniels71‼️ pic.twitter.com/93cWkff83O

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) April 29, 2023Daniels is projected as a guard at the next level, which is where he got his start at Utah as part of the 2019 season. The Texas native redshirt his freshman season in 2018 before earning a starting role the next year at left guard. He eventually moved over to left tackle his senior season and served as one of the leaders of the offensive line room.In his final season with Utah, Daniels allowed only five sacks and was named to the All-Pac-12 first team. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Daniels ran a 4.99 40-yard dash and recorded a 4.6-second 20-yard shuttle.Daniels had one more season of eligibility remaining at the collegiate level due to the extra year provided by the NCAA as a result of a COVID-disrupted 2020 season. Daniels, however, opted to declare for the NFL draft and to move on from his time at Utah.— Josh Furlong, KSL.com

Saturday, 10:38 am

Clark Phillips selected in 4th round to Atlanta Falcons

Clark Phillips III had a carefully-crafted plan when he committed to the University of Utah.His plan included several dozen goals to help him succeed in life, but the biggest was to play three seasons at Utah and then transition to an NFL career — a model similar to former Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who set the blueprint for success for Phillips. And just like Johnson, Phillips' perfectly-executed plan has become a reality.He just had to wait a little longer than expected.The Lakewood, California, native was projected to be selected somewhere in the second or third round, but the call never came in an unexpected twist to the night. Instead, Phillips had to wait until the fourth round for his dream to become a reality.With the 113th overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Phillips to become the newest member of their roster. Phillips' selection came in the fourth round of the draft, where he became the second player drafted from the University of Utah.

Atlanta selects Utah CB Clark Phillips III 113th overall

🔴 85.2 PFF Grade last season (2nd among Pac-12 CBs) pic.twitter.com/RGDDe4Ge4w

— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 29, 2023But for anyone that is familiar with Phillips and his approach to the game, being selected lower than expected will only add fuel to an already unquenchable fire that drives him.Phillips opted for the draft in a loaded defensive back class and is projected to play nickel at the next level simply based on his 5-foot-10 frame. His size, though, is something that Phillips doesn't worry about at the next level, even if NFL teams have traditionally made it more of an issue than it sometimes becomes for a player."I've never been the fastest, never been the biggest — I'm probably shorter than everybody over here — but that's not my game," Phillips told media during Utah's pro day. "I've covered some of the best of the best and fared really, really well."NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah told media during a teleconference ahead of the draft that despite Phillips' size, he's got "incredible ball production and toughness and quickness," and expects the former Utah player to make an impact on any NFL roster.Now the Falcons gets a chance to see if Phillips can be the type of impact player on defense like he was with the Utes.Out of high school, Phillips was originally committed to Ohio State before a last-minute change of heart that led him to Utah, where he became the program's highest-ever rated recruit to enroll at the university. His addition to the program came as part of an uncharacteristic 2020 COVID-shortened season, in which Utah played only five games.But Phillips made his mark early and started in all five games his freshman season. The highlight of his freshman season was a pick-six touchdown against Washington State that helped spark a Utah comeback against the Cougars in an empty Rice-Eccles Stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions. That pick six was the first of many for Phillips, who also got a pick six against Washington State a season later.Phillips ended his collegiate career with nine interceptions, four of which were returned for a touchdown, 112 total tackles, 30 passes defended, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He finished his 2022 season as one of the best defensive backs in the country and had an 85.2 grade from Pro Football Focus.After his junior season, in which Utah won its second Pac-12 championship and he was named a unanimous All-American, Phillips declared for the NFL draft and skipped the Rose Bowl to prepare for his future pro career. The decision, he said, came after "much prayer and discussion" with his family."I hope and pray that all of you will support me in my endeavors going forward and I look forward to returning to this campus, time and time, again to support and uplift the next generation of great Utes. I am, have been, and will always be a Utah man!" Phillips tweeted.— Josh Furlong, KSL.com

Saturday, 10:20 am

Blake Freeland a fourth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts

For a football player who once played quarterback at Herriman High but was everything-but through college, Blake Freeland became a pillar of consistency in anchoring BYU's offensive line for the past four years.The biggest change for the four-year starter will come in Indianapolis.The Colts drafted Freeland with the No. 106 overall pick, a fourth-round selection of the 2023 NFL draft, the first pick from BYU of the year and the Cougars' second lineman drafted in three years (Brady Christensen, 2021).Freeland, who started 41 of 44 games during his time at BYU, was a third-team All-American by the Associated Press in 2022 and back-to-back Phil Steele All-Independent first team selection. The 6-foot-8, 302-pound run blocker was one of just three players to play in and start all 13 games for the Cougars in 2022, and he was one of just six to start all 13 games in 2021 while allowing just one sack the past year.The son of former BYU linebacker Jim Freeland and All-American honorable mention basketball player Debbie Dimond, Freeland was a three-star athlete who also starred in basketball and set state records in track and field before committing to BYU over an offer from Utah. His older sister Sierra was also a thrower on the BYU track and field team.He's the only offensive lineman nationally with a 90+ pass-block grade in each of the past 10 years, according to PFF College.