Draft Notes: Bortles, Askew, Mauro, Ward
As we saw last month, a handful of the more successful and shrewder NFL franchises approach free agency with the draft in mind, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. As La Canfora writes, many clubs are more inclined to pursue free agents like Darrelle Revis, DeMarcus Ware, Steve Smith, and Julius Peppers, who were released by their previous teams, since those players aren’t linked to compensatory draft picks.
This approach also explains why the Ravens, who signed Smith after he was cut by the Panthers, were willing to give up a fifth-round pick to acquire Jeremy Zuttah — given how many compensatory picks Baltimore typically lands (a league-high 41 since 1996), the team should easily replace that fifth-rounder after letting notable free agents like Arthur Jones and Michael Oher depart.
Here’s a little more from La Canfora’s piece, as well as a few other draft notes from around the league:
- La Canfora makes a couple draft-related predictions, forecasting a cornerback run in the first round (sometime in the 20s), and suggesting that drafted players may sign contracts more quickly this year than usual, since teams will be eager to address that business after waiting an extra two weeks for the draft.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com doesn’t expect Blake Bortles to still be available when the Vikings pick at No. 8 next week, but he sees Bortles as an ideal fit for Minnesota and offensive coordinator Norv Turner. King identifies the Texans and Browns as a couple teams that could snatch up the UCF signal-caller before the Vikings are on the clock.
- Speedy Texas A&M linebacker Nate Askew, a converted receiver, has drawn “steady interest from NFL teams,” according to Aaron Wilson of the National Post, who reports that Askew visited the Panthers and Buccaneers. Wilson adds that the linebacker, who recorded a 4.46 time in the 40-yard dash, also worked out privately for the Falcons, Eagles, and the Texans.
- Wilson also provides an update on Stanford defensive lineman Josh Mauro, who visited the Giants and worked out privately for the Cowboys, Raiders, and Falcons.
- We heard earlier in the month that Northern Illinois’ Jimmie Ward paid a pre-draft visit to the Ravens, but according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link), Baltimore was just one of 12 teams to host the safety. The Falcons, Panthers, and Cowboys were among the other teams Ward visited.
- Arizona State defensive back Alden Darby has worked out for the Patriots, Falcons, and Chargers, and still has a workout with the Raiders on the docket, tweets Doug Haller of AZCentral.com.
Draft Notes: Bridgewater, Seamster, Pierre-Louis
If Teddy Bridgewater slides into the second round or later (and if he can subsequently prove an injury or illness), he should collect $5MM in tax-free money, reports Darren Rovell of ESPN.com. Following this past college season, the Louisville quarterback added $5MM to his $10MM total disability injury policy while supplementing that with loss-of-value insurance worth $5MM.
Bridgewater purchased the policy for $20K when he was projected to be the number-three pick, and a source told Rovell that Bridgewater would start to collect if he falls out of the top 11. Rovell also adds that the difference between being picked third overall and 33rd overall (first pick of the second round) is about $15MM.
Here are some more draft notes, all from Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post and The Baltimore Sun…
- Middle Tennessee State cornerback Sammy Seamster met with the Jaguars and the Giants last week, reports Wilson. Seamster previously met with the Chiefs and Dolphins.
- Linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis visited the Giants, reports Wilson. The former Boston College Eagle finished last season with 108 tackles and six sacks.
- Kansas State offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas auditioned for about half the NFL teams today, writes Wilson. Lucas was medically cleared two weeks ago after having sustained a foot injury. The Raiders were among the teams at his showcase today, and the Dolphins and Saints have already expressed interest.
AFC Notes: Knighton, Browns, Nicks, Pats
After seeing a number of defensive tackles cash in on the free agent market this year, Terrance Knighton knows he could’ve made out well if he didn’t have one year remaining on his contract with the Broncos. However, despite a modest $2.5MM 2014 salary, the man known as “Pot Roast” won’t be holding out, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
“I’m definitely going to honor the contract,” Knighton said. “I want to get something done and I’d like to get something done here. I don’t want to bounce around. But I’m at the point now where once the season starts, I’m just strictly football.”
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Speaking to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com, CBS Sports announcer Jim Nantz strongly suggested that it was former Browns GM Michael Lombardi who was trying to land Jim Harbaugh for the Cleveland coaching job.
- Meanwhile, Lombardi’s replacement, Ray Farmer spoke to reporters today and made a handful of interest comments about the draft’s top prospects as well as the possibility of trading up or down. The Browns general manager expects to speak to all 31 NFL GMs in the week leading up to the draft, and about eight or 10 GMs in the 24 hours before draft night. Marla Ridenour of Ohio.com has the quotes from Farmer.
- As he tells Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, Ahmad Bradshaw did his part in recruiting former Giants teammate Hakeem Nicks to the Colts last month. “I went to his house a week before (his signing) and was just telling him how great it is over here,” Bradshaw said. “I think it kind of helped his decision. I was really encouraging him to come over.”
- Recent Patriots signees Darrelle Revis, Julian Edelman, and Brandon LaFell all had deferred payments on their signing bonuses that won’t be paid out until March 31, 2015, writes Field Yates of ESPN.com. In total, more than $5MM of the trio’s $18MM in signing bonus money will be paid out next year. Yates also notes that Josh Hull‘s contract with the Pats is a minimum-salary deal with no bonuses.
King’s Latest: Falcons, Manziel, Rams, Mack
With teams reluctant to reveal any of their plans, the weeks leading up to the draft are often filled with a mix of real and false information on teams’ preferences and players’ stocks. Peter King of TheMMQB.com points to a Johnny Manziel rumor as one example of potential misinformation, noting that he heard from one reliable source that the Eagles are considering moving up to draft the young quarterback. However, King goes on to say that a second source, who would know even better, insists it “absolutely won’t happen.”
While it seems there’s nothing to that Manziel rumor, King cites it as an instance where a team may be trying to make a “misdirection play” and passes along several more draft-related updates that he considers to be more reliable. Here are the highlights from the latest MMQB column:
- “Momentum is gaining” for the Falcons to trade up to No. 1 to draft Jadeveon Clowney, according to King, who estimates the odds of a deal are about 40% at this point. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com also reported today that the Falcons are exploring trade options, though he notes that the club hasn’t engaged in negotiations with the Texans for that first overall pick yet. In King’s view, it would take at least Atlanta’s 2015 first-rounder in addition to this year’s No. 6 overall pick to get Houston’s attention.
- It’s a safe bet that Rams GM Les Snead will trade at least one of his two first-round picks, if not both, says King. The team currently holds the second and 13th overall selections.
- An offensive coordinator whose team likely won’t be drafting a quarterback early, to King: “If I had the first pick in the draft, I’d take Manziel.”
- King spoke to Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack, who is pushing to be the first player off the board and would love to play with J.J. Watt in Houston. Although Mack hasn’t yet gotten a sense of where he’ll be selected, King would be surprised if the linebacker lasted more than six picks.
- King passes along the top 10 players on one team’s draft board, though he’s not sure of the order: Clowney, Mack, Manziel, Blake Bortles, Aaron Donald, Sammy Watkins, and four offensive tackles (Greg Robinson, Jake Matthews, Zack Martin, Taylor Lewan).
- Nevada offensive lineman Joel Bitonio could be a top target for the Panthers in the second round if he’s still on the board at No. 60, says King.
Draft Visits: Bradford, Vereen, Shembo, Tripp
2014’s period of pre-draft visits for prospects and NFL teams came to an end yesterday. Players will no longer be permitted to visit clubs between now and the draft on May 8, though teams are still allowed to work out players. Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com have some details on some players who made visits prior to yesterday’s deadline, so let’s round up the highlights….
- Arizona State outside linebacker Carl Bradford worked out for the Falcons and visited the Steelers, 49ers, and Chargers, reports Wilson. The Jaguars and Dolphins were among the other clubs to meet with Bradford, who is viewed as a potential second-round target.
- The Giants hosted Richmond wide receiver Ben Edwards for a visit, according to Wilson. Edwards, who caught more than 200 passes during his college career, had his Pro Day attended by 20 NFL teams. Wilson adds that Minnesota safety Brock Vereen also visited the Giants.
- Notre Dame outside linebacker Prince Shembo visited the Packers and also privately worked out for the Patriots, Jaguars, and Falcons, league sources tell Wilson.
- Wilson also has the latest on Florida cornerback Jaylen Watkins, the brother of Sammy Watkins. According to Wilson, the former Gators DB has visited the Redskins, Falcons, and Eagles, and worked out for the Panthers and Patriots. Watkins met with the Colts and Lions as well.
- In addition to his previously reported visits with the Falcons and Eagles, Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp also had workouts for the Patriots and Panthers, tweets Caplan.
- In a separate tweet, Caplan adds North Carolina State defensive back Dontae Johnson to the list of prospects who visited the Eagles.
Draft Notes: Whaley, Bills, Linebackers
If the Bills want to draft Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins or Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews — who each have visited with Buffalo — they’ll likely have to trade up from the No. 9 slot to do so. And judging by comments made by general manager Doug Whaley, it’s a definite possibility.
“If we think this guy is going to get us over the hump and get us into the playoffs, which is our stated goal, why not make the deal?” Whaley said on radio station WGR-AM, according to Jason Butt of National Football Post.
The Bills are likely more than just a player away from making the playoffs in the AFC, but that won’t stop its GM from being aggressive in the upcoming NFL Draft.
More draft notes from around the league on a Sunday night…
- Brent Sobleski of USA Today Sports ranked the top 10 linebackers in the draft, slotting Alabama’s C.J. Mosley, Ohio State’s Ryan Shazier and Wisconsin’s Chris Borland at the top.
- Ranking the top 5 tackles was Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune‘s assignment, who likes Nevada’s Joel Bitonio as the No. 5 tackle behind the consensus top-4.
- Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer, who recently had a pre-draft visit with the 49ers, also visited with the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Latimer is one of the fastest rising prospects in the draft and projected to be a first-round pick.
- Heading to the Browns in Jeff Schudel of The Morning Journal‘s latest mock draft are Sammy Watkins and Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr at the No. 4 and No. 26 spots, respectively.
AFC Notes: Latimer, Colts, Dolphins, Jags
Indiana receiver Cody Latimer’s name has been popping up all over the pages of PFR recently, as he continues to take visits with teams looking for a deep threat. Terez A. Paylor analyzes the factors that have contributed to Latimer’s rise from a projected mid-round selection to a potential late-first-round-pick, and quotes ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr. in the process, who says of Latimer, “When you’re 6-2 1/2 and you’re 225 pounds and you run a 4.39 and you’re one of the strongest wide receivers you’ll ever come across, and you have real good hands and natural pass-receiving skills, that’s gonna push you up.” Paylor specifies that the Chiefs, at pick No. 23, would be a logical landing spot for the play-maker.
A few more notes from around the AFC:
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com delves into the Colts’ offseason, during which they added the likes of Arthur Jones, Hakeem Nicks, and D’Qwell Jackson, and assigns them a grade of C+, noting that while the Colts’ free agent strategy may not be the most financially sound, the team does have the cap space to absorb large contracts, and needs to capitalize on being the best team in a weak division.
- Twin UCF offensive guards Justin McCray and Jordan McCray each worked out for the Dolphins, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
- Jackson also writes that the Dolphins have met with Laurent Duvernay-Tardif of McGill University in Canada. Duvernay-Tardif, interestingly enough, wants to become a sports doctor, and only practiced football once a week due to a strenuous class schedule.
- In a recent mailbag segment, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco guesses that the Jaguars will come away from the draft with one of Sammy Watkins, Khalil Mack, or Jadeveon Clowney, though he cautions not to rule out Greg Robinson.
- The Chargers will aim to emulate the Seahawks’ physical nature on defense, writes Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. To do so, San Diego will need to add defensive talent in the draft, likely in the form of a first-round lineman or defensive back.
Prospect Profile: Khalil Mack
The University at Buffalo has produced NFL players before, but (with all due respect to James Starks and Trevor Scott) Khalil Mack is set to enter the league as the most acclaimed Bull in school history, with his talent and seemingly endless potential likely making him a top-five selection in next month’s draft.
Graded as just a two-star recruit coming out of high school, Mack has always played with something of a chip on his shoulder. In the 2009 version of EA Sports’ NCAA Football, he was given an overall rating of only 46 (out of possible 99), making him one of the worst players in the game. Mack used this slight as motivation, choosing 46 as his jersey number throughout his dominating college years.
And dominate he did. In 2013, Mack’s second straight season as a Butkus Award finalist, he registered 100 tackles, 10.5 sacks, three interceptions, and five forced fumbles. The edge rusher was named the Mid-American Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, and a second-team All-American. He set a NCAA record with 16 career forced fumbles, and finished tied for first in career tackles for loss (75).
Explosiveness is the key to Mack’s game — his vertical jump is an astounding 40 inches, and his first-step quickness from the outside linebacker position is unparallelled in this draft. He rarely gets pancaked by opposing offensive lineman, and any OL trying to block Mack one-on-one, especially at the second level, will face severe difficulty. The 23-year-old is a master of many pass-rushing maneuvers, but the outside move is his specialty, as his almost flawless technique allows him to leave offensive tackles off-balance. Additionally, Mack has the speed, exhibited by a 4.65 40-yard-dash, to drop in pass coverage and, with a bit more experience, could be a nice weapon against physical tight ends running seam routes between the hash marks.
The primary concern for Mack, like most prospects from small schools, is the level of competition he faced. The MAC is certainly not the SEC, and it is not even comparable to the Pac-12 or the Big 12. However, Mack, in something of a coming-out party, did perform extraordinary well against Big 10 powerhouse Ohio State, showing that he can hang with elevated competition. Analysts have also noted that Mack has the tendency to play with reckless abandon at times instead of relying on his sound technique, indicating that harnessing his skill will be a critical test at the next level.
Mack, at 6’3″ and 251 pounds, could fit a multitude of defensive schemes — he probably makes the most sense as a 3-4 outside linebacker, but could also play OLB in a 4-3, or even, in a pinch, as a 4-3 defensive end. He is a dark horse candidate to go No. 1 overall to the Texans, as some believe that he is a better fit than Jadeveon Clowney for Houston’s 3-4 defense. The Jaguars, owners of the third pick, are looking for a pass rusher to stabilize their front seven, and teams like the Raiders, Falcons, Vikings, and Bills could all be interested in the dynamic edge player. Along with Clowney, Sammy Watkins, and Greg Robinson, Mack is considered one of the elite players in next month’s draft, and it would be surprising to see him fall out of the top five selections.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Notes: Finley, Redskins, Latimer, Bears
Free agent tight end Jermichael Finley is scheduled to undergo a X-ray tomorrow, and if all goes well, MRI and CAT scans, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Finley, who is recovering from a spinal injury, will continue this process until he is fully medically cleared. The 27-year-old has drawn interest from the Seahawks and the Dolphins, but he will need to prove he is able to play before any team would be willing to sign him.
More news from around the NFC:
- New Redskins head coach Jay Gruden worked with multiple tight end sets when he was the Bengals’ offensive coordinator, and Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com examines whether Gruden may want to pair another TE with incumbent Jordan Reed in Washington.
- The 49ers had a pre-draft visit with four of their past five first-round selections, so the fact that that the team met with Cody Latimer, who is now projected as a late first-round-pick, could signal legitimate interest, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
- Two years after fielding one of the worst offensive lines in the league, the Bears head into 2014 with excellent depth at the position, opines Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Bears, who added four new lineman before last season, re-signed backup Eben Britton and brought in veteran center Brian De La Puente on a cheap, one-year deal.
- Tommy Lawlor of PhiladelphiaEagles.com does a deep dive and profiles some lesser-known names in the draft at positions of need for the Eagles, with defensive back and receiver being among them.
AFC Notes: Jags, Bridgewater, Claiborne
The 2013 NFL draft was a curious one in several respects, with its most notable quirk being the lack of top-tier talent at the quarterback position. For twelve years, at least four QBs were taken in the first round of the draft, but in 2013, only one was selected (E.J. Manuel). The tradition of a quarterback-heavy first round figures to return in full force this season, with a bevy of signal-callers projected to be drafted early.
However, quarterbacks that might be taken on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft offer skill-sets that in many respects are equally as intriguing as their Day 1 counterparts, and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union wonders if the Jaguars would be better served selecting one of the “second-tier” QBs instead of targeting one of the players expected to go in the first round. Specifically, O’Halloran names SEC products Zach Mettenberger, Aaron Murray, and A.J. McCarron as possible solutions to Jacksonville’s quarterback woes. Such a selection would allow the Jags to land a truly elite talent with their No. 3 overall pick, rather than play the lottery with high-ceiling but concerning talents like Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, and Teddy Bridgewater.
Now for more from the AFC:
- Speaking of Bridgewater, his quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator at Louisville, Sam Watson, believes the young QB is a “slam dunk” despite his oft-criticized Pro Day performance, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. As Ulrich notes, the Browns, who are expected to take a quarterback with one of their two first-round choices (Nos. 4 and 26 overall) might be inclined to agree.
- The Browns, however, are also interested in Aaron Murray, who visited with Cleveland on Wednesday and will work out for the team today, writes Jason Butt of the National Football Post.
- ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes that if the Jets are unable to land a CB in the first round of the draft, they may be in the market for a veteran corner, possibly via trade. Although the Cowboys’ Morris Claiborne has been discussed as a trade possibility, the cap charge Dallas would have to absorb if they dealt Claiborne ($9.6MM) would probably make such a trade untenable.
- In the same piece, Cimini writes that the Jets were interested in WR Julian Edelman before he re-signed with New England, and Rex Ryan was very intrigued with the possibility of stealing Edelman away from New York’s division rival.
- ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss believes that, with the above-mentioned run on quarterbacks that is expected to take place in the first round of this year’s draft, a top-15 or even top-10 talent could fall to the Patriots at No. 29.
- In the same piece, Reiss adds that Patriots VP of Player Personnel Nick Caserio is scheduled to meet with Illinois TE Evan Wilson early this week.