2014 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Rumors: Kaepernick, Draft, Evans

April 25th, 2014 at 4:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this afternoon, we recapped several comments 49ers general manager Trent Baalke made about linebacker Aldon Smith and running back LaMichael James, who have both been in the news lately. In Smith’s case, Baalke reinforced the idea that, despite the linebacker’s off-court issues, the team hopes to work things out and keep him around long-term, though the GM didn’t commit to picking up Smith’s fifth-year option. As for James, Baalke dismissed the idea that San Francisco is looking to trade the running back.

Here are a few more Niners notes based on Baalke’s discussion with the media today:

Colin Kaepernick was named in a report of a “suspicious incident” incident in Miami by police, but Baalke indicated that shouldn’t have a real impact on the Niners’ desire to work out a long-term deal with the quarterback, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com details. “Nothing’s changed,” Baalke said. “But at the same token, negotiations of these kind, they’re long. They can be drawn out. They can be very tedious. Like all of these, it takes a lot of work to get theses types of deals done. We’re going to work diligently like we said we would. But when that gets done, is there a goal, a timeline? I can’t say that there is.”
Baalke also indicated that the Niners have the “ammunition” to move up in the draft if the right situation arises (Twitter link). Even if San Francisco doesn’t want to use James as a trade chip, the team could rely on its collection of draft picks to help facilitate a deal — six of the first 100 picks in the draft belong to the Niners.
If the 49ers do decide to trade up in the first round, wide receiver Mike Evans may be a target. According to Evan Silva of Rotoworld (Twitter link), Chris Mortensen said today on ESPN that the “buzz inside league circles that you keep hearing” suggests Evans is drawing interest from the Niners.

Draft Updates: WRs, Clowney, Latimer, Mason

April 25th, 2014 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

While the general consensus suggests that Clemson wideout Sammy Watkins is the clear-cut top wide receiver in this year’s draft class, that’s not necessarily the case, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. After speaking to several execs, scouts, and decision-makers, La Canfora came away believing that Texas A&M wideout Mike Evans, who has the size advantage on Watkins, could be the first receiver to come off the board.

“Would I be surprised if Evans ended up going before Watkins?” said one evaluator. “No, I wouldn’t. But we do think there is a drop-off after those two, and we know they won’t be there when we pick [later in the first round].”

Regardless of where Watkins and Evans land, it figures to be a busy first round for receivers, according to La Canfora, who says Marqise Lee and Odell Beckham may not make it past the late teens, given the interest they’re receiving from teams like the Ravens, Steelers, and Jets.

Here are a few more Friday draft items:

In a series of tweets, Albert Breer of the NFL Network shares a few insights into the draft. Among them: Many people believe Jadeveon Clowney and Khalil Mack are worth trading up for since this year’s pass-rushing group is fairly thin. Additionally, clubs may be more inclined to trade into the late first round to draft a quarterback, since the fifth-year option for first-round picks gives teams additional flexibility.
Speaking of Clowney, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the details on the “force plate” assessment the Falcons put the defensive end through today. According to Breer (Twitter links), Clowney’s performance was very impressive.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins‘ basketball background could separate him from other tight ends, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The Washington product is in good company as some of today’s top tight ends – Jimmy Graham, Jordan Cameron, Julius Thomas – played college basketball at some point. Seferian-Jenkins could be an option for the Packers in the first or second round if he’s on the board.
The Eagles, who had three representatives at wide receiver Cody Latimer‘s workout today, spent 20 minutes post-workout having him run their routes, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Eagles pick at No. 22 and the Indiana product’s stock appears to be rapidly rising.
Combine exams revealed that Auburn running back Tre Mason has a bone in his wrist that will require surgery, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Meanwhile, Mason denied the report via Twitter, saying that he doesn’t need surgery.
In an Insider-only piece at ESPN.com, Mark Dominik suggests a few hypothetical draft-pick trades outside of the top 10 that could make sense for both sides.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Patriots, Draft

April 25th, 2014 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

In recent weeks, there has been speculation that if the Texans intend to trade down in the draft, Buffalo may be a potential partner, and Bills GM Doug Whaley certainly sounds like a man who would like a shot at standout defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

“If you’re gonna miss, I’d rather take a chance on a guy that’s 6’5″, 270, that runs a 4.5,” Whaley said of the South Carolina star, according to Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550. “Now think about this, you have Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus and Jadeveon Clowney. I mean, that’s gonna strike fear in a lot of offenses. And if they go max protect, you can’t double everybody, and if you do you’ve gotta put eight in the box. And then that helps our DBs and everybody involved. Is he gonna be a cornerstone? You never want to say absolutely, because there have been big misses before. But if I’m gonna miss, I’m gonna miss on a guy like that.”

The Bills pick at No. 9, so if they decide to seriously engage in talks with the Texans for the first overall pick, the price figures to be high. Here’s more out of the AFC East:

Draft analyst Todd McShay sees USC’s Xavier Su’a-Filo as the Patriots‘ only solid option if they want to boost their interior offensive line at No. 29, writes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. McShay believes that there is a very significant dropoff at the guard position after the former Trojan, so the Pats will have to pounce if that’s their objective.
Wisconsin running back James White visited and worked out for the Patriots, and also worked out for the Dolphins, and Browns, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The former Badger previously worked out for the Bears. White rushed for 1,052 yards and 14 touchdowns during his first season for the Badgers and gained 1,444 yards last season while working in tandem with running back Melvin Gordon. Together, they combined for 3,052 rushing yards to set a single-season record.
The Patriots are looking at Missouri running back Henry Josey, wide receiver Marcus Lucas, and tight end/fullback Eric Waters in a private workout today, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Vanderbilt offensive tackle Wesley Johnson also had a private workout with the Patriots today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Claiborne, Redskins

April 25th, 2014 at 11:56am CST by Zachary Links

Some Eagles fans are fretting over the loss of DeSean Jackson, but Jeremy Maclin isn’t too concerned, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. “I think we’ll be fine, man. Obviously, DeSean’s one of the better playmakers in this league, but we’re moving forward, and I think we’ll be just fine . . . I’ve got faith in the guys in the locker room. [Coach] Chip [Kelly] said it himself: The offense is not built around one guy. We have multiple guys out there who can make plays,” said Maclin, who was not critical of his former teammate.

If it were up to Giants veteran Victor Cruz, the club would draft Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans at No. 12, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. Cruz told NFL Network that he sees Evans as a possible replacement for the departed Hakeem Nicks and he’s not the only one in New Jersey thinking that way. Several sources have told Vacchiano that Evans, a 6-5, 225-pounder, is up near the top of their draft board .
The Cowboys‘ decision to pick up the option of cornerback Morris Claiborne next year isn’t nearly as easy as the one they’ll have to make on Tyron Smith, writes David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. The cornerback, who has been hampered by injuries in each of his first two seasons, took a step back in his second season and lost his starting job to Orlando Scandrick. Luckily for Dallas, the club won’t have to cross this bridge until next year.
Mark Bullock of the Washington Post looks at three right tackles who could be fits for the Redskins. If Washington wants to tap a tackle early on in the draft, Bullock sees Morgan Moses of Virginia as a good match.
CSNWashington.com’s Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir wonder who will take on London Fletcher‘s leadership role with the Redskins. With Fletcher now retired, El-Bashir believes it’ll have to be a team effort to lead the locker room while Tandler says Robert Griffin III is up to the task.
Purdue offensive tackle Kevin Pamphile is visiting the Giants this week, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The Packers, Bears, Texans, Cardinals, Dolphins, Chiefs, Raiders, Rams, and Jaguars have also shown interest.

Pompei’s Latest: Rice, Pryor, Hyde, Draft

April 25th, 2014 at 9:52am CST by Zachary Links

In today’s column, Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report writes that executives see this year’s draft as rich in offensive talent and lacking in defenders. “It’s surprising how heavy it is on the one side of the ball,” one NFC General Manager said. That GM estimated that of the 120 or so players on his board, 65% are offensive players. The draft has plenty of talented wide receivers and offensive linemen and solid depth at quarterback, but running back stands out as the one underrepresented offensive position at the top of draft boards. More from Pompei..

Sidney Rice took less money on a one-year deal from the Seahawks (a one-year, $1.4MM deal) than he could have had with the Jets in part, because he thinks he might be able to make more money in 2015 if he spends this season in Seattle. The 27-year-old is looking at next offseason since it could be his last chance to cash in big. People who know the wide receiver say he has been working his tail off in order to come back from a torn ACL healthy and stronger than ever and maximize his value next year.
One of the reasons Terrelle Pryor is in Seattle is that the timing of his availability was ideal for the Seahawks. The Seahawks, 32nd in claiming order, knew they would not have had a chance at acquiring him through waivers. They also knew they could not get a similar athlete with a seventh-round pick, which was the trade compensation they gave the Raiders. Pete Carroll & Co. are hoping that Russell Wilson will rub off on his new understudy.
Insiders are predicting a flurry of trade activity toward the bottom of the first round of the draft as teams jockey for position to try to get a falling quarterback, or the rising quarterback of their choice. The thinking is, the teams at the top of the draft that ignore their QB need will be looking to jump back in at the top of the second round.
Another potential trade target at the bottom of the first round is Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde, as some teams see him as clearly the best prospect at the position. One team picking late in the round already has received two phone calls feeling them out for interest in a potential deal.

NFC North Rumors: Bears, Reynaud, Lions

April 24th, 2014 at 9:24pm CST by Zachary Links

With the draft rapidly approaching, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune looks at the wide receivers the Bears might target. With wide receiver being a position of moderate need, Thompson suggests they could look at South Carolina’s Bruce Ellington, Saginaw Valley State’s Jeff Janis, and others.

Kick returner/running back Darius Reynaud worked out for the Bears yesterday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Reynaud, 29, could be brought in to fill the sizable shoes of Devin Hester as a return man. Last season, the veteran spent time with the Titans and Jets.
Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) has the goods on George Johnson‘s one-year deal with the Lions. The defensive end gets $730K with no guaranteed money. He’ll have a $570K cap number thanks to the minimum salary benefit.
The Lions hosted former BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy on a pre-draft visit today, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Van Noy, who has gotten first-round and second-round grades from analysts, has also met with the Ravens, Jaguars, and Falcons.

Bills Notes: Mosley, Draft, Trump

April 24th, 2014 at 8:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Yesterday, the Bills hosted Clemson star Sammy Watkins and speculation started flying that Buffalo would look to trade up in the draft. The Bills are currently slated to pick at No. 9 but if they want this year’s No. 1 receiver, they’ll have to vault up into the Top 5. The Rams at No. 2 could be a potential trade partner since they’re said to be open to moving down. The Texans are also open to deals for the No. 1 pick but the asking price is rather high. The latest out of Buffalo..

The Bills hosted Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley and Towson running back Terrance West on pre-draft visits today, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Mosley, widely praised for his strong character and work ethic, is a likely first round pick. West won’t hear his name called on Day 1 but he is one of the better tailbacks in a class that is paper thin at the position.
Jeremy M. Jacobs Jr, a member of one of Buffalo’s wealthiest families, says his clan is involved behind the scenes in the effort to keep the Bills in Western New York, writes Stephen T. Watson of the Buffalo News. “We are using our resources, our contacts, our relationships to do everything we can to ensure the Bills stay in Buffalo,” Jacobs said. When asked whether those efforts could include making a bid for the team, or joining a group making an offer, Jacobs did not offer a direct answer.
Would Donald Trump make a good NFL owner? Former standout running back Hershel Walker sure thinks so. “He would be a great owner, and a credible owner,” Walker told Jarrett Bell of USA Today Sports. “People can think what they want to think about Jerry Jones — he’s a terrible general manager, but he’s a great owner. He has done a tremendous job in marketing his team to keep it relevant. I think that’s the same thing Donald Trump would do with the Buffalo Bills.”

Extra Points: Dansby, Seahawks, Texans

April 24th, 2014 at 6:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL believes the Eagles released DeSean Jackson based on football reasons and not due to alleged gang connections, according to NFL senior vice president of law and labor policy Adolpho Birch. “I think we are comfortable that the decisions that were made on both ends were football decisions,” Birch told reporters, according to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Both sides, the objective that they sought from a football perspective, they got, whether that be the Eagles or the Redskins. I think the player’s going to be in a good position. I think at the end of the day, everyone was comfortable with that.”

Cardinals veteran Darnell Dockett was sad to see Karlos Dansby go to the Browns this offseason, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “I’ve got a lot of respect for our guy that left, I love him like a brother but we were one or two pieces away from making a lot of noise,” Dockett said. “But we are going to regroup. Our GM, coaches, owner will get someone to fill that role and we’ve got guys with enthusiasm of getting that opportunity for that role. They know they have big shoes to fill.“
Former Vikings and Cardinals cornerback A.J. Jefferson worked out for the Seahawks today, a source told Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The 26-year-old saw action in ten games last season for Minnesota.
Wide receiver Armanti Edwards is also working out for the Seahawks, a source tells Caplan (on Twitter). The wide receiver/special teamer split time between the Panthers and Browns last season. His campaign ended in November when he suffered an ankle injury in Cleveland.
Former Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson had a very positive visit with the Texans today, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. Getlin adds (link) that Robinson’s agent, Eric Metz, has been good friends with Houston offensive line coach Paul Dunn since college. If the Texans are really high on Robinson, they can likely move down a few spots and walk away with additional picks.
Sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com that if the Texans take a defensive player first overall and draft a quarterback atop the second round, Jimmy Garoppolo and Derek Carr, if available, would be Houston’s top two targets.
Baylor’s Demetri Goodson is scheduled to meet with the Texans on Saturday, tweets Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. The Cowboys, Dolphins, Saints and Eagles have also shown interest in the former Gonzaga point guard turned cornerback.

Rival Execs Expect Texans To Trade Down

April 24th, 2014 at 5:50pm CST by Luke Adams

5:50pm: To change spots with the Texans, it would likely cost the Falcons a second-rounder and another pick this year and next year’s No. 1 pick, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Werder adds that terms would be negotiable, however.

3:52pm: When I asked last week what the Texans should do with the first overall pick in the 2014 draft, more than 30% of you said the team’s best move would be to trade down. And it sounds like rival executives around the NFL agree with that assessment. ESPN.com’s Ed Werder reports (via Twitter) that other teams expect the Texans to trade down, perhaps to the Falcons’ spot at No. 6. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) is hearing similar whispers, writing that there’s “no shortage of execs” who believe the Falcons look like Houston’s best potential trade partner.

According to La Canfora, the Falcons remain “very focused” on Jadeveon Clowney, and are expected to put him through a few drills on Friday when they visit South Carolina. Clowney’s agent, Bus Cook, indicated earlier in the month that his client was essentially shutting down workouts for teams, electing not to do anything that would risk injury. As such, the fact that the young pass rusher appears willing to run some drills for the Falcons is noteworthy.

Clowney is viewed as the top prospect in this year’s class, and is a lock to come off the board within the first five picks, so Atlanta will need to trade up to have a shot at him. As La Canfora notes, the Texans are “very open” to trading down, and Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff is no stranger to blockbuster draft-day trades — the GM notably gave up a handful of picks to land wide receiver Julio Jones in 2011.

Still, despite a number of signals pointing toward a possible deal between the Texans and Falcons, nothing is imminent at this point. And as Albert Breer of the NFL Network points out (via Twitter), the general consensus suggests there’s a clear-cut top four prospects at the top of the draft: Clowney, Sammy Watkins, Greg Robinson, and Khalil Mack. All four of those players could be unavailable at No. 6, so the Texans may not be inclined to move down that far, though Blake Bortles could also be an option for Houston.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Pauline’s Latest: Dolphins, Donald, Latimer

April 24th, 2014 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

In past years, we’d be gearing up for the NFL draft to begin in a matter of hours, but with this year’s event pushed back into May, we still have two more weeks of build-up until the big night. Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net is helping to bridge that gap by continuing to pass along noteworthy tidbits on this year’s prospects. Here’s the latest from Pauline, with these notes coming from his latest blog entries unless otherwise indicated:

The Dolphins like offensive lineman Zack Martin, but don’t expect him to be available when they pick in the first round. Sources tell Pauline that Miami could end up trading down and targeting a player like Nevada’s Joel Bitonio — Alabama’s Cyrus Kouandjio isn’t expected to be a first-round option for the club. Bitonio, meanwhile, is also drawing interest from the Panthers and Buccaneers.
Pittsburgh defensive lineman Aaron Donald figures to come off the board somewhere between picks No. 6 and 16, according to Pauline, who identifies the Falcons (6th), Giants (12th), Bears (14th), and Cowboys (16th) as potential landing spots.
At least 23 teams will travel to Bloomington, Indiana tomorrow for Cody Latimer‘s on-campus workout. Pauline hears that the receiver is one of the draft’s fastest risers, and even has a shot to be selected in the first round.
Fresno State wideout Davante Adams is working out with the Panthers for a second time. Adams has also visited the Lions, Chargers, and Falcons, and worked out for the Titans.
The Colts brought in Wisconsin safety Dez Southward for a pre-draft visit, according to Pauline.
The Steelers, Colts, and Eagles are displaying the most interest in Oregon defensive end Taylor Hart.
Wake Forest linebacker Justin Jackson is paying a visit to the Chiefs today, Pauline reports in a tweet.
The Jets have reps at Clemson today to work out quarterback Tajh Boyd, running back Roderick McDowell, and linebacker Quandon Christian, tweets Pauline.
Pauline also reports (via Twitter) that the Packers, Patriots, and Chiefs are at Mississippi State today to work out quarterback Tyler Russell and safety Nickoe Whitley.

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors