HEADLINES

2015 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Extra Points: Draft, Rolle, Cobb, McCoy

December 17th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re still about four and a half months away from the 2015 NFL draft, and a week and a half from even knowing what the draft order will look like, but that didn’t stop ESPN’s Todd McShay (Insider link) from publishing his first mock draft of the season today. McShay’s first ’15 mock has the top two quarterback prospects coming off the board first, with the Buccaneers selecting Marcus Mariota at No. 1 and the Titans nabbing Jameis Winston at No. 2. The Jets, meanwhile, picking sixth overall, land standout Alabama receiver Amari Cooper in McShay’s scenario, but would still need to find a quarterback to get him the ball.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Calling the Giants a “great fit” for him, safety Antrel Rolle indicated today that he’s hoping for a three-year offer from the team this offseason as he approaches free agency, writes ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. According to Graziano, Rolle believes that if he doesn’t receive such an offer from the Giants, he could get it from another team.
  • In his weekly ESPN Milwaukee radio show, Aaron Rodgers suggested it’s “important” that the Packers lock up wide receiver – and prospective free agent – Randall Cobb (link via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com).
  • The Fritz Pollard Alliance has identified nine minority coaching candidates for NFL teams to consider this offseason, including Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the details.
  • Washington quarterback Colt McCoy says he wants to return to the team next season, but he’ll almost certainly be seeking a raise, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. Tandler expects Washington to be McCoy’s first choice, but points out that he likely won’t give a “hometown discount” to a team he has only been with for a year.
  • The NFL has lifted the suspension of free agent fullback Nikita Whitlock, who received a four-game ban from the league last month, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

Extra Points: Dolphins, Murray, Oakman, Raiola

December 16th, 2014 at 10:27pm CST by Zachary Links

James Walker of ESPN.com previewed the Dolphins‘ 2015 offensive free agents, a group that includes tight end Charles Clay, guard Daryn Colledge, center Samson Satele, and running backs Knowshon Moreno and Daniel Thomas. It’s an interesting group, Walker writes, because most of these players were contributors or expected contributors until injuries shortened the season. Clay appeared to be in store for a big payday this offseason, but that no longer appears to be the case. More from around the NFL..

  • Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News wonders how DeMarco Murray‘s left hand injury might factor into his contract situation. The Cowboys star running back is set to hit the open market this offseason.
  • Baylor defensive lineman Shawn Oakman is strongly considering entering the 2015 draft, multiple sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports. Oakman led Baylor with ten sacks and recorded 18.5 tackles for loss in 12 games this season. Oakman might be playing his final game in a Baylor uniform on January 1st against Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl.
  • Lions center Dominic Raiola is not ready for retirement just yet, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The pending free agent says tha the still has more in the tank, even after 14 seasons. A second-round pick out of Nebraska in 2001, Raiola has played the last two seasons on prove-it deals, and the Lions will have to decide whether to bring him back for a 15th year this off-season.
  • A league source told Terry McCormick of 247Sports.com that veteran left tackle Michael Roos, who has spent his entire career with the Titans since being drafted in 2005, is open to the possibility of returning to the club and manning the right tackle spot. The 32-year-old saw some time on the right side in his first two seasons.

Draft Rumors: Peters, Williams, Ray, Peat

December 16th, 2014 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

For the first time ever, the number of NCAA underclassmen entering the NFL draft in 2014 cracked the triple digits, establishing a new record, but that record may not last long. According to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), one source thinks it’s possible that last year’s number (102) will be “dwarfed” this year. As Getlin adds in a second tweet, the most commonly cited reason for underclassmen making the leap to the NFL early is that players are “sick of playing without market-based compensation.”

With that in mind, Getlin has updates on several potential early entrants for the 2015 draft. Let’s dive in….

  • Washington defensive back Marcus Peters will enter the 2015 draft, multiple sources tell Getlin (Twitter link). Peters currently projects as an early-to-mid-round pick.
  • Despite his public hedging, USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams is viewed as a virtual lock to enter the draft, sources tell Getlin (Twitter links). According to Getlin, Williams, who is considered one of NCAA’s top prospects, is believed to have already selected an agent, based – in part – on “a long-standing family relationship.”
  • Missouri defensive end – and SEC sack leader – Shane Ray is seriously considering entering the draft, writes Getlin, who notes that Ray’s mother has been vetting potential agents for her son. The redshirt junior is viewed as a likely top-10 pick.
  • Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat, a probable first-rounder, is currently on the fence about whether or not to leave school early, according to Getlin (Twitter link).
  • Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead is “strongly” leaning toward leaving school early and entering the draft, says Gatlin. Armstead hasn’t decided anything officially yet, but his father has been meeting with agents in order to be prepared if and when his son declares his intent.
  • Tevin Coleman has been meeting with agents, and while the Indiana running back hasn’t signed with anyone, the signs are pointing to him entering the draft, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.

Sammie Coates To Enter NFL Draft

December 16th, 2014 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

Auburn wide receiver Sammie Coates will play his final college game in the upcoming Outback Bowl, having made the decision to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft, he told reporters on Monday, including Brandon Marcello of AL.com. Coates graduated a year early, and indicated that he wouldn’t be declaring for the draft if he were still an undergrad.

Coates was slowed by injuries for part of this season, and had two or fewer receptions in more than half his games, but finished strong with a five-catch, 206-yard showing against Alabama in last month’s Iron Bowl. In total, Coates hauled in 30 balls for 717 yards and four touchdowns in 2014.

Coates ranks as 2015’s fifth-best wide receiver prospect, according to WalterFootball.com, and seventh per CBS Sports’ rankings. Mel Kiper of ESPN.com suggested last week that he expects the Auburn wideout to be a late-first or early-to-mid-second round pick.

Gerod Holliman To Enter NFL Draft

December 15th, 2014 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of winning the Jim Thorpe Award as college football’s best defensive back, Louisville safety Gerod Holliman has elected to forgo his remaining NCAA career and enter the 2015 NFL draft, reports Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link).

Holliman racked up 14 interceptions as a redshirt sophomore this year for Louisville. In Miller’s view, the 20-year-old has a chance to be one of the first defensive backs off the board in 2015, in what looks like a weak secondary market. Still, although Holliman’s playmaking ability as a ballhawk at free safety are exceptional, scouts – along with Holliman himself – feel as if he needs to improve his tackling skills in order to become a productive player at the next level, writes Mike Huguenin of NFL.com.

According to our list of early entrants for 2015, Holliman becomes the seventh underclassman to announce his intent to enter the draft.

Update On Race For 2015 No. 1 Pick

December 14th, 2014 at 7:59pm CST by Rob DiRe

Not much has changed in a week regarding the number one overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Four out of the five two-win temas projected to select in the top five next offseason going into Week 15 lost again today, with the lone winners being the New York Jets.

The Jets of course defeated the Titans, who themselves are vying for the number one pick. The Jets now have three wins and will probably miss out on a top-five pick, due to a difficult strength of schedule that had them choosing after the Buccaneers, Titans, and Jaguars despite finishing with the same win total.

With two games left, the draft order among non-playoff teams is beginning to take shape, and the top four selections are comprised of the two win teams currently sit as follows, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter):

  1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers; vs. GB, vs. NO
  2. Tennessee Titans; @ JAX, vs. IND
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars; vs. TEN, @ HOU
  4. Oakland Raiders; vs. BUF, @ DEN

One of those four is guaranteed to improve to 3-12 next week barring any ties, as the Titans will travel to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football.

Washington is sitting at 3-11 much like the Jets, with Washington currently slotted to pick fifth overall. They could still jump the Jaguars, should Jacksonville beat the Titans at home on Thursday, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.

Even if the Jets lose out, the only way they can jump back into the top five is with a win from Washington or the Raiders in these last two weeks.

 

Jets Notes: Harvin, Wilkerson, Mariota

December 13th, 2014 at 8:56am CST by Rob DiRe

When the Jets traded for Percy Harvin earlier this season, it was unclear whether the team planned to retain him going forward past 2014. In addition to a base salary of more then $10MM, the team would also owe Seattle a fourth-round pick if they decided to keep the playmaker on the roster in 2015, as opposed to a sixth-round pick if they decided to move on from him.

If Harvin gets a say in it, he would like to stay with the Jets, writes George Willis of the New York Post. “I feel at home here. I’m comfortable with all the players,” Harvin said Friday. “I like the vibe around here.”

Here are some other notes about the Jets as they ready themselves for what their fans would hope will be an active offseason:

  • Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is still dealing with a toe injury that forced him to miss the last two games, but he shouldn’t try to rush back until he is fully healthy, according to Willis. With the team sitting at 2-11 with no chance of the playoffs, the best thing Wilkerson can do for himself and for the team is to be healthy and receive his extension to stay with the Jets long term.
  • The biggest move the Jets can make this offseason would be to find their franchise quarterback, and the best place to do that would be in the 2015 NFL Draft. If things break right that player could be tonight’s Heisman favorite, Marcus Mariota of Oregon, according to Burt Hubbuch of the Post. “If the Jets like me and it happens that they take me, I’ll be the best Jet I can be and play my heart out for them,” said Mariota. “I’ll do whatever it takes to win games. I would love to play for them.” Mariota is notlikely to officially decide to forego his senior season until after his season is over.
  • The Jets’ offseason will be an active one, and Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com addresses a number of issues in his mailbag this morning. He writes that while the Jets may be interested in Bill Cowher as a head coach, Cowher would be a better candidate for the Giants. He also states that he would be surprised of general manager John Idzik survives with the team after only two short years.

 

Early Entrants For 2015 NFL Draft

December 12th, 2014 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

A year ago, a record 102 NCAA underclassmen gained eligibility for the 2014 NFL draft. 98 players were able to declare their intent to enter the draft because they were three years removed from graduating high school, while four others – including quarterback Teddy Bridgewater – were eligible because they graduated a year early.

The number of early entrants in the NFL draft has been on the rise for the last several years, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see that number break the three-digit mark again for 2015. And with the college football season already over for many schools, players have begun to announce their decisions to forgo their senior seasons and pursue an NFL career.

We’ll use this post, which can be found anytime on our right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features,” to track those underclassmen who have confirmed their intent to enter 2015’s draft. Here’s the current list of early entrants for the draft, which will continue to be updated for the next several weeks. Players are listed in alphabetical order:

Extra Points: Bears, Stanton, Draft, Conduct

December 12th, 2014 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Last week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the Bears are having serious doubts about Jay Cutler going forward. In a bizarre twist, offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer confessed to the team that he was the anonymous source for parts of the report and apologized for his actions, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. One source said that Cutler shook his head during Kromer’s apology and two players that spoke with Biggs were stunned by what they had witnessed. Head coach Marc Trestman, Kromer, and others on the staff could be on the hot seat this offseason.

  • Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton has been diagnosed with a sprained ACL and MCL, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 in Arizona (Twitter link). As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, the injury isn’t expected to end the 2014 season for Standon, who is considered week to week. That’s good news for the Cards, who will hope to have the QB back in time for their first playoff game.
  • Three NCAA underclassmen – Tulane cornerback Lorenzo Doss (Twitter link), Syracuse safety Durell Eskridge (Instagram link), and Virginia defensive end Eli Harold (Twitter link) – announced via social media this week that they’ll leave school early to enter the 2015 NFL draft.
  • The NFLPA and its leaders may not like the league’s new, more “robust” conduct policy, but they only have themselves to blame for ceding so much power to Roger Goodell and the NFL, writes Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post.
  • Giants co-owner John Mara tells Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com that the new conduct policy is “a step in the right direction” for the NFL, and also answered questions regarding the Ray Rice case and the pending Robert Mueller report.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Stanton, Titans, Harvin

December 11th, 2014 at 9:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL invited the NFLPA to continue discussions on the personal conduct policy and the hiring of the person who will oversee the discipline, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The union, he adds, might take them up on the offer. More from around the NFL..

  • Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton was forced out of tonight’s game after being sacked by Aaron Donald, as Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk writes. How severe the injury is and whether it will cost him further time remains to be seen, however.
  • If the season ended today, the Titans would have the No. 2 overall pick and an opportunity to be in the mix for quarterbacks like Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Florida State’s Jameis Winston. Still, Zach Mettenberger feels that he’s shown the team that he deserves to be their starter, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. “I believe I have shown them enough, I just hope I’ve shown y’all enough to write good columns from here until next season,” Mettenberger said yesterday. “But I am confident in my abilities and what I have put on the field and what I have put on tape, and I think I have shown ownership, Ruston and the (coaching) staff that I can play at a high level and I am going to continue to get better.”
  • It may not be enough to save his job, but Jets GM John Idzik deserves credit for his gamble on Percy Harvin, writes George Willis of the New York Post. Time will tell if the talk of bad behavior in Seattle was overblown, but as of now, Harvin is someone that the Jets need to keep for the future. The Jets could cut Harvin without cap implications and he’s owed quite a bit, but the Jets can’t let a playmaker of his caliber go elsewhere.
  • Josh McCown probably isn’t the Buccaneers‘ quarterback of the future, but “the future is not right here right now,” says head coach Lovie Smith, explaining why he’s sticking with the veteran McCown as the team’s starter down the stretch (link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).
  • Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper could be an intriguing pick for the Titans, opines Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Cooper is widely expected to be a top-five pick.
  • The Texans tried out defensive back Delvin Breaux, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter).
  • The Titans worked out Mitchell Van Dyk, according to Wilson (via Twitter).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Load More Posts