2015 Supplemental Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Rams Sign Rookie Isaiah Battle

July 27th, 2015 at 6:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams have signed rookie Isaiah Battle to his rookie deal, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Rams selected the Clemson offensive tackle in July’s supplemental draft.

The Rams used a fifth-round supplemental pick on Battle, which means that they will give up their 2016 fifth-round pick. The team made the young lineman the first player selected in a supplemental draft since the Browns used a second-round pick on wide receiver Josh Gordon back in 2012.

Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, decided to enter the supplemental draft instead, citing “family” reasons, including a child due this summer. Earlier in the year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com had identified Battle as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.”

Of the seven prospects eligible for the supplemental draft, Battle was considered the one most likely to be picked, with some pundits suggesting that a team could go as high as a third-rounder for the lineman. However, teams were reportedly wary of Battle due to possible off-the-field concerns, so he ultimately cost the Rams only a fifth-rounder. As it turns out, Battle was the only player taken in this year’s supplemental draft.

The offensive line was viewed as one area the Rams figured to address this offseason, and while they were perhaps not as active on the free agent market as expected, the club has added several young players to its group up front. Battle represents the fifth offensive lineman St. Louis has picked in a draft this year — the Rams were the only one team in the NFL to add as many as four offensive lineman during back in May, selecting one in the second round (Rob Havenstein), third round (Jamon Brown), fourth round (Andrew Donnal), and sixth round (Cody Wichmann).

Last year’s No. 2 overall pick, Greg Robinson, projects as the Rams’ long-term left tackle, but Battle figures to provide depth on both the left and right sides, and could challenge the team’s other young players, including Havenstein, for playing time at the right tackle spot.

Rams Pick Isaiah Battle, Lose ’16 Fifth-Rounder

July 9th, 2015 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

1:13pm: The NFL has confirmed that Battle was the only player selected in the supplemental draft, meaning the other six eligible players are now free agents (Twitter link).

12:56pm: As expected, former Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle has come off the board during today’s supplemental draft. According to the NFL (Twitter link), the Rams used their fifth-round pick to snag Battle after no players were drafted in the first four rounds. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the pick St. Louis used on Battle was No. 8 in the fifth round.

By using a fifth-round supplemental pick on Battle, the Rams will give up their 2016 fifth-round pick. The team also makes the young lineman the first player selected in a supplemental draft since the Browns used a second-round pick on wide receiver Josh Gordon back in 2012.

Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, decided to enter the supplemental draft instead, citing “family” reasons, including a child due this summer. Earlier in the year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com had identified Battle as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.”

Of the seven prospects eligible for the supplemental draft, Battle was considered the one most likely to be picked, with some pundits suggesting that a team could go as high as a third-rounder for the lineman. However, teams were reportedly wary of Battle due to possible off-the-field concerns, so he ultimately cost the Rams only a fifth-rounder.

The offensive line was viewed as one area the Rams figured to address this offseason, and while they were perhaps not as active on the free agent market as expected, the club has added several young players to its group up front. Battle represents the fifth offensive lineman St. Louis has picked in a draft this year — the Rams were the only one team in the NFL to add as many as four offensive lineman during back in May, selecting one in the second round (Rob Havenstein), third round (Jamon Brown), fourth round (Andrew Donnal), and sixth round (Cody Wichmann).

Last year’s No. 2 overall pick, Greg Robinson, projects as the Rams’ long-term left tackle, but Battle figures to provide depth on both the left and right sides, and could challenge the team’s other young players, including Havenstein, for playing time at the right tackle spot.

2015 Supplemental Draft Taking Place Today

July 9th, 2015 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s 2015 supplemental draft is scheduled to take place today at 12:00pm central time, with 10 minutes allotted for each round. As such, we should know later this afternoon whether any of this year’s eligible players have been selected.

The supplemental draft allows clubs to select players who for some reason were unable to enter the standard draft; academic trouble or disciplinary issues are often – but not always – key factors. If a team selects a player in the supplementary draft, it will lose its corresponding pick in the following year’s standard draft. For example, if a club were to select a player in the sixth round of the supplemental, that club would lose its 2016 sixth-rounder as a result.

Most players who enter the supplemental draft ultimately go undrafted, allowing them to become free agents and sign with any team. The last two players to be picked were Terrelle Pryor (third round, 2011) by the Raiders and Josh Gordon (second round, 2012) by the Browns.

This year, seven players have entered the supplemental draft, and could be picked this afternoon. They are as follows:

Isaiah Battle, T (Clemson)
Darrius Caldwell, DE (West Georgia)
Eric Eiland, DE (Houston)
Sean McQuillan, TE (UConn)
Kevin Short, DB (Kansas)
Dalvon Stuckey, DT (West Georgia)
Adrian Wilkins, WR/KR (North Carolina Central)

Of those seven players, Battle is by far the player most likely to be selected, with pundits suggesting that he could go anywhere between the third and seventh rounds. Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, remains raw, and teams are wary of some off-field red flags, but he has the most upside of any player in this year’s supplemental class.

McQuillan has drawn some recent interest, with the Raiders, Dolphins, and Lions among the teams to attend a recent workout for the tight end. Fifteen teams were also on hand to watch the pair of West Georgia defensive linemen work out last week. It seems unlikely that an NFL team will use a draft pick on any of these players, but they might be scooped up as free agents.

While last year’s records contribute significantly to the selection order in the supplemental draft, the order today won’t necessarily be quite the same as it was in the 2015 draft. The order will be determined later today in a lottery-style process which gives 2014’s worst teams the opportunity to land the top picks, while playoff teams are further down, as Jason Cole of Bleacher Report details in a pair of tweets.

Extra Points: Battle, Supplemental Draft, Lions

July 8th, 2015 at 6:00pm CST by Zachary Links

They say that home is where the heart is and Andre Johnson‘s heart told him to head east to Miami this offseason, as he told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

“I always had a dream of playing at home. I was a huge Dolphins fan,” Johnson said. “But they never called.”

With no apparent interest from the Dolphins, the former University of Miami star instead joined up with former Hurricanes teammate Frank Gore in Indianapolis. Here’s more from around the league..

Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle looks like the most likely player to get taken in the supplemental draft but Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears that he looked “good, not great” at his recent pro day workout. At least six teams remain interested in Battle, who profiles most likely as a right tackle but possibly a left tackle depending on the scheme he’d play in. Battle has been compared to D.J. Fluker out of Alabama, a first-round pick in the 2013 draft, but he has also been flagged as someone with off-the-field issues. Those issues could drop Battle to the fifth or sixth round but he could also go as high as the fourth, based on what Cole is hearing.
Fourteen teams have inquired about former UConn tight end Sean McQuillan over the past few days, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The Raiders, Dolphins, and Lions attended a recent workout of his and McQuillan performed up to expectations – he didn’t drop a pass and he ran sharp routes. McQuillan was arrested this spring following a fight with his roommate and he was denied entrance into school.
The NFL has hired Rod Graves as its new senior V.P. of football administration and club services, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Graves spent roughly a year in the Jets’ front office but is better known for his time as GM of the Cardinals. A league source tells Florio that the NFL has hired Graves to “oversee all club and game-related initiatives concerning the Competition Committee, general managers, and head coaches.” In Florio’s estimation, Graves’ central duty will be to prevent hiccups from becoming national scandals like DeflateGate.

Extra Points: C.J. Wilson, Washington, Battle

July 8th, 2015 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason Pierre-Paul wasn’t the only NFL player to be involved in a fireworks mishap over the Fourth of July weekend. According to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link), Buccaneers cornerback C.J. Wilson also suffered a severe hand injury due to an fireworks accident, while a team source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the injury is “significant.”

In a statement, the Bucs indicated they’ve been in contact with Wilson and will continue to monitor the situation, with their primary concern at the moment being the defensive back’s long-term health (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports).

Here’s more from around the NFL:

A federal judge in Northern Virginia on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of the Washington Redskins‘ trademark registrations, upholding an earlier ruling by the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Ian Shapira of the Washington Post has the details on the decision, which isn’t necessarily a significant event on its own, since the team can continue to fight for the Redskins trademark registrations through the appeals process. However, it represents another win for the Native American activities fighting against the moniker.
Following Isaiah Battle‘s pro day workout at Clemson this week, Gil Brandt of NFL.com writes that the offensive lineman could be selected in the fourth round of tomorrow’s supplemental draft. According to Brandt, a team expecting to contend in 2015 – and pick late in next year’s draft – might even be inclined to use a third-rounder on the Clemson tackle.
With the supplemental draft around the corner, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk looks back at the history of the event, noting that there have been more misses than hits among the players selected since the supplemental draft began in 1977.
According to the results of a study released on Tuesday, a new riverfront NFL stadium in St. Louis could expect to draw about $200MM in the sale of personal seat licenses, writes David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. That figure exceeds initial estimates, which could bode well for the city, though the study – commissioned by the league – cited several potential concerns as well, including “low ticket prices, low ticket sales and the lack of a ‘robust regional area’ from which to draw new fan and corporate support.”

Extra Points: Battle, Browns, Gipson

July 7th, 2015 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL released the full schedule of 2015’s training camp reporting dates for rookies and veterans for all 32 teams today, and we’re only about a couple weeks away from rookies starting to show up. Rookies for the Ravens, Browns, and Saints will report on July 22, while the earliest reporting date for veteran players is July 25, for the Vikings and Steelers. Veterans for all 32 teams will report to camp no later than August 2.

As we look forward to the return of real NFL football, let’s check in on some odds and ends from around the league today….

Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle had 26 NFL teams in attendance for his Pro Day today, a school official tells Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Battle, who is eligible for Thursday’s supplemental draft, is considered the player most likely to be selected. If he does come off the board, Battle would become the first prospect selected in the supplemental draft since the Browns nabbed Josh Gordon in 2012.
Browns safety Tashaun Gipson appears likely to play out the 2015 season on his one-year RFA tender before testing the free agent market in 2016, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. It’ll be a crucial year on the field for Gipson, who wants to prove that he’s worth Devin McCourty money.
Dana Hunsinger Benbow of the Indianapolis Star passes along the findings of an analysis conducted by NerdWallet.com, which determined that the Colts have been the second-most financially efficient NFL team over the last 15 years. The only team ahead of Indianapolis, unsurprisingly, is the Patriots.
The Vikings ownership group will end up putting about $572MM into the team’s new stadium, writes Lee Schafer of the Star Tribune, noting that money from the NFL, along with seat licensing and naming rights, will make up a good chunk of the owners’ contributions.

Extra Points: Rice, Mariota, McQuillan

July 6th, 2015 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The July 4th holiday weekend is behind us, which means we’re inching slightly closer to the start of NFL training camps. As we continue to count down the days until the 2015 preseason gets underway, let’s round up a few odds and ends from around the league….

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk checks in on Ray Rice, noting that the running back still hasn’t drawn interest from NFL teams, eight months after his indefinite suspension was overturned.
As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk observes, it’s odd that offsets are the holdup between the Titans and unsigned first-rounder Marcus Mariota, since the chances of offsets becoming relevant before the end of Mariota’s rookie contract are extremely slim.
Most players who enter the supplemental draft don’t get picked, but former UConn tight end Sean McQuillan – one of seven prospects eligible for this Thursday’s draft – isn’t lacking for confidence, writes Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant. “First of all, I’m going to make it, and second of all, there isn’t a backup plan,” McQuillan said. “I’m confident I’m going to be able to do this thing. I’m prepared for this. I’m going to show them I’m athletic, I’m versatile, I can do a bunch of different things. I’m confident and I’m ready for this next step, so I haven’t thought about anything else.”
In his list of the three most team-friendly veteran wide receiver contracts in the NFL, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap lists all AFC players: Julian Edelman of the Patriots, Emmanuel Sanders of the Broncos, and Antonio Brown of the Steelers.
Former Auburn running back Onterio McCalebb started his career with the Bengals as a cornerback, but the team is trying him at wide receiver this summer, as Mark Inabinett of AL.com details.

Extra Points: Gates, McClain, Supplemental Draft

July 2nd, 2015 at 4:03pm CST by Zachary Links

A look at the latest from around the NFL, including notes relating to this afternoon’s rash of surprise suspensions..

The four suspensions handed down this afternoons are likely the final ones today before the holiday weekend, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. Of course, there could always be more suspensions lurking around the corner on Monday.
The cases of Antonio Gates, Datone Jones, Sheldon Richardson, and Rolando McClain have all gone past the appeals phase, so those penalties are final, Breer tweets.
Fifteen NFL teams were on hand for the Pro Day workout at West Georgia for Dalvon Stuckey and Darrius Caldwell, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets. Among the teams in attendance are the Cardinals, 49ers, Packers, Raiders, Titans, Jets, Dolphins, Lions, Seattle, Chargers, Falcons, Rams, Bucs, and Washington (link). Stuckey, a defensive tackle, signed with FSU but never played a snap for them. He wound up at West Georgia where he had 4.5 sacks, nine tackles for a loss, and three forced fumbles in 2014. Caldwell, who is entering the supplemental draft due to academic issues, was initially an Illinois recruit. He had an eye-popping 12 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss last season.

Three More Players Enter Supplemental Draft

July 2nd, 2015 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Houston defensive end Eric Eiland, UConn tight end Sean McQuillan, and Kansas defensive back Kevin Short have joined the list of players eligible to be selected in next week’s supplemental draft, according to NFL VP of football communications Michael Signora (via Twitter). Signora also confirms that the draft will take place on July 9.

The supplemental draft allows NFL clubs to select players who for some reason were unable to enter the standard draft; academic trouble or disciplinary issues are often – but not always – key factors. McQuillan was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct in April, while Short left the Jayhawks back in September for personal reasons.

As for Eiland, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reported in February that the Cougars defensive end was “very likely” to enter the supplemental draft — he intended to enter April’s draft, but didn’t fill out the required paperwork.

The three new additions to the supplemental draft pool join Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle, West Georgia defensive tackle Dalvon Stuckey, West Georgia defensive end Darrius Caldwell, and North Carolina Central receiver Adrian Wilkins. Battle has a good chance to be picked, with the Falcons among the teams reportedly eyeing him.

While Battle may come off the board next Thursday, the majority of players who enter the supplemental draft go undrafted, which allows them to become free agents and sign with any team. The last two players to be selected in the supplemental draft were Terrelle Pryor (third round, 2011) by the Raiders and Josh Gordon (second round, 2012) by the Browns.

Falcons Eyeing Isaiah Battle In Supplemental Draft

July 1st, 2015 at 2:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The perception around the league is that the Falcons are hot on supplemental draft candidate Isaiah Battle, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. The Clemson offensive tackle could reportedly have third-round value in the July 9th draft.

Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, is perhaps the most intriguing player to declare for the 2015 supplemental draft. Earlier this year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com identified the 22-year-old Brooklyn native as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.”

Recently, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports suggested that a strong 2015 season at Clemson might have pushed Battle into the top five prospects at his position for the 2016 draft. Battle is very green, but his upside is undeniable. Battle played 27 games at Clemson and started 16.

“I’ll be surprised if he’s not taken,” a personnel executive for a NFC team told Mark Eckel of the Star-Ledger, adding that he hears Atlanta is the most interested. “He’s worth a shot, for sure. It’s just a matter of how much is he worth to you.”

As a refresher, the supplemental draft allows clubs to select players who for some reason were unable to enter the standard draft; academic trouble or disciplinary issues are often – but not always – key factors. If a team selects a player in the supplementary draft, it will lose its corresponding pick in the following year’s standard draft. For example, if a club were to select Battle in the sixth round of the supplemental, it will lose its 2016 sixth-rounder as a result.

Most players who enter the supplemental draft ultimately go undrafted, allowing them to become free agents and sign with any team. The last two players to be picked were Terrelle Pryor (third round, 2011) by the Raiders and Josh Gordon (second round, 2012) by the Browns.

West Georgia defensive tackle Dalvon Stuckey, West Georgia defensive end Darrius Caldwell, and North Carolina Central receiver Adrian Wilkins have also declared for the 2015 supplemental draft.