2016 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Draft Rumors: Elliott, Ramsey, Nkemdiche

April 2nd, 2016 at 8:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cowboys have added Alfred Morris this offseason to go along with incumbent running back Darren McFadden, but there’s still speculation that Dallas will add another back in the upcoming draft. The draft’s highest-rated runner, Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott, will fly to Texas tomorrow for a meeting with the Cowboys (having already been worked out by the club in Columbus), according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

The first round of this year’s draft gets underway in 26 days, so let’s take a look at the latest updates…

Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey, widely regarded as one of the five best available prospects, has visits planned with both the Jaguars and the Ravens, reports Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link). Ramsey, who can play both corner and safety, may not fall to the fifth or sixth selection, where Jacksonville and Baltimore respectively pick.
The Saints will work out California tight end Stephen Anderson on Monday, tweets Getlin, adding that Anderson’s workout with the Falcons went well. Anderson has also been linked to the Patriots, Titans, and Texans.
The Bears intend to meet with Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche and Southern Illinois quarterback Mark Iannotti in the next few weeks, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. Nkemdiche is a first-round talent who may slip in the draft due to character concerns, while Iannotti is considered a late-round pick or UDFA.
Eastern Washington offensive linemen Clay Debord and Aaron Neary did “extensive white board” work with the Cardinals following their pro day, according to Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. 22 clubs were present at the EWU pro day.

Extra Points: 49ers, Chiefs, Suggs, Pats

April 1st, 2016 at 10:02pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

We learned in late February that 49ers offensive tackle Anthony Davis was set to apply for reinstatement after taking a hiatus from football last season. That still hasn’t happened yet, but Davis tweeted Friday that he’ll file for reinstatement “later this year.” Interestingly, Davis added that “[d]ealing with Trent is giving me a headache.” That’s likely a reference to 49ers general manager Trent Baalke. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Davis is trying to goad the Baalke-led Niners into releasing him. The 26-year-old is under 49ers control through 2019.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

The Chiefs announced a slew of changes to their coaching staff Friday, Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star reports. One of the moves was to promote Britt Reid, head coach Andy Reid‘s son, to defensive line coach. Britt Reid was the Chiefs’ assistant D-line coach last season and will take over for Tommy Brasher, whom the team shifted to special projects. The Chiefs also elevated Al Harris from assistant defensive backs coach to secondary coach. He’ll mostly work with cornerbacks, per Paylor. Further, assistant quarterbacks coach Corey Matthaei will add offensive line assistant to his title and assistant linebackers coach Mark DeLeone will take on a greater defensive role. The club also hired Joe Bleymaier (offensive quality control), Taylor Embree (defensive assistant), Mike Smith (assistant defensive line coach), and Devin Woodhouse and Ryan Reynolds (strength and conditioning).
Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs pleaded not guilty Friday to a pair of misdemeanor charges stemming from a one-car accident last month, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Suggs was arrested by Arizona police and charged with driving on a suspended license and failure to notify after striking a fixture. He could face up to six months in jail if found guilty, though Zrebiec notes that this type of violation is usually handled with fines. Some form of punishment from the league is also a possibility for Suggs.
One of Suggs’ ex-teammates, free agent receiver Tandon Doss, ran routes and caught passes at Indiana’s pro day on Friday and is hoping to sign with a team, Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com writes. Doss caught 26 passes in 29 games with Baltimore from 2012-13. He hasn’t suited up for a game since. Doss’ previous club, Jacksonville, cut him last summer.
In draft news, the Patriots observed two offensive linemen – tackle Clay DeBord and guard Aaron Neary – at Eastern Washington’s pro day, according to Phil Perry of CSNNE.com. Both figure to be Day 3 picks or undrafted free agents.

Draft Rumors: Ramsey, Alexander, Ravens, Steelers

April 1st, 2016 at 8:08pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Titans, who hold the top pick in this year’s draft, have scheduled a visit with Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey, writes Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. Most expect the Titans to take Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil first overall, but they’re nonetheless doing their homework on Ramsey. Should Ramsey get past the Titans, he’ll have a potential suitor in the Cowboys, who pick fourth and have already met with him, tweets Rand Getlin of NFL.com.

More draft news. . .

In addition to his previously reported visit with San Francisco, Clemson cornerback and prospective first-round pick Mackensie Alexander will meet with the NFC West rival Rams, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
Alabama cornerback Cyrus Jones worked out for the Ravens on Friday, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets. Jones, who projects as a slot cornerback and a return specialist, is viewed as a third- to fourth-round pick. The Baltimore-area native has said that playing for the Ravens would be a “dream come true.” In total, the Ravens had about 40 to 50 players in for a workout, including Jones and two Maryland defenders – Sean Davis (DB) and Quinton Jefferson (DT) – Zrebiec tweets.
The Steelers hosted four prospects Friday – safeties Deon Bush (Miami) and Jeremy Cash (Duke), Georgia Tech cornerback David White, and LSU offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins – per Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Hawkins is the second O-lineman the Steelers have met with over the last two days, joining Indiana’s Jason Spriggs (link via Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com).
The Buccaneers sent offensive line coach George Warhop to Cincinnati on Friday to work out tackle Justin Murray, reports Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).
The Vikings had an assistant spend time on Thursday after Washington’s pro day with linebacker Travis Feeney, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets. Feeney had a strong showing at the combine but, unfortunately, had to undergo hernia surgery afterward.
Miami defensive lineman Ufomba Kamalu has picked up interest from the Chargers, Panthers, Eagles, Cardinals, and Broncos, according to Mike Kaye of First Coast News (via Twitter).
The Titans and Vikings met with Indiana defensive tackle Darius Latham on Friday, Pauline reports. Off-field issues, including two suspensions in college, could hurt Latham’s draft stock. If not, he might go as high as the third round.
UTEP defender Roy Robertson -Harris is drawing attention, having met with the 49ers and Panthers. He also has visits and/or workouts scheduled with the Raiders, Chiefs, Bears and Vikings.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

East Notes: Randle, Bills, Dolphins, Giants

April 1st, 2016 at 6:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Receiver Rueben Randle says he turned down longer deals than the modest one-year offer he accepted from the Eagles last week, according to Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. “There were [other teams interested],” the 24-year-old said. “I just felt like it was a better opportunity for me here to showcase my talents on a one-year deal, to go out and prove myself.” Along with Jordan Matthews, Randle is one of the Eagles’ two most accomplished wideouts. Not surprisingly, then, he expects to start. “I feel confident that I will be [a starter]. That’s for me to go out there and prove,” he said.

More from the NFL’s two East divisions:

Bills receiver Marquise Goodwin seemingly tweeted Friday that he was done with the team and then insisted it’s not an April Fools’ joke, as Ron Clements of the Sporting News writes. The Bills haven’t released Goodwin. Instead, he plans to dedicate his time and training to the upcoming Olympics, per Clements. Goodwin, twice an NCAA long jump champion at Texas, was part of the 2012 Olympics as a long jumper for the U.S. team. Since the Bills chose Goodwin in the third round of the 2012 draft, he has appeared in just 24 of 48 regular-season games and amassed 20 receptions and three touchdowns. Goodwin, 25, has one year and $675K left on his contract.
In other Bills news, team brass dined with six Ohio State prospects on Thursday, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Quarterback Cardale Jones, outside linebacker Darron Lee, cornerback Eli Apple, defensive end Adolphus Washington, offensive tackle Taylor Decker, and free safety Vonn Bell all met with a Buffalo contingent.
The Dolphins announced that cornerback Greg Toler‘s visit with the team has concluded, as Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald tweets. Presumably, there is no agreement between the two sides – at least, not yet.
Toler might not be the only free agent corner on the Dolphins’ radar, writes the Sun Sentinel’s Omar Kelly, who says the team hasn’t closed the door on signing either Leon Hall or Antonio Cromartie. Hall – a Bengal since his career started in 2007 – has a connection to new Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who was Cincinnati’s defensive backs coach the previous two seasons. Cromartie’s first stint with the Jets began via trade back in 2010, when Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum was Gang Green’s general manager.
Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo admits that he’s “disappointed” he wasn’t elevated to head coach, as Ebenezer Samuel of the Daily News writes. “I’m not going to lie to you,” Spagnuolo said. “I was disappointed I wasn’t the guy . . . but I’m not giving up on my dream of being a head coach…But I like [Ben McAdoo] a lot. It was two-fold. It didn’t happen, so it was a disappointment. But it’s always nice to be wanted.”

Zach Links contributed to this report.

Extra Points: Lions, Rams, Eagles, Draft

April 1st, 2016 at 1:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Lions GM Bob Quinn came into the offseason searching for offensive line help, but he didn’t spend big in that department in free agency. Ultimately, Quinn says that he didn’t think he could have gotten decent bang for his buck (link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I didn’t see the value in the players that were getting signed to the contracts that they were getting from other teams, so I backed off,” Quinn said.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NFL…

The Rams are insisting they’re fine with Case Keenum as their quarterback, and the Eagles are looking hard at first-round QB prospects, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com isn’t sold on either stance, suggesting that Los Angeles ought to draft a signal-caller early and that Philadelphia doesn’t need to.
NFL decision-makers aren’t in love with the 2016 tight end class, and the lack of depth at the position may result in some TE prospects being drafted earlier than expected, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
How likely are teams to pick up fifth-year options for their 2013 first-round draftees? Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports examines all 32 players selected in the 2013 first round to determine whether their options are locks, non-starters, or somewhere in between.
In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates identifies several projected 2017 free agents who could put themselves in line for big contracts with strong 2016 performances, including Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin and Giants defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins.

Extra Points: Schwartz, Falcons, Bengals

March 31st, 2016 at 9:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Although there has been some speculation that he’ll play at right tackle, new Lions lineman Geoff Schwartz isn’t sure what his position will be, as Alex Marvez of FOX Sports tweets.

Schwartz, 29, signed a one-year deal with Detroit earlier this week as he looks to restore his value. The veteran inked a four-year contract with the Giants in March 2014, but he has appeared in only 13 games over the last two seasons thanks to injuries. If Schwartz can stay healthy for a full year, he could prove to be an excellent pickup. Even though he only played in 11 games for the Giants in 2015, Pro Football Focus rated him as the league’s 20th-best guard last season.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Falcons will work out former TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin on April 12th, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.
Georgia defensive tackle Sterling Bailey will work out for the Falcons on April 6th, Ledbetter tweets.
Louisiana Tech defensive lineman Vernon Butler worked out for the Bengals today and will do the same for the Raiders tomorrow, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith has a private visit planned with the 49ers in Santa Clara soon, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets.
North Dakota all-conference linebacker William Ratelle worked out for the Buccaneers as a fullback, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net tweets.
Free agent defensive lineman Jack Crawford visited the Steelers, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today (on Twitter).
University of Miami cornerback Tracy Howard worked out for the Saints, met with the Jaguars, and visited the Browns in the last week, a league source tells Mike Kaye of First Coast News (on Twitter).

East Rumors: Eagles, Lynch, Jets, Dolphins, Toler

March 31st, 2016 at 8:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles‘ interest in taking a quarterback at No. 8 overall is “very real,” sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The Eagles have made plans to work out Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, and Paxton Lynch and officials believe that they intend to select a QB in the first round. However, not everyone in the NFL is sold and some think that Philly is engaging in a ruse to make Chip Kelly‘s 49ers panic and trade up in the draft.

If the Eagles can trick the 49ers with a smoke screen, it will serve as more than a prank. Philly will have a better shot at taking one of the top available defensive players in the draft if San Francisco slides up to grab a quarterback.

Lynch has a pre-draft visit lined up with the Jets, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. The Jets could be looking at Lynch and other quarterbacks in the draft as a contingency plan if they are unable to re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The Dolphins are bringing in veteran cornerback Greg Toler for a visit tonight and Friday, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (on Twitter). Toler has made 25 starts for Indianapolis over the past two years.
The Bills announced that they have promoted two assistant coaches on offense. Pat Meyer has gone from football operations consultant to offensive assistant while Jason Vrable has been elevated from offensive quality control coach to the team’s assistant quarterbacks coach.

Draft Updates: Nkemdiche, Broncos, Lasco

March 31st, 2016 at 6:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche is meeting with the Broncos today in Denver, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. After his meeting there, he’s off to the Cardinals for a visit. Teams are reportedly fearful of Nkemdiche’s off-the-field issues, but his talent should still keep him pretty high up on boards around the league.

Here’s the latest draft news:

Cal running back Daniel Lasco has received invites from the Texans, Raiders, and 49ers, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. Lasco has also had private workouts with the Patriots and Eagles and he’ll take part in the Texans’ local pro day since he’s from Houston (via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee on Twitter). Lasco turned heads with his performance in 2014 but he was held back by a hip injury in 2015.
Former LSU corner Rashard Robinson is generating a ton of interest, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter). Robinson visited the Broncos recently and the Jets and Seahawks are next on his docket. Robinson sat out 2015 after being suspended indefinitely by coach Les Miles. With no hope of getting back on the field for LSU in 2016, Robinson declared early for the draft.
Houston linebacker Elandon Roberts has (or has had) workouts with the Texans and Steelers, Getlin tweets. He also has a visit lined up with the Cardinals. Roberts led the FBS with 88 solo tackles last year.
Florida defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard has visits and/or workouts on the books with the Lions, Jets, Titans, Seahawks, Raiders, Falcons, and Patriots, Getlin tweets.

Pauline’s Latest: Titans, Steelers, Falcons

March 31st, 2016 at 6:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the latest news from Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via WalterFootball.com):

Boise State outside linebacker/defensive end Kamalei Correa met with the Titans on Wednesday and had dinner with the Steelers on Wednesday night. Pauline hears that the Steelers are considering Correa as a late first-round pick. Some believe the Steelers will take the best defensive back seven player (safety/cornerback/linebacker) when they pick in the first round.
The Falcons had their entire front office on hand at today’s Boise State pro day to watch Correa and Darian Thompson, according to Pauline.
Thompson worked out for the Eagles on Monday and met with the Titans on Wednesday. He also has official visits set up with the Steelers and Panthers next week.
The Dolphins, Seahawks, Bears, and Steelers all had offensive line coaches on hand to watch Boise State offensive lineman Rees Odhiambo. Odhiambo met with the Colts on Wednesday and he’ll do an official visit with the Vikings.
The Seahawks also like Boise State center Marcus Henry.
Cornerback Donte Deayon is drawing interest from the Colts and Browns and is taking an official visit to the Giants.
German receiver Moritz Boehringer‘s had a strong showing at Florida Atlantic’s pro day. One scout told Pauline that Boehringer is a “legitimate prospect” while another said he could go as early as the fourth round. The wide receiver had dinner with the Vikings on Wednesday night.
FAU defensive lineman Trevon Coley met with the Vikings, Titans, Lions and Browns and has a workout with the Dolphins coming up. Pauline hears that he impressed scouts on Thursday.

Cowboys Draft Rumors: Buckner, Boykin, Coleman

March 31st, 2016 at 4:50pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys are slated to be on the clock at No. 4 overall and they appear to be especially intrigued by one top prospect. The latest out of Dallas:

Oregon defensive end Deforest Buckner worked out for the Cowboys last week, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. Dallas appears to be pretty intrigued by him as they will be his next visit.
TCU quarterback/wide receiver Trevone Boykin will work out for the Cowboys on April 8th, according to Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter).
Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman will spend tomorrow working out for the Cowboys, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Coleman is widely regarded as one of the top wide receivers in this year’s class along with Laquon Treadwell, Will Fuller, Josh Doctson, Tyler Boyd, and Michael Thomas.
The Cowboys had a private workout with Tennessee receiver Marquez North, according to Williams (Twitter link).

2016 NFL Draft News & Rumors