2018 Supplemental Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Albert Breer On NFL Supplemental Draft

July 2nd, 2018 at 12:16pm CST by Zachary Links

This year’s supplemental draft figures to be the most exciting in years. Those who have been keeping up with Pro Football Rumors in recent weeks are already familiar with Sam Beal, the former Western Michigan cornerback who many say could have been a first-round pick in the 2019 draft. Besides Beal, there’s also former Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander to consider, a player with tremendous measurables and real NFL upside.

There are others in this year’s class, but Albert Breer of The MMQB hears that Beal and Alexander may wind up as the only players selected. That’s bad news for Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant, who recently drew 40 scouts to his pro day.

“He’s a nightmare discipline-wise,” one AFC college director said. “Very unreliable, plays outside the scheme, not reliable in coverage, his eyes are all over the place. Just can’t trust him. He’s physical and quick and fast. Should he be draftable? Sure. But with all the other stuff …”

The odds seem even dimmer for Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu and Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter. Although he has some starting experience in college, Ugwoegbu has the size of the safety and clocked in at his pro day with the speed of a defensive tackle. Carter’s size is also working against him as evaluators feel he does not have the necessary bulk to break tackles and run inside at the pro level.

So, while Bryant, Ugwoegbu, and Carter may have a hard time convincing teams to forfeit a 2019 draft pick for them, it sounds like Beal and Alexander are very much on the radar. Beal may have some maturity issues, but that shouldn’t prevent him from finding an NFL home on July 11.

“He’s the more talented cover guy [compared to Alexander],” said an AFC scouting director. “A pure cover guy, fits a lot of schemes. He’s a skinny dude, and even though he presses well, you look at his body, how well does he project? … He’s not a bad guy, just kind of a knucklehead. The kind who’ll wear the wrong color socks or miss curfew or have 25 parking tickets and not pay them off.”

Meanwhile, Breer hears that Alexander’s size could make him a fit for the Seahawks. His 40-yard-dash time at his pro day might not have helped him, as he clocked in at 4.50 seconds on one run and 4.60 on another.

“If he’d run faster, I wouldn’t have been shocked to see him in the second or third round,” said an NFC exec. “I think the absolute highest he’d go now is third round. He’s so big and long.”

AFC Notes: Patriots, Allen, Chiefs, Beal, Supplemental Draft, Jets, Winters

June 29th, 2018 at 9:38pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Tight end Dwayne Allen is entering the third year of a four-year $29.4MM deal he signed back in 2016. He signed the deal as a member of the Colts before he was traded to the Patriots before last season. Despite being an elite redzone threat with Indianapolis, combining for 14 touchdowns in 2014 and 2016, Allen played sparingly last season with New England.

Now even with Rob Gronkowski‘s injury concerns, Allen could be cut from the team, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Reiss said Allen is in the “roster-cut conversation” due to a salary that’s disproportionate to his role with the team. Reiss thinks that because the Patriots use Allen almost exclusively as a blocking tight end, the team may deem him too expensive and decide to move on. The only thing that could save Allen is the lack of experience of the Patriots’ other backup tight ends, but if one of them emerges this summer, Allen could very easily be a goner.

Here’s more from the AFC:

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report “could see the Chiefs making a bid on Sam Beal in the Supplemental Draft” (Twitter link). Miller thinks Beal “could fill a huge hole” and that the Chiefs would probably have to bid a second round pick to get him. Miller added that he keeps hearing that Beal is “pro ready” and that he thinks Chiefs GM Brett Veach will be aggressive enough to make the move.
Jets guard Brian Winters signed a four-year $29MM deal with the team before last season, but 2018 could be his last with the team if he doesn’t improve his play, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Costello notes that there is no more guaranteed money in his deal after this year and that the Jets will “make a decision” on the lineman after this year. He’s struggled with injuries the past two years and if he isn’t able to return to form he’ll be “looking for a new team” writes Costello.
In case you missed it, Zach Links took a look back at the Colts’ decision two years ago today to make Andrew Luck the highest paid player in football.

Extra Points: XFL, AAF, Agents, Supplemental Draft

June 29th, 2018 at 4:46pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

One of the main reasons for the initial demise of the XFL was its relative lack of funding. The low amount of initial startup funds plagued the league from the beginning and forced them to offer low salaries and no insurance benefits to players. Founder Vince McMahon is taking precautions to ensure the new iteration of the XFL is much more successful, and is spending a lot more money according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.com.

Rovell reports that McMahon is planning on spending $500MM over the first three years of the league. A lot of the money will be going to player and coaches salaries, and the league is planning on paying players a base salary of $75,000 with stars earning a lot more. Rovell also hears that it’s significantly more money than the rival upstart AAF has raised. It should be interesting to watch how these two new professional football leagues continue to battle it out.

Here’s more from the football universe:

Speaking of the XFL and AAF, Jason Fitzgerald of Overthecap.com notes that while the XFL will offer more money, the AAF will be more open ended and potentially provide more opportunities for players to enter the NFL. He also points out that neither league’s salary will match that of an NFL practice squad (Twitter link).
Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu announced recently that he was joining the 2018 Supplemental Draft, and now he’s had his Pro Day. Six teams, the Packers, Seahawks, Patriots, Saints, Bears, and 49ers, attended his Pro Day, where he ran a 4.97 40-yard dash according to DraftAnalyst.com’s Tony Pauline (Twitter links). The Supplemental Draft will take place July 11th.
The NFL announced a while back they were having a very controversial “continuing education” exam for the league’s agents, and now the results are in. Many agents opposed the test, which could strip them of their certification if they failed, but the vast majority passed, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link). La Canfora hears that around 95 percent of agents passed, as only 30 out of 651 failed the exam.

RB Martayveus Carter Eligible For Supplemental Draft

June 29th, 2018 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Add the supplemental draft contingent to five. Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter will be part of the prospect pool available July 11 for the supplemental draft, Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

Carter is the only offensive player eligible for the July draft thus far. He joins defensive backs Adonis Alexander, Sam Beal and Brandon Bryant, along with linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu.

With the Lakers in 2016, Carter led Division II in rushing touchdowns with 20 and amassed 1,908 rushing yards. He finished fifth in the voting for the Harlon Hill Award, which is D-II’s Heisman equivalent, and was D2Football.com’s offensive player of the year. Last season as a junior, Carter played in nine games and rushed for 957 yards (7.6 per carry).

Carter will not participate in a pro day, Brandt tweets.

Latest On Western Michigan’s Sam Beal

June 28th, 2018 at 1:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Sam Beal is well on his way to becoming the first player selected in the NFL’s supplemental draft since 2015. The former Western Michigan cornerback ran a 4.40 second 40-yard-dash at his pro day, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.

NFL personnel people believe Beal is likely to fall somewhere in the first three rounds of the draft, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. In the last decade, only Josh Gordon and Terrelle Pryor have been selected in the top three rounds.

After discussing Beal with a scouting analyst and scouts from across the NFL, Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports estimates that Beal will fall in the third or fourth round.

“I think collectively, Beal is considered the top guy,” scouting analyst Eric Galko said. “Being a taller corner, being long, fluid and works well vertically, I think he’s a better athlete in terms of his hip fluidity and quick-twitch for a taller corner than most guys are. Usually, you’re sacrificing height for quickness but he does a great job of not being that way — he sinks really low. His ability to play as a press Cover 3 guy will help, and he can play underneath, he can play man coverage and he can work across the field. He plays like a 5’10” corner at 6’1″, that’s why teams are excited about him. I think he had a great shot for Round 1 [in the 2019 draft] if he came back to school.”

Beal is the most notable entrant in this year’s supplemental draft, but Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander and Mississippi State defensive back Brandon Bryant have also drawn the attention of clubs. After talking with scouts, Paylor estimates that Alexander will be selected in the fifth or sixth round and hears Bryant may go in the sixth or seventh round. Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu has also entered the second chance draft, but his odds of being selected are unclear at this time.

PFR Glossary: NFL Supplemental Draft

June 27th, 2018 at 9:34am CST by Zachary Links

The supplemental draft allows NFL teams to select players who, for one reason or another, were barred from entering the regular draft in the spring. When a team selects a player in the supplemental draft, they forfeit the corresponding pick in the regular draft next year. For example, if a team selects a player in the sixth round of the supplemental draft this year, they will have to give up their 2019 sixth round selection.

There have been no players taken in the supplemental draft in the past two years, but that is likely to change this year thanks to Sam Beal. Draft prognosticators had the former Western Michigan cornerback pegged as an early pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and it is believed that he’ll be taken somewhere in the first three rounds this year. Mississippi State defensive back Brandon Bryant and Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander are also drawing serious interest and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them selected in the later rounds. Earlier this week, Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu became the latest player to throw his hat in the ring.

In the past, teams have found gems in the supplemental draft. In 2011, the Raiders selected Ohio State quarterback and future standout NFL receiver Terrelle Pryor. In 2012, the Browns used a second round pick to take the talented and troubled Josh Gordon. Other supplemental draft alums include quarterback Bernie Kosar (Browns, 1985), wide receiver Cris Carter (Eagles, 1987), running back Bobby Humphrey (Broncos, 1989), wide receiver Rob Moore (Jets, 1990), nose tackle Jamal Williams (Chargers, 1998), and linebacker Ahmad Brooks (Bengals, 2006).

This year’s supplemental draft has been set for July 11 and, unlike the last couple of years, it figures to hold some intrigue.

Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry. Our glossary posts explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Oregon State LB Bright Ugwoegbu Added To Supplemental Draft

June 25th, 2018 at 7:57pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu has officially been added into this year’s Supplemental Draft, a source told ProFootballTalk (Twitter link). He will join three other defensive players, defensive backs Brandon Bryant, Sam Beal, and Adonis Alexander in the draft, which will be held on July 11th.

Ugwoegbu started 20 games for the Beavers during his college career before he was indefinitely suspended back in April. Last year, he notched 55 tackles and one sack. As a sophomore in 2016, he had 54 tackles and 5.5 sacks. It’s unclear why exactly Ugwoegbu left Oregon State or if he is seen as a probable pick in the Supplemental Draft.

Ugwoegbu was given a sixth or seventh round grade by Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com before last season, so it sounds like he has a realistic shot at being drafted. At the time, Pauline wrote he “could be a good nickel linebacker for the next level” calling him “explosive” and saying that “he covers a lot of area on the field going sideline to sideline.”

The Supplemental Draft process is starting to heat up, with the a couple of the aforementioned prospects recently having their Pro Days. Bryant had his earlier today, while Alexander had his last Wendesday. Alexander also reportedly met with the Jets, Saints, Chiefs, and Colts privately. This year’s Supplemental Draft is shaping up as the busiest in recent memory, as only two players have been selected in the past six years.

Extra Points: Lincoln Riley, Prescott, AAF, Supplemental Draft

June 25th, 2018 at 6:21pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

As one of the top coaches in college football, it was only a matter of time before Lincoln Riley started to be discussed as a potential NFL head coach. The discussion has already started after just a year as the coach of Oklahoma. NFL teams are fascinated by what Riley has done at Oklahoma and are flocking to Norman to pick his brain, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. Breer notes how the NFL is trending more and more toward college-style offenses, and that many of the concepts Riley has been implementing at Oklahoma since he became their coordinator in 2015 are already starting to become commonplace in the pro game.

Breer thinks that due to their interest in his schemes, NFL teams will eventually try to hire him, writing “it’s not hard to see NFL teams trying to pry him loose” from Oklahoma. When Breer asked Riley about it, he said it was “hard to say” and that “you can never say never” but added that “it’s hard to see myself ever leaving Oklahoma right now.” Whatever happens, Riley will be an interesting name to keep an eye on for future head coaching searches at the NFL level.

Here’s more from the football universe:

Dak Prescott changed agents, signing with Todd France of CAA, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Hill notes Prescott needed to make the move now, since he’s eligible to sign a contract extension after this season. Cowboys brass has repeatedly made clear they plan to sign Prescott to a longterm mega-extension in the near future.
Randy Mueller will be named the new GM of the Salt Lake City AAF team, a source told Alex Marvez of Sporting News (Twitter link). Mueller is currently a senior executive with the Chargers. The AAF continues to poach talent away from the NFL as it ramps up its operations.
Supplemental Draft prospect Sam Beal “has a shot to be a second round claim” but Matt Miller of Bleacher Report hears he is “most likely” to be a third round pick (Twitter link). Beal, from Western Michigan, is one of three defensive backs with a shot at being taken in the Supplemental Draft, which will be held July 11th.

Latest On DB Brandon Bryant

June 25th, 2018 at 2:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Mississippi State defensive back Brandon Bryant is making his case to NFL scouts in advance of the NFL’s supplemental draft. On Monday, 40 scouts from the Rams, Browns, Falcons, Jets, Giants, 49ers, Redskins, Colts, Steelers, Saints, Jaguars, Texans, Raiders, and Ravens watched Bryant audition, Chase Goodbread of NFL.com tweets.

There may have been even more clubs on hand to watch Bryant work out, according to Tony Pauline of Draft Insider (on Twitter). Pauline hears there were “about 20 teams on hand” and he hears his 40-yard-dash times ranged from the high 4.3’s to the low 4.4’s. He also conducted five separate one-on-one meetings on Sunday.

Bryant established himself as one of the top safeties in the SEC in his time with the Bulldogs. Across three years, Bryant compiled 157 tackles and five interceptions in 37 games. This year, after Mississippi State hired Joe Moorhead as their new head coach, Bryant announced he was going pro.

This year’s supplemental draft will take place on July 11. Other entrants include former Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal and Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander.

NFL Supplemental Draft Set For July 11

June 25th, 2018 at 10:39am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL’s supplemental draft will be held on July 11, a league official tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Unlike previous years, this year’s “second chance” draft features some quality talent and it’s almost assured that a player will be selected.

Former Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal was already projected to be taken high in the 2019 NFL draft and it is believed that he will go somewhere in the first three rounds of next month’s supplemental draft. Beal, a 6’1″ corner, notched two interceptions and ten pass deflections last year as he put himself squarely on the NFL radar. His raw athleticism is a major draw for clubs – he started out as a wide receiver and only started playing cornerback in 2016. Despite his inexperience, he has flashed tremendous potential in the secondary.

In addition to Beal, there’s also Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander and Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant for teams to consider. It seems likely that Beal will be the first player to come off of the board, but Alexander has been auditioned by just about every team in the NFL.

If a player is selected during any of the supplemental draft’s seven rounds, the team will have to sacrifice the equivalent pick for the following year’s rookie draft. There have only been 43 players selected in the supplemental draft since 1977, including two in the past six years (the Browns selected wideout Josh Gordon in 2012 while the Rams selected Isaiah Battle in 2015).