NFL Announces 17 Prospects Attending NFL Draft
There will be 17 draft prospects waiting in the green room to hear their name announced next week. The NFL announced the players who will attend the first round next Thursday night in Green Bay:
- G Tyler Booker, Alabama
- LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
- OT Will Campbell, LSU
- DE Abdul Carter, Penn State
- QB Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
- WR Matthew Golden, Texas
- DT Mason Graham, Michigan
- DB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
- RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
- DB Will Johnson, Michigan
- WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
- QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
- OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
- DB Malaki Starks, Georgia
- DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
- QB Cam Ward, Miami (FL)
- DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
When players commit to attending the first round of the draft, their respective camps have often been given some kind of assurance that they’ll be selected within the top-32 picks. Of course, that’s not a prerequisite, and as we’ve seen many times, there are some overly-confident prospects who subsequently endure the very-public waiting game.
Per usual, the most notable inclusions surround the QB position. Cam Ward is the favorite to go first-overall, and Shedeur Sanders (who is absent from this list) is also expected to be selected at some point in the first round. After that, the position is pretty uncertain, and that could lead to some awkward moments for the other QBs who decided to attend.
Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe have firmly established themselves in that next tier of QB prospects, and recent reports have indicated that they should be at least Day 2 picks. There haven’t been any definitive reports about their Day 1 candidacy, and while we shouldn’t read too much into the list of attendees, it is notable that both prospects believe they have a shot of going in the top-32 selections.
DeMarcus Walker Visits Giants, Lions
The market for DeMarcus Walker is apparently heating up. ESPN’s Peter Schrager reported yesterday that the veteran pass rusher was meeting with the Giants. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler added on to the report this afternoon, noting that Walker met with the Lions last week.
A former second-round pick, Walker has transformed from a rotational contributor to a starter later in his career. He spent his first four seasons in Denver, collecting 10.5 sacks in 36 games. Following a one-season stop in Houston, Walker had his most productive season with the Titans in 2022, compiling a career-high seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
That performance earned him a three-year contract from the Bears, and he proceeded to start 29 of his 34 appearances for Chicago between 2023 and 2024. Over that span, he collected another seven sacks, and he finished the 2024 campaign with a career-high 47 tackles. The Bears moved on from the veteran back in February, saving the organization $5.25MM against the cap vs. just under $700k in dead money.
Even if the 30-year-old reverts into a backup role, he could still be a useful piece for teams seeking pass-rush help. In New York, Walker would reunite with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, who was in the same role in Tennessee during the player’s best season. Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux lead the Giants’ pass-rush efforts, and the organization could further fortify their corps by landing Abdul Carter in the draft, but there could still be some playing time available for Walker.
The Lions should have more help on the edge than they did in 2024. Aidan Hutchinson will return from his injury-shortened campaign, and the team will also bring back Josh Paschal and Al-Quadin Muhammad, who both got long looks last year. Plus, while the team cut Za’Darius Smith in a cap-saving move, they’ve been in contact with the veteran about a new deal. There could still be a role behind all four of those aforementioned players, albeit limited.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/9/25
Today’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Joe Giles-Harris
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed ERFA tender: TE Brady Russell
Joe Giles-Harris brings 22 games of experience to Cincinnati, including a 2020 campaign where he collected 20 tackles and one sack in nine games (three starts) with the Jaguars. He split the 2024 campaign between Jacksonville and New England, with 90 of his 107 total snaps coming on special teams.
Brady Russell seemed destined to return to Seattle, partly because of his ERFA tender and partly because of his role. The former UDFA has appeared in 26 games for the Seahawks over the past two years, with the Colorado product collecting 17 tackles in 542 ST snaps. He’s had only brief looks on offense, where he’s garnered a single target.
Alabama’s Jalen Milroe To Visit Giants, Rams, Seahawks
Following reports that Alabama’s Jalen Milroe was in Cleveland to meet with the Browns, we’re learning about a handful of additional official visits for the QB prospect. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Milroe also has upcoming visits with the Giants, Rams, and Seahawks.
Milroe’s elite athleticism has seen him up climb up draft boards in recent weeks. He reportedly impressed in workouts with the Browns and Saints, while the Steelers have also had their eye on the signal caller (with one report suggesting that Pittsburgh could even select him at No. 21). Either way, the Alabama product appears to be trending towards at least a second-round selection.
Each of these new suitors makes sense from a roster perspective. The Giants have been mentioned as a landing spot for most quarterbacks, and the organization is in prime position to select a QB with the third-overall pick. Of course, that’s no slam dunk, either because the top-two prospects (Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders) could be off the board and/or the Giants decide to opt for one of the draft’s two blue-chip prospects (Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter). If the organization doesn’t use that early pick at quarterback, then they could be ready to pounce on the position with pick No. 34.
The Rams, meanwhile, are continuing to take a year-to-year approach with Matthew Stafford, and that means they’ll surely be eyeing a succession plan via this year’s draft. Armed with the No. 26 pick, the Rams are clearly not in a position to land a player of Ward or Sanders’ caliber, and that’s why the team has often been connected to the second-tier of prospects at the position. For instance, we heard today that the Rams have spent “considerable time” with Ole Miss’ QB Jaxson Dart.
Among the three newest teams connected to Milroe, the Seahawks have the most clarity at QB moving forward. The team handed Sam Darnold a three-year, $100MM deal this offseason, but considering the veteran’s lack of track record, the Seahawks will surely be eyeing some contingency options in the draft. Milroe isn’t the first QB that’s been connected to Seattle; we heard that Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough met with the team back in March.
While there’s still uncertainty about how that second-tier of QBs will shake out, Milroe certainly deserves a spot. The prospect had a breakout season in 2023, finishing with 23 touchdowns vs. only six interceptions. Those passing stats took a step back in 2024 (16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions), but Milroe continue to impress with his production on the ground. After finishing 2023 with 531 yards and 12 touchdowns, he collected 726 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2024. Milroe fits the profile of a high-upside project, so there could surely be a surprise team that selects the Alabama product with the intent of hiding him on the depth chart for a few years.
Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp
Rashee Rice‘s season ended in Week 4 following a freak collision with Patrick Mahomes. He ended up undergoing surgery to repair his LCL and hamstring, and there’s optimism that the wideout will be a full participant when training camp opens this summer.
While speaking with Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star during last week’s NFL Annual Meetings, coach Andy Reid said he expects Rice to be available when training camp opens in July.
“He’s on track to be ready,” Reid said. “We’ll see. He’s working his tail off right now, I know.”
The Chiefs clearly missed Rice in the lineup once he went down with a season-ending injury. The former second-round pick was leading the NFL in receptions prior to his injury, and he seemed prime to build off a rookie season where he compiled 938 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
The team will continue to be reliant on the third-year WR in 2025. Midseason acquisition DeAndre Hopkins is already gone, leaving the Chiefs with a very similar depth chart. The organization is surely expecting more from a healthy Marquise Brown, and 2024 first-round pick Xavier Worthy took his game to another level in the playoffs. Still, Rice will provide Patrick Mahomes with another high-end target.
Of course, Rice’s start to the 2025 season could be delayed by his frequent off-the-field issues. The receiver continues to face a suspension for his involvement in last summer’s high-speed crash, although the NFL will only act once the legal process plays out. So, while Rice may be healthy enough to start the season, he may not take the field right away.
Workout Notes: Griffin, Fant, Charles
Shaquill Griffin could be returning to where it all started. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, the veteran defensive back visited the Seahawks today.
It’s been quiet on the Griffin front, with today’s news representing his first reported visit of the offseason. In a free agent CB class that still features a handful of notable names (including Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr., and Mike Hilton), it’s notable that Griffin is starting to make some noise.
The former Seahawks draft pick has bounced around the NFL a bit since leaving Seattle after the 2020 season. He got a multi-year deal from the Jaguars but only lasted two campaigns in Jacksonville, and he later got into games with three teams between 2023 and 2024 (Texans, Panthers, Vikings).
He did manage to get into all 17 games for the Vikings in 2024, collecting 41 tackles and a pair of interceptions while appearing in about half of his team’s defensive snaps. While Griffin will soon hit his age-30 season, he showed that he can still be a useful depth piece. The Seahawks are set to return their same CB starters next season (Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, and Devon Witherspoon), but he could compete with the likes of Nehemiah Pritchett for any leftover snaps.
More workout notes from around the NFL…
- George Fant was mentioned earlier tonight as a mentor to Colin Granger, but the veteran is also looking to continue his own playing career. According to Tony Pauline of Sportkeeda.com, Fant worked out for the Ravens today. It sounds like the lineman/tight end is being particular about where he continues his career, with Pauline cautioning that Fant is only eyeing teams that deliver “the right fit.” After getting into only two games with the Seahawks last season, Fant would likely be competing for a final roster spot in Baltimore.
- The Cowboys worked out veteran offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles on Friday, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Charles suddenly retired last August, but Garafolo notes that the lineman is already considering a comeback. A former fourth-round pick by the Commanders, Charles got into 35 games across his four seasons in Washington, including a 2023 campaign where he started a career-high 10 games. While Charles played OT early in his career, he could join Brock Hoffman and Robert Jones as options to replace Zack Martin.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/7/25
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed RFA tender: DL Chris Williams
- Signed ERFA tender: DL Jonathan Ford, DL Daniel Hardy, OL Bill Murray, DB Ameer Speed
Cleveland Browns
- Signed ERFA tender: TE Blake Whiteheart
Denver Broncos
- Signed ERFA tender: TE Lucas Krull
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: DE Arron Mosby
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed ERFA tender: DT Matthew Butler, LB LB Kana’i Mauga, G Jordan Meredith, DE Charles Snowden, CB Sam Webb
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: CB Nahshon Wright
Patriots Notes: Barmore, Van Pelt, Milton
Christian Barmore missed most of last season with recurring symptoms from blood clots, but he’s expected to be a full participant at Patriots practices. Mike Vrabel told reporters (including ESPN’s Mike Reiss) that Barmore has been given clearance to participate in the team’s voluntary offseason program, which started today.
“He popped in the other day to see the doctors. When he walked into the training room, just his energy and presence, so I know that he’s feeling better,” Vrabel said last week (via Reiss).
“We’ll continue to evaluate him. It’s something very serious. We take the health of our players extremely serious, especially when you’re talking about something like blood clots, and we’re going to have a great plan for him.”
Barmore inked a four-year, $92MM deal ($41.8MM guaranteed) last offseason, but he proceeded to miss the first 10 games of the season after being diagnosed with blood clots. He returned for four games late in the year, but he subsequently landed on the non-football illness list after experiencing recurring symptoms.
Fortunately, it sounds like Barmore will be able to resume his NFL career in 2025. The defensive lineman had a breakout season when he was last healthy in 2023, compiling 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. The Patriots will presumably pencil Barmore in next to free agent acquisition Milton Williams on the defensive line.
More notes out of New England…
- The Patriots have made plenty of additions to their roster this offseason, but the team is still searching for help at certain positions. Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston expects the team to make an addition to their running backs corps, a group that currently consists of Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald notes that Vrabel has also expressed interest in adding to the position via the draft, while ESPN’s Mike Reiss wonders if the team could eye a versatile, pass-catching RB that resembles former Patriots mainstays like Kevin Faulk, James White, and Danny Woodhead.
- Former offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt only lasted one season in New England, and the organization’s decision to change coaching staffs will cost a pretty penny. According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the Patriots still owe Van Pelt a little under $6MM over the next two years. Many of the other departed coaches on Jerod Mayo‘s staff still had one year remaining on their contracts.
- The timing of the recent Joe Milton trade was plenty deliberate by the Patriots. According to Reiss, the organization wanted to deal the quarterback before the start of the team’s voluntary offseason program. Specifically, Vrabel believes this is an important date for “establishing team culture and the dynamic that ideally unfolds within each position group”…a pretty clear hint that the team wanted to avoid any type of QB controversy, no matter how unlikely. The Patriots dealt the 2024 r0okie for a fifth-round selection, leaving Joshua Dobbs as the clear backup to hopeful franchise QB Drake Maye.
Panthers Sign Former College Basketball Player Colin Granger
The Panthers are turning to the hardwood for some help at tight end. The team announced today that they’ve signed former Division I college basketball player Colin Granger as a TE.
Granger spent five seasons playing basketball at Ohio, Western Carolina and Coastal Carolina, where he totaled 414 points and 322 rebounds. As ESPN’s David Newton notes, Granger was eligible to sign with any team since he’s five years removed from high school.
Granger hasn’t played football since the eighth grade, but he has the size to compete at the tight end spot. The rookie is listed at 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds, and he’s instantly the tallest player on the Panthers roster. Considering his size, it shouldn’t be a surprise that plenty of teams considered adding Granger as a prospect.
According to Tony Pauline of Sportkeeda.com, there was “legitimate interest in his talents,” and six teams attended Granger’s Pro Day last Friday. In addition to the Panthers (who actually hosted Granger on an official-3o visit), the attendees included the Falcons, Texans, Eagles, Seahawks, and Vikings, per Pauline.
Ultimately, the Panthers’ efforts worked out, and Granger will now join a growing list of former basketball players who are hoping to follow the successful paths laid out by Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, and Jimmy Graham. As Newton points out, Panthers head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan had success with a previous project when George Fant made the Seahawks as a tackle/tight end. According to Newton, Fant has worked with Granger and informed the Panthers leadership of his ability.
The Panthers have plenty of depth at tight end, but the team will presumably consider all of their options as they look to squeeze any production out of the position. The team’s current grouping includes the likes of Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Jordan Matthews, James Mitchell, and Dominique Dafney.
QB Prospect Notes: Fins, Colts, Saints, Rams
While much of the pre-draft quarterback talk has been focused on teams atop the draft board, there are plenty of additional squad eyeing prospects at the position. Over the past few weeks, the Dolphins, Colts, Saints, and Rams have been among the teams connected to rookie quarterbacks.
As mentioned, the Dolphins have been among the team’s scouting quarterbacks, with Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reporting that the team has met with, scouted, or “evaluated” Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Louisville’s Tyler Shough, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, and Syracuse’s Kyle McCord. Jackson passes along a prediction from agent Drew Rosenhaus, who recently opined that the Dolphins will end up taking a QB in the draft.
While the organization may simply be doing their due diligence, it makes sense for the Dolphins to consider the position in the draft. Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury and concussion injury has been well documented, and there will continue to be questions about the starter’s playing future. While Miami brought in Zach Wilson this offseason, the former draft bust likely wouldn’t be the team’s first choice to take over atop the depth chart.
Sticking in the AFC, Colts GM Chris Ballard admitted that his team would take a QB if the situation presented itself. The team is rostering a former fourth-overall pick in Anthony Richardson, and they added former Giants starter Daniel Jones this offseason. Still, the organization has a hole on the depth chart after Sam Ehlinger left in free agency, and they could look for a QB3 via the draft.
“If you think there’s somebody organizationally that you believe in, at any point, I think you pull the trigger,” Ballard said (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star).
One of the teams that’s considered likeliest to select a QB is in the NFC. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football recently said there’s “something” to the team’s flirtation with many of the non-blue chip prospects. Underhill cites the team’s need for a long-term answer behind Derek Carr, and their pursuit could even lead to them selecting a QB in the first round. Among the players presumably under consideration is Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting that head coach Kellen Moore was in attendance for the school’s pro day.
Finally, the Rams have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for rookie quarterbacks. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic says the team is “open” to drafting a player at the position, although they “won’t reach for one.” As Rodrigue notes, both GM Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have expressed interest in bringing in a young signal caller to play behind Matthew Stafford.