Panthers Take RB Christian McCaffrey
It wasn’t a smokescreen. The Panthers have selected Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey with the No. 8 overall pick. 
Recently, one NFL GM told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that McCaffrey “had the best combine workout I’ve seen. Ever.” McCaffrey has been linked to the top-10 range for some time, and a number of clubs within that space made sense as a landing spot. The Eagles, sitting at No. 14, were reportedly “infatuated” with McCaffrey, but they’re one of many teams that will have to look elsewhere in the first round.
McCaffrey now figures to be the Panthers’ lead running back, ahead of Jonathan Stewart, Fozzy Whittaker, and Cameron Artis-Payne.
This is the first time in a quarter-century that Stanford has had two players go in the top ten of the draft.
Pauline’s Latest: McCaffrey, Harris, Barnett
With the draft roughly four hours away, let’s take a look at the latest from Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com:
- The Eagles are reportedly “infatuated” with Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, per Pauline. Philadelphia might have trouble selecting McCaffrey with the 14th overall pick, however, as the Panthers also are interested in the dynamic athlete at No. 8. As such, the Eagles may have to trade up if they want to land McCaffrey. Potentially, the Eagles could make a deal with the Jets, but Pauline wonders if Philadelphia has enough draft capital to make a move up given that they sacrificed a haul of picks in 2016.
- Pass rushers Charles Harris (Missouri) and Derek Barnett (Tennessee) are both shooting up draft boards and could potentially be selected earlier than most observers currently believe, according to Pauline. The Dolphins, for one, are known to have interest in both players, but if Pauline’s report is correct, both might be gone by the time Miami picks at No. 22.
- The most undervalued player in the draft may be Colorado defensive back Chidobe Awuzie, says Pauline. Awuzie has been linked to a number of teams during the predraft process, including the Titans, Buccaneers, and Cowboys, whiles scouts like his size and level of experience.
- While Awuzie may be underrated, fellow cornerback Marlon Humphrey is being overvalued, reports Pauline, who adds the Alabama alum could even potentially fall out of the first round. Most mock drafts have placed Humphrey in Day 1, but the plethora of defensive back options in this year’s class could conceivably push him down.
Browns Talking Move Up With Clubs In Top-8
The Browns have discussed the concept of trading up from No. 12 into the top eight picks with three clubs, according to Mike Silver of NFL.com (Twitter link).
A number of teams are reportedly willing to trade back, a list that includes 49ers, Bears, Jets, Titans, and Bills. It’s possible that trades involving top draft slots could be cheaper than normal this year, as some teams believe there’s a lack of “overwhelming” prospects at the top of the draft.
Tennessee, specifically could be open to trading down — and already own a later first-round pick at No. 18 — and Titans general manager Jon Robinson says it’s “50/50” as to whether his club actually uses both the No. 5 No. 18 selection, according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com (Twitter link). The Panthers, too, may be willing to move down if a certain group of players, including LSU running back Leonard Fournette, isn’t available at No. 8, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.
Cleveland, meanwhile, would likely be moving up with an eye towards drafting North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky. If general manager Sashi Brown & Co. ultimately select edge rusher Myles Garrett first overall, they could look to land their long-term signal-caller just a few picks later. The Cleveland front office is reportedly mulling a move up to No. 5 or No. 6, and franchise owner Jimmy Haslam is apparently pushing the club’s decision-makers to take a quarterback early in Round 1.
PFR’s 2017 Live NFL Mock Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night, and Pro Football Rumors is back with its second mock draft of the year. While our initial mock attempted to project what will happen in Round 1, we’ve taken a different approach for mock draft 2.0.
PFR editor Zach Links and I conducted this live mock draft on Tuesday morning, rotating picks and breaking down what we would do were we in charge of these selections. We posted each pick on Twitter, followed by a short explanation of our thought process on this page.
Here’s the complete mock:
1. Cleveland Browns (Zach) – Myles Garrett, LB, Texas A&M
I suspect this is the easiest pick either one of us will make all day. Garrett is the best pure talent in this year’s draft and the Browns would be foolish to go in any other direction at the top of the draft.
2. San Francisco 49ers (Dallas) – Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Reports that the 49ers are considering a quarterback with the second overall selection stand out as a potential smokescreen, and instead San Francisco uses the No. 2 pick to bolster its defense. Hooker, who recently earned a full medical clearance following combine rechecks, has been commonly linked to the Chargers as a perfect fit for Los Angeles defensive coordinator Gus Bradley‘s scheme. But the 49ers are running the same defensive look as the Chargers under new DC Robert Saleh, and Hooker would give the team a centerfielder with the upside of an Earl Thomas. San Francisco’s plan to convert nickel cornerback Jimmie Ward to safety won’t stop it from adding Hooker, who is possibly the draft’s No. 2 overall prospect.
3. Chicago Bears (Zach) – Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
Dallas’ bold pick left my Bears with a golden opportunity. The Bears could go safety or cornerback in this scenario, but the talent of Thomas is too good to pass up. Thomas can be used on both the inside and outside of the Bears’ defensive line and I see him as one of the safest talents on the board.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (Dallas) – Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
No, we didn’t forget the Jaguars used a top-five pick on Jalen Ramsey in 2016 and then handed a $67.5MM contract to A.J. Bouye in free agency last month. But one of Ramsey’s key selling points last year was his versatility: while he’s a shutdown corner at his best, Ramsey can man the slot, cover tight ends, and dabble at safety. As such, adding Conley doesn’t mean Jacksonville is facing cornerback overload, especially given that NFL clubs are in the nickel more than two-thirds of the time. Conley is viewed as a safer prospect than his Ohio State teammate Marshon Lattimore, and he’d give the Jaguars a Broncos-like secondary.
5. Tennessee Titans (Zach) – Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Titans, arguably, get the best cornerback available in the draft even though they are the second team to address the position. No, we don’t have a ton of film to go on for Lattimore, but his combine numbers indicate that he could be a megastar. Few teams in the NFL would have a young cornerback duo like the Titans if they can pair Logan Ryan with Lattimore.
6. Cleveland Browns (projected trade with Jets) (Dallas) – Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
In need of a franchise quarterback, the Browns send the No. 12 and No. 52 pick to the Jets in exchange for No. 6 with the intention of drafting Trubisky. It’s a slight overpay for Cleveland (at least, based on Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s draft value chart, which is likely what the Browns front offices uses), but it does the deal anyway to land a long-term option under center. Given that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is reportedly pressing the club to select a quarterback early — and the fact the Cleveland may still be considering Trubisky with the first overall selection — landing the UNC signal-caller at No. 5 for the cost of a mid-second-round pick is a move the Browns can’t pass up.
7. Los Angeles Chargers (Zach) – Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
In this scenario, it seems like Allen’s subpar workouts have led to a bit of a drop. His size (6’3″) is a bit of a concern, but he has the ability to be an effective defensive end while spending some time on the inside as well. Allen would look great lining up on the opposite end of Joey Bosa.
8. Carolina Panthers (Dallas) – Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Sitting at pick No. 8, the Panthers certainly have options. General manager Dave Gettleman & Co. could go after a running back like Leonard Fournette or Christian McCaffrey, bring in a young edge rusher to play alongside veterans like Charles Johnson and Julius Peppers, or even reach for an offensive tackle given Michael Oher‘s health questions. With Ted Ginn Jr. and Corey Brown having defected via free agency, the Panthers need another wideout to pair with Kelvin Benjamin. Enter Davis, who topped 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (Zach) – Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster’s stock, by all accounts, is slipping after he turned in a diluted urine sample and got into an argument with a hospital worker at the combine. However, with other teams in the market for an inside linebacker (like the Jets at No. 12, for example), it would be somewhat risky to trade down into the teens and expect Foster to still be there. The Bengals have been willing to overlook character concerns in the past, so I see no reason why they can’t do the same here and land the Alabama star.
10. Buffalo Bills (Dallas) – Jamal Adams, S, LSU
While the Bills gave Jordan Poyer a four-year deal with $6MM in guarantees earlier this offseason, I’m still not convinced Buffalo views him as a definite starter. Those questions come to the forefront with Adams still on the board, and the Bills don’t hesitate to take the LSU defensive back. With ex-Packer Micah Hyde also in the fold, Buffalo can field one of the more diverse and flexible safety tandems in the league. Adams is viewed as a leader in the locker room, and has been favorably compared to former Cowboys All Pro Darren Woodson by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
Cole’s Latest: Panthers, Rivera, Watson, King
If the Panthers don’t earn a postseason berth in 2017, head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Dave Gettleman could be on the hot seat, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Carolina, of course, finished the 2016 campaign with a 6-10 record after losing only regular season game and securing a Super Bowl appearance the year prior. Both Rivera and Gettleman are now facing extra pressure, says Cole, which would be one reason the Panthers handed defensive tackle Kawann Short an extension earlier this week, as the club may have wanted to ensure Short was present for offseason activities.
Here’s more from around the league, all courtesy of Cole:
- Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson displayed a “CEO presence” in predraft meetings with NFL team, and his intangibles are highly impressive to personnel executives, reports Cole (video link), who adds Watson is considered the best leader among the top QB prospects. Listed at 6’2″, 220 pounds, Watson’s size does have some scouts concerned, as they aren’t sure he’ll be able to withstand the pounding of an NFL campaign. For what it’s worth, I sent Watson to Kansas City in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft.
- Some NFL decision-makers believe Washington cornerback Kevin King is the most overrated player in the 2017 draft, per Cole (video link). King is an impressive physical specimen, especially for a defensive back, as he stands at 6’3″ and 200 pounds. But evaluators don’t believe King’s performance on the field matches his stature. While King has been creeping into the first round of mock drafts — specifically as a possible Seahawks target — one scout said he grades King as no better than a seventh-round choice.
- As Peter King of TheMMQB.com reported earlier this week, the 49ers and Jets are among the clubs most eager to trade down at the top of the draft, but any such deals could come with a relatively cheap price attached, according to Cole (video link). Outside of Texas A&M edge defender Myles Garrett, the draft doesn’t contain multiple “overwhelming” players, per Cole, while the supply of clubs looking to trade down doesn’t equal the demand of teams hoping to move up.
- One prospect that could lead to draft-day discussions is Stanford pass rusher Solomon Thomas, whom most NFL clubs consider the “clear” No. 2 player in this year’s class, reports Cole (video link). If the cost of trading up does remain low, several teams might consider moving up the board in order to land Thomas, as such a maneuver would be viewed as an “extraordinary bargain.”
Jordan Willis Visits Panthers
- Kansas State edge rusher Jordan Willis visited the Panthers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Willis seems like a more realistic fit for the Panthers in the second round (No. 40 overall) than in the first (No. 8). Regardless, with Julius Peppers, Charles Johnson and Mario Addison each on the wrong side of 30, Carolina could use a young pass rusher like Willis, who totaled 20 sacks from 2015-16.
Panthers To Sign DT Drew Iddings
- Free agent defensive tackle Drew Iddings will sign with the Panthers after the draft, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. Iddings joined the Raiders as an undrafted free agent last year, but they cut the ex-South Dakota standout prior to Week 1.
Curtis Samuel Visits Panthers
- The Panthers, known to be in the market for running back help, had Ohio State’s Curtis Samuel in for a visit Monday, relays Albert Breer of The MMQB (Twitter link). Samuel’s stock seems to be rising because he can also contribute as a receiver and returner, perhaps making him the next Tyreek Hill type to hit the NFL. It’s possible he’ll still be on the board when the Panthers are on the clock in Round 2 (No. 40 overall).
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/17/17
The latest minor moves…
- Raiders defensive end Denico Autry has signed his RFA tender, reports ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). The Raiders gave the 2014 undrafted free agent an original-round tender, leading to speculation that he could draw interest from elsewhere. Instead, Autry will return to the Raiders on the heels of back-to-back three-sack seasons. ERFAs Seth Roberts (WR) and Denver Kirkland (G) are also back in the fold, according to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (on Twitter).
- The Seahawks have re-signed linebacker Kache Palacio, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Palacio, a former fullback who went undrafted out of Washington State last year, spent most of 2016 on Seattle’s practice squad.
- Lions ERFAs Brandon Copeland (DE), Kerry Hyder (DT) and T.J. Jones (WR) have signed their tenders, tweets Birkett. Dolphins ERFAs Mike Hull (LB) and Anthony Steen (C) did the same earlier Monday, per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- The Panthers have re-upped restricted free agent guard Andrew Norwell and a pair of exclusive rights free agents – center Tyler Larsen and punter Michael Palardy – writes Bryan Strickland of their website. Carolina used a second-round tender on Norwell, who will earn $2.746MM in 2017. Norwell combined for 29 starts over the previous two seasons and ranked 11th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 72 qualified guards last year.
- Steelers RFA cornerback Ross Cockrell has inked his original-round tender, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Cockrell went in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, so the Steelers would have been entitled to a fourth-rounder had Cockrell signed elsewhere and they elected against matching the offer. The 25-year-old caught on with the Steelers in 2015 and has since totaled 31 appearances, 23 starts and two interceptions. Cockrell started in every Steelers game last year, and his performance ranked an improve 28th among 111 qualified corners at PFF.
- Chiefs RFA kicker Cairo Santos has signed his tender, per Schefter (on Twitter). Santos, undrafted in 2014, received a low tender; as such, Kansas City wouldn’t have been entitled to compensation had he gone elsewhere. The three-year veteran has connected on 84.3 percent of field goal attempts, including 88.6 percent last season (good for fifth in the league).
- Lions offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas has signed his RFA tender, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The Lions assigned Lucas an original-rounder tender last month, so they wouldn’t have gotten a pick had the 2014 undrafted free agent signed elsewhere and they chose not to match. Lucas is now slated to make $1.797MM this year in Detroit, where he has started in six of 35 career appearances.
- The Buccaneers have re-signed quarterback Ryan Griffin, cornerback Jude Adjei-Barimah, tight end Cameron Brate, linebacker Adarius Glanton, and wide receivers Adam Humphries and Freddie Martino, per Scott Smith of the team’s website. As a restricted free agent, Griffin is the only one of the bunch who could have potentially gone elsewhere (the rest were exclusive rights free agents). The Bucs tendered the 2013 undrafted free agent at an original-round level last month, and he’ll now try to win the No. 2 role behind Jameis Winston. Tampa Bay’s previous second-stringer, Mike Glennon, is now the Bears’ starter.
- RFA defensive back Marcus Burley and ERFA running back George Atkinson III are returning to the Browns, per a team announcement. Burley, undrafted in 2013, received an original-round tender. The former Seahawk is coming off his first year in Cleveland, where he appeared in 12 games and played just under 40 percent of the Browns’ special teams snaps.
- Fullback Tommy Bohanon and receiver Larry Pinkard have signed with the Jaguars, tweets the team’s account. Bohanon is the only with NFL experience, having logged 36 appearances and 14 starts as a Jet from 2013-15.
- Speaking of the Jets, they have re-signed linebacker Julian Stanford (via Randy Lange of the team’s site). The Jets could Stanford on Friday, but both sides knew that was only a procedural move. Last season was the first as a Jet for the 26-year-old Stanford, who appeared in nine games (two starts) and played about a quarter of their defensive snaps and a third of their special teams snaps.
Panthers Extend Kawann Short
The Panthers have signed defensive tackle Kawann Short to a five-year extension, the club announced today. The new deal is reportedly worth $80MM, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, while $35MM is fully guaranteed, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). $20MM of that guarantee comes in the form of a signing bonus, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). 
Short had been assigned the franchise tag, meaning the two sides had until July 15 to work out a long-term deal. He’d expressed a willingness to sign his franchise tender, which would have paid him a fully guaranteed $13.387MM for the 2017 campaign. After staging a short holdout during Carolina’s OTAs in 2016, Short had no plans to use similar tactics this year. The Panthers, of course, rescinded cornerback Josh Norman‘s franchise tag last offseason, but a similar situation won’t play out this year, as Short is now locked up through 2021.
Now earning $16MM annually, Short places third among defensive tackles in yearly salary, just behind Ndamukong Suh and Fletcher Cox. He’ll earn $40MM over the first two years of the deal, tweets Florio. The extension also likely clears a bit of cap room for the Panthers, who won’t be forced to carry Short’s ~$13MM franchise tag on their books in 2016. Any signing bonus included in the pact can be prorated over the life of the deal.
Short, 28, played on nearly three-quarters of Carolina’s defensive snaps in 2016, posting six sacks and grading as the league’s No. 3 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus. The 2015 Pro Bowler has earned positive marks during all four seasons he’s played with the Panthers, grading out as an excellent pass rusher from the inside.
For the Panthers, Short’s extension indicates a continued investment on front four players. General manager Dave Gettleman has used early round picks on Star Lotulelei, Vernon Butler, and Short, signed Mario Addison, Charles Johnson, and Wes Horton to multi-year deals, and inked external free agents such as Julius Peppers in an effort to solidify Carolina’s defensive line.