First-Round Grades Elusive On Shedeur Sanders; QB Unlikely To Go In Top 10?
The Giants are still doing due diligence on Shedeur Sanders, being set to conduct a private workout with the Colorado star in Boulder on Thursday. But it is undeniable that Sanders’ stock has slipped during the pre-draft process.
No longer being mocked consistently in the top three, despite the Browns and Giants‘ QB needs, Sanders now may need to be patient. The Browns and Giants are not expected to draft him, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer, who notes it could be a surprise if the Raiders, Jets and Saints (Nos. 6, 7 and 9, respectively) prevented him from falling out of the top 10.
This runs counter to a late-March report indicating Sanders was unlikely to fall out of the top 10, but the consensus appears to be changing. We heard recently a New Orleans landing may not be too likely, though that report emerged before Derek Carr‘s prospective surgery became public. Sanders and Travis Hunter dined with Browns brass before Colorado’s pro day, but Cleveland has been viewed as more likely to draft the two-way dynamo at No. 2. This would leave Abdul Carter for the Giants, even as the team rosters Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux already.
Coaches and scouts are not seeing enough to justify an early-first-round pick on tape, Breer adds, with many not grading him as a first-round talent. Although Sanders’ accuracy has drawn praise, his penchant for taking sacks offers a negation. The two-year Buffaloes starter also has not displayed high-end arm strength on tape, and despite his father being one of the greatest players in NFL history, Shedeur is not viewed as particularly athletic. That has created concerns about a QB-needy team making him its new franchise centerpiece via a top-10 investment.
Potential concerns about Deion Sanders’ involvement in his son’s career are natural for teams, but Breer and Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline have attempted to explain NFL staffers’ issues with the quarterback from a strictly on-field standpoint. Despite Shedeur’s 37:10 TD-INT ratio last season, he finished with negative rushing yards — due both to taking sacks and not contributing heavily as a rusher. Sanders’ fundamentals are drawing scrutiny, per Pauline, though he adds the QB’s toughness has garnered praise.
We have heard some teams have Jaxson Dart graded higher than Sanders on this year’s board, and Breer adds it might take owner involvement to ensure Sanders becomes a first-round pick. The 2022 draft brought what was viewed at the time as a significant slide, with Malik Willis dropping from likely first-round pick to 86th overall. It would still be shocking if Sanders experienced a comparable tumble as part of the latest maligned QB class, but a top-10 investment now may be unlikely. That will create major questions as to where Sanders will wind up.
Holding the No. 21 overall pick, the Steelers have hosted Sanders on a “30” visit. Of course, a host of non-QB-needy teams picking between the Saints and Raiders opens the door to a potential trade-up move. The Browns and Giants could have a window to move back in, though if the teams do not hold Sanders in much higher regard compared to this draft’s other second-tier QBs (Dart, Quinn Ewers, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe), waiting on them may be the play rather than handing over notable draft capital in a Sanders-based trade. Plenty of Giants-Sanders connections emerged during the pre-draft process, but a year after Big Blue was tied closely to J.J. McCarthy only to pass on him, some are doubting the Giants like Sanders all that much.
Unless Cleveland and New York are conducting elaborate smokescreens, Sanders likely will be in for a wait next week. This would open the door to teams like the Raiders and Jets adding Sanders as a high-end developmental option behind established starters. Beyond that, this draft will become quite interesting at QB after the Titans take Cam Ward — as they are widely expected to — to open the event.
Panthers Open To Trading Back From No. 8
APRIL 15: When speaking to the media on Tuesday, Morgan confirmed he is open to receiving offers for the No. 8 pick (video link via ESPN’s David Newton). To no surprise, he added Carolina is not locked into adding a defensive player in the first round (h/t Newton), although that side of the ball is expected to receive plenty of attention. As the countdown to the draft continues, it will be interesting to see if a strong market for the Panthers’ top choice emerges.
APRIL 14: With multiple holes on the roster and the organization still in the midst of a rebuild, the Panthers will clearly be operating with a ‘best-player-available’ approach at No. 8 in the draft. However, depending on how things proceed with the top-seven picks, the front office could look to make a move.
According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, the Panthers “are open to the idea” of moving back from No. 8 “depending on what happens in front of them.” In fact, some recent developments from the Panthers’ own division may only help general manager Dan Morgan‘s chances of pulling off a trade.
As Person writes, with Derek Carr potentially out for the 2025 campaign, the Saints may feel added pressure to land a top quarterback prospect in the draft. As one of the only QB-needy teams in the top-10, the Saints would seem to be in prime position to select, say, Shedeur Sanders with the No. 9 pick.
Since the Panthers are armed with the No. 8 pick, they could be an enticing trade partner for Sanders suitors who aren’t armed with such a high selection. The Saints’ need for a QB could further benefit the Panthers. As Person notes, a “quarterback-inspired team” (like New Orleans) that leapfrogs Carolina’s eighth-overall selection would just result in a better non-QB-prospect falling into the Panthers’ lap.
Of course, this isn’t an uncommon sentiment in this year’s draft. QB Cam Ward is expected to go first-overall, while Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter represent the draft’s only true blue-chip prospects. There’s a belief that there isn’t a huge difference between the next tier of players, with Buccaneers GM Jason Licht even admitting recently that the draft “is pretty leveled-out at a certain point” (per Person).
In other words, if a team is truly enamored with Sanders, they’d likely be negotiating for picks No. 4 through No. 7 before they place a call with Morgan and the Panthers for the No. 8 pick. Still, the Saints’ sudden QB issues could vicariously help their rival’s options heading into the draft.
Saints’ Derek Carr Battling Shoulder Injury, Weighing Surgery
APRIL 14: With plenty of uncertainty looming over this situation, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports Carr’s camp has informed the team the current issue stems from the fact his 2023 AC joint sprain never healed in full. Especially if that is the case, surgery will no doubt receive strong consideration. As the draft draws nearer, New Orleans’ 2025 outlook under center remains uncertain.
APRIL 11: As the Saints determine if they want to make a significant quarterback investment, they have another issue to deal with regarding their current starter. While coming to New Orleans as one of the NFL’s most durable players, Derek Carr has run into frequent health concerns.
His latest involves a shoulder malady, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This issue could affect Carr’s regular-season availability, Rapoport adds, as surgery is being considered. Carr missed seven games last season, seeing oblique and hand injuries lead to the low attendance number. The Saints restructured Carr’s contract recently, locking in the 11-year veteran for at least one more season and making a 2026 separation more costly.
Prior to coming to New Orleans, Carr had missed just three games due to injury in nine Oakland/Las Vegas seasons. One of those was a playoff game due to a broken leg suffered in Week 16 of the 2016 season. Carr returned in time for the 2017 campaign. With the Saints, however, the experienced starter continues to see hurdles appear. This latest comes at a rather significant time, as a Saints franchise that has not selected a quarterback in the first round since Archie Manning (1971) considers breaking that streak.
It is unclear how or when Carr sustained this injury. While “what they knew and when they knew it” questions are natural here, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds the possibility of shoulder surgery has not surprised the Saints. With the Saints’ massive dead money numbers tied to Carr’s contract stemming from signing bonus proration and void years, an offsite injury affecting guarantees would not matter significantly with regards to an earlier-than-expected separation. But Carr’s offseason outlook certainly looks cloudy in light of this news, with Russini noting there is curiosity around the league about there being more to this story. The 2023 signee remains signed through 2026.
Carr sustained an oblique tear in Week 5 last season; the issue sidelined him for three games. A fracture on his nonthrowing hand, sustained in Week 14, moved Carr out of the picture to close the season. While some uncertainty cropped up between the Saints’ Kellen Moore HC hire and the team’s decision to go through with another restructure, Carr had been penciled in to continue as the team’s starter for a while. As it stands, the Saints are not prepared to be without their first-stringer.
The team has resisted calls for a rebuild, with Carr the main impediment at this point. A surgery that could sideline the starter for part of the 2025 season would stand to impact the team’s thinking in the draft, though a priority of finding a long-term successor will naturally be more important during the late-April event.
The Saints have been closely tied to Quinn Ewers as a potential Day 2 option, while a recent report did not peg them as surefire Shedeur Sanders suitors. As presently constructed, the Saints would not present Sanders or another rookie with a great opportunity to hit the ground running. They are coming off a 5-12 season and did add much of note to their roster on offense. The perennially cap-strapped team is again out of those woods, but the options for adding a short-term stopgap are minimal right now. Ex-Day 3 picks Spencer Rattler, the team’s primary Carr replacement in 2024, and Jake Haener remain rostered.
Joe Flacco joined the Browns today, and the Seahawks completed a QB reunion of their own — with Drew Lock. That takes two clear options off the table, leaving Carson Wentz and a potential Ryan Tannehill unretirement as unexciting solutions. Aaron Rodgers technically remains a free agent, but he has been hesitant on any non-Vikings-based chance to continue his career.
Rodgers showing much interest in the Saints would surprise, and it is still too early to speculate on full-fledged solutions due to the lack of information about Carr’s injury. But this is obviously a concern that will need to be closely monitored. The Saints begin their offseason program Monday.
Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan To Visit Patriots, Saints, Cowboys
First-round wide receiver prospect Tetairoa McMillan has secured visits with the Patriots, Saints, and Cowboys, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Wilson also confirms the previously-reported McMillan-Panthers summit.
McMillan’s size (6-4, 219), catch radius, and ability to make contested catches are among his chief selling points, while his lack of deep speed and inability to create consistent separation – which is why he needed to make so many contested grabs – have caused some concern. The highest recruit in the history of the Arizona football program, McMillan averaged 87 catches for 1,360.5 yards and nine TDs for the Wildcats over the past two seasons. He finished his college career with a 16.1 yards-per-catch average, thus illustrating his ability to make big plays downfield despite the fact that he is not a blazing runner.
After a long search that saw the team make aggressive pursuits for Brandon Aiyuk and Chris Godwin over the last year, New England finally landed a quality, veteran wideout when it signed Stefon Diggs last month. Nonetheless, Diggs is coming off a platform campaign cut short by an ACL tear, and between the injury and the fact that he is entering his age-32 season, there is reason to believe he will not return to his peak level of performance.
As such, it would not be surprising to see the Pats add more top-tier talent at the skill positions to aid in second-year quarterback Drake Maye’s development. On the other hand, new head coach Mike Vrabel has said addressing the club’s offensive and defensive lines would be a top offseason priority, and blockers like LSU’s Will Campbell and Missouri’s Armand Membou have been consistently linked to New England as possible solutions for the team’s glaring left tackle need.
Either of those OTs are realistic targets for the Pats and their No. 4 pick, though McMillan is unlikely to be selected that high. But, if the Pats find a trade-down opportunity to their liking, McMillan could become an option.
The Saints bolstered their WR corps by reuniting with Brandin Cooks this offseason, and they also return Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. However, all three players missed significant time due to injury in 2024, so another receiver addition would not come as a shock. Still, New Orleans has more pressing needs, including a long-term quarterback. While the club could still target a passer with its second-round pick – by which time McMillan is likely to be long gone – a QB like Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart are legitimate possibilities for the Saints’ No. 9 overall pick.
Dallas, Cooks’ most recent employer, has confirmed that it is in the market for a WR to complement CeeDee Lamb, and McMillan could be a fit for the club’s No. 12 selection. The team recently met with several other high-end WR prospects, Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka and Texas’ Matthew Golden, though the Cowboys could see running back as a bigger need.
Saints Host Louisville QB Tyler Shough
The Saints had planned to start Derek Carr at quarterback in 2025, but Carr’s shoulder malady – which may impact his regular season availability – could increase the club’s urgency to select a passer in the upcoming draft. Per Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com, the Saints hosted Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough on a “30” visit on the same day news of Carr’s injury surfaced.
Even before the Carr development, New Orleans was at least connected to the possibility of drafting a QB with its first-round pick (No. 9 overall). As even casual NFL observers likely know by now, however, this year’s collegiate class of signal-callers is not considered a strong one, and with the Saints in dire need of cost-controlled talent throughout the roster, a Day 2 swing on a player like Texas’ Quinn Ewers has seemed like a more realistic possibility.
In the initial round of reports concerning Carr’s shoulder, Dianna Russini of The Athletic said New Orleans was not surprised by the possibility that the 34-year-old could require surgery. So while Duncan implies the meeting with Shough may be directly related to the Carr news, the team may have been planning to host the fast-rising prospect anyway.
And despite Shough generating a fair amount of pre-draft buzz and securing visits with a number of clubs in need of both short-and long-term QB answers, it would still be surprising to see him selected in the top-10. If the Saints opt for a Day 1 passer, a player like Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart would appear to represent better value. Although there is some disagreement about the likelihood of a Saints-Sanders connection, a number of mock drafts (including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s most recent offering) project exactly that.
Perhaps the biggest knock on Shough is his age. Thanks to relaxed transfer and eligibility rules, the Oregon recruit was in college for seven years – also suiting up for Texas Tech and Louisville along the way – and he will turn 26 shortly after the 2025 season kicks off. He nonetheless seems like a safe bet to hear his name called in the second round of the draft, if not sooner.
In his first and only season with Louisville in 2024, Shough completed 62.7% of his passes and threw for 3,195 yards and 23 TDs against six interceptions. After battling injuries during the three prior seasons with the Red Raiders, the fact that he remained healthy in 2024 was a notable development for him. Along with his age, durability will be a concern for interested teams, though his size and arm talent have created plenty of intrigue.
Saints Showed Interest In Charvarius Ward; Latest On Brandin Cooks’ Return
Once again, the Saints crawled out of cap hell to create enough space to make some notable offseason additions. This included re-signing Chase Young and Juwan Johnson and adding Justin Reid to team with the player he replaced in Kansas City, Tyrann Mathieu. The latter also recommitted to the team on a reworked contract.
New Orleans, however, wanted to retain Paulson Adebo as well. Younger than the other top cornerbacks on this year’s market, Adebo came off the free agency board early via a three-year, $54MM Giants deal. Adebo’s broken femur did not scare the Giants off, as a big market formed for a player who had operated as the Saints’ No. 1 corner — thanks to Marshon Lattimore‘s injury issues — for much of the past two seasons. In the hours that followed, the Saints attempted to pivot to one of the market’s other top CBs as a replacement.
The team showed interest in Charvarius Ward, according to ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell, but Adebo’s agreement looks to have helped shape the former All-Pro’s market. Despite coming off a down 2024, Ward attracted considerable interest — the Chiefs pursued a reunion — and ended up with a three-year, $54MM Colts deal. Ward did not match Adebo’s at-signing guarantee, locking in $27MM (to Adebo’s $34.75MM at signing), as he is three years older. But teams were interested in the standout ex-49ers and Chiefs cover man.
The Saints did not make a notable cornerback addition in free agency, which came months after they traded Lattimore to the Commanders for a three-pick haul. The team did bring back Isaac Yiadom, who had submitted some quality work before leaving for San Francisco in 2024, but the draft will bring a glaring need otherwise. After carrying a Lattimore-Adebo-Alontae Taylor trio, the Saints need to replenish their coverage cadre.
Needs loomed at receiver coming into free agency, after a season that saw Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed miss extensive time. Both are due back, but the Saints have been unable to rely on receivers for many years now. Their Michael Thomas extension went south quickly, as numerous injuries plagued a player that appeared on a Hall of Fame track at the time he signed the megadeal. Thomas did not play last season. One of Thomas’ former teammates, though, will help fill the void alongside Olave and Shaheed. Brandin Cooks is back on a two-year, $13MM deal that came with $7.75MM guaranteed at signing.
Cooks, 31, is also coming off a season shortened by injury. The oft-traded pass catcher missed seven games during his second Cowboys season; a knee infection shut him down as Dallas’ season shifted off course. Cooks, however, had proven durable — for the most part — in the years prior. The 12th-year wideout, who starred with the Saints from 2014-16 before his trade odyssey began, said (via Terrell) wide receivers coach Keith Williams played a key role in his choosing a New Orleans reunion. A holdover from Klint Kubiak‘s 2024 staff, Williams also attempted to recruit Cooks when he was a staffer at Fresno State.
Williams’ Fresno State years overlapped with Derek Carr‘s, and after Williams’ recruiting effort did not ultimately sway a teenage Cooks, the wide receiver said his belief in Carr was also part of the reason he returned to New Orleans. Reports of Carr’s shoulder injury now threaten to throw a wrench into that partnership coming to fruition, though it is still a bit early here. Regardless of the Saints’ QB situation, they have Cooks (six 1,000-yard seasons) as a proven option complementing Olave and Shaheed.
Cooks’ contract also contains $1.5MM in catch- and touchdown-based incentives, Terrell adds. He would need to reach 60 receptions to trigger the lowest of three $250K bonuses on that end; TD-wise, Cooks would need to score five to begin triggering the $250K bumps. Cooks has not cleared 60 catches in a season since 2021, though he does have three seasons of at least six TDs over the past five years.
Saints Notes: Sanders, Radunz, Mathieu
Another Derek Carr restructure ties the Saints to the middling quarterback for the 2025 season and will make it costly to separate in 2026. As GM Mickey Loomis continues to delay a rebuild, New Orleans could have a potential opportunity to land a surefire Carr successor at No. 9 overall. Shedeur Sanders‘ stock has seemingly dipped during the pre-draft process, to the point the QB-needy Browns and Giants no longer seem likely to address their situations by taking the Colorado QB. If Sanders reaches No. 6, the Raiders, Jets and Saints await over the next four draft slots. Of that trio, SI.com’s Albert Breer pegs New Orleans as the most likely team to make the move.
Although this would be a historic development for a Saints team that has repeatedly used free agency and the trade market to address its QB position (last first-rounder: Archie Manning), NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill is skeptical the team would select Sanders at 9. The team has been closely tied to Texas’ Quinn Ewers, in a potential Round 2 move, and team brass dined with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. The latter, however, may well require a first-round pick. For trade-up purposes, the Saints hold the No. 40 overall pick as well. In late March, Sanders was mentioned as a player unlikely to fall out of the top 10. If the Saints pass, however, that scenario would seem likely.
Here is the latest out of New Orleans:
- Formerly in right tackle competitions in Tennessee, Dillon Radunz relocated to guard during the latter part of his rookie contract. The former second-round pick may be settling there with the Saints. Viewing guard as his top position, Radunz said (via ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell) left guard “obviously” will bring competition in New Orleans. Regular 2024 LG Lucas Patrick joined the Bengals in free agency, clearing a spot opposite Cesar Ruiz. Radunz only played right guard for the Titans last season, but he logged 903 snaps there. Radunz’s one-year deal is worth $2.25MM, Terrell notes; it is fully guaranteed.
- Tyrann Mathieu‘s latest Saints contract adjustment will lower his cap number from $11.3MM to $6.09MM, Terrell tweets. Achievable incentives are in the contract, which could allow the veteran safety to make money back after agreeing to a pay cut. The Saints will see Mathieu’s deal void on the final day of the 2025 league year, Terrell adds.
- Changing coaching staffs, the Saints recently announced they are retaining Jahri Evans. The former New Orleans All-Pro guard is staying on as assistant offensive line coach under Kellen Moore. Evans, 41, had been an offensive assistant over the past two seasons, which stands to make this move a slight promotion. Additionally, New Orleans hired Jay Rodgers to oversee its edge defenders. Rodgers will come over from Atlanta, where he worked under one-and-done DC Jimmy Lake. The Chargers fired Rodgers late in the 2023 season, but that move came shortly after Brandon Staley‘s ouster. Staley hired Rodgers, an NFL assistant since 2009, in 2022 and had worked with him in Chicago previously.
Browns Host Several QB Prospects; Raiders To Meet With Jaxson Dart
Tuesday was a busy day in Cleveland, where the Browns hosted a number of quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. According to a few different sources, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, and Louisville’s Tyler Shough all were on site for visits in Cleveland today. 
Don’t be mistaken, despite recent buzz for Dart and Milroe as potential first-rounders, neither player is likely being considered a target at No. 2 overall. More likely, the Browns are exploring the possibility of utilizing their current first-round pick on one of either Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado athlete Travis Hunter then either taking a quarterback at the top of the second round or trading back into the first round for one.
Dart seems like the least likely to land in Cleveland. In order to draft Dart, it’s starting to look like the Browns would need to trade well into the first round. Dart has been noted as a player under consideration as the Saints (No. 9 overall pick) explore their options for a quarterback of the future. If Dart gets passed over in favor of a sliding Shedeur Sanders or some other prospect, the Steelers could move on the Ole Miss product to take over after Aaron Rodgers (or if Rodgers never signs). After visiting with the Browns today, Dart will visit next with the Raiders, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He’s also spent “considerable time” with the Giants and Rams.
If Dart does go to New Orleans or some other team early, the Steelers have also been linked to Milroe. Pittsburgh really likes Milroe due to his elite athleticism. The Alabama product has plenty of shortcomings as a quarterback prospect, but many believe that, if they can coach up some of those areas of concern, his athleticism will be too big of an asset to pass up. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Milroe had private workouts with both Cleveland and New Orleans that were described as “impressive.” Today’s top-30 visit with the Browns was reported by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cabot also reported Shough’s participation.
Shough has not really been the subject of many rumblings about the first round, but as a quarterback, he may just sneak in. Should Cam Ward, Sanders, Dart, and Milroe all come off the board after Pittsburgh is done selecting at No. 21 overall, the Browns may find it safe to trade up a pick or two into the first round to take Shough.
While it would be a safe bet that Shough could fall to them at the top of the second round, moving up slightly likely wouldn’t cost Cleveland too much draft capital. Also, trading into the first round for any of the above prospects would provide Cleveland the luxury of a fifth-year option, giving them more time to develop whatever young passer they may acquire.
49ers To Host Mykel Williams, Walter Nolen
The 49ers own the No. 11 pick in April’s draft, and they are set to host a pair of defenders who could be selected in that range. Edge rusher Mykel Williams and defensive tackle Walter Nolen will visit the team, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports. 
Williams spent each of his three years at Georgia, earning second-team All-SEC honors in 2023 and ’24. The former five-star recruit faced high expectations during his time with the Bulldogs, but his production did not meet them. Williams totaled only 14.5 sacks in his career, with an ankle injury hindering his play this past campaign. In spite of that, his size, length and athleticism has him squarely on the first-round radar.
The 6-5, 260-pounder has already lined up visits with the Saints and Cardinals during the pre-draft process. Williams is also among the players who have been closely linked to the Panthers, who will pick eighth overall. Depending on how the board shakes out – especially with respect to the other top edge rushers in the class – the 49ers may not have the option of selecting him.
Nolan was one of several prospects who took part in “Dallas Day,” showcasing some of the top players from the area in April’s draft. He too has a number of pre-draft visits on the books. The No. 1 player in his recruiting class, Nolan spent his first two seasons at Texas A&M. He managed five sacks over that span, but it was a transfer to Ole Miss which led to a notable breakout campaign.
Racking up 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss, the junior earned first-team All-SEC and All-American honors during his lone Rebels season. Nolan was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy, awarded to the country’s top offensive or defensive lineman. The 6-4, 296-pounder’s potential is certainly high as he prepares to transition to the pro game, but opinions vary to large extent as it pertains to his draft stock.
Aside from Nick Bosa, the 49ers have undergone plenty of changes along the defensive front in recent years. The releases of Javon Hargrave and Leonard Floyd from earlier this spring have led to a starting vacancy on the interior and also along the edge. Either Williams or Nolan could therefore step into a notable role as a rookie, and it will be interesting to see if one or both are on the board when San Francisco’s first selection is made.
2025 NFL Draft Visits: Schwesinger, Cowboys, Nolen, Ezeiruaku, Burden, Turner, Bond, Steelers, Emmanwori
This isn’t exactly a visit in the sense of top-30 visits, like most of the rest of bullets that follow this will be, but UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger held a private pro day earlier this week in Los Angeles and had 30 teams in attendance, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
While, obviously, not a comprehensive list, Schefter specifically mentions the Cowboys, Giants, Saints, Chargers, and Broncos, and notes that the linebackers coaches from Dallas, New York, and New Orleans all met privately with Schwesinger.
Schwesinger is not currently the top-ranked linebacker prospect in most analysts’ eyes, but he often slides in as the second-best off-ball linebacker in the class behind Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell — third if you count Georgia defender Jalon Walker, who has the ability to play every linebacker spot at the next level. Some thought Schwesinger may sneak into the back end of the first round at the end of the month, but more likely is that he hears his name on Day 2. Per Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, it would be surprising to see him fall past the first half of the second round.
Here are some more prospect-NFL team connections we’ve seen recent reports on:
- The Cowboys have certainly been very busy in the runup to the 2025 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team held their invite-only “Dallas Day,” hosting draft prospects without the visits counting towards their top-30 visits. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton met with the team at “Dallas Day.” The well-balanced rusher continues to skyrocket up draft boards, is likely to join Ashton Jeanty in the first round, and has several other visits lined up.
- Jeanty was also in attendance on Friday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. We had relayed that Jeanty would be taking a top-30 visit with the Cowboys, but it’s unclear whether this is what was meant in that original report. Also in attendance for “Dallas Day” were Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner, Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, TCU wide receivers Savion Williams and Jack Bech, Texas quarterback and offensive lineman Quinn Ewers and Cameron Williams, and Miami tight end and running back Elijah Arroyo and Damien Martinez.
- Also in attendance at “Dallas Day” was Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Nolen will follow up his Dallas visit with a visit with the Panthers on Monday and a visit with the Bengals some other time this week.
- Joining Nolen in Carolina on Monday will be Boston College pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, per Joe Person of The Athletic. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has been a hot topic with multiple scouts of late, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He’s currently viewed as an early-Day 2 prospect, and his stock continues to rise.
- Speaking of another “Dallas Day” athlete, Wilson of KPRC 2 provided an updated list of teams that Turner, from Texas A&M, is set to visit with. We already noted his recent visit in New Orleans, but Wilson tells us that Turner has also visited the Texans and plans to visit the Ravens, Rams, Eagles, Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, and Cardinals.
- According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS, the Broncos hosted Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden for a top-30 visit last week. The talented wideout fell off in 2024 after an incredible sophomore campaign with the Tigers, but his high ceiling makes him a borderline first-round prospect. Denver would love to bring in another talented weapon for young quarterback Bo Nix.
- We already reported recent visits for Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond in Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Los Angeles, but we now have a couple sources adding some new locations for the Longhorn. Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Bond had dinner with the Bills before a private workout Friday and a top-30 visit as well as visits with the Browns and Packers. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that Bond has visits scheduled with the Chiefs and Titans, as well.
- Brooke Pryor of ESPN tells us that the Steelers hosted a full house on Thursday. Prospects on hand last week included Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, and Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew.
- Lastly, Pryor adds that Pittsburgh was one of the recent teams to host South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. The pre-draft standout had reportedly lined up visits with Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Miami already. The Steelers’ interest in the Gamecock is no surprise as he’s trending towards being a Day 1 selection at this point.