Aidan Hutchinson

Draft Rumors: Stingley, Jaguars, Alabama, Cine, Burks

April 22nd, 2022 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

According to Matt Miller of ESPN, Derek Stingley, Jr. is the hottest name in the 2022 NFL Draft right now. The LSU cornerback has long been considered one of the top-two cornerback prospects available, along with Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner. Miller claims that Stingley is trending as high as the top-three with the Lions or Texans rumored to be interested in him at No. 2 or 3 overall.

After a stellar freshman season, Stingley was easily viewed as the best cornerback that would be available by the 2022 Draft. But, after a subpar 2020 season and only appearing in three games last year, combined with another stellar season from Gardner, NFL teams have allowed a bit of room for Gardner to challenge as the best corner on the board. The NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Gardner ranked as the third-best prospect overall with Stingley at 15th, while Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Gardner at fifth overall with Stingley at 14th. Miller, though, seems to think Stingley won’t make it past the Seahawks at 9th overall on Thursday night.

Here are a few more notes for the upcoming Draft, starting with some speculation down in Duval:

Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke let it be known on Friday that Jacksonville is considering four players for their number one overall draft pick this Thursday, according to Charean Williams of NBC Sports. Many mock drafts have them going with Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson or Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker, but they’ve also had their name attached to Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal and NC State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu. It’s hard to imagine any other names entering the conversation for Jacksonville’s top pick.
On their postseason run last year, college football powerhouse Alabama lost two of their top pass catchers in two of the biggest games of their season. John Metchie tore his ACL in the team’s SEC Championship victory over Georgia on December 4th. A little over a month later, Jameson Williams tore his ACL in the team’s National Championship game loss to Georgia on January 10th. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the two are progressing impressively in their recoveries, with that opinion being echoed by the NFL teams who have looked into their medical information. They may both be on track to play in the upcoming season, depending on how conservative of a team they end up with. The important thing, though, is that, while their stock may have been affected a bit by injury, they are both fully expected to hear their names called next week.
Georgie safety Lewis Cine visited with the Buccaneers this week, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. Cine led the Bulldogs in tackles and passes broken up for the season last year en route to being named the defensive MVP of the team’s National Championship victory over Alabama. According to Laine, when asked if signing Logan Ryan and Keanu Neal precluded them from drafting a safety, Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht simply replied, “No.”
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks added two more teams to his list of visits earlier this week. Burks met with the Bears and Cardinals as he continues to trend in the first round. Read more about Burks in his NFL Draft Prospect Profile here.

NFL Draft Notes: Hutchinson, Willis, London, Hall

April 16th, 2022 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Rumors about what Jacksonville is likely to do with it’s top overall draft pick later this month have been pretty far-ranging. Last month it was looking like new head coach Doug Pederson had his sights set on NC State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu. Some of their moves since around the opening of free agency, though, have Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinking differently.

Right before free agency, the Jaguars placed a second-consecutive franchise tag on left tackle Cam Robinson. They then went and spent good money on offensive guard Brandon Scherff. This has Breer thinking that Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke may be content to address the offensive line through free agency and use their number one pick on Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.

It’s long been assumed that Hutchinson won’t make it past his hometown Lions at number two overall, but, unless the Jaguars decide to triple-down on building the offensive line up around quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Detroit may not even get the chance to take Hutchinson.

Here are some other rumors surrounding the 2022 NFL Draft, starting in Lynchburg, VA:

We talked in December about the top quarterback prospects in the Draft this year with evaluators back then thinking Pitt’s Kenny Pickett or Ole Miss’s Matt Corral were the most likely to hear their names called first. Breer seems to believe that the current leader of that race is Liberty’s Malik Willis. After seeing players like Patrick Mahomes come up from a below-average Texas Tech team and Josh Allen make the leap from a Wyoming team with talent far below the NFL squads he would eventually lead, teams are putting more stock into unproven quarterbacks with high ceilings, and Willis fits the bill. His meetings with teams have done more than enough to convince most that he is ready to take the next step and handle NFL-level schemes.
One of the top wide receivers in the Draft, USC’s Drake London, will make his way to DC this week to be hosted by the Commanders, according to John Keim of ESPN. With Washington’s top receivers after Terry McLaurin last year being running backs J.D. McKissic and Antonio Gibson, followed by now free agent wide receiver Adam Humphries, London would fill a huge position of need for the Commanders. Having a big-bodied, sure-handed, NFL-ready wide receiver like London opposite McLaurin could pay big dividends for the Commanders’ offense this year.
Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reported that the University of Houston’s Logan Hall visited the Bengals yesterday. Hall was named first-team All-AAC after producing 13.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks as a defensive tackle for the Cougars last year. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Hall as the 33rd best overall prospect this year, while NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah slotted him at 50th overall. The Bengals have defensive tackles D.J. Reader and B.J. Hill under contract through 2024 and 2025, respectively, but Hall may be viewed as a long-term replacement, in case one of the two moves on.

Lions To Meet With DE Aidan Hutchinson, S Kyle Hamilton

April 12th, 2022 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

If Aidan Hutchinson is still on the board when the Lions pick at No. 2 overall, it would seemingly represent a perfect fit between the Michigan product and a rebuilding team in need of young cornerstones. The Lions will do more homework on the Heisman finalist, with SI.com’s Albert Breer noting (via Twitter) they will meet with Hutchinson next week.

The Lions will also meet with another top prospect ahead of the Hutchinson visit. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is set to visit this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. It would be a surprise if the Lions went with Hamilton, considering his position, but the former Fighting Irish standout has secured meetings with five of the eight teams holding top-10 picks.

Hutchinson is also meeting with the Giants and Jets this week. It would be a surprise if the former Michigan pass-rushing dynamo made it past the Lions at 2. The Jaguars are favored to select the defensive end first overall. That would put the Lions to a decision. Both ESPN.com’s Todd McShay and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah have Jacksonville taking Hutchinson and Detroit going with Georgia D-lineman Travon Walker. Hutchinson’s college production laps Walker’s, but the latter showcased elite athleticism at the Combine. A defensive end often used inside as well, Walker made a Detroit visit recently. Hutchinson is a Michigan native who played high school football in a Detroit suburb.

The Lions have also been connected to Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux at 2 but are keeping their options open. The pick is for sale, and GM Brad Holmes would be OK parting with it before the draft.

No team has used a top-two pick on a safety since the first Browns iteration selected Eric Turner second in 1991. The Lions have the Okwara brothers at defensive end, but after cutting Trey Flowers and not making a notable addition in free agency, the team certainly needs edge-rushing help. Detroit re-signed safety Tracy Walker this offseason, giving the 2018 draftee a three-year deal worth $25MM, and used Will Harris as a 17-game starter last season. Pro Football Focus graded Harris poorly in 2021, however.

Draft Rumors: Ojabo, Jaguars, Jets, Giants

April 6th, 2022 at 5:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Michigan still might see two of its edge rushers become first-round picks this month. Despite David Ojabo‘s Achilles tear last month, the ex-Wolverine’s talent could well keep him on track to hear his name called on the draft’s first night. Ojabo remains firmly on the Round 1 radar, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes. Ojabo is expected to make a full recovery, and a team that uses a first-round pick on him would be positioned to have him contracted for five seasons — via the fifth-year option. Operating opposite Aidan Hutchinson, Ojabo recorded 11 sacks in a breakout 2021. There is recent precedent for pre-draft injuries not keeping talented pass rushers out of the first round (Jeffery Simmons) and for Achilles rehabs going well enough players become factors months after the tears (Terrell Suggs, Michael Crabtree, Cam Akers).

Here is the latest from the draft world:

Hutchinson and NC State tackle Ikem Ekwonu met with the Jaguars this week, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes both will head to New York for Giants and Jets visits (Twitter link). Both players are candidates to go first overall, with Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker joining them. The Jets and Giants hold four of the next nine picks — the Jets having Nos. 4 and 10 and the Giants at 5 and 7 — and will be set to add top talent. The Giants have a few needs, but it will be hard to see them exiting Round 1 without a right tackle prospect. They have done extensive homework on Mississippi State’s Charles Cross and would likely pounce if Ekwonu, who is rated ahead of Cross almost universally, fell to 5.
After a strong Combine showing, Walker is being projected as a top-five pick. He will visit with each of the teams holding those selections, with Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com noting the Jags, Lions, Texans, Jets and Giants are meeting with the pass rusher. Despite weighing 272 pounds and frequently playing inside with the national championship-winning team, Walker clocked a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. Viewed as a D-lineman with fewer red flags than Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, it is unlikely Walker will wait long to hear his name called.
Teams will do their due diligence on Thibodeaux, who is set to meet with the non-Jaguars contingent of the top five (Lions, Texans, Jets, Giants). The Eagles (Nos. 15 and 18) and Falcons (No. 9) are also planning “30” visits with Thibodeaux, Wilson notes. Questions about Thibodeaux’s motor and attitude have injected uncertainty into the defensive end’s status. A fall to Philly at 15 might not shock at this point.
One season remains on Saquon Barkley‘s contract, and the Giants‘ new regime has fielded trade calls on the previous staff’s top investment. The team is now using a few of its allotted 30 visits on backs. Breece Hall (Iowa State), Brian Robinson (Alabama) and James Cook (Georgia) visited the Giants on Tuesday, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Hall could be available when the Giants’ second-round pick (No. 36) comes. However, the ex-Cyclones standout grades as a first-round talent on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board. Cook and Robinson are viewed as later-round prospects.
The Commanders are also taking a look at a top back, being set to meet with Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker on Friday, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Scouts Inc. grades Walker just ahead of Hall as this class’ top back, but views him as a second-round talent. The Wake Forest transfer blew up for 1,636 rushing yards in his only Michigan State slate. Washington also met with Hall this week, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.
Andrew Booth may miss his NFL team’s offseason workouts due to hernia surgery, but that should not deter teams from considering the Clemson cornerback in Round 1. Booth has met with the Bills (No. 25) and Eagles, with Rapoport adding Patriots (No. 21) and Saints (Nos. 16 and 19) meetings are also on Booth’s docket.

Jaguars Considering DE Travon Walker At No. 1 Overall

March 25th, 2022 at 5:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Linked to either Aidan Hutchinson or an offensive tackle at No. 1 overall, the Jaguars appear to have identified a sleeper for the honor of being the draft’s first player selected.

Buzz is building on Travon Walker, per ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline, who adds the Jaguars have identified the Georgia defensive end as a player they could select with the first pick. The Jags will use one of their allotted 30 prospect visits for a Walker meeting.

Walker tested well at the Combine, posting a 4.51-second 40-yard dash despite his 272-pound frame. This bettered Hutchinson’s 4.74 clocking. Hutchinson (260 pounds) bettered Walker in the 20-yard shuttle and three-cone drills. The Michigan product also is coming off a dominant senior season, registering 14 sacks and forcing two fumbles, finishing second in the Heisman voting. Used as less of a pure edge compared to Hutchinson, Walker recorded six sacks as a junior to help the Bulldogs to their first national championship since 1980.

ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranks Hutchinson as this draft’s top prospect, slotting Walker eighth. Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft sends Hutchinson to Jacksonville and Walker to Carolina at No. 6, though NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah moved Walker to the No. 2 overall pick. The Jags are “widely expected” to draft Hutchinson, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller adds, but Walker has at least crept into the equation.

Jacksonville using its franchise tag on left tackle Cam Robinson seemingly decreases the likelihood of a tackle pick. The team has used four first-round choices on defensive linemen since 2015 (Dante Fowler, Taven Bryan, Josh Allen, K’Lavon Chaisson), but the AFC South squad’s free agency spending spree did not include any edge rusher additions.

NFC North Notes: Lions, Flowers, Hunter

February 27th, 2022 at 8:20am CST by Rory Parks

The Lions, who own the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, are open to trading that selection. If GM Brad Holmes elects to keep it, however, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press does not expect Holmes to pick Liberty QB Malik Willis. Though Detroit worked closely with Willis at the Senior Bowl, and though the big-armed passer performed well at that event, the consensus still seems to be that he is not worthy of the No. 2 pick.

Theoretically, trading down from the top of the draft board could make it more likely that the Lions select Willis or a different quarterback with their first pick, but Birkett does not believe the club will draft a signal-caller with any of its first three selections (presently No. 2, No. 32, and No. 34 overall). If Detroit stays at No. 2, Birkett expects a pass rusher — either Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson or Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux — to be the choice.

Let’s round up a few more NFC North notes and rumors:

Birkett does expect the Lions to be more active in free agency this offseason than they were last year, and he cites wide receiver and safety as the two likeliest positions to be upgraded with a notable signing. Both he and Chris Burke of The Athletic (subscription required) believe edge defender Trey Flowers looms as a potential cap casualty — Flowers’ release would add $10.5MM to the Lions’ books if he is cut prior to June 1, and $16MM if he is designated a post-June 1 cut.
Even without removing Flowers from the roster, Holmes has roughly $25MM of cap space to work with. Because of his position (safety) and connection to the Lions‘ coaching staff, Birkett names the Saints’ Marcus Williams as a potential FA target for Holmes.
Vikings standout Danielle Hunter will line up both at DE and OLB in new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell‘s scheme, per Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune (via Twitter). Hunter has played in just seven games over the past two years, and between that lack of availability and his lofty 2022 cap charge of $26.1MM, Arif Hasan of The Athletic (subscription required) identifies him as a release candidate. Hasan, though, says such as a move is unlikely, and given how well Hunter performed in 2021 before succumbing to a torn pec — six sacks, six tackles for loss, and 10 QB hits in his seven games — it appears the LSU product will stay in Minnesota and will get a chance to show off his versatility.
The Bears have hired Matt Feinstein as their new director of football administration, per a team announcement. As Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports Chicago details, Feinstein worked in the league office for seven years, and he will replace Joey Laine, who served as former GM Ryan Pace‘s director of football administration and who was Pace’s lead contract negotiator and salary cap manager.