Jerell Adams

Clemson’s Shaq Lawson has been labeled as a likely top-15 pick in April’s draft, but it’s his teammate — edge rusher Kevin Dodd — who’s been drawing more praise from some NFL clubs, reports Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. Several teams now have Dodd, who will perform defensive lineman drills at the combine but is also capable of playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, ranked ahead of Lawson. One club that could target Lawson on in Round 1 is the Cardinals, per Pauline, as Arizona is expected to prioritize both defensive ends and safeties during the early portion of the draft.

Let’s take a look at a few more draft notes, all courtesy of Pauline…

• If the Bills don’t select a quarterback early in the draft, they could grab Stanford signal-caller Kevin Hogan late, per Pauline. Buffalo met with Hogan at the Senior Bowl, and the club was apparently with both his athleticism and arm strength, as well as his “next level potential.”
• Michigan tight end A.J. Williams might not be selected in the draft, but he could end up being a priority free agent, as Pauline reports that both the Jets and Cowboys have to begun to show interest in the 6’5″, 270-pounder. It’s expected that Williams could act as a team’s third tight end in 2016, and be especially useful in the red zone.
• NFL teams are also impressed by the athleticism of another tight end, South Carolina’s Jerell Adams, and Pauline believes he could end up being the fourth tight end selected in the draft. Adams, a former basketball player, reportedly showed excellent blocking skills at the Senior Bowl.
• Boise State defensive end Kamalei Correa projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the pros, but some teams also believe could play inside, thanks not only to his versatility and presumably his movement skills, but also to his intangibles, which Pauline says NFL teams are increasingly valuing in middle linebackers.