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Laquon Treadwell

Draft Rumors: Treadwell, Ragland, Correa, Jets

April 22nd, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets have been eyeing linebackers Reggie Ragland (Alabama) and Kamalei Correa (Boise State) in recent days, according to Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. Ragland, specifically, would act as a future replacement for veteran David Harris, but he could be in play as high as pick No. 13 to the Dolphins. However, Washington and the Packers are seen as the most likely landing spots for Ragland, per Pauline.

Let’s take a look at some more draft rumors, all courtesy of Pauline…

  • The Giants have been linked to wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, but Pauline speculates that New York could trade down from the No. 10 pick before selecting him. The Titans (pick No. 15) would make for an ideal trade partner, and they could move up with their sights set on offensive tackle Jack Conklin.
  • Conklin is a popular name in the top half of Round 1, as Pauline reports that the Browns are interested in the Michigan State product with the eighth pick. Conklin would act as a replacement for Mitchell Schwartz, who departed via free agency, at right tackle.
  • The Panthers lost Josh Norman after rescinding his franchise tag, but they have their eye on another corner in the draft, as Pauline says Carolina could select Southeastern Louisiana defensive back Harlan Miller at the end of the third round. Miller had a private workout with the Panthers earlier this month.
  • Some general managers think Ohio State’s Nick Vannett is the only true three-down tight end available in the draft, which could help his stock. The Chargers and Falcons will consider taking Vannett in Round 2 or 3, per Pauline.

Extra Points: Treadwell, Spence, Jets, Giants

April 18th, 2016 at 9:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds one more club to the list of teams bringing in Ole Miss wideout Laquon Treadwell for visits, tweeting that Treadwell will meet with the Jets on Wednesday. Eastern Kentucky pass rusher Noah Spence will be visiting Gang Green on Wednesday as well, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, who adds that UCLA receiver Devin Fuller met with New York today (Twitter links).

Here are a few more notes from around the NFL, with a heavy emphasis on draft visits…

  • Carson Wentz isn’t the only North Dakota State prospect making the rounds — fullback/tight end Andrew Bonnet finsihed a visit with the Giants tonight, and has also met with the Panthers, reports Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link).
  • San Jose State running back Tyler Ervin is visiting the Rams on Tuesday, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Ervin rushed for more than 1,600 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2015.
  • Cornerback Ryan Smith has taken visits with the Raiders, Dolphins, and Vikings, the North Carolina Central product tells Alex Marvez on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
  • Offensive lineman Ben Ijalana‘s one-year deal with the Jets is worth $840K, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who adds that Ijalana receives $150K guaranteed.
  • The Seahawks will work out running back Giavanni Ruffin tomorrow, tweets Jared Tokarz of WhosNextFootball.com. Ruffin, who hasn’t played football since way back in 2010, posted 692 rushing yards for East Carolina between 2009-10.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC Rumors: Treadwell, Giants, Packers, Rams, Britt

April 14th, 2016 at 8:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the NFC:

  • Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell identified the Giants and Bears last month as two teams that had shown interest in him. Now, he’ll visit both of those clubs. Rand Getlin of the NFL Network tweets that Treadwell will visit the Giants on Monday, then the Bears after that.
  • With seven members of the Packers‘ 2016 free agent class still unsigned, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com explores whether or not Green Bay will eventually re-sign players like fullback John Kuhn, linebacker Mike Neal, and others.
  • Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt has signed with agent Fadde Mikhail for representation, as Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal tweets. Britt, a Rutgers product, was formally repped by SportsTrust Advisors. Britt, 28 in September, caught 36 passes for 681 yards and three touchdowns in 2015. That was a step back from 2015 when he hauled in 48 passes for 748 yards and three scores. Britt is scheduled to carry a cap number of $4.85MM this season before hitting the open market.
  • The Cardinals met with Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott on Thursday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • Texas-El Paso defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris is set to visit the Packers next, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
  • Linebacker Leonard Floyd has been visiting the Bears over the past two days, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Pauline’s Latest: Jets, Titans, Conklin, Giants

April 13th, 2016 at 5:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Most NFL people that Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via WalterFootball.com) has spoken with tell him that the Jets could still look to take an offensive tackle in the first round even after trading for Ryan Clady. With that in mind, the Jets are bringing Jason Spriggs of Indiana to Florham Park, New Jersey for an official visit on Thursday.

Many view Spriggs as the best pure left tackle in the draft outside of Ole Miss star Laremy Tunsil. Spriggs has been rising on draft boards around the league and the Hoosiers senior has already visited the Broncos and Saints and worked out for the Titans and Ravens.

Here’s the latest from Pauline:

  • Recently, it was reported that the Titans would consider trading down from No. 1 to select Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley. Pauline hears that Michigan State’s Jack Conklin is also in the conversation if the Titans move down. Pauline previously ID’d Conklin as a possible Top 12 pick in this year’s draft.
  • The Giants continue to show strong interest in Laquon Treadwell, who is in the conversation at No. 10 overall, Pauline hears. Pauline also adds that several teams do not agree with the assertion that Treadwell is only the second-best wide receiver in this year’s class. While some reports would indicate that the Ole Miss product is slipping down draft boards, that might not be the case.
  • Speaking of the Jets, Pauline hears that they are very high on tackle Brent Qvale, a UDFA they added in 2014. However, Pauline gets the sense that the Clady signing means that Gang Green does not see him as being quite yet ready for a starting role. Qvale lined up at both left and right tackle during weekly practice in 2015. Sources tell Pauline that Qvale is likely to replace Breno Giacomini in 2017 if he continues to progress.
  • Western Kentucky tight end George Fant is garnering attention from NFL scouts, Pauline writes. Fant, a former WKU basketball player, has also received consideration at offensive tackle, but scouts believe that he should be a tight end because of his soft hands. If Fant drops some additional weight (currently 296 pounds), the belief is that he can make it work at TE. Fant has (or has had) workouts with a number of teams including the Bengals, Broncos, Cardinals, Chargers, Saints, and Seahawks. While Fant is apparently rising up draft boards, fellow Western Kentucky tight end Tyler Higbee is seeing his stock fall due to an off-the-field incident.

Cowboys Rumors: Hardy, Goff, Wentz

April 4th, 2016 at 7:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of Dallas:

  • Free agent defensive end Greg Hardy sat down for an interview with Adam Schefter of ESPN (video link) and claimed that he never put his hands on his alleged domestic assault victim. Hardy had another solid season as a pass rusher in 2015, recording six sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception in 12 games for the Cowboys. However, he remains on the open market thanks to his reputation for being difficult in the locker room and the PR backlash that his signing would bring for a team.
  • The Cowboys will bring in quarterbacks Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch, Christian Hackenberg, Connor Cook, and Jacoby Brissett for visits, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. Hackenberg, Cook, and Brissett could be had later in the draft while Goff, Wentz, and Lynch are likely first round picks.
  • Laquon Treadwell will visit with the Cowboys tomorrow, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter).
  • Shaq Lawson‘s long anticipated visit to the Cowboys took place on Monday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • Alabama running back Derrick Henry will visit the Cowboys this week, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter links) has the details on Joe Looney‘s two-year contract with Dallas. The interior lineman will get $1.675MM with a $100K signing bonus and salaries of $775K and $800K. He’ll also get a $250K play time incentive in 2016 and a $500K playtime incentive in 2017.
  • Jack Crawford‘s one-year deal will pay him $1.1MM but he can earn up to $1.6MM through incentives, Clarence Hill of The Star-Telegram tweets.

Draft Notes: Browns, Seahawks, Saints

April 2nd, 2016 at 12:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted draft notes from around the NFL…

  • Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook had an official visit with the Browns, reports Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. The writer notes that Cook could be an option towards the end of the first round. This follows news that the organization was planning on hosting Carson Wentz, who the team could theoretically select with the second-overall pick.
  • Alabama running back Derrick Henry is set to meet with the Seahawks, reports Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. “I have my own path. (Marshawn Lynch) did a great job; unbelievable job with the Seahawks,” Henry said. “But you know, I wanna have my own path and do my own thing.”
  • If teams are seeking help at defensive tackle, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah believes they won’t have to spend a first-rounder to secure one. “A lot of it has been said out there, but it’s one of the best defensive tackle drafts I can remember,” Jeremiah said (via Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com). “I started in 2003 in scouting, and I can’t remember this much depth of talent at that position.”
  • Meanwhile, while Ole Miss wideout Laquon Treadwell could be a logical pick for the Saints with the 12th pick, Jeremiah believes the team would be better off holding out. “We’ve been so spoiled the last two years with the depth of talent, I don’t think we quite have that this year in terms of that top-end talent (at receiver),” Jeremiah said. “But I do think in the middle rounds there is a lot of value to be found there.”

NFC North Notes: Lions, Carter, Vikings, Bears

March 31st, 2016 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

As we wait for Chicago’s anticipated agreement with offensive lineman Ted Larsen to become official, here are several Thursday morning updates from across the NFC North:

  • After visiting the Jets on Wednesday, linebacker Bruce Carter heads to Detroit for a visit with the Lions, according to Connor Hughes of USA Today. The veteran free agent has displayed some versatility, playing both inside and outside linebacker in 4-3 schemes, which could appeal to the Lions.
  • Rick Spielman is among the observers in attendance at TCU’s pro day, and as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune tweets, it’s probably not a coincidence that the Vikings general manager keeps showing up at pro days for top wide receiver prospects. Per Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Minnesota will bring in TCU’s Josh Doctson and Ole Miss wideout Laquon Treadwell for a closer look next week.
  • Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com suggests that the Bears ought to find a way to add some depth at quarterback behind Jay Cutler, pointing to the draft as one way the team could land a QB. Dickerson also wonders if ex-Bear Josh McCown might be a fit in Chicago if he’s released by the Browns.
  • According to Lions GM Bob Quinn, Marvin Jones‘ impressive route-running and his “very good” hands were among the traits that most appealed to the team. Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com has the details and the quotes from Quinn, who explained why the Lions felt comfortable investing heavily in the free agent receiver this offseason.

Draft Rumors: QBs, Ramsey, Treadwell, Browns

March 29th, 2016 at 6:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jalen Ramsey would prefer to play cornerback despite excelling at both secondary positions at Florida State, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports.

His preference for the higher-paying position, though, comes with the obvious caveat of being willing to play safety as well, possibly expressing malleability to increase his chances of being taken in the top three picks.

One AFC scout in attendance said, “Take your pick; either one” regarding Ramsey’s NFL fit. “He has the range; he’s got some length to him, and he has the ball skills,” the scout told O’Halloran regarding Ramsey’s ability to slot at free safety. “He has a lot of things going for him.”

Four GMs — the Titans‘ Jon Robinson, the Steelers‘ Kevin Colbert, the Buccaneers‘ Jason Licht and the Bills‘ Doug Whaley — attended the pro day, while Mike Mularkey and Mike Tomlin were on hand as well.

Here’s the latest about this year’s crop of top prospects.

  • The 49ers and Browns are slated to work out Jared Goff, Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports (on Twitter). Both Hue Jackson and Chip Kelly were in attendance at the Cal quarterback’s pro day March 18.
  • San Francisco also has a workout scheduled with Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports. The 49ers are expected to meet with Carson Wentz as well soon, as are the Browns, per Barrows. Cook is rated by most as the No. 4 quarterback on the board and could fall to the second round, while Wentz is expected to be chosen in the top 10. Colin Kaepernick‘s $11.9MM salary in 2016 becomes guaranteed if he’s still on the 49ers’ roster by 3 p.m., Thursday.
  • The Eagles plan to work out Wentz on Thursday, ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. Philadelphia’s brass observed Goff during a private workout on Monday. While these two passers have become the consensus top two quarterback prospects, Caplan hears from several NFL coaches and executives that Goff is better equipped to come in and contribute immediately (Twitter link).
  • Caplan also reports that one NFL offensive coordinator would sit Memphis’ Paxton Lynch, who hovers a bit below Goff and Wentz on experts’ draft boards as of now, for two seasons while the lanky talent learns the pro game (Twitter link).
  • Laquon Treadwell‘s 4.63-second 40-yard dash clocking at Ole Miss’ pro day didn’t necessarily shock scouts in attendance but caused some concerns about the first-round prospect’s long-term viability, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report hears (video link). The scouts Cole spoke with don’t believe the Ole Miss early-entry talent’s ability to get open effectively in the next four or five years will be affected by his lack of straight-line speed, but there are worries about whether Treadwell can have a long, successful career. The scouts expressed concern that once the rangy receiver loses some of his already-mediocre speed his route-running and body-positioning prowess won’t be enough to compensate.
  • The Browns are bringing in Treadwell for a visit Thursday, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. Despite his lack of top-end speed, Treadwell is still expected to come off the board by the middle of the first round, which would be in the Browns’ range only if they traded down from their No. 2 overall slot or up from No. 32, Ulrich writes.
  • Temple wide receiver Robby Anderson visited the Browns today, Ulrich reports. Jackson told media at the owners’ meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., receiver is a position is an area the Browns “need to address, obviously,” as Josh Gordon‘s status for 2016 is still unknown. “I’ve gone on record before saying I like to have bigger, faster guys play the position,” Jackson told media. “We have some very talented guys right now. They’re slight in stature, but they’re tough, and I’m looking forward to working with them and see if there’s more that we can gain from them. But at the same time, I still think it’s an area that we need to get better. And we will.”

Draft Rumors: Tunsil, Nkemdiche, Giants

March 28th, 2016 at 6:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Laremy Tunsil has yet to run the 40-yard-dash and, apparently, he won’t be doing so anytime between now and the draft, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. Tunsil, who is a candidate for the No. 1 pick, apparently tweaked his hamstring last Thursday and is therefore reluctant to be timed on the 40. While teams like to be thorough before taking a player high in the draft, one can’t help but wonder if the 40-yard-dash is all that important for an offensive tackle.

Here’s the latest draft news:

  • Defensive line coaches from the Dolphins and Bengals ran the defensive line workout at Ole Miss’ pro day and tried to break Robert Nkemdiche but they could not, Tony Pauline writes for WalterFootball.com. Everyone in attendance was impressed with his position drills with some calling it a “special workout,” Pauline writes.
  • The Broncos and Giants will conduct an official visit with Nkemdiche, Pauline writes. While it has been reported that Giants GM Jerry Reese was at Ole Miss’ pro-day to watch Laquon Treadwell, Pauline hears that he was there equally for Nkemdiche.
  • Treadwell could see his draft stock take a hit after a disappointing performance at the Ole Miss pro day, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link). Treadwell had a chance to cement himself as the No. 1 wide receiver in the draft at his pro day but, instead he ran a (unofficially timed) 4.63 second 40-yard-dash and posting only 33 inches on his vertical leap. Treadwell’s bad day could open the door for Michael Thomas and Corey Coleman to go ahead of Treadwell next month, Miller says.
  • Of course, Treadwell drew quite a crowd with wide receiver coaches from the Chargers and Cardinals on hand to see him along with Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter and top officials from the Rams, Pauline writes.
  • Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link) is hearing first round buzz for former Ohio State standout Braxton Miller. Miller is looking to play wide receiver in the NFL after playing under center earlier in his college career. Miller worked out for the Texans recently and sources tell Miller that Houston sees him as possibility at No. 22. The Bengals, Vikings, and Panthers could also consider Miller late in the first round.

Draft Updates: Treadwell, Nkemdiche, Goff

March 28th, 2016 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The pro day for Ole Miss players took place on Monday, meaning all eyes were on prospects like wide receiver Laquon Treadwell and defensive end Robert Nkemdiche. Treadwell said today that he has private workouts lined up with the Bengals and Dolphins, according to Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com (Twitter link). The young wideout met with the 49ers last night, per Tony Pauline at WalterFootball.com.

Nkemdiche had dinner with the Cowboys last night and will officially visit the team’s facility prior to the draft, but Dallas is just one of 14 teams he’s scheduled to visit, according to Pauline. The Niners, Chargers, Raiders, Buccaneers, and Bears are also on the docket for Nkemdiche.

Here are several more draft updates from around the league:

  • The Eagles invested significant money in a pair of quarterbacks this month, signing Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel to new contracts, but that doesn’t mean the team has entirely ruled out the possibility of drafting one early. Per John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game (Twitter link), Philadelphia is doing its homework on Jared Goff, working out the Cal QB in Berkeley today.
  • Writing for PhiladelphiaEagles.com, Tony Pauline reports that he has spoken to insiders who believe the Titans are considering Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa with the No. 1 overall pick. The general consensus is that Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil will come off the board first overall, but some of Pauline’s sources believe it’s a “coin flip between Tunsil and Bosa” at this point.
  • During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link), Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones revealed that, while he hasn’t made any trips yet, he has private workouts scheduled with the Bills and Cardinals.
  • Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (via Twitter) adds the Dolphins to the list of teams looking at Georgia outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins, who has been linked to at least five other teams.
  • Defensive tackle Vernon Butler, a Louisiana Tech product, said on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link) that he has a visit with the Bengals lined up for Thursday.
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