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Laremy Tunsil

Draft Updates: Higbee, Titans, Byard, Reed

April 11th, 2016 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

One of the top tight end prospects in this year’s draft, Tyler Higbee was charged with second-degree assault, alcohol intoxication in a public place, and second-degree fleeing or evading police on Sunday, Zach Greenwell of the Bowling Green Daily News reports.

The 23-year-old Western Kentucky product was considered a potential Day 2 pick, but these charges will undoubtedly cloud his draft weekend. Higbee caught 48 passes for 563 yards and eight touchdowns last season but missed five games due to a knee injury that he told reporters at his pro day was 75-80% healed.

Here are a few more Monday draft updates:

  • Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa are among the standout prospects visiting the Titans this week, tweets Jason Wolf of the Tennessean. The Titans are believed to like Bosa, but Tunsil remains the odds-on favorite to come off the board first overall if the club keeps its pick.
  • West Virginia cornerback Daryl Worley has made pre-draft visits to the Eagles and Cardinals, and has private workouts for the Panthers, Lions, and Jaguars, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
  • After a busy few days last week, Middle Tennessee State defensive back Kevin Byard will be on the move again this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Byard will be visiting the Cardinals today and the Rams tomorrow, followed by the Saints and Bengals.
  • In addition to making previously-reported visits to the Panthers, Lions, and Saints this week, Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed will also make trips to meet with the Bills and Bears, tweets Rapoport.
  • UCLA wide receiver and return man Devin Fuller has several visits and workouts left on his schedule, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network. Per Getlin, the Dolphins, Packers, and Chargers are among the teams that will get a close look at Fuller.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Reactions to D’Brickashaw Ferguson’s Retirement

April 9th, 2016 at 9:49am CST by Ben Levine

Following D’Brickashaw Ferguson‘s surprising retirement announcement yesterday, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes that the former fourth-overall pick deserves to be applauded for his contribution to the Jets. The 32-year-old never missed a game during his ten-year career, and the writer believes he’ll eventually be honored in the organization’s Ring of Honor.

As we previously learned, the Jets asked Ferguson to take a sizable pay cut for the next season, but Cimini doesn’t believe Ferguson’s decision can entirely be attributed to money. The offensive tackle showed signs of decline last season, and instead of being “the guy who hangs on,” Ferguson simply decided to hang it up.

Let’s check out some more notes regarding Ferguson’s surprise retirement…

  • Despite the announcement, the retirement isn’t yet official. Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole tweets that the two sides were still working to finalize the paperwork.
  • There have been rumblings that the Jets were among four teams to inquire on the Titans‘ first-overall pick in this year’s draft, but Cimini believes it’d take too much for the team to move up from the 20th pick. The writer opines that a deal involving this year’s first, two future picks, and Muhammad Wilkerson could get it done, but he’s uncertain whether he’d want to “mortgage the future” for Laremy Tunsil.
  • Cimini focused on several offensive line prospects the Jets could pursue in this year’s draft, including Ohio State’s Taylor Decker, Texas A&M’s Germain Ifedi, and Indiana’s Jason Spriggs.
  • In regards to veterans, Cimini points to Broncos lineman Ryan Clady, who is reportedly on the trade block. Potential free agent targets include Will Beatty and Jake Long.

AFC Draft Updates: Bills, Lynch, Jags, Broncos

April 6th, 2016 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

Most NFL teams have at least one representative in attendance at the pro day for Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch on Wednesday, but the Bills got a closer look at the young signal-caller on Tuesday night, according to Sal Paolantonio of ESPN, who reports that Buffalo took Lynch out for dinner (Twitter link via Mike Rodak).

The Bills have a quarterback they like in Tyrod Taylor, but Taylor has just one year remaining on his contract with the team, and an extension is not believed to be close, so it will be interesting to see if Buffalo nabs a QB early in this year’s draft. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman is in Memphis to check out Lynch.

Let’s round up a few more draft updates from across the AFC…

AFC Rumors: Titans, Tunsil, Chiefs, Steelers

March 29th, 2016 at 1:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Although a report on Monday suggested that Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa remains in the mix for the Titans with the first overall pick, Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil still appears to be the overwhelming favorite to be Tennessee’s pick, as Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) outlines. According to Cole, the fact that Tunsil won’t run a 40-yard dash and is dealing with a lingering hamstring issue shouldn’t have any real impact on his draft stock.

Still, while Tunsil is the odds-on favorite to be the first player off the board next month, not everyone agrees he should be. Writing for the Florida Times-Union, Hays Carlyon makes the case that the Titans should select Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey first overall. As Carlyon details, landing Ramsey would fill a hole for Tennessee and would keep a talented defender away from the division-rival Jaguars, who would probably love to grab him with the fifth overall pick.

As we look forward to seeing what Tennessee decides, let’s round up a few more updates from around the AFC…

  • A report earlier in March suggested that the Chiefs and 49ers had discussed a possible trade that would send De’Anthony Thomas to San Francisco. However, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links), Kansas City GM John Dorsey said today that Thomas isn’t going anywhere, denying that he had spoken to the Niners about a deal. Even if the two sides did have a conversation about Thomas, it’s unlikely that Dorsey would confirm it now that the 23-year-old appears likely to stay put.
  • The Steelers remain on the lookout for defensive line help. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that free agent defensive tackle Mike Martin recently visited Pittsburgh, while Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that the club will also bring in defensive end Jack Crawford for a visit this week. Martin has been a backup in Tennessee for most of the last four seasons, while Crawford picked up four sacks as a part-timer in Dallas in 2015.
  • Houston cornerback William Jackson III is visiting the Dolphins today, a source tells Wilson (Twitter link). Jackson projects as a probable first-round pick.
  • The Texans guaranteed $37MM to a player that the team’s decision-makers had essentially never met, as Peter King of TheMMQB.com writes. Using the Brock Osweiler signing as a point of reference, King makes the case for why the NFL should expand its annual legal tampering period to allow for free agent visits.

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.

Draft Rumors: Cowboys, Ramsey, Bosa

March 16th, 2016 at 4:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys want Jalen Ramsey, but they fear that he’ll be gone by No. 4, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net writes (via PhiladelphiaEagles.com). With that in mind, Dallas is eyeing Ohio State standouts Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott. Bosa would help bolster the team at defensive end while DeMarcus Lawrence recovers from surgery and Randy Gregory serves his first month suspension. Elliott, meanwhile, would give the team help at running back.

Here are the latest rumors on the 2016 NFL Draft (all of which come from Pauline, unless otherwise indicated):

  • Insiders believe that we could se three offensive tackles – Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley, and Jack Conklin – go in the first top 12 picks of the draft. That could start a run and Pauline writes that we could see six tackles taken in the first round.
  • The Cowboys would consider trading down, Pauline hears, but they want to stay ahead of the Giants at No. 10.
  • Observers at the UCLA pro day described Myles Jack as a “remarkable athlete.” One source told Pauline (in his running log for Walter Football) that “he looked like a defensive back doing linebacker drills.”
  • Aaron Wallace, the Bruins’ other notable linebacker, is gaining a lot of momentum in the scouting community, Pauline hears. Wallace currently has official visits set up with the Buccaneers, Browns, and Raiders with more likely on the way.
  • UCLA offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch has been graded as a top-75 selection, according to Pauline. Many believe that Benenoch can play tackle and guard in addition to center.
  • Georgia linebacker Jordan Jenkins says that he’ll have private workouts with the Raiders, Patriots, and Saints, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter) reports that Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook has private workouts scheduled with the Cowboys and Dolphins.
  • All 32 NFL teams were in attendance at MSU’s pro day, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. At the event, Cook met with the 49ers and Rams before the workout and met with the Browns‘ staff after.
  • Michigan State defensive tackle Joel Heath says that he will have a private workout with the Patriots this week, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets. In addition to that, he’ll meet with the Titans later this month. Heath previously met with the Colts and Buccaneers.
  • Pittsburgh wide receiver Tyler Boyd looked great at his Pro Day and the slowest unofficial 40-year-dash time that has been reported was in the low 4.5s.
  • Pittsburgh corner Lafayette Pitts recorded 40-yard-dash times under 4.4 seconds, with some watches marking him at 4.35.
  • There’s no definitive word on whether Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller will work out before the draft.
  • Youngstown State linebacker Terrell Williams is drawing interest from clubs. The Jets and Eagles, in particular, see him as a quality backup linebacker/core special teams guy.
  • The Lions have a private workouts set up with Michigan State offensive linemen Jack Conklin, Jack Allen, and Donavon Clark later this month, Birkett tweets.

Extra Points: Jaguars, Titans, Lions, Garoppolo

March 1st, 2016 at 9:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Some assorted notes from around the league on this Tuesday evening…

  • The Jaguars have hired former Falcons executive DeJuan Polk as their new assistant director of pro personnel, the team announced today (Twitter link via John Oehser of Jaguars.com). Polk has spent the majority of the last decade working as the pro personnel coordinator in Atlanta.
  • ESPN’s Bill Barnwell goes in-depth to explain why it might make more sense for the Titans to trade down in the draft rather than using the No. 1 overall pick on offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.
  • Meanwhile, ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky wonders if the Titans would gamble on Jalen Ramsey with the top pick. A defensive back has never been chosen with the first overall pick, but Titans general manager Jon Robinson didn’t necessarily rule out the idea. “I would say with the first overall pick, we’re looking to add an impact player,” he said. “There’s a handful of players that fit into that. A handful could be a couple or it could be 10 according to how big your hands are. But we want to come away with somebody that is going to impact our football team.”
  • The Lions expect 2015 draftee Quandre Diggs to be a regular contributor in nickel and dime defenses next season, but the team will still need to address the cornerback position in free agency or the draft, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
  • Tom Brady‘s new contract extension has observers reassessing Jimmy Garoppolo‘s role with the Patriots. However, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com doesn’t think New England’s backup QB will become a potential trade chip until at least 2017, unless another team blows away the Pats with an offer.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

AFC Notes: Browns, Osweiler, Titans

February 13th, 2016 at 8:08pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest from the AFC:

  • Given quarterback Brock Osweiler‘s lack of a track record, the Broncos have to take a cautious approach in re-signing the pending free agent, opines Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post. Osweiler was statistically superior to Peyton Manning last season – considering Manning’s struggles, that isn’t saying much – and Kiszla thinks the Broncos should offer him a three-year, $28.5MM deal. That probably wouldn’t be enough to prevent the 25-year-old from testing the free agent market, however.
  • Browns perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas said in January he wanted to see who would take over the team’s vacant general manager and head coaching positions before deciding whether to ask for a trade. The Browns’ front office is now in the hands of executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown, and Hue Jackson is their new head coach. Both have earned Thomas’ approval, which means he’s excited to continue his career in Cleveland. “He was the No. 1 guy that I was hoping that we would hire,” Thomas said of Jackson, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “We got the biggest fish to be had in this offseason and now he was able to put together an impressive staff, so the ship’s headed in the right direction.” On Brown, Thomas stated, “I’m really happy for him. He’s a guy that I’ve gotten to know over the last couple years in Cleveland, even before he took over as the head man, even before the conversation we had after the season, I developed a relationship with him.”
  • Taylor Lewan‘s presence may make it difficult for the Titans to draft Laremy Tunsil at No. 1 overall, Jim Wyatt of Titans.com writes in a mailbag. A second-year left tackle, Lewan rated as the No. 12 overall tackle, per Pro Football Focus, last season.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

NFL Draft Rumors: Spence, Jack, Cowboys

February 10th, 2016 at 5:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Eastern Kentucky’s Noah Spence is an interesting prospect with one of the more unique “red flag” situations in this year’s class. Spence, a former star at Ohio State, was dismissed from the Buckeyes after two positive tests for ecstasy. In 2015, Spence shined for the Colonels, but he’ll now have to answer questions about his history. They say that honesty is the best policy, and that’s exactly the approach that the defensive end will be taking heading into the draft, as Tony Pauline writes for PhiladelphiaEagles.com.

Last year, cornerback Marcus Peters wound up being a first-round pick of the Chiefs despite his own off-the-field issues. Peters’ strategy was to accept just about every interview and visit request from NFL teams and Spence will be taking a page out of his book. It’s probably not a coincidence that Peters and Spence share the same agent.

Here’s more on the NFL Draft, courtesy of Pauline:

  • Decision makers have indicated to Pauline that UCLA’s Myles Jack will go “very early” in the draft. Pauline admits that he, personally, is not a fan of the linebacker, but NFL decision makers are referring to Jack as a “rare athlete.” There are concerns about his size, but scouts are quick to point to Shaq Thompson, the Panthers first round pick in 2015, as an example of a player who was not held back by his statue. Jack, they say, is also a much better prospect than Thompson.
  • In an informal survey of NFL execs, Pauline says that this is the consensus for how the first five picks will go: 1. Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss, left tackle), 2. Jalen Ramsey (Florida State, defensive back) 3. Jared Goff (Cal, quarterback), 4. Jack, 5) Joey Bosa (Ohio State, defensive end).
  • Ramsey going that early would be disappointing to the Cowboys as Pauline hears that the FSU star sits atop their wish list. Dallas owns the No. 4 pick in the draft. Ramsey, a former top ten recruit out of high school, shows promise at both the cornerback and safety positions. Last season, he tallied 3.5 tackles for loss and 10 pass break-ups. In 2014, he had a gaudy stat line of 79 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and12 pass break-ups.
  • Former LSU cornerback Rashard Robinson is drawing a lot of interest and the Raiders and Giants are among the teams impressed by him. Robinson played at LSU in the 2013 season, but a series of issues led to him being jettisoned from the program. Robinson was suspended indefinitely in 2014 and was denied reinstatement to the program in 2015. Robinson has red flags, but he’s also a 6’2″ corner with talent.
  • Safety Keanu Neal (Florida) is getting late first-round consideration from teams. In fact, several teams view Neal as the “best-looking safety in the draft” thanks in no small part to his explosive play. A leg injury slowed him down somewhat in 2015, but scouts are putting more stock into film from the 2014 season when he was healthy.
  • Indiana defensive tackle Darius Latham has promise and, talent-wise, projects as a second/third round talent. However, like Spence, he has some off-the-field issues that need to be addressed. Latham was suspended back in September for a student ethics violation – the second suspension of his collegiate career. The Indiana standout measures at 6’4″, 310 pounds and finished his IU career with 81 tackles, 31 solo, 7.5 sacks (42 yards), 18.5 tackles for loss (66 yards), two fumble recoveries, one interception, seven pass breakups, and two blocked extra points.
  • Stanford linebacker Blake Martinez is generating buzz after he tallied six tackles in the Senior Bowl, Pauline writes.
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