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AFC Draft Rumors: Dolphins, Steelers, Ravens

April 25th, 2016 at 4:21pm CST by Luke Adams

After trading down a few weeks ago, could the Dolphins trade back up? Miami will consider moving up from No. 13 in order to grab either Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott or UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, multiple sources tell Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. Moving up from No. 13 to the top ten can be pricey, but top exec Mike Tannenbaum has said that he would be open to such a move for the right player.

Here’s are the latest NFL Draft rumors out of the AFC:

  • The Steelers, currently slated to pick 25th overall in this year’s draft, are unlikely to trade up, but moving down remains on the table, general manager Kevin Colbert said today (Twitter link via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
  • In the wake of the two major trades at the top of the draft, there’s a chance that Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil will still be on the board at No. 6 for the Ravens. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun explores that scenario, examining whether it would make sense for the club to pass up a top defensive prospect to fortify the left tackle spot.
  • The Chargers are expected to select a tight end at some point during this week’s draft — it’s just a matter of when. We heard last week that the team is considering Ohio State’s Nick Vannett, and Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune takes a closer look at the young tight end as a potential target for the Bolts.
  • Clemson linebacker B.J. Goodson met with 15 teams in total, via either a pre-draft visit or private workout, and the Texans were one of those teams, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
  • The Dolphins and Jets are among the teams that have shown interest in University of Minnesota cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link), who suggests that Boddy-Calhoun will likely either be a day three pick or an undrafted free agent.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFL Mailbags: Colts, Lions, Ravens, Patriots

April 23rd, 2016 at 10:42am CST by Ben Levine

Colts general manager Ryan Grigson is always a threat to make a big trade, but Mike Wells can’t envision the team moving back in the first round. The team could surely collect extra assets by making such a move, but Wells believes the team has too many holes to justify a trade. Grigson actually echoed this sentiment earlier in the week.

“I don’t think you (trade back) just to hoard more picks,” Grigson said. “I just think that wouldn’t be wise. I think we’ve moved up and moved back in every draft pretty much, so I think if the opportunity is there and there is a player we really like, quote, unquote ‘really like,’ then we’ll be aggressive if we can be.

“Like I said, we’ve got to make these picks count. There’s always picks — I’ve never tried to trade a pick like five years from now but maybe, you never know.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes via ESPN’s weekend NFL mailbags…

  • The Lions seem to have interest in Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Vernon Butler, writes Michael Rothstein. If the team is serious about adding the lineman, the writer believes they could trade back in the first round to secure both Butler and extra picks.
  • With the Rams and Eagles presumably trading up to select quarterbacks, Jamison Hensley now believes there’s a chance that Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey or Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil could fall to the Ravens at number-six.
  • While the Patriots could use their back-t0-back second rounders to move into the first round, Mike Reiss sees that as unlikely. Rather, the writer could envision the organization using a sixth-round pick to move up in the second round.

Draft Rumors: Conklin, Stanley, Chargers, Elliott

April 22nd, 2016 at 3:33pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s growing buzz around Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, who tweets that Conklin is getting top-10 consideration. Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) suggests that there are some coaches around the NFL that prefer Conklin to Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley, who is generally considered the draft’s second-best tackle after Laremy Tunsil.

Still, while Tunsil is viewed as the top tackle – and perhaps even the top player – by many teams around the NFL, there’s not a complete consensus on that. NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock (Twitter link) suggests there has been some “momentum” for Stanley to go in the top 10, perhaps even before Tunsil. While that seems unlikely, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter) that teams aren’t all set yet.

Here are a few more draft rumors and updates from across the league:

  • Speaking today to reporters, including Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter links), Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said that trade talks involving the No. 3 pick have “really slowed down” since Wednesday. The team will continue to explore trade opportunities and won’t make a final decision on the pick until next Thursday, but trade discussions have “quieted considerably.”
  • Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott could come off the board as high as No. 4 next Thursday, and likely won’t last beyond pick No. 13, says Jason Cole (video link). Cole suggests that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is very fond of Elliott, but as we saw a couple years ago when Dallas took Zack Martin over Johnny Manziel, Jones is willing to defer to other decision-makers in the team’s front office during the draft.
  • Bills officials are traveling to Alabama today to meet with defensive tackle Jarran Reed, multiple sources tell John Wawrow of The Associated Press. Reed had previously been scheduled to visit Buffalo, but had to cancel due to the birth of his child, says Wawrow. Since teams can no longer host players on pre-draft visits, the Bills will travel to Reed, rather than vice versa.
  • During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link), Southern Utah safety Miles Killebrew said that he paid a visit to the Seahawks.

Pauline’s Latest: Browns, Top 5, Alexander, Bears

April 19th, 2016 at 9:49pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Browns are shopping the No. 2 pick, but if they aren’t able to move it, they could end up selecting Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil and then trading nine-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas, several general managers have told Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. If Tunsil to Cleveland happens, those GMs expect Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey to land with the Chargers at No. 3, North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz to become the newest member of the Cowboys at No. 4, and UCLA linebacker Myles Jack to go fifth to the Jaguars.

Here are more early round draft rumors from Pauline:

  • Despite possessing first-round-caliber talent, Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander could drop to the second round because of his attitude. Some of Alexander’s Clemson coaches have given him unfavorable reviews to inquiring NFL teams, and clubs are weighing whether he’d be worth a first-rounder as a result.
  • The Bears, who hold the 11th pick, are giving serious consideration to Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed.
  • Boise State linebacker Kamalei Correa is a possibility for both the Colts and Saints in the first round. Indy could turn to Correa at No. 18 if Georgia’s Leonard Floyd is off the board and it deems Eastern Kentucky’s Noah Spence as too risky. The Saints, meanwhile, might move down from 12th to grab Correa.
  • Utah State linebacker Kyler Fackrell could head to the Jets in the second round if they don’t grab an LB with their first selection.

NFC Draft Notes: Eagles, Lions, Falcons, Bucs

April 16th, 2016 at 12:15pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at some AFC draft notes earlier today. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…

  • Jeff McLane of Philly.com backs a previous report that the Eagles had discussed a trade for the Titans‘ top pick. McLane believes the Rams are targeting California quarterback Jared Goff with the first selection, meaning the Eagles could still make a deal to acquire North Dakota quarterback Carson Wentz.
  • ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein can’t envision the Lions trading up for Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil. The writer has a hard time seeing the talented lineman falling past the Chargers at the third pick, and considering Detroit’s need for depth, he ultimately concludes that it wouldn’t be worth the cost of assets. As an alternative, Rothstein points to Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley as a potential target with the 16th pick.
  • The Falcons only have five picks heading into the draft, so D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the team will have to be creative with their approach. The writer wonders if the front office could potentially trade the 17th pick for additional assets. Atlanta could also target Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, who has fallen from the top-five following a knee injury at the Fiesta Bowl.
  • William & Mary linebacker Luke Rhodes has “drawn significant interest” from the Buccaneers, tweets Jenna Laine.

West Rumors: Broncos, Keenum, Rams, Foles

April 15th, 2016 at 5:57pm CST by Luke Adams

With the Rams poised to use their newly-acquired No. 1 pick to select a quarterback, the Broncos might have some interest in Case Keenum, who had been in line to be the starter in Los Angeles, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Troy Renck of the Denver Post adds (via Twitter) that the Broncos had some interest in Keenum before the Rams placed a first-round RFA tender on the QB.

Even if the Broncos are interested in working out a deal for Keenum, it’s not clear if the Rams would be on board. With Carson Wentz or Jared Goff joining the team, the depth chart at QB will certainly be crowded, with the rookie joining Keenum, Sean Mannion, and Nick Foles. However, the Rams like Keenum enough that they may prefer to explore a deal involving Foles or Mannion.

In fact, when Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk asked Rams head coach Jeff Fisher whether Foles will be on the team’s regular-season roster in 2016, Fisher was noncommittal, but called it a “good question,” hinting that the former Eagle could be the odd man out.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s West divisions, including a few more Rams-related notes:

  • Rams general manager Les Snead said today during an appearance on ESPN Radio that his team is “97% sure” about which player will be the first overall pick, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets.
  • As part of the trade for the No. 1 pick, the Rams agreed to send a 2017 third-round pick to the Titans. According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, that third-rounder will be a compensatory pick, since those comp picks can be traded beginning in 2017, and the Rams expect to get one for losing Janoris Jenkins. If L.A. doesn’t get a third-round comp pick, the team will send its own pick to Tennessee, and get a 2017 seventh-rounder back from the Titans.
  • The Broncos are expected to re-sign free agent safety Shiloh Keo when their offseason program gets underway next week, reports Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post (via Twitter). Keo, who signed in Denver last December, was arrested for driving under the influence in February.
  • The Rams hosted Iowa tight end Henry Krieger-Coble for a pre-draft visit today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
  • While the Chargers are viewed as a near-lock to select Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil if he’s on the board at No. 3, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune explains why Tunsil may be a bit of a “messy fit” in San Diego. Gehlken makes some good points, but given the Chargers’ offensive line woes in recent years, it would still be a surprise if they pass on the draft’s top tackle.

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.

La Canfora’s Latest: Browns, Goff, Titans, Eagles

April 13th, 2016 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, we learned that a high-ranking official told Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he believes the Browns have their sights set on Jared Goff at the No. 2 overall pick, rather than fellow quarterback Carson Wentz. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com thinks the same thing, writing today that Cleveland offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton favors Goff.

According to La Canfora, many Browns scouts prefer Wentz to Goff, so the Browns’ front office and personnel department isn’t unanimous when it comes to a QB preference. But there’s some concern about Wentz’s lack of experience against high-level opposition, and a belief that the analytics favor Goff. So if the Browns do select a signal-caller with the second overall pick, which isn’t guaranteed, La Canfora believes it will be Goff.

La Canfora’s latest piece at CBSSports.com includes plenty of other noteworthy tidbits, so let’s dive in and round them up….

  • The Titans have at least two trade offers on the table for the No. 1 overall pick that they consider “worthy starting points toward an eventual deal,” and La Canfora says rival teams expect GM Jon Robinson to eventually deal the pick. “They’ll market it up to the draft to get the best ransom they can, but they’ll move it,” said one executive for a team that has explored moving up. If the Titans do keep the first overall pick, La Canfora expects Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil to be the choice.
  • The Eagles are “in love” with Ezekiel Elliott, and there’s a chance he’ll be Philadelphia’s pick at No. 8. La Canfora continues to believe the team’s interest in quarterbacks is a smokescreen, but notes that some executives think GM Howie Roseman is set on making a big splash on draft day, which could mean nabbing a QB.
  • Scouts who have talked to La Canfora uniformly prefer Clemson’s Kevin Dodd to his teammate Shaq Lawson, and like Alabama’s Jarran Reed more than A’Shawn Robinson. “I really hope there are people in this league who like Robinson more than Reed,” one top evaluator said of the Crimson Tide duo. “That just makes it easier for us.” Robinson is viewed as a player whose stock is being overstated by mock drafts, as is Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple.
  • Several teams, including the Chiefs, are very high on Louisiana Tech defensive lineman Vernon Butler, who is expected to be a first-round pick, per La Canfora.
  • La Canfora expects TCU’s Josh Doctson to be the first wide receiver to come off the board.
  • The Steelers are doing a lot of homework on cornerbacks, leading La Canfora to believe they’ll probably go in that direction in the first round.

AFC Draft Notes: Titans, Bills, Ragland

April 12th, 2016 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s no secret that the Titans are willing to trade down from No. 1 in this year’s draft, and one high-level executive from a team in the top half of the draft suggests to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Tennessee may be torn between top tackles Laremy Tunsil and Ronnie Stanley. Tunsil is widely expected to be selected first, but if the Titans were to move down a little, the team could potentially draft whichever tackle is still on the board at that point – likely Stanley – while picking up an extra selection or two in the process.

As we wait to see what general manager Jon Robinson ultimately decides to do with that first overall pick, let’s round up another handful of draft updates from out of the AFC….

  • The Bills are hosting Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland for a visit today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link). Ragland, who visited the Rams on Monday, is projected to be a first-round pick, and could still be on the board when Buffalo picks at No. 19.
  • After making a visit to Kansas City last week, Northern Illinois linebacker Perez Ford is meeting with another AFC West team today, per Aaron Wilson, who tweets that Ford is visiting the Raiders.
  • UCLA pass-catching tight end Thomas Duarte is visiting the Dolphins today, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Getlin suggests that Duarte may be an ideal match for Adam Gase’s offensive scheme.
  • Most of the Steelers‘ pre-draft visitors so far have been defensive players, but the team took a look at an offensive prospect today, bringing in Oklahoma wide receiver Sterling Shepard, tweets Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Having already worked out for New Orleans and Philadelphia, Boston College linebacker Steven Daniels is paying a visit to New England to meet with the Patriots, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net, who tweets that the Pats would be a good fit for Daniels.

West Notes: A. Davis, Chargers, Cardinals

April 11th, 2016 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

In his MMQB column this week, Peter King noted that one source believes the 49ers “want to trade” veteran offensive tackle Anthony Davis, who remains on the reserve/retired list for now. Davis took to Twitter to let his followers know that GM Trent Baalke sent him a text message calling King’s tidbit “false reporting.”

What to make of King’s report and Baalke’s response (via Davis)? For what it’s worth, King presented the info as something that one high-ranking team executive believed, rather than something King himself was formally reporting. Still, it’s unlikely that the team exec simply invented the notion that Davis might be on the trade block. It’s possible that Baalke and the Niners have sent out feelers without explicitly shopping their offensive tackle, attempting to get a sense of their options.

As we wait for further developments on the Davis situation, let’s round up some more items from out of the NFL’s West divisions…

  • The Chargers, who hold the third overall pick in this month’s draft, hosted Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil for a visit today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Tunsil is considered by many experts the top prospect in this year’s draft class, so he may not be on the board at No. 3, but San Diego is doing its homework just in case.
  • Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who is in Pittsburgh today, is scheduled to visit the Chargers next, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • After playing for the Cardinals for 12 seasons, longtime safety Adrian Wilson is now a part of the team in another capacity. According to a press release, Wilson has joined Arizona’s personnel department as a full-time scout.
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