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Nick Vannett

Draft Rumors: 4/10/16

April 10th, 2016 at 10:56am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some of today’s draft rumors. We will update this page as necessary throughout the day:

  • Memphis QB Paxton Lynch will meet with the Jets on Thursday, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). The Jets, of course, are still looking to bring back free agent signal-caller Ryan Fitzpatrick, but the two sides remain far apart on contract terms. Lynch is widely-regarded as one of the top three quarterback prospects in this year’s draft. Mehta confirms that Gang Green will also visit with Ohio State TE Nick Vannett tomorrow.
  • Alcorn State QB John Gibbs, Jr. worked out for the Texans at their local prospect workout yesterday, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. As we learned yesterday, prospects like Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah and UCLA OT Caleb Benenoch were also in attendance.
  • According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter), there are several themes emerging with regards to the top CB prospects in this year’s draft. Some evaluators prefer Ohio State’s Eli Apple to Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves III–Hargreaves has been ranked almost universally as the best corner in the draft outside of Jalen Ramsey–and some prefer Miami’s Artie Burns to Clemson’s Mackensie Alexander and Houston’s William Jackson III.
  • Western Michigan WR Daniel Braverman–who was not even invited to this year’s Scouting Combine–has already visited the Vikings, Saints, and Dolphins, and is set to visit with the Raiders, Seahawks, and Bengals this week, according to NFL Network’s Rand Getlin. (Twitter links). Braverman had a whopping 109 receptions for 1,367 yards last season.

 

AFC Notes: Titans, Conklin, Broncos, Raiders

April 5th, 2016 at 8:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil is the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, but he’s not the only standout tackle the Titans are eyeing. A source tells Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com that the team is expected to host Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin for a visit soon. Conklin isn’t a candidate to come off the board first, but if Tennessee ends up moving down in the first round, he could be in play for the Titans.

Here’s more from across the AFC:

  • Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott was hosted for a pre-draft visit by the Broncos today, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Prescott is unlikely to go in the first round, so the Broncos could look to target him in the second or third round of the draft.
  • Central Arkansas defensive end Jonathan Woodard had a visit scheduled with the Raiders on Monday and will meet with the Titans on Friday, as Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News tweets.
  • Oklahoma State defensive lineman Emmanuel Ogbah recently paid a visit to the Bills and will soon visit the Texans, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network.
  • Seth Walder of the New York Daily News provides some details on Brandon Marshall‘s civil trial stemming from an altercation outside a Manhattan nightclub in 2012. As Walder notes, Marshall didn’t face criminal charges at the time, but it’s unclear if the NFL might still consider discipline, should the Jets wideout lose the civil trial.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett said he has a visit on Sunday with the Jets (Twitter link via Alex Marvez of FOX Sports). Vannett has frequently been linked to Gang Green in recent weeks, having already privately worked out for and met with the team.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Bosa, Powell, Chargers, Browns

March 11th, 2016 at 10:34am CST by Zachary Links

The latest draft buzz:

  • Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa will be dining with the Chargers on Friday evening, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net tweets.
  • Safety Tyvis Powell had one-on-one interviews with the Browns, Lions, Titans, and Saints, per Pauline (via WalterFootball.com). The Titans are looking to grab a safety on day two of the draft while the Lions are hoping to grab a safety early after whiffing on George Iloka in free agency.
  • Tight end Nick Vannett met with the Eagles, 49ers, Broncos, Seahawks, Falcons, and Jets. The Ohio State tight end was said to have had a strong showing at the 2016 Senior Bowl. At 6’6″ and 257 pounds, he has the size to compete as an NFL tight end. The Jets met with Vannett previously, so they could have a heightened level of interest in him.
  • Fast-rising Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee interviewed with the Browns and Saints on Thursday, per Pauline.
  • Mississippi State defensive back Taveze Calhoun met “extensively” with the 49ers and he has had private meetings with the Dolphins, Giants, and Rams. It sounds like Calhoun could be rising up draft boards.
  • Ohio State receiver Michael Thomas looked impressive at the program’s Pro Day and Pauline added that he met with the Saints on Thursday. He also had an “outstanding” meeting with the Browns and he’ll meet with the Patriots next week.

Extra Points: TNF, Randle, Wentz, Draft

February 1st, 2016 at 5:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL announced today that it has reached an agreement with CBS and NBC to expand its Thursday Night Football package for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. While all of the Thursday night games will continue to be either aired or simulcast on the NFL Network, CBS will now show five of the games, while NBC will show another five.

According to a CNBC report (via Twitter), the fees for the Thursday night rights will be approximately $450MM. Although CNBC doesn’t specify, it’s probably safe to assume that each network will be paying that amount for the right to air a total of 10 games each – five per season – in 2016 and 2017. In 2015, CBS paid $300MM for eight games, so a bump up to $450MM for 10 apiece makes sense.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the league:

  • Former Cowboys running back Joseph Randle has run into more trouble off the field, according to Matt Peterson of the Dallas Morning News, who reports that Randle was arrested early Monday morning in Irving and booked on a speeding charge. Randle’s off-field behavior was a factor in the Cowboys’ decision to release him in the fall, and it’s hard to imagine him getting a chance from another team if those legal issues persist.
  • In a piece for PhiladelphiaEagles.com, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net focuses on the top quarterbacks available in this year’s draft, writing that Carson Wentz‘s stock is on the rise, and he and Jared Goff could both be top-five picks this spring. NFL decision-makers are also bullish on Christian Hackenberg‘s upside, and he’s expected to come off the board in the top 75 picks.
  • Within that same piece, Pauline also suggests that Ohio State’s Nick Vannett could be the first tight end selected in the draft, and says Boise State safety Darian Thompson saw his stock rise at the Senior Bowl.
  • In a memo, the NFL Players Association has indicated that agents are now required to contact the union at the “beginning of substantive discussions” on veteran re-negotiations worth at least $2MM per year, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network. While the exact reason for this change is unclear, Getlin – citing “smart folks behind the scene” – suggests it may be a reaction to players signing extensions that didn’t thrill the NFLPA (Twitter link).