HEADLINES

Sam Beal

Albert Breer On NFL Supplemental Draft

July 2nd, 2018 at 12:16pm CST by Zachary Links

This year’s supplemental draft figures to be the most exciting in years. Those who have been keeping up with Pro Football Rumors in recent weeks are already familiar with Sam Beal, the former Western Michigan cornerback who many say could have been a first-round pick in the 2019 draft. Besides Beal, there’s also former Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander to consider, a player with tremendous measurables and real NFL upside.

There are others in this year’s class, but Albert Breer of The MMQB hears that Beal and Alexander may wind up as the only players selected. That’s bad news for Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant, who recently drew 40 scouts to his pro day.

“He’s a nightmare discipline-wise,” one AFC college director said. “Very unreliable, plays outside the scheme, not reliable in coverage, his eyes are all over the place. Just can’t trust him. He’s physical and quick and fast. Should he be draftable? Sure. But with all the other stuff …”

The odds seem even dimmer for Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu and Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter. Although he has some starting experience in college, Ugwoegbu has the size of the safety and clocked in at his pro day with the speed of a defensive tackle. Carter’s size is also working against him as evaluators feel he does not have the necessary bulk to break tackles and run inside at the pro level.

So, while Bryant, Ugwoegbu, and Carter may have a hard time convincing teams to forfeit a 2019 draft pick for them, it sounds like Beal and Alexander are very much on the radar. Beal may have some maturity issues, but that shouldn’t prevent him from finding an NFL home on July 11.

“He’s the more talented cover guy [compared to Alexander],” said an AFC scouting director. “A pure cover guy, fits a lot of schemes. He’s a skinny dude, and even though he presses well, you look at his body, how well does he project? … He’s not a bad guy, just kind of a knucklehead. The kind who’ll wear the wrong color socks or miss curfew or have 25 parking tickets and not pay them off.”

Meanwhile, Breer hears that Alexander’s size could make him a fit for the Seahawks. His 40-yard-dash time at his pro day might not have helped him, as he clocked in at 4.50 seconds on one run and 4.60 on another.

“If he’d run faster, I wouldn’t have been shocked to see him in the second or third round,” said an NFC exec. “I think the absolute highest he’d go now is third round. He’s so big and long.”

Latest On Darqueze Dennard

July 1st, 2018 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Parks

Bengals CB Darqueze Dennard will play out the 2018 season under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, so he will be eligible for unrestricted free agency next offseason. After an underwhelming and injury-plagued first three years in the league, the Michigan State product turned in a strong 2017, mostly as a slot corner, and he has set himself up for a nice payday if he replicates that performance in 2018 (which would also make for a difficult business decision for Cincinnati).

As Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes, the Bengals have proven that they are willing to pay when it comes to cover corners. And Dennard believes he can not only be a good slot corner, but that he can handle opposing receivers outside the numbers as well, which he showed flashes of last season. The team has previously indicated that it would be open to extending Dennard, despite the investments it has already made in fellow corners Dre Kirkpatrick and William Jackson III, but Dennard himself is not sure if he’s ready for that conversation just yet.

He said, “That’s something that I think me and my agent and my family will have to sit down and talk about. But I mean, when that time come, the time come. I’m not pressed on it. I’ve got some goals that I have personally that I gotta work on, on the football field.”

He then suggested that he may be interested in testing the open market, as he smiled and added, “You know how defensive backs is anyway – we like to gamble. So I’m not too much sure how I feel any way about it.”

In any event, Dennard is slated to earn $8.526MM in 2018, which actually makes him the 21st-highest paid CB in the game. He will look to build on a 2017 campaign that saw him post career highs in forced fumbles (one), interceptions (two), sacks (two), passes defensed (six), solo (61) and total tackles (85).

In other Bengals news, Owczarski reports that the team has shown interest in supplemental draft prospects Sam Beal and Adonis Alexander, both of whom are cornerbacks who could theoretically replace Dennard in 2019.

East Notes: Beal, Wake, Giants

July 1st, 2018 at 12:16pm CST by Rory Parks

Sam Beal is widely considered to be the best prospect in this year’s supplemental draft, and most NFL talent evaluators think he will fall somewhere in the first three rounds of the draft. A tall corner who has the fluidity and speed of a smaller DB, some believe Beal has first-round talent, so he has generated plenty of discussion since he declared for the supplemental draft last month. Gil Brandt of SiriusXM says the Bills, who have an extra fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft, could be a fit for Beal (Twitter link). Meanwhile, John Keim of ESPN.com says the Redskins have interest in Beal as well as fellow supplemental draft prospects Adonis Alexander and Brandon Bryant, but Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says the Patriots are unlikely to select one of those players even though they have the 2019 draft capital to do so.

Now let’s round up a few more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Reiss believes that the Patriots, who selected OL Isaiah Wynn with their No. 23 overall selection in this year’s draft, also considered Alabama WR Calvin Ridley in that spot. Although New England’s need for a quality offensive lineman may have swung the pendulum in Wynn’s favor, Reiss also believes the team is more comfortable projecting an offensive lineman to the NFL than a receiver, which made Wynn an easier choice.
  • Though he is 36 years old, Dolphins DE Cameron Wake is still a highly-productive pass rusher, having posted 10.5 sacks last season. Despite that, and despite the fact that he is entering a contract year, Wake has no issues with the team’s decision to use a rotation that it hopes will keep him fresh in 2018. Per Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post, Wake said, “I want to do whatever is going to help the entirety of the team, the entirety of the defense. So, if it means me being a third-down guy, let’s do it. If it means I have to start and play every down, I’ll take that role on, too.”
  • Matt Lombardo of NJ.com does not think the Giants will be players in the supplemental draft, and he says that, while UDFA wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo has looked good in spring practices, even a strong training camp and preseason will likely only get him another chance on Big Blue’s taxi squad, where he finished the 2017 campaign. Of course, a good showing could get the former Maryland and Syracuse product a shot on a different club.
  • Many expected Chad Wheeler to push Ereck Flowers for the Giants‘ starting right tackle job this year, but as Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com writes, Flowers has gotten all of the first-team reps at RT thus far. Dunleavy says Wheeler’s job as the team’s swing tackle is safe, but barring injury, it looks like Flowers will be the right tackle in 2018. However, Flowers is entering a contract year, so Wheeler may get a chance to start in 2019 if he performs well in the swing tackle role.
  • Earlier today, we heard that Redskins HC Jay Gruden may be looking for a new job in 2019 if his club turns in another so-so performance in 2018.

AFC Notes: Patriots, Allen, Chiefs, Beal, Supplemental Draft, Jets, Winters

June 29th, 2018 at 9:38pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Tight end Dwayne Allen is entering the third year of a four-year $29.4MM deal he signed back in 2016. He signed the deal as a member of the Colts before he was traded to the Patriots before last season. Despite being an elite redzone threat with Indianapolis, combining for 14 touchdowns in 2014 and 2016, Allen played sparingly last season with New England.

Now even with Rob Gronkowski‘s injury concerns, Allen could be cut from the team, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Reiss said Allen is in the “roster-cut conversation” due to a salary that’s disproportionate to his role with the team. Reiss thinks that because the Patriots use Allen almost exclusively as a blocking tight end, the team may deem him too expensive and decide to move on. The only thing that could save Allen is the lack of experience of the Patriots’ other backup tight ends, but if one of them emerges this summer, Allen could very easily be a goner.

Here’s more from the AFC:

  • Matt Miller of Bleacher Report “could see the Chiefs making a bid on Sam Beal in the Supplemental Draft” (Twitter link). Miller thinks Beal “could fill a huge hole” and that the Chiefs would probably have to bid a second round pick to get him. Miller added that he keeps hearing that Beal is “pro ready” and that he thinks Chiefs GM Brett Veach will be aggressive enough to make the move.
  • Jets guard Brian Winters signed a four-year $29MM deal with the team before last season, but 2018 could be his last with the team if he doesn’t improve his play, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Costello notes that there is no more guaranteed money in his deal after this year and that the Jets will “make a decision” on the lineman after this year. He’s struggled with injuries the past two years and if he isn’t able to return to form he’ll be “looking for a new team” writes Costello.
  • In case you missed it, Zach Links took a look back at the Colts’ decision two years ago today to make Andrew Luck the highest paid player in football.

Latest On Western Michigan’s Sam Beal

June 28th, 2018 at 1:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Sam Beal is well on his way to becoming the first player selected in the NFL’s supplemental draft since 2015. The former Western Michigan cornerback ran a 4.40 second 40-yard-dash at his pro day, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 

NFL personnel people believe Beal is likely to fall somewhere in the first three rounds of the draft, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. In the last decade, only Josh Gordon and Terrelle Pryor have been selected in the top three rounds.

After discussing Beal with a scouting analyst and scouts from across the NFL, Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports estimates that Beal will fall in the third or fourth round.

“I think collectively, Beal is considered the top guy,” scouting analyst Eric Galko said. “Being a taller corner, being long, fluid and works well vertically, I think he’s a better athlete in terms of his hip fluidity and quick-twitch for a taller corner than most guys are. Usually, you’re sacrificing height for quickness but he does a great job of not being that way — he sinks really low. His ability to play as a press Cover 3 guy will help, and he can play underneath, he can play man coverage and he can work across the field. He plays like a 5’10” corner at 6’1″, that’s why teams are excited about him. I think he had a great shot for Round 1 [in the 2019 draft] if he came back to school.”

Beal is the most notable entrant in this year’s supplemental draft, but Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander and Mississippi State defensive back Brandon Bryant have also drawn the attention of clubs. After talking with scouts, Paylor estimates that Alexander will be selected in the fifth or sixth round and hears Bryant may go in the sixth or seventh round. Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu has also entered the second chance draft, but his odds of being selected are unclear at this time.

Extra Points: Lincoln Riley, Prescott, AAF, Supplemental Draft

June 25th, 2018 at 6:21pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

As one of the top coaches in college football, it was only a matter of time before Lincoln Riley started to be discussed as a potential NFL head coach. The discussion has already started after just a year as the coach of Oklahoma. NFL teams are fascinated by what Riley has done at Oklahoma and are flocking to Norman to pick his brain, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. Breer notes how the NFL is trending more and more toward college-style offenses, and that many of the concepts Riley has been implementing at Oklahoma since he became their coordinator in 2015 are already starting to become commonplace in the pro game.

Breer thinks that due to their interest in his schemes, NFL teams will eventually try to hire him, writing “it’s not hard to see NFL teams trying to pry him loose” from Oklahoma. When Breer asked Riley about it, he said it was “hard to say” and that “you can never say never” but added that “it’s hard to see myself ever leaving Oklahoma right now.” Whatever happens, Riley will be an interesting name to keep an eye on for future head coaching searches at the NFL level.

Here’s more from the football universe:

  • Dak Prescott changed agents, signing with Todd France of CAA, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Hill notes Prescott needed to make the move now, since he’s eligible to sign a contract extension after this season. Cowboys brass has repeatedly made clear they plan to sign Prescott to a longterm mega-extension in the near future.
  • Randy Mueller will be named the new GM of the Salt Lake City AAF team, a source told Alex Marvez of Sporting News (Twitter link). Mueller is currently a senior executive with the Chargers. The AAF continues to poach talent away from the NFL as it ramps up its operations.
  • Supplemental Draft prospect Sam Beal “has a shot to be a second round claim” but Matt Miller of Bleacher Report hears he is “most likely” to be a third round pick (Twitter link). Beal, from Western Michigan, is one of three defensive backs with a shot at being taken in the Supplemental Draft, which will be held July 11th.

Extra Points: Beckham, Luck, Browns, Hawks

June 18th, 2018 at 9:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

On Day 1 of the true NFL offseason, here’s the latest, beginning with a difference from Odell Beckham Jr.‘s 2017 situation in which the Giants’ star pass-catcher currently finds himself.

  • Beckham hasn’t joined 2014 draft-class peers Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald and Taylor Lewan in holding out. He showed up for Giants minicamp and said he would be there for training camp. His standing in the organization may be on the rise, too. One new Giants coach told SI.com’s Albert Breer that Beckham “has been awesome” to the new personnel in the building. Breer said the perennial Pro Bowl wideout will have more people in the organization going to bat for him during these negotiations than was the case last year. The talks, though, aren’t progressing at this point.
  • This offseason’s gone much more smoothly for Andrew Luck than his initial post-shoulder surgery months did. Breer notes the Colts quarterback made it about 5 1/2 months in 2017 before enduring setbacks, ones that ultimately erased his ’17 season. Now, Luck is throwing again, having privately participated in a post-minicamp workout Friday, per Breer. While Luck still has some significant obstacles to navigate, the Colts’ new coaching staff isn’t concerned about his timeline. The team, though, will give Luck days off during training camp, Breer reports, and organize his reps like they’d be distributed during the regular season.
  • One reason the Browns opted for Denzel Ward over Bradley Chubb, who they had rated alongside one another on the non-quarterback sector of their draft board: a belief in third-year defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah. A Sashi Brown-era investment, Ogbah played well before breaking his foot last November. The new-look Browns are high on Ogbah having a strong season opposite Myles Garrett, Terry Pluto of cleveland.com notes.
  • Byron Maxwell‘s enjoyed an up-and-down career, but as of now, he’s the favorite to start opposite Shaquill Griffin for the Seahawks, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com notes. He will be playing the same spot he did in Super Bowl XLIX, right cornerback, after the team moved Griffin to Richard Sherman‘s old left corner position. Maxwell’s experience on the right side was one of the reasons the Seahawks relocated Griffin, Pete Carroll said.
  • Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal is eligible for the supplemental draft, and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter already posited he could be the highest-drafted player in this summer event since Josh Gordon went in the 2012 second round. Scouts have also raved about Beal, with Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com reporting evaluators he spoke to assigned a first-round grade to the defender. While this grade was contingent on his entering the regular 2019 draft, a team figures to give up one of its 2019 selections in order to draft Beal in the supplemental event. Offensive lineman Isaiah Battle was the last player chosen in the supplemental draft; the Rams used a fifth-round pick on him in 2015.

Safety Brandon Bryant Approved For Supplemental Draft

June 16th, 2018 at 11:16am CST by Ben Levine

There will be another talented defensive back available in this year’s supplemental draft. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant‘s applications for the draft has been approved (via Logan Reardon of NFL.com).

Bryant had esetablisehd himself as one of the top safeties in the SEC. In three years with the school, the safety compiled 157 tackles and five interceptions in 37 games. After Mississippi State hired Joe Moorhead as their new head coach, Bryant announced that he’d be leaving the program. Presumably, he was too late to the apply for the NFL draft, forcing him to opt for this alternative.

Of course, despite his talent, it’s uncertain if a team will be willing to take a flyer on the defensive back. If a player is selected during any of the supplemental draft’s seven rounds, the team will have to sacrifice the equivalent pick for the following year’s rookie draft. As Reardon points out, there have only been 43 players selected since 1977, including two in the past six years (the Browns selected wideout Josh Gordon in 2012 while the Rams selected Isaiah Battle in 2015).

Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander and Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal are also eligible for the supplemental draft.

Extra Points: XFL, 2019 draft, Beal, Seahawks, Carroll

June 11th, 2018 at 5:08pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

For draftniks and hardcore fans of the NFL, it’s never too early to start looking at next year’s draft. That’s why Matt Miller of Bleacher Report recently broke down who NFL scouts see as the best prospects in 2019. Miller noted scouts are busy “building profiles, researching backgrounds and character and talking to college coaches about top players” before he gave an “early look” at the consensus top 10.

Defensive end Nick Bosa, younger brother of Chargers pass-rusher Joey Bosa, unsurprisingly checks in at number one. Bosa has dominated for Ohio State the past two seasons and is almost a lock to turn pro after his upcoming junior season. A scout told Miller, “I love Nick Bosa. I wasn’t 100 percent sure on Joey coming out (stupid me), but I won’t make that mistake twice. He’s the real deal. Excellent instincts and feel for the quarterback as a young rusher.”

It wouldn’t be at all surprising to hear Roger Goodell call Bosa’s name as the number one overall pick in 2019. After you’ve finished checking out the rest of the list, here’s more from around the football world:

  • Many wondered why Oliver Luck would leave his cushy job as an executive with the NCAA for a seemingly risky position as CEO and Commissioner of the upstart XFL. That question has apparently been answered now that it’s been reported Luck was offered a guaranteed $20MM from the XFL over a period of a few years that has a chance to grow to $30MM depending on the success of the league (Twitter link via the Wall Street Journal’s Rachel Bachman).
  • Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal, who recently announced his intention to enter the NFL’s 2018 Supplemental Draft, will have his Pro Day on June 28th (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network). Rapoport notes that the event “should be well-attended” by scouts. Adam Schefter of ESPN recently tweeted that Beal could be the highest player selected in the Supplemental Draft since the Browns used a second round pick on Josh Gordon in 2012.
  • In a recent column, Albert Breer of SI.com writes that Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is taking a positive view on the departure of a slew of veteran players from his roster saying Carroll views it as “a chance, at age 66, to sell the bedrock of his program—competition—all over again. It got a little hard, as the above core came to prominence, to keep selling the idea that every spot was up for grabs. It’s not so difficult to sell anymore.” 

Sam Beal To Enter Supplemental Draft

June 6th, 2018 at 10:37am CST by Zachary Links

Former Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal and Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant are set to apply for the NFL’s supplemental draft, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Beal, in particular, will be of interest to NFL teams as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that he could become highest player selected since Browns used a second-round supplemental pick on Josh Gordon in 2012. 

[RELATED: Virginia Tech CB Adonis Alexander To Enter Supplemental Draft]

Beal was already projected to be taken high in the 2019 NFL draft and NFL personnel people believe he’s likely to fall somewhere in the first three rounds, according to Schefter. In the last decade, only Gordon and Terrelle Pryor have been selected in the top three rounds of the supplemental draft.

Bryant isn’t as big of a name as Beal in draft circles, but he also offers potential. At Mississippi State, he was said to have posted a team-high 4.24-second time in the 40-yard dash.

The supplemental draft allows teams to select players who, for one reason or another, were barred from entering the regular draft in the spring. When a team selects a player in the supplemental draft, they forfeit the corresponding pick in the regular draft next year.

Since the supplemental draft was created in 1977 only 43 players have been selected. Beal seems to be a lock to become the next player tapped, while Bryant and Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander also have a chance at being selected.