2014 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Prospect Profile: Mike Evans

April 23rd, 2014 at 8:46pm CST by Rob DiRe

Earlier today, Zach Links looked at the consensus top receiver in the upcoming draft, but Sammy Watkins might not be the only playmaking pass catcher selected in the top ten. Texas A&M standout Mike Evans might not have the pedigree of Watkins, but after two seasons with the Aggies he has jumped to the top of draft boards across the league.

Evans has a strength that makes him extremely valuable in the current NFL. Standing tall at 6’5″, even if he cannot separate with cornerbacks running down the field, Evans has the ability to separate with anyone vertically. Time and time again during his two seasons at College Station, Johnny Manziel was able to throw the ball up and watch Evans go up and over smaller defenders to come down with the football.

Where Watkins is considered the more polished receiver with the highest upside, he surrenders four inches or more when compared to Evans. While Zach writes that Watkins could have a similar impact to A.J. Green or Julio Jones did during their first two seasons, both those players are 6’3″ or taller. Other notable receivers that are 6’3″ or taller include Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Hakeem Nicks, Dez Bryant, Josh Gordon, Jordy Nelson, Vincent Jackson, and Jimmy Graham to name a few.

If that list of names does not include all of the best receivers in the modern NFL, it includes nearly all of them. The gives Evans a huge upside that could rival even Watkins. While taller receivers sometimes do not possess the top end speed required, Evans eased the minds of scouts when he ran a surprisingly fast 40-yard dash, posting a time of 4.53 seconds.

More importantly than his combine performance, Evans produced on the field. As a redshirt freshman, Evans caught 82 passes for over 1,100 yards and added five touchdowns. He only got better as a sophomore, catching 69 passes for 1,394 yards, for an incredible 20.2 yards per catch. His 12 touchdowns were tied for most in the SEC, as he torched some of the best defenses in the country. The Aggies lost to Alabama, but Evans caught 7 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown in that game. Texas A&M went on to beat the eventual SEC champion Auburn Tigers, behind Evans’ 287 yards on 11 catches, with four of those catches ending in the endzone.

Evans still will most likely have to wait for Watkins to come off the board ahead of him, but both players are looking at being selected in the top ten. The Buccaneers (No. 7) are rumored to be interested in Evans, and the Lions (No. 10) have been interested as well. The Bills (No. 9) could be a possibility, and it would be a surprise if he is passed on by both the Giants (No. 12) and the Rams (No. 13), assuming the Rams do not take Watkins with their earlier pick.

Lions Notes: Suh, Lora, Fortt, Couplin

April 23rd, 2014 at 4:27pm CST by Luke Adams

A few hours before the NFL officially announcing its 2014 schedule, New York radio station WFAN broke news of the Giants’ slate for the coming season. According to the report, the Giants’ ’14 season starts off with a Monday night matchup in Detroit against the Lions. Here are a few more Wednesday updates on those Lions:

Citing a source, Scott Bischoff of New Era Scouting reported earlier this afternoon (via Twitter) that the Lions are open to the idea of trading Ndamukong Suh as a way of moving up as far as possible in the 2014 draft. I’m a little skeptical about how hard Detroit would push for a deal like that, even if the team could find a taker, and Bischoff himself notes that there’d be plenty of roadblocks (Twitter link).
In response to Bischoff’s report, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes a look at how a hypothetical trade of Suh would work, exploring some reasons why it could make sense for the Lions.
Eastern Illinois wide receiver Erik Lora will be paying a visit to Detroit to meet with the Lions on Friday, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
The Lions also hosted Cal linebacker Khairi Fortt and William & Mary safety Jerome Couplin for pre-draft visits today, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.

South Rumors: Manziel, Bucs, Graham, Allen

April 23rd, 2014 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Johnny Manziel is on the short list of players the Buccaneers are “heavily considering” with the seventh overall pick in the draft, a source tells ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. Tampa Bay doesn’t have a long-term answer at the quarterback position and Manziel is viewed as one of the top two or three options in the draft, so the Bucs’ interest isn’t a huge surprise.

Let’s round up a few other items from out of the NFC and AFC South divisions….

Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk passes along a report from JoeBucsFan.com indicating that Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack paid the Buccaneers a visit in Tampa. Word of the visit was broken by defensive end Steven Means, a current Buc and Mack’s former teammate at Buffalo.
Saints head coach Sean Payton told Mike Triplett of ESPN.com today that he doesn’t expect Jimmy Graham to participate in the club’s offseason conditioning program as long as the tight end’s contract situation remains unresolved, but Payton isn’t concerned, suggesting that’s “normal” (Twitter link). Graham was franchised by the Saints but has yet to accept or sign the franchise tender, as the two sides continue to work on a long-term agreement.
Former Jaguars linebacker Russell Allen, who was forced into early retirement for health reasons, will receive 50% of his 2014 salary, according to Ryan Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). Allen’s base salary before he was released was set to be $1.975MM, so he should receive about $1MM.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Freeman, Clinton-Dix

April 23rd, 2014 at 2:07pm CST by Zachary Links

In this week’s chat, a reader asked Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News if the 49ers would accept a deal in which they trade Aldon Smith and their first-round pick (No. 30) to the Cowboys for their first-rounder (No. 16). Machota says he’s not sure if the Niners would, but he doubts Dallas would have interest in such a deal because of Smith’s multiple legal issues over the last couple of years. The Cowboys need some pass rushers, but they’re probably more comfortable finding them through the draft. Here’s this afternoon’s glance at the NFC East:

Josh Freeman isn’t getting the big bucks in his new deal with the Giants, but he will have the opportunity to learn from Eli Manning, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The former Bucs QB also took the high road when asked about his experience with coach Greg Schiano.
Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has met with the Eagles, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The safety, who is the top-ranked defensive back in the draft, declared early for the draft after recording 52 tackles, two interceptions and six pass deflections in 11 games last season. He was named a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection for his outstanding play.
Northern Illinois defensive tackle Ken Bishop has met with the Cowboys, a league source tells Aaron Wilson. As previously reported, the All-Mid-American conference selection has visited the Raiders, Jaguars, and Dolphins. Bishop projects as a later-round pick.
Giants safety Antrel Rolle told Bob Papa and Ross Tucker of SiriusXM NFL Radio (audio link) that the team needed serious change this offseason. The veteran went on to say that he wants to end his career as a member of the Giants and says he’s easily got four or five more good seasons left in him, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) asked a scout via text if the Cowboys would draft Johnny Manziel if he was available at No. 16 and the scout responded “Of course [Jerry Jones] would.“

NFC North Notes: Packers, Bears, Raiola

April 23rd, 2014 at 1:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Rob Reischel of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ranks the Packers‘ positional needs on a scale of 1-10. The safety position tops the list as Green Bay has been searching for a solution there ever since losing Nick Collins to a career-ending neck injury in Week 2 of 2011. The Packers haven’t drafted a safety in the first round since 1993, but there’s a good chance they snap the streak this year. More from the NFC North:

Many third-round picks in Packers franchise history have been major successes, writes Martin Hendricks of the Journal Sentinel. To give you an idea of how well Green Bay has done in the third round, tight end Jermichael Finley occupies the tenth spot on the top 10 list.
The Bears have a big weapon in tight end Martellus Bennett, but GM Phil Emery could be looking for depth and a little competition in the upcoming draft. Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune looks at the tight ends Chicago could consider, even though the team’s need at the position is relatively low.
The Bears probably aren’t going after defensive ends following their additions of Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston, and Willie Young, but, hey, you never know. Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com looks at some potential fits for Chicago on the bookends to help give them insurance in case of injury. Injuries ravaged the Bears in 2013, so they know the overall importance of depth.
Longtime Lions center Dominic Raiola is okay with the Lions drafting his successor, writes Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. The Lions have already met with USC’s Marcus Martin, widely considered the top center in the draft, as well as Colorado State’s Weston Richburg.

AFC North Rumors: Big Ben, Manziel, Bengals

April 23rd, 2014 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

It’s all still status quo when it comes to the Steelers and a possible contract extension for Ben Roethlisberger, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com. “There’s been ongoing (contract) discussions for quite awhile,” agent Ryan Tollner said. “I think from the time we did the first extension there was sort of a plan moving forward. There’s a plan in place, but both sides are pretty committed to doing that privately and not having it be something that’s discussed in the media.” Pittsburgh can lower Roethlisberger’s cap hit of ~$18.9MM in 2014, but they can also wait to get a new deal done since they have already done the bulk of their free-agent shopping and will get more than $8MM in cap relief after June 1st.

Johnny Manziel is having his visit with the Browns today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter). The Browns pick at No. 4 and again at No. 26 in next month’s draft.
Can the Bengals still be considered a deep team after a quiet offseason that saw them lose defensive end Michael Johnson, offensive tackle Anthony Collins, and receiver Andrew Hawkins? Coley Harvey of ESPN.com says yes. While the talent may have taken a slight hit, particularly on the offensive line, they still have depth just about everywhere else.
More from Harvey, who looks at the Bengals‘ need at outside linebacker heading into the draft. Harvey graded the likelihood of Cincinnati drafting an OLB as “medium” even after they picked up Dontay Moch off waivers from Arizona and signed free agent Sam Montgomery. Moch and Montgomery previously played defensive end, but the Bengals have listed both as linebackers.

AFC East Rumors: Watkins, Bills, Pats

April 23rd, 2014 at 10:57am CST by Zachary Links

Could the Bills be thinking about trading up? The Bills are hosting star Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter). Buffalo currently holds the No. 9 pick and, like the Lions behind them at No. 10, they’ll have to vault up to the top if they want to get this year’s top receiver. Earlier today, I profiled the dynamic playmaker and some of his possible fits. Here’s the latest from the AFC East…

Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net goes deeper into the Patriots‘ infatuation with Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage, who is being referred to by some in the organization as “Tom No. 2” for his similarities to Tom Brady. Savage impressed the franchise during combine interviews, especially when former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano was on hand. In that meeting, Savage took responsibility for the 2011 situation when he left the Rutgers football program, which was then headed by Schiano.
If the Patriots need a reminder of late-round value, they can turn to special teamer Matthew Slater, writes Phil Perry of CSNNE.com. Since being selected in the fifth round of the 2008 draft, the UCLA product has been a mainstay on the Pats’ special teams units and has held the title of team captain for the past three seasons. He’s also contributed as a wide receiver, and he chipped in as a safety in 2011 when he started three games in the defensive backfield.
Offensive tackle would make sense for the Dolphins at No. 19 but if all of their targets are already off the board, GM Dennis Hickey might just go with the best player available, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. We heard last night that the Dolphins are high on Tennessee’s Ja’Wuan James, who might be an option for them at No. 50.
ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini (video link) says the Jets will put prized offseason pickup Chris Johnson in a position to succeed. Johnson’s speed, he feels, will bring a different dimension to the offense.

AFC West Notes: Raiders, MJD, Ware, Chargers

April 23rd, 2014 at 9:35am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders don’t need an immediate starting quarterback out of the draft, but they would hardly be blamed for addressing the position, writes Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. Between trade acquisition Matt Schaub and backup Matt McGloin, Oakland could ride things out for 2014, but they probably have to start thinking about the future at the position. Beyond QB, the Raiders could use some reinforcements at defensive end, defensive tackle, safety, and cornerback. Here’s more from the AFC West..

Maurice Jones-Drew isn’t concerned about the talk that the Raiders are too old, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. “We’re just the throwaways it seems like,” Jones-Drew said. “The guys we have, supposedly a lot of people didn’t want them. I hear reports that this is great team if it were 2009. Whatever, man.” Oakland picked up multiple veterans this offseason, including MJD and Justin Tuck.
Meanwhile, the Raiders are excited about pairing MJD with Run DMC (Darren McFadden), Bair writes. The big question will be whether the duo can stay healthy. McFadden has had a host of issues and saw his 2013 ruined by hamstring injuries. Jones-Drew dipped below 4 yards per rush for the first time in eight years thanks in part to foot and ankle troubles.
Broncos newcomer DeMarcus Ware is passing his knowledge on to Von Miller, writes Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post. The duo could be troublesome for opposing teams in 2014. As Ware put it, “if he comes back where needs to be, you can’t double-team both of us.“
If the Chargers want a shot at one of the top two cornerbacks in the draft, they will have to trade up at least ten spots ahead of their No. 25 selection, writes Pat Kirwin of CBSSports.com. It would require expensive compensation, but if Michigan State’s Darqueze Dennard falls below No. 17, Kirwin says they should make the move. While Dennard and Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert are fine prospects, Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego feels that the Bolts have bigger needs to address and don’t need to trade up to land either one.

Prospect Profile: Sammy Watkins

April 23rd, 2014 at 8:26am CST by Zachary Links

In a draft chock full of talented wide receivers, no one has the kind of upside that Sammy Watkins offers. The Clemson star is a mortal lock for the top ten and highly likely to go inside of the top five thanks to his top-level speed and playmaking ability.

Watkins has the ability to burn cornerbacks deep, but that’s far from his only tool to make an impact on the field. The wide receiver has routinely shown the ability to take a short pass and turn it into a major gain with his agility and quickness. Beyond the physical skills, Watkins has the innate knowhow to get away from cornerbacks that you rarely see from someone his age. Nothing is ever guaranteed in the long-term, but his makeup implies that he could have an instant impact in the NFL ala A.J. Green or Julio Jones.

A team that embraces a west coast offense could really help Watkins flourish. Some have said that Watkins is a product of the offensive system at Clemson – a valid concern – but the liberal use of short passes and bubble screens could help make him feel like he’s still wearing neon orange on a Saturday. Taking that a step further, Watkins might be a good match for a rookie or sophomore quarterback. Veteran receivers can help with the maturation process, but having a safety blanket like Watkins who can take a five-yard pass deep down the field can bring additional comfort.

That’s not to say that there aren’t concerns about Watkins’ transition to the next level. For starters, at 6-foot and change (or 6’1″, depending on who you ask), the speedster could have some trouble against larger cornerbacks out of the Seahawks mold. You also won’t mistake Watkins for David Boston – he’s got a good sized frame and is defined at 211 pounds, but he doesn’t have the kind of major body mass that can offset his stature. Most of this league’s elite wide receivers stand at 6’3″ or taller, and that’s no coincidence. Watkins will have to adjust his game to find the football amongst the trees if he wants to get into the same stratosphere as Green, Jones, Brandon Marshall, Larry Fitzgerald, and all the rest.

Beyond that, Watkins has yet to show the ability to run a wide range of routes in game action. That doesn’t mean that he couldn’t run a multitude of crisp routes, but that is something of an unknown about Watkins since the Tigers aren’t known for mixing things up too much with their receivers. Can you blame Clemson? When dumpoff passes and bubble screens fluster opponents on a weekly basis, there’s no reason to fix what isn’t broken.

So where will Watkins wind up? Looking at the top of the draft, the Jaguars (No. 3) would be a logical landing spot since Justin Blackmon is on thin ice, but Jacksonville’s needs go far beyond receiver. At No. 4, the Browns have been frequently talked about as a team that would make sense for Watkins and we’re inclined to agree. Cleveland needs a signal caller too, but they could have a few attractive options in play at No. 26, including Fresno State’s Derek Carr. if the Browns go quarterback at No. 4, the Raiders (another team with multiple needs) will have to give some serious thought to drafting Watkins. If the late Al Davis was still with us, there’s no way he’d turn down Watkins and his 4.43 second 40-yard-dash time. The Buccaneers (No. 7) and the Lions (No. 10) are also high on Watkins, but they’ll probably have to move up if they want to grab him. Any way you slice it, it’s hard to see the Clemson star falling out of the top ten.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Notes: Ebron, Ford, McGill, Bridgewater

April 22nd, 2014 at 9:54pm CST by Zachary Links

North Carolina’s Eric Ebron took to Twitter to announce that he’ll be traveling to New York, Florida, and Tennessee this week. The Jets would be a logical destination for the athletic tight end, though he may not last until pick No. 18. Of course, he could also pay the Giants a visit he’s in town and Florida could mean stops with the Buccaneers, Dolphins, or Jaguars. Ebron could certainly be in play for the Titans at No. 11 and they’ve been said to have interest in recent weeks. A look at tonight’s draft news..

Auburn standout Dee Ford, who visited the Falcons today, has already paid a visit to the Texans, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Ford is a classic hybrid pass rusher as a 3-4 outside linebacker who could potentially play defensive end in a 4-3 scheme if he bulks up.
Utah cornerback Keith McGill is visiting the Jets today, a source tells Seth Walder of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter) hears that the Dolphins like Tennessee right tackle Ju’Wuan James. The 6’6″ 312 pound lineman is likely a second round type.
When all is said and done, the talk about Teddy Bridgewater plummeting in the draft might be much ado about nothing, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors