With less than four days until the NFL draft, here is the latest news and rumors from around the league:
- While the Eagles need to improve their porous secondary, selecting a safety might not be in the cards, according to Jeff McClane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Outside of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Calvin Pryor, and perhaps Jimmie Ward, most experts don’t consider this year’s safety class to be elite, and Eagles GM Howie Roseman agrees. “I don’t think it’s a good group overall,” said Roseman. “I think you’re talking about a drop-off, certainly when you get into Saturday.”
- Over the past few days, we’ve passed along the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Bob McGlnn’s reports on the crop of both running backs and offensive lineman, which heavily feature McGlinn’s conversations with informed scouts. McGinn’s most recent article focuses on the linebacker class, and is also a must-read for draftniks.
- In a separate piece, McGinn analyzes linebacker Chris Borland (who was profiled today by Rory Parks) and comes away noting that scouts love Borland’s versatility and work ethic.
- In his latest notes piece, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini observes that this will be the first draft in which Jets GM John Idzik will have his own group of scouts on which to lean. (However, the Jets didn’t fare too poorly in the 2013 draft with Idzik’s inherited staff, selecting an immediate contributor in defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson).
- With Peyton Manning‘s limited window and a dominant defense save for inside linebacker, Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post argues that the Broncos might trade up to select C.J. Mosley in order to further strengthen their defense.
- If the Browns are truly utilizing a “best player available” approach, a selection of Greg Robinson would be appropriate, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. However, Robinson (as Ulrich notes) is expected to be drafted before the Browns pick at No. 4.