2015 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Newman, McCloughan, Bradham

January 5th, 2015 at 11:44pm CST by Luke Adams

As Terence Newman nears potential free agency, the veteran cornerback will have to decide whether or not he’ll continue his playing career, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. While Newman would love a chance to compete for a Super Bowl, there’s also some appeal in going out on his own terms, as he explains.

“I think Barry Sanders did it best,” Newman said. “He just said, ‘Hey, this isn’t for me anymore.’ He was probably one of the only people that ever went out on his own terms; he wasn’t forced out age-wise or whatever. He just called it quits because he wanted to. He’s probably the only person I can think of that ever did that.”

Assuming Newman does decide to continue playing, another year with the Bengals is a possibility. The cornerback says he expects to be in contact with the team, adding “[we’ll] see what happens.” Here’s more from around the NFL:

The draft order has been set for picks 21 through 24 this year, as Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk details. Based on record and strength-of-schedule tiebreakers, it’ll be the Bengals at No. 21, followed by the Steelers, Lions, and Cardinals, respectively.
We heard on Monday morning that Washington has interest in hiring former 49ers GM Scot McCloughan to a front office role, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links) reports that McCloughan actually has offers from at least three teams for prominent front office positions. McCloughan is “relishing” being his own boss at the moment, but may seriously consider taking a role with an NFL team, says La Canfora. Meanwhile, Michael Silver of NFL.com (Twitter links) says the Raiders courted McCloughan, but were unwilling to give GM Reggie McKenzie‘s decision-making power to McCloughan, who would only have been interested in the role if he were running the team’s football department.
Greg Roman, who is expected to land with another team as an offensive coordinator, definitely won’t be back with the 49ers, says Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, who identifies a few possible candidates to oversee San Francisco’s offense in 2015.
After reporting on Monday morning that the Bills were interested in negotiating a new deal for newly-extension-eligible linebacker Nigel Bradham, Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweets that Bradham has hired agent Drew Rosenhaus to represent him.
Addressing his team’s defensive line and its inability to create a consistent pass rush, Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said today, “We need to improve the guys who are coming back here next year and continue to improve, and we need to infuse some new players, to be honest with you” (link via Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer).
Nick Fairley‘s NFL future is largely tied to that of Ndamukong Suh, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com, who explains that the Lions won’t have the ability to keep both defensive tackles this offseason.
In response to a report that Rams owner Stan Kroenke plans to build an NFL stadium in Los Angeles, St. Louis officials released a statement today indicating that the city is “ready to demonstrate our commitment” to keeping the franchise in Missouri, per Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal (TwitLonger link).

Draft Updates: Monday

January 5th, 2015 at 8:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As one of the top offensive lineman available, Stanford tackle Andrus Peat is a projected first-round pick in the 2015 draft, but there’s one catch — he hasn’t officially declared yet. However, multiple sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) that the junior is expected to enter the draft, so we’ll probably hear an announcement before the January 15 deadline. Here’s more updates on NCAA underclassmen…

Like Peat, fellow offensive lineman Ronnie Staley hasn’t yet declared for the draft, and he remains truly undecided, per Getlin (via Twitter). The Notre Dame product would rank as the No. 1 OT in the draft, according to Josh Norris of Rotoworld.
Rice defensive lineman Christian Covington has declared for the 2015 draft, according to Joe Schad of ESPN (Twitter link). Covington, who underwent knee surgery in November, is the seventh-rated DT on CBSSports.com’s rankings.
Penn State tight end Jesse James will forgo his senior season and enter the 2015 draft, according to a press release. James holds the record for touchdown catches by a Nittany Lion TE.
Announcing the news himself via Twitter, Florida offensive tackle D.J. Humphries revealed he’ll skip his senior season and enter the draft. A highly-sought after high school player, Humphries had trouble staying healthy in Gainesville, and is rated as the 20th overall tackle per WalterFootball.com.
Washington State defensive end Xavier Cooper told CougFan.com that he’ll enter the 2015 draft. Cooper, a three-year starter who racked up five sacks last season, said he expects to be a third- or fourth-round pick.
Kansas receiver Nigel King has declared for the 2015 draft, the school announced via press release. King, who caught 29 balls for 518 yards in 2014, could go undrafted, as he isn’t ranked on CBSSports.com’s list of the top 150 WRs.

Shane Ray To Enter 2015 Draft

January 5th, 2015 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Missouri defensive lineman Shane Ray has become the latest potential top-10 pick to decide to enter the draft, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), who cites multiple sources in reporting Ray’s intentions. Per Getlin, the redshirt junior pass rusher will forgo his remaining year of college eligibility.

Ray, who had a breakout junior year after seeing Kony Ealy and Michael Sam drafted in May, had at least a half-sack in all but three games this year for Missouri, racking up multiple sacks in five of those contests. For the season, he finished with 61 tackles to go along with 14 sacks, a new school record.

A unanimous All-American and the SEC defensive player of the year, Ray is viewed as a strong candidate to be selected in the top 10, or perhaps top five, of this spring’s draft. In his first mock draft at ESPN.com, Todd McShay had Ray coming off the board fifth overall, to Washington. Per McShay, Ray is “an absolutely relentless pass-rusher who is tough, aggressive, can bend the end and has an explosive first step.”

Getlin reported last month that Ray was strongly considering entering the draft, adding that the defensive end’s mother was vetting potential agents.

Shaq Thompson To Enter Draft

January 5th, 2015 at 11:41am CST by Luke Adams

All-American Washington linebacker Shaq Thompson has decided to forgo his senior year and enter the 2015 draft, according to a press release from the team. In a statement, Thompson said that the move to turn pro “was not an easy decision,” but that he’s looking forward to “facing new challenges that come with being in the NFL.”

“Shaq Thompson has been a wonderful representative of the University of Washington and the Husky football team, and he has our full support as he takes this important step,” said head coach Chris Petersen in a statement. “I look forward to what’s to come for him and to watching him embark on what will be a long, successful NFL career.”

Thompson, who has averaged about 74 tackles per season in his three years at Washington, projects as a first-round pick in the spring, with CBSSports.com ranking him 10th overall, and first among outside linebackers. In his first mock draft of the season, ESPN’s Todd McShay has Thompson coming off the board 16th to the Dolphins, and writes that the linebacker is a “unique talent,” with the ability to provide strong pass coverage and to defend the run from sideline to sideline.

NFL Draft Updates: Sunday

January 4th, 2015 at 9:09pm CST by Rob DiRe

We have collected a number of stories regarding NFL Draft prospects entering the 2015 NFL Draft and hiring agents. They will be updated here, with newest stories added to the top.

For a list of all underclassmen who have already declared for early entry into the 2015 NFL Draft, click here.

Boise State junior running back Jay Ajayi has already declared for the NFL Draft, and has now signed with Select Sports, reports Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (via Twitter). He will be represented by Erik Burkhardt and Sean Kiernan.
Iowa senior defensive tackle Carl Davis has signed with Sports Stars NYC, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). He will be represented by Jonathan Perzley and Brian Mackler.
LSU senior offensive tackle La’el Collins has hired Deryk Gilmore to represent him in his professional career, according to Getlin (via Twitter).
Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes declared for the 2015 NFL Draft earlier, and has now signed with Athletes First, reports Getlin (via Twitter).
Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory has also declared early, and will be represented by Deryk Gilmore, according to Getlin (via Twitter).

Draft Updates: Saturday

January 3rd, 2015 at 3:25pm CST by Rob DiRe

With the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the 2015 NFL Draft approaching quickly, here are a few updates on seniors who have signed with agents and are eligible for the Draft, and underclassmen who have declared early.

For a list of all early entrants so far, please check our list here.

USC junior receiver Nelson Agholor has decided to go pro, and will enter the 2015 NFL Draft, reports Jordan Moore of USCTrojans.com. “These past three years at USC have been a blessing, along with a lot of my life. I am very grateful to have had the coaches and staff members of this prestigious university in my life,” said Agholor. “Because of these men and women, I feel prepared to follow my dreams into the NFL. Thank you to the Trojan Family for allowing me to become one of your own.”
Boise State senior wideout Matt Miller has signed with the NOVO Agency, and will be eligible for the 2015 NFL Draft, reports Liz Mullen or the Sports Business Journal (via Twitter). He will be represented by Jeff Sperbeck.
University of Washington senior nose tackle Danny Shelton also signed with NOVO, according to Mullen (via Twitter). He will be represented by Haig Abnous and Sperbeck.
Two Auburn players, junior receiver Sammie Coates and senior running back Cameron Artis-Payne, both signed with Michael Perrett of Element Sports, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Coates had previously declared for the draft.
University of Maryland junior receiver Stefon Diggs has declared for the draft, reports Matt Zenith of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

Extra Points: Packers, Jets, Bears, Greenberry

January 2nd, 2015 at 9:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, the Packers announced that they have promoted Eliot Wolf to director of player personnel. Wolf, who served as Green Bay’s pro personnel director for the past three years, has been mentioned quite a bit as a GM candidate this offseason, but the promotion might take him off the table for GM openings around the league and could signal that he’ll be the heir apparent to GM Ted Thompson.

Meanwhile, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets that Alonzo Highsmith‘s name has come up for director of player personnel jobs for other teams, pending GM hires. Highsmith is currently employed as a senior personnel executive in Green Bay’s front office.

Let’s round up a few more Friday odds and ends from around the NFL….

The Jets have requested permission to interview Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard and Dolphins director of college scouting Chris Grier for their general manager vacancy, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link), if Ballard were to land the GM job in either New York or Chicago, Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich would be high on his short list of candidates.
In the view of Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com, recently-dismissed Eagles executive Tom Gamble would make an ideal candidate for the Bears‘ general manager opening.
A report earlier in the week indicated that Houston wide receiver Deontay Greenberry had chosen an agent and would enter the 2015 NFL draft, but Greenberry said on Friday that he has yet to make a decision on his status for the coming year, writes Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle.
Nick Powell of the Star-Ledger wonders if the Giants should use the franchise tag on defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. By using the tag, the Giants can wait on deciding to make a sizable long-term commitment to JPP and ensure that he’ll be motivated for 2015. On the flip side, of course, it would cost the Giants a great deal of money for the upcoming season.
In his latest ESPN.com mailbag, John Keim fields a handful of questions on Washington‘s 2015 outlook, including inquiries into potential roster and coaching turnover.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Trae Waynes To Enter Draft

January 2nd, 2015 at 8:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Following Michigan State’s dramatic comeback win over Baylor in Thursday’s Cotton Bowl, Spartans cornerback Trae Waynes confirmed to Mike Johnson of the Kenosha News that the game was his last with Michigan State. Waynes will be forgoing his final year of college eligibility and entering the 2015 NFL draft.

“I’m sure it’s kind of obvious,” Waynes said. “Yeah, I’m gonna go…. I pretty much already decided what that (decision’s) going to be with my family and the coaches and stuff like that.”

As Waynes suggests, it should come as no surprise that he’ll be going pro a year early, since he’ll be considered one of the best cornerbacks available this spring. In fact, CBSSports.com’ rankings have Waynes atop the list of cornerbacks, and Todd McShay’s first mock draft of the season at ESPN.com has Waynes as the first corner coming off the board, at No. 20 overall. In addition to being solid in coverage, Waynes is viewed as a sure tackler who can contribute in run support as well.

You can find our list of underclassmen who have declared their intent to enter the 2015 NFL draft right here.

Maxx Williams Declares For NFL Draft

January 2nd, 2015 at 1:08pm CST by Ben Levine

JANUARY 2: Williams formally announced today that he’ll enter the draft, tweets Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune.

DECEMBER 27: The tight end depth in next year’s draft just got a bit deeper, as Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com reports that Minnesota sophomore Maxx Williams is expected to enter the NFL draft. Wolfson notes that an official announcement is expected sometime following the Golden Gophers’ Citrus Bowl contest against Missouri.

Williams has already spent the three required years in college, where he’s caught 54 passes for 888 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 2014 season earned him a collection of accolades, including a second team All-American selection, the Big Ten tight end of the Year award, and first-team All-Big Ten honors. He was also a finalist for the Mackey Award, which goes to the nation’s top tight end.

According to Wolfson, Williams’ family is already seeking an agent with the belief that he’ll be a first or second-round selection. While Wolfson notes that his career numbers are not eye-popping, the player’s 6-foot-4, 250 pound frame will make him an instant contributor in the NFL. His father, Brian Williams, spent ten years in the NFL as the Giants center.

Draft Notes: Williams, Calhoun, Peat, Winston

January 2nd, 2015 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

In something of a surprise decision, Texas A&M running back Trey Williams announced (via Twitter) earlier this week that he intends to forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2015 NFL draft.

“Special thanks to my Texas A&M family and coaching staff,” Williams wrote. “I’ve prayed about it and decided to pursue my dream of playing in the NFL.”

The junior running back was only a part-time player in the Aggies’ offense in 2014, carrying the ball just 81 times for 560 yards (6.9 yards per carry). While his explosiveness could intrigue NFL teams, Williams is not as highly regarded a prospect as a number of other underclassmen running backs who have already declared for the draft.

Let’s round up a few more draft-related notes to start off the first Friday of 2015….

As recently as two weeks ago, Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams was believed to be returning for his senior season, so observers were surprised by a report that he was expected to enter the draft, writes Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. Pauline hears that the second-round grade Williams received from the draft’s advisory committee was a determining factor in his decision.
Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun also received a second-round grade recently from the advisory committee, rather than the first-round grade he was anticipating, according to Pauline. As such, Calhoun has yet to decide whether or not he’ll enter the draft.
Sources tell Pauline that the family of Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin has been telling people he’ll remain with the Spartans for another year.
Last month, a report indicated that Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat, a probable first-round pick, was on the fence about his plan for next year. Per Pauline, “all [is] quiet” on that front at the moment, with no word of any agent meetings for Peat.
Tight end Jesse James is reportedly telling people he intends to return to Penn State, but sources that have spoken to Pauline expect he’ll ultimately decide to enter the 2015 draft.
According to Pauline, one league insider compared Jameis Winston to Johnny Manziel, speculating that – assuming Winston declares for the 2015 draft – he’ll be the player that general managers are hoping is off the board by the time their teams pick. Reading between the lines on Pauline’s comment, perhaps that means those GMs are worried their owners will push for Winston even if the front office has another player graded higher.

2015 NFL Draft News & Rumors