2016 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

NFC East Notes: Giants, Apple, Cowboys

April 29th, 2016 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

Some saw Eli Apple as a reach at No. 10 for the Giants, but team scouting director Marc Ross does not agree with that assessment.

“We’ve heard it before,” Ross said, according to Steve Serby of the New York Post. “We’ve taken other players that [were called] a reach. Nobody knows. If you get a dime for every expert, I could retire. Come on. Experts? People analyze. People have opinions. What’s it based on? Nobody has seen the tape. Nobody goes to practice. Nobody puts in the work like the scouts do. It’s easy to second-guess and pick and say get everybody’s pick right and tell them what they should do, but you’ve just got to put in the work and trust what you do.”

The Giants were widely linked to Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin and Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd, but those players came off the board at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

The Cowboys had the same draft grade for Ezekiel Elliott and Jalen Ramsey, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Cowboys regarded Paxton Lynch as the quarterback in the top 3 who required the most time to develop but had higher ceiling than Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
When asked if he was surprised by Sam Bradford‘s reaction to the Eagles‘ trading up for Wentz, Eagles GM Howie Roseman said, “Some of this is agent driven,” (On WIP, Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).

AFC East Notes: Tunsil, Dolphins, Jets, Bills

April 29th, 2016 at 9:03am CST by Zachary Links

Laremy Tunsil contends that the video of him smoking from a gas-mask bong was from two years ago. If it is found that the video was more recent than that, then Tunsil could wind up in the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. Dolphins GM Chris Grier also told reporters that the video was “two years old.”

Here’s more on Tunsil and other news out of the AFC East:

Several GMs told Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that the big issue with the Tunsil video was timing and the fear of the unknown. Had Tunsil’s video come out sooner than ~13 minutes before the draft, teams would have had enough time to appropriately investigate things.
In addition to the infamous video, Tunsil’s Instagram account was also hacked with a screenshot of a text that appeared to show a request for money from Ole Miss assistant athletic director John Miller for rent money. When asked by a reporter if he took money from a coach while at Ole Miss, Tunsil answered, “I’d have to say yeah,” (via ESPN.com). Tunsil was suspended for the first seven games of last season for accepting improper benefits, including loaner cars and an interest-free loan.
The Jets tried to trade up for Tunsil during his slide last night but the asking price was too steep, Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets.
The Jets never seriously considered drafting Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch last night, Mehta tweets. The Jets considered him to be more of a third or fourth-round type of player. Lynch, of course, went to the Broncos at No. 26.
Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson says that he doesn’t need shoulder surgery but at least six teams told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that they believe he will need shoulder surgery at some point.

Extra Points: Broncos, Lynch, Bills, Lawson

April 28th, 2016 at 11:11pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The first round of the 2016 draft ended when the Seahawks selected offensive lineman Germain Ifedi, but there are still quite a few interesting options left on the board — which isn’t surprising given the depth of this draft class.

The most high-profile name is UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, who was projected as a top-five pick but wasn’t chosen, presumably because of health concerns. A cadre of defensive tackles, including Chris Jones, Jarran Reed, A’Shawn Robinson, Andrew Billings, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Kevin Dodd are still left, as is linebacker Reggie Ragland and cornerback Mackensie Alexander. On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Connor Cook, running back Derrick Henry, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, tight end Hunter Henry, and offensive lineman Cody Whitehair are still available.

More from the draft, as we look forward to rounds two and three on Friday…

The Broncos talked to every team starting with the Falcons at No. 17 about a move up to draft Paxton Lynch, John Elway tells Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Elway adds that Denver will continue to look at other quarterback options, and might still bring in a veteran QB.
The Cowboys spent more time with Lynch than any other team club did, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Dallas was considering trading back up into the first round, per reports, but stopped their efforts once Lynch was drafted by Denver.
Although a report tonight indicated that new Bills edge rusher Shaq Lawson would require shoulder surgery at some point, Lawson says that report is false, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter link). Such a procedure would reportedly force Lawson out of action for four-to-six months.
GM Dave Gettleman said the Panthers received seven calls from teams interested in acquiring the No. 30 pick, but he was comfortable staying put and drafting defensive tackle Vernon Butler (Twitter link via Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer).
Chargers GM Tom Telesco said his team may have the opportunity to trade down in the second round on Friday, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The team holds the fourth pick of the second round (No. 35 overall).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Chiefs, Cardinals, Titans, Cowboys Trying To Trade up

April 28th, 2016 at 10:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chiefs, Cardinals, Titans, and Cowboys all have interest in trading up, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Kansas City and Arizona would be moving up, while Tennessee and Dallas would be trading back into the first round, having already selected once.

The Chiefs, Cardinals, and Cowboys could all conceivably have interest in acquiring a quarterback. Paxton Lynch just went off the board at No. 26, but Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg have been rumored as first-round options. Indeed, a sorce tells Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star Telegram (Twitter link) that Dallas “was” trying to trade up, and Ed Werder of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys’ target was Lynch.

Broncos Acquire No. 26 Pick From Seahawks

April 28th, 2016 at 9:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Broncos have acquired the No. 26 pick from the Seahawks, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Denver will send the 31st pick and a 2016 third-rounder (No. 94) to Seattle, per Broncos PR man Patrick Smyth (Twitter link). The Broncos will use the pick to draft Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS.

Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) reported just prior to the trade that Denver was looking to move up with its eye on a quarterback, and now they’ve acquired Lynch, who was widely viewed as the third-best QB in the draft. He’ll head to the Mile High City and presumably compete with Mark Sanchez for the starting quarterback gig.

The Broncos, of course, have been linked to a multitude of veteran QB options, including Colin Kaepernick, Sam Bradford, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, with Lynch in the organization, it’s probably safe to say that any efforts to land an outside quarterback option will cease.

Draft Rumors: Lawson, Tunsil, Cravens, Fins

April 28th, 2016 at 9:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

New Bills edge rusher Shaq Lawson will need to undergo shoulder surgery at some point, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The operation will knock Lawson out of action for four-to-six months, so Lawson will likely wait until after the season to undergo the surgery.

More draft rumors…

Washington is hearing interest from clubs who want to move up to No. 21, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link). The club hasn’t heard yet heard an offer that will entice them to move back.
A report earlier tonight suggested that the Cowboys could trade back into the first round while targeting a quarterback, but David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) hears that’s unlikely. Dallas will likely stay in place at No. 34 and take a defensive player.
Laremy Tunsil was the No. 2 player on the Dolphins‘ board, general manager Chris Grier tells Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter links). Grier also says the video that caused Tunsil to slip down the board is two years old. Meanwhile, Tunsil’s stepfather — who is currently suing the former Ole Miss tackle — has denied to TMZ that he hacked his son’s account or leaked the video.
The Falcons drafted one safety/linebacker at No. 17 in Keanu Neal, but they apparently considered another hybrid-type player in Su’a Cravens, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Draft Rumors: Jets, Falcons, Giants, Jack

April 28th, 2016 at 8:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets are trying to move up from the No. 20 pick, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). RapSheet doesn’t provide any more details, but it’s easy to speculate that New York might be targeting a quarterback like Paxton Lynch.

Dolphins Select Laremy Tunsil With No. 13 Pick

April 28th, 2016 at 8:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Laremy Tunsil‘s draft day slide has ended. The Dolphins have used the 13th overall pick to select the Ole Miss offensive tackle, drafting Tunsil after a social media snafu earlier tonight threatened to send Tunsil down draft boards.

Tunsil, of course, was once projected to be the first overall selection when the Titans still held that pick. After Tennesee traded out, Tunsil was still thought to be a top-6 pick (at worst), but after a video posted earlier tonight showed him smoking out a bong, it was anyone’s guess as to where he would land. The Ravens reportedly passed on Tunsil in favor of Ronnie Stanley after seeing the video (a decision that cost Tunsil about $8MM, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com), while another GM voiced his concern: “It’s bad.”

Reporting on NFL Network, Ian Rapoport said that the video is several — potentially up to five — years old, and adds that Tunsil never failed a drug test while at Ole Miss. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) is skeptical of that story, noting that while Tunsil was in high school five years ago, the video shows an Ole Miss flag in the background.

“Somebody hacked my Twitter account,” said Tunsil at the draft tonight. “It was a mistake. It happened years ago.” Tunsil is being sued by his stepfather, but he said he wasn’t sure if it was his stepfather who hacked the account.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Rumors: Bosa, Tunsil, Jack, Chargers

April 28th, 2016 at 8:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers had been intending to draft Joey Bosa “for months”, a source tells Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com (Twitter links), who adds that San Diego was extremely happy when the Eagles traded up to No.2, since that deal meant that Bosa would likely slip to pick No. 3. Chargers general manager Tom Telesco spoke with Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer for over an hour on Monday night, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), which may have helped the Chargers solidify their pick.

Here’s more draft news as the first round action continues…

The Ravens drafted Ronnie Stanley at No. 6, but they originally had another offensive tackle in mind. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), Baltimore was prepared to select Laremy Tunsil, but a video posted earlier tonight of Tunsil smoking out of a bong “scared them off.”
Before selecting running back Elliott, the Cowboys considered trading out of the No. 4 pick, tweets Schefter. According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), Dallas was discussing a pick swap with the Ravens before drafting Ezekiel Elliott. Baltimore, per Moore, wanted Jalen Ramsey, who ultimately went fifth overall.
The Dolphins are a potential suitor for linebacker Myles Jack, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who says he’s heard “over and over” that Jack could be a target for Miami. Jack’s health, specifically a 2015 knee injury, could force him to tumble down the draft board, but the Dolphins could be ready to catch him at No. 13.

Titans Acquire No. 8 Pick From Browns

April 28th, 2016 at 8:25pm CST by Luke Adams

8:25pm: The Browns have announced the exact terms of the trade: Cleveland will acquire a 2016 first-rounder (No. 15), a 2016 third-rounder (No. 76), and a 2017 third-rounder, while the Titans picked up the No. 8 pick, and a 2016 sixth-rounder (No. 176).

8:03pm: After trading down from No. 2 to No. 8 earlier this month, the Browns have once again moved down in the first round. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), the Browns and Titans have agreed to a trade, with Tennessee moving up to No. 8. Tennessee will select Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin, reports Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).

The Titans will send the No. 15 pick, a 2016 third-rounder, and a 2017 third-rounder to Cleveland in exchange for the eighth pick, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. The Browns, meanwhile, will also send a sixth-rounder to Tennessee, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).

The deal makes sense on a number of levels, as the Titans had been rumored to be exploring a trade up to acquire an offensive tackle, while the Browns had reportedly been looking to move down an acquire more draft capital. The trade, interestingly, is comprised of the two clubs who originally owned the first and second overall selections.

2016 NFL Draft News & Rumors