2017 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Bills Sign Rookie QB Nathan Peterman

May 24th, 2017 at 1:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills have signed rookie quarterback Nathan Peterman, according to a team announcement. The Pittsburgh product was taken in the fifth round of this year’s draft.

Peterman was seen as a likely Day 2 pick heading into the draft, but for one reason or another, he fell to the Bills on Day 3. Peterman came into the draft as a two-year full-time starter for Pitt and he had his best season to date in 2016. Peterman threw for 2,855 yards and 27 touchdowns against seven interceptions while completing more than 60% of his passes.

The Bills’ quarterback depth chart is a bit crowded at the moment with starter Tyrod Taylor, rising sophomore Cardale Jones, Peterman, and T.J. Yates all under contract. Jones is a safe bet to go into the year as Taylor’s primary backup, so Yates and Peterman are jockeying for one spot on the 53-man roster.

The Bills have now signed all of their draft picks. Here’s a complete look at their 2017 class:

1-27: Tre’Davious White, CB (LSU)
2-37: Zay Jones, WR (East Carolina)
2-63: Dion Dawkins, OL (Temple)
5-163: Matt Milano, LB (Boston College)
5-171: Nathan Peterman, QB (Pittsburgh)
6-195: Tanner Vallejo, LB (Boise State)

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/23/17

May 23rd, 2017 at 6:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s draft pick signings:

The Jets announced that they’ve signed second-round safety Marcus Maye and fifth-round linebacker Dylan Donahue. Maye, a Florida alum, was the second safety New York drafted last month, joining sixth overall selection Jamal Adams. With Marcus Gilchrist having been released, and Calvin Pryor in danger of being traded or cut, Maye and Adams could be Gang Green’s starters come Week 1. Donahue, meanwhile, will likely begin his NFL career on special teams as he transitions from Division II West Georgia.
The Seahawks have signed third-round wide receiver Amara Darboh, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Darboh, the penultimate pick of Day 3, put up 57 receptions for 862 yards and seven touchdowns during his senior season at Michigan. At 6’2″, 214 pounds, Darboh will give Seattle some size on a wide receiver depth chart that includes smaller pass-catchers such as Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett.
The Buccaneers have agreed to terms with third-round linebacker Kendell Beckwith, fifth-round running back Jeremy McNichols, and seventh-round defensive tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, the club announced today. Tampa Bay traded up in the draft to acquire both Beckwith and Tu’ikolovatu. Of the trio, Beckwith seemingly has the best chance for playing time early in his career, as he can take over at strong-side ‘backer for Daryl Smith. McNichols, meanwhile, could earn a role pending Doug Martin‘s eventual martin, although the Boise State product is recovering from surgery.

Titans Sign Rookie Adoree’ Jackson

May 23rd, 2017 at 3:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have officially signed Adoree’ Jackson. The USC cornerback was a first-round pick, taken with the No. 18 overall selection.

Tennessee went into draft night with two first round picks amidst tons of speculation that they would make moves with the No. 5 and No. 18 picks. Ultimately, they stood pat with both, selecting Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis at No. 5 overall and taking Jackson at No. 18. Some expected the Titans to select Ohio State corner Marshon Lattimore at No. 5 while addressing wide receiver or a defensive position in the teens, but they flipped the script by taking Davis first and waiting to select Jackson.

Jackson had a strong junior year with the Trojans as he totaled 55 tackles (including two tackles for a loss) and five interceptions. In addition to stepping up his coverage skills in his final collegiate season, Jackson impressed with his play on special teams as he had two kickoff return TDs and two punt return TDs.

The Titans are still working to complete deals with Davis, third round wide receiver Taywan Taylor, and fifth round linebacker Jayon Brown.

Buccaneers Sign First-Round TE O.J. Howard

May 22nd, 2017 at 12:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The juice is no longer loose. The Buccaneers have signed first-round pick O.J. Howard, according to a team announcement.

Heading into the draft, the Alabama product was projected by some as a top 10 pick. With that in mind, the Bucs were over the moon when they were able to grab Howard at No. 19 overall. Evan Engram and David Njoku were also widely regarded as Day 1 talents, but Howard was universally considered to be the best TE in this year’s crop.

The 6’6″ tight end tallied 45 catches and 595 yards with three touchdowns in his senior year for the Crimson Tide. Blessed with tremendous athletic ability, Tampa Bay is excited about the prospect of using him in a lot of two tight end sets alongside last year’s starter Cameron Brate. In time, Howard could become the team’s TE1 and a top overall performer at the position.

Howard is the first member of the Buccaneers’ rookie class to sign. The team still have five players to go, including second round safety Justin Evans, third round wide receiver Chris Godwin, and third round linebacker Kendell Beckwith.

Draft Pick Signings: 5/19/17

May 19th, 2017 at 5:48pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest draft picks to sign their first NFL contracts:

The Colts have signed third-round defensive end Tarell Basham, the 80th overall pick, meaning all eight members of their draft class are now under contract. Basham starred the previous four years at Ohio, where he amassed 38.5 tackles and 27 sacks, and could help upgrade a Colts pass rush that finished a mediocre 19th in sacks last season.
The Bears have locked up second-round tight end Adam Shaheen, leaving first-round quarterback Mitch Trubisky as the only member of their five-pick class who hasn’t signed yet. Shaheen – formerly with Ashland – is one of three Bears picks who attended a small school, and plucking players from relatively anonymous institutions has led to criticism of general manager Ryan Pace. But Shaheen is a “special talent,” according to Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com.
A day after inking their top two picks to contracts, the Bills have signed their third selection, second-round offensive lineman Dion Dawkins (No. 63 overall). The former Temple Owl should be a factor on the right side of the Bills’ offensive line in 2017, perhaps as a Day 1 starter at tackle, after the team traded up to land him. The Bills’ veteran options at right tackle, Jordan Mills, Cyrus Kouandjio and Seantrel Henderson, have failed to impress on the field. Further, both Kouandjio and Henderson have dealt with off-field issues. Henderson will miss the first five games of the year on account of a suspension.
Former North Carolina State safety Josh Jones has signed his deal with the Packers. Jones, the 61st pick, was one of two second-rounders for Green Bay in this year’s draft. The higher selection of the two, ex-Washington cornerback Kevin King (No. 33 overall), signed last week. Jones, who wrapped up his college career in 2016 with a 109-tackle, three-interception season, joins a safety corps that also includes Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Morgan Burnett. With Burnett scheduled to become a free agent next offseason, Jones could be the Packers’ long-term answer at strong safety.
Seahawks third-rounder Nazair Jones, the 102nd pick, is now under contract. The former North Carolina defensive tackle, more of a run-stopping factor than a pass rusher, produced 22 tackles for loss and five sacks in three seasons with the Tar Heels. Jones is one of two interior D-linemen the Seahawks used a high pick on, as he followed second-rounder Malik McDowell.
The Cardinals have signed fourth-round guard Dorian Johnson, the 115th pick. Johnson was a dominant guard at Pittsburgh, starting in 39 straight games and capping off his Panthers career in 2016 with first-team All-America honors. Arizona already has an established starter at Johnson’s college position, left guard, in Mike Iupati, but it’s not nearly as well off on the right. As of now, 2016 fifth-rounder Cole Toner is penciled in as the starter.
One of Johnson’s college teammates at Pitt, offensive tackle Adam Bisnowaty, officially became a member of the Giants on Friday. The 200th overall pick started at left tackle in each of his four years at Pitt, where he earned a first-team all-ACC nod last season. Bisnowaty is likely to end up on the right side in the pros, per NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, who notes that he has the ceiling of a low-end starter.

Browns Sign Caleb Brantley

May 19th, 2017 at 4:17pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Browns announced Friday that they have signed sixth-round defensive lineman Caleb Brantley, the seventh member of their 10-player draft class to ink his rookie deal.

While most low-round selections aren’t particularly noteworthy, that’s not the case with Brantley. Soon after the Browns used the 185th pick on the ex-Florida Gator, general manager Sashi Brown acknowledged that Brantley might not play a down for the team. At the time, Brantley was facing an assault charge for an incident that occurred in Gainesville, Fla., last month. Brantley was alleged to have punched a woman in a bar, causing dental injuries, but the charge against him was dropped Wednesday on account of “insufficient evidence,” and it turns out he was actually defending himself against an assault.

Now that he’s officially a member of the Browns, Brantley could prove to be a late-round steal for the club. Brantley had the potential to go as high as Round 2 before his legal troubles, after all, and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote prior to the draft that he has the talent to become a “defensive force.”

Browns Sign No. 1 Overall Pick Myles Garrett

May 19th, 2017 at 11:35am CST by Zachary Links

Myles Garrett is officially a member of the Browns. The No. 1 overall pick has signed his rookie deal, according to a team announcement.

As dictated by his slot, Garrett’s four-year deal is worth $30.412MM with a hefty signing bonus of $20.258MM. The rookie will be well-compensated, but he’ll also be one of the position’s best bargains over the next four years if he is anywhere near as good as evaluators believe him to be. The market for defensive ends is presently sky-high with contracts exceeding $15MM per year for top earners like Muhammad Wilkerson, J.J. Watt, Olivier Vernon, and Jason Pierre-Paul.

The deal includes offset language, a source tells Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). This means the Browns can save some money if they wind up releasing the No. 1 pick at some point during his rookie deal. In that (unlikely) event, the Browns would get out of some of their obligation if Garrett’s signs with a new club. For example, if Garrett has $4MM in guaranteed money left on his contract at the time of his release and he signs with a new club on a $1MM deal, the Browns will only be on the hook for $3MM, with the new team making up the difference.

Garrett was the consensus top prospect in the 2017 draft for months, but the Browns tried to throw the football world a curve by giving some reporters the impression that UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky was a consideration on draft day. Ultimately, the Browns made the selection that was widely seen as a no-brainer. Garrett is believed to be about as much of a can’t-miss prospect as you can get in the draft and all signs are pointing to a Pro Bowl career in his future.

Garrett figures to be a Week 1 starter for the Browns at defensive end with second-year DE Emmanuel Ogbah at the other bookend.

Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/18/17

May 18th, 2017 at 5:01pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest draft signings from around the NFL:

The Bills have signed second-round wide receiver Zay Jones, who’s the fourth of their six draft picks to ink his rookie deal. Jones caught an FBS-record 399 passes, including a ridiculous 158 last season, in four years at East Carolina. That production helped lead the Bills to trade up for Jones, who should be the wideout-needy club’s No. 2 WR after Sammy Watkins in 2017. Jones is now dealing with a knee injury, according to ESPN’s Mike Rodak, though it doesn’t seem particularly serious.
The Ravens have signed third-round linebacker Tim Williams (per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun), meaning they now have their entire seven-player draft class under contract. Williams, the 78th overall pick, is coming off back-to-back seasons with at least nine sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss at Alabama. The Ravens’ hope is that both Williams and second-rounder Tyus Bowser will beef up a pass rush that finished just 24th in the league in sacks last season.
The Cardinals have announced the signing of third-round receiver Chad Williams, a former Grambling State standout. The 6-foot-1, 204-pound Williams went 98th overall to Arizona, whose non-Larry Fitzgerald receivers didn’t offer much production in 2016. Moreover, the 2017 campaign could be Fitzgerald’s last, while John Brown will be a free agent next offseason. Therefore, it was imperative for the Cardinals to invest a relatively high pick in a wideout.
The Browns have inked third-round defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, per a team announcement. Ogunjobi, who went 65th overall after a strong career at UNC-Charlotte, might start immediately in Cleveland alongside fellow D-tackle Danny Shelton.
The Patriots have signed former Arkansas defensive lineman Deatrich Wise, a fourth-rounder who was the 131st overall selection. Wise underwhelmed as a senior with the Razorbacks last season, when he posted 3.5 sacks after totaling eight in 2015, notes Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. However, the 6-5, 274-pounder possesses “rare physical attributes,” Zierlein writes.
The Colts have announced the signing of fourth-round defensive tackle Grover Stewart. Formerly with Albany State, Stewart went to Indianapolis with pick No. 144. He has the makings of a developmental project, according to Zierlein.
Jets fifth-round tight end Jordan Leggett, the 150th selection, is now under contract. Leggett racked up a combined 86 catches and 15 touchdowns over his final two seasons at Clemson. Given both the Jets’ woeful tight end production last year and their lack of offseason upgrades at the position, Leggett could be in line to make an impact as a rookie.

Colts Sign First-Round Pick Malik Hooker

May 18th, 2017 at 11:19am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have signed first-round pick Malik Hooker. As dictated by his slot, he’ll get a four-year, $12.6MM deal with a $7.304MM signing bonus.

Hooker did not participate in the Colts‘ rookie minicamp earlier this month and will likely be held out until training camp. The No. 15 overall pick underwent surgeries in January to repair a torn labrum and address a hernia issue, so the Colts will be taking the safe approach with him.

Heading into the draft, Hooker was viewed as a potential top ten pick despite the health concerns. In his final year at Ohio State, Hooker racked up 74 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, and an eye-popping seven interceptions. Some talent evaluators preferred Hooker to LSU safety Jamal Adams who went nine picks earlier to the Jets.

Hooker wasn’t the fastest defensive back in this year’s class, but his natural instincts propelled him to the top of many draft boards. Some have knocked his lack of starting experience – 2016 was his only year as a full-year starter – but his potential is evident.

“[He’s] still so raw and you see him making all of those plays. He’s a player who will come in and look bad his first year and then be an all-pro by his third year. I think that’s his arc. No short-cut for experience,” one AFC personnel director told Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster Signs Rookie Deal

May 17th, 2017 at 3:45pm CST by Zachary Links

JuJu Smith-Schuster is officially a member of the Steelers. The team announced on Wednesday that the second round pick has inked his rookie deal.

Smith-Schuster first received national attention in 2015 when he caught 89 passes for 1,454 yards and ten touchdowns at USC. He wasn’t quite as impressive last year as he battled through a back injury, but he still managed to haul in 70 receptions for 914 yards and ten scores. The stock of the 6’1″, 215 pound receiver may have dipped a bit in 2016, but the Steelers see him as a first-round caliber talent and someone who can help take some of the heat off of Antonio Brown.

A former USC assistant coach gushed over Smith-Schuster’s work ethic and athleticism before the draft.

“He has a mom and stepdad who keep him grounded. His passion and enthusiasm are second to none and he absolutely loves football. He came in as a safety and probably could have gone pro as a safety as well if he had stayed there,” the coach told Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

2017 NFL Draft News & Rumors