2017 April - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Select Solomon Thomas No. 3 Overall

April 27th, 2017 at 7:29pm CST by Zachary Links

With the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, the 49ers have selected Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas. Thomas was regarded by most as the best defensive end available after Myles Garrett.

Thomas enters the NFL after two strong collegiate seasons. In 2016, Thomas had 61 total tackles – including 14 tackles for a loss – and 8.5 sacks. He’s a three-technique player with the ability to play on the inside when asked, though most evaluators would like to see him beef up in order to hold his ground on the interior. Depending on who you ask, Thomas is either labeled as versatile or as a “tweener”. Either way, no one denies that he is a high-level talent.

With the Niners, he projects to start at defensive end with 2015 first round pick Arik Armstead on the other side. The Niners will have free agent pickup Earl Mitchell and 2016 All-Rookie selection DeForest Bucker on the inside.

Moments ago, the Niners traded down from No. 2 to acquire Chicago’s No. 3 overall selection plus more. The 49ers also received picks No. 67 and No. 111 this year plus a 2018 a third-round pick next year. Ultimately, they got a king’s ransom to move back just one spot and land one of this year’s very best talents.

Bears Acquire No. 2 Pick, Take Mitch Trubisky

April 27th, 2017 at 7:17pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears have acquired the No. 2 overall pick from the 49ers. With the pick, the Bears have shocked the world by taking UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky.

The selection comes as a massive surprise. There have been a number of players connected to the Bears over the last few months, but no one anticipated Chicago taking Trubisky. The Bears paid a fortune to sign Mike Glennon this offseason and they have now put major resources into landing Trubisky. Glennon was supposedly signed to be the Bears’ starter, but he might wind up holding the clipboard for a highly drafted QB yet again.

The Niners will be acquiring Chicago’s No. 3 overall selection plus more. The 49ers will receive picks No. 67 and No. 111 this year plus a 2018 a third-round pick next year to move back one spot, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets.

Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

Browns Select Myles Garrett With No. 1 Pick

April 27th, 2017 at 7:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After what was reportedly ample internal debate, the Browns have officially selected Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett with the No. 1 overall pick.

Garrett had been the consensus top prospect in the 2017 draft for some time, as nearly every draft board listed the Aggie pass rusher atop the list. Both of PFR’s mock drafts projected Garrett to Cleveland, as did most of the draft community, but the Browns’ need for a franchise quarterback seemingly invaded the club’s recent thinking. Cleveland’s front office was reportedly also considering North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky with the first overall selection — perhaps at the behest of owner Jimmy Haslam — and may still trade up from pick No. 12 in order to secure the signal-caller.

Instead of opting for a passer, however, the Browns have selected Garrett, who’s viewed as an eminently safe pick with the upside of one of the NFL’s best defenders. Cleveland had placed an “astronomical grade” on Garrett during the 2016 collegiate football season, and was subsequently “blown away” by Garrett’s combine performance: he weighed in at 272 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds, and posted 33 bench press reps.

Garrett boasts the measurables of a No. 1 overall pick, and his statistical production at Texas A&M was also eye-popping. In three seasons in College Station, Garrett posted 31 sacks and 47 tackles for loss (even while dealing with injuries during his final year with the Aggies). He also graded as a top-three edge defender during all three of his collegiate campaigns, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Browns can use that type of performance, as they ranked just 30th in sacks and 23rd in adjusted sack percentage in 2016. Garrett immediately becomes the best pass-rusher on the Cleveland defense, which saw rookie Emmanuel Ogbah lead the club with six sacks last season. Garrett will now line up in a Browns front seven that also includes Jamie Collins, Demario Davis, Desmond Bryant, Danny Shelton, Carl Nassib, and Ogbah.

Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

Extra Points: Redskins, Allen, Steelers

April 27th, 2017 at 6:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are high on Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Redskins currently own the No. 17 pick in the draft, so they’ll likely need to move up to get him. Then again, Allen might not make it out of the top five.

Here’s more news before the draft gets underway:

Washington defensive backs Kevin King and Budda Baker are on the Steelers‘ “radar”, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Pittsburgh has used early picks on secondary help over the past few seasons, as Artie Burns, Sean Davis, and Senquez Golson have all been added to the defensive backfield since 2015. Golson, however, hasn’t been able to get on the field due to injuries, and the Steelers could use more help in the back end. King would give the club a physical corner to play outside, while Baker can play deep safety and the slot.
Some folks in the Dolphins organization are really high on linebacker Haason Reddick, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears. His fans in Miami believe that he can be a great weakside linebacker right off of the bat and they like his explosive pass rush skills.
An official from one team tells Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that Gareon Conley will go in the first round.
Colts defensive lineman David Parry will avoid jail time after reaching a plea agreement this week, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star writes. Originally, he was facing felony charges stemming from a February arrest in Arizona. It remains to be seen whether he’ll face team or league punishment.

Bears Mulling Trade Back From No. 3

April 27th, 2017 at 6:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears are considering trading back from No. 3, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears. It’s not immediately clear which teams have expressed interest in the pick.

We’ve been hearing reports that the Bears are eager to trade back, and we’ll find out soon whether they’re able to find a suitable deal. The Bears could stay pat and take a top cornerback like Marshon Lattimore, but it seems that they would prefer to add more picks to their arsenal by moving back.

Even if the Bears are thinking cornerback in round one, this year’s class is deep at the position and they’ll have plenty of opportunities to upgrade at CB. Other top corners include the embattled Gareon Conley, Marlon Humphrey, Kevin King, Tre’Davious White, and Adoree’ Jackson.

Bills Aiming To Trade Down

April 27th, 2017 at 6:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills are “pushing hard” to trade down from the No. 10 pick, according to Vic Carrucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter link). The club doesn’t see enough value where they’re currently sitting, and could look to pursue Temple linebaker Haason Reddick if they are able to trade back, per Carrucci.

Buffalo has been linked to a possible quarterback selection at 10th overall, but if the Browns are able to leap ahead of them to take UNC’s Mitch Trubisky, the Bills might lost their top target. The club has also been tied to Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, but as Carrucci notes, the 2017 class is viewed as exceptionally deep, meaning Buffalo may believe it can move back, acquire more draft assets, and still land a quality prospect.

Reddick has steadily risen up draft boards in recent weeks, and is now considered a lock to be drafted within the top-20 picks. He’d give the Bills and new head coach Sean McDermott a Luke Kuechly-esque option at linebacker, while Reddick is also versatile enough to rush the passer.

Chiefs Mulling Trade Into Top-10 Picks

April 27th, 2017 at 5:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chiefs are the club “making the most noise” about a trade into the top-10 picks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, Rapoport cautions that Kansas City could simply be putting in due diligence, and tweeted earlier this evening that “everyone” is contacting teams in the top-10 to feel out prices.

The natural inclination is to assume the Chiefs are aiming to move up for a quarterback, but clearly that has not been reported as of yet. Kansas City has been linked to quarterback upgrades all offseason, even though team management has publicly stood by incumbent Alex Smith. Texas Tech signal-caller Patrick Mahomes, specifically, has been tied to the Chiefs for weeks, but North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky or Clemson’s Deshaun Watson could also be in consideration.

Of course, the Chiefs could conceivably be looking at other positions. Depending on how high the team is willing to move, they could possibly be going after a running back such as Christian McCaffrey or Leonard Fournette, a wide receiver like Mike Williams, Corey Davis, or John Ross, or a defensive lineman such as Solomon Thomas or Jonathan Allen.

Dolphins Eyeing Florida LB Jarrad Davis?

April 27th, 2017 at 5:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis won’t get past the Dolphins and the No. 22 pick represents his floor, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears. It’s not clear where his ceiling is, however, and he could very well be off the board before it’s Miami’s turn to pick.

There are multiple teams in the teens who will be looking for linebacker help. The Redskins at No. 17 and the Lions at No. 21 could both be possibilities for him, as Florio writes. Peter Schrager of NFL Network previously reported that Davis could go as high as No. 15, where the Colts pick. On most boards, Davis ranks as the second-best off-the-ball linebacker in the draft, behind Alabama’s Reuben Foster.

Davis impressed scouts at his Pro Day when he posted a 4.56 40-yard dash and 38.5 inch vertical jump.

Malcolm Butler Trade Still Possible

April 27th, 2017 at 4:51pm CST by Zachary Links

A Malcolm Butler trade is “unlikely … but not impossible,” according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link via Zack Cox of NESN). With just hours to go before the draft, the Saints and Patriots will have to act fast to get something done.

The Saints and Butler have reportedly agreed to terms on a potential contract, but the Saints and Patriots have been far apart on trade compensation. The Saints could have signed Butler to an offer sheet as a restricted free agent, but an unmatched sheet would have forced them to part with the No. 11 overall pick. Some believed that the two sides would ultimately compromise on a trade sending the Patriots’ No. 32 pick back to New England, but that has not materialized thus far. The Patriots, reportedly, are not interested in acquiring 2018 draft compensation for Butler, so time is ticking for a trade to go down.

As it stands, Butler is set to play out the 2017 season on his $3.91MM one-year tender.

Draft Rumors: Broncos, Titans, Peppers

April 27th, 2017 at 4:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest NFL Draft rumors:

I’d caution you to take this with a grain of salt, but that disclaimer comes with most of the draft rumblings that you’ll hear today. The Broncos have talked to the Titans about trading up to the No. 5 pick, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. The asking price might be too rich for the Broncos, Cole notes, but it’s at least something that they’re exploring.
It sounds like teams are more concerned with Jabrill Peppers‘ fit in an NFL defense than his diluted urine sample at the combine, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. His stock, apparently, remains the same as it was a few weeks ago: he could go late in the first, but it’s more likely he goes in the second round, per Pelissero.
In a bit of a surprise, Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram is making a push to sneak into the first round, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). That could lead to three tight ends being taken in the first round between Alabama’s O.J. Howard, Miami’s David Njoku, and Engram. The Giants, Falcons, and Browns are among the potential fits for him in the No. 23-33 area, Pelissero tweets.