2018 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Bills Unlikely To Trade Up To Giants’ No. 2 Pick?

April 23rd, 2018 at 6:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Many have speculated that the Bills will use the Nos. 12 and 22 picks to move up to the top 5 and the Giants, who are reportedly split on this year’s top quarterback prospects, appear to be logical trade partner. However, that might not be in the cards.

Right now, it seems unlikely that Bills GM Brandon Beane will “sell out” and trade up to the second pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link). Instead, the Bills are more likely to make a move if a QB they like falls to No. 5 or No. 6.

The writing has been on the wall for the Bills to make a move for a quarterback in this draft ever since the team dealt Tyrod Taylor to the Browns. Though there is a chance a quarterback they like could fall to No. 12, it has long been speculated the team will use both picks to go after the team’s No. 1 target.

With the Browns (No. 1 and No. 4) and Jets (No. 3) likely locked in to taking a quarterback, Buffalo could find more likely trade partners in the Broncos and Colts. Denver has the No. 5 pick and could be out of the quarterback market after they signed Case Keenum in the offseason. The Colts at No. 6 could also be looking to acquire additional assets from a team looking to get in on the quarterback feeding frenzy.

The Cardinals have been heavily linked to Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and could also be looking to move up into the top 10 if the Heisman Trophy winner falls.

Latest On Ohio State C Billy Price

April 23rd, 2018 at 1:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Good news for Ohio State center Billy Price. Price tells SiriusXM that he has regained full range of motion after suffering a partially torn pectoral muscle (via PFT).

Price hurt himself while doing the bench press at the combine in February. As one of the draft’s top offensive linemen, he was widely projected as a first-round pick prior to the injury. The torn pec is a definite setback, but based on the latest info, it sounds as though he could still be a top 32 pick. The belief is that Price will be ready in time for training camp, so any team drafting him will not have to worry about Price being behind the 8-ball.

There are rumblings of a potential late-round run on interior offensive linemen, which could involve Price, Arkansas center/guard Frank Ragnow, Iowa center James Daniels, and Georgia guard Isaiah Wynn. The Eagles, who count tackle among their top needs but aren’t hard up for a guard or center, could score a decent haul for their pick at No. 32 if that happens.

Patriots Host Lamar Jackson On Top 30 Visit

April 23rd, 2018 at 12:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots quietly hosted Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson on a Top 30 pre-draft visit two weeks ago, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Pats were left “intrigued and impressed” with Jackson, which gives further credence to reports connecting New England to the Heisman Trophy winner.

The Patriots may or may not be within range to select Jackson at No. 23 overall. The draft’s top four QBs – Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen, and Baker Mayfield – are widely projected to come off of the board in the top 10, but the Dolphins (No. 11), Bills (Nos. 12 and 22), Cardinals (No. 15), Ravens (No. 16), and Chargers (No. 17) all have varying degrees of interest in signal callers. If the Patriots are truly sold on Jackson, they may have to move up in the order. In theory, the Pats could package the No. 23 and No. 31 picks to advance in the first round, but that would be a gutsy move to make with more pressing needs to fill elsewhere.

The Patriots have not selected a quarterback in the first round since Drew Bledsoe in 1993, but they need to address the future of the position with Tom Brady‘s 41st birthday coming up in August. The Patriots are either gung-ho about Jackson as his heir or they are actively seeking to give other teams a false impression in advance of the draft.

Draft Notes: Giants, Eagles, Lamar Jackson

April 22nd, 2018 at 11:34am CST by Rory Parks

There are plenty who believe that the Giants would be foolish to pass up one of the top QBs in this year’s draft to select Saquon Barkley, regardless of how good Barkley is. But Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com wonders if the presence of Davis Webb, whom the Giants selected in the third round of last year’s draft, is impacting New York’s decision-making. Webb has impressed with his work ethic and preparation, and while it is unclear how highly the new regime values Webb, it could be that the Giants feel better about their short- and long-term QB situation than those outside the organization (plus, Webb still has a major supporter within the front office in president of player evaluation Chris Mara). Therefore, maybe it would not be much of a surprise to see Big Blue pull the trigger on a non-QB with their No. 2 overall pick.

Now for a roundup of more draft-related rumors, starting with another note on the Giants:

The Giants could also trade their No. 2 overall pick to a team who really does want to snag one of this year’s top QB prospects, but as Raanan notes, New York is going to ask for a major haul in exchange for that selection — including multiple first-round picks — and clubs that want to move up may be better served in making a deal with the Broncos or Colts (who hold the Nos. 5 and 6 overall picks, respectively). Raanan points out that Denver and Indianapolis have been talking to teams about the possibility of moving down, which hurts the Giants’ leverage.
The Eagles do not have many holes that need to be filled for the 2018 season, but there are plenty of questions they need to answer for 2019 and beyond, so as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer points out, the team may be drafting for future needs this week. For instance, the Eagles know they currently have a few young players on expiring contracts that will be in line for richer deals soon — most notably Carson Wentz — so they will need to find talent that can contribute on a rookie contract for a few years. Running back, offensive line, and safety are three positions that are at least somewhat unsettled beyond 2018, so Berman suggests the Eagles could target those positions this week.
In his latest mailbag, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com takes a look at two of the pass rushers that have been frequently connected to the Lions — Boston College’s Harold Landry and UTEP’s Marcus Davenport — and opines that Davenport would be the better fit. However, as we learned yesterday, Detroit could be looking to trade down from its No. 20 overall pick, and Rothstein notes that remains a possibility.
It’s unclear whether the Dolphins will be targeting a QB with their No. 11 overall pick — or if they will trade up to land a signal-caller — but Florida Football Insiders offers its view as to why Miami should pick Louisville QB Lamar Jackson with its first-round selection.
Speaking of Jackson, NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock (article via Edward Lewis of NFL.com) believes the former Heisman Trophy winner will not only be a first-round pick, but that he could go in the top-10 (he also believes a team could trade up into that territory to land him). But if Jackson is not selected in the first 20 picks, Mayock says the Saints and Patriots would be two clubs that could target him, as they have the offensive minds to harness Jackson’s talent.
With more available data than ever before, a “handful of teams,” including the Rams, are using analytics to help them locate hidden gems and special teams contributors/reserve types on Day 3 of the draft, as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes. Volin writes, “[i]n addition to comparing 40 times and broad jumps, teams find different ways to track a player’s health, his productivity at various positions and alignments, his performance in the fourth quarter, and so on.” So while old-school scouting and face-to-face meetings are still the most important tools with respect to early-round picks, potential late-round selections are increasingly being scouted with advanced metrics.

Saquon Barkley Visited Buccanneers

April 22nd, 2018 at 9:17am CST by Rory Parks

The Buccaneers, who hold the No. 7 overall selection in this week’s draft, are one of the most RB-needy teams in the NFL, and they would love nothing more than to see Penn State’s Saquon Barkley — widely-regarded as the most complete and dynamic running back to enter the league in a long time — fall to them. And Tampa Bay did its due diligence on the Nittany Lion standout, as GM Jason Licht revealed several days ago that the team brought Barkley in for an official visit (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times).

However, it seems unlikely that Barkley will still be on the board when Tampa Bay is on the clock, unless Licht & Co. decide to trade up. Indeed, there has been plenty of buzz connecting Barkley to the Giants — who have the No. 2 overall selection — in recent weeks, and he may not make it past Cleveland’s No. 4 overall pick. Even the Broncos and Colts, who have the Nos. 5 and 6 overall picks, respectively, could feel that Barkley’s upside is too great to pass up (Indianapolis is also known to have hosted Barkley during the pre-draft season).

And, despite Barkley’s tremendous track record of collegiate success and his potential at the next level, it’s doubtful Tampa Bay would surrender a significant amount of draft capital to move up for a RB. In fact, as Florida Football Insiders posits, it is much more likely that the Bucs trade down.

The Bucs would like to continue improving their pass rush, and this year’s draft boasts a prospect that, like Barkley, has plenty of GMs salivating: NC State’s Bradley Chubb. But Chubb, like Bradley, is expected to be off the board before the Bucs pick, and there are a number of second-tier pass rushers (and running backs) who offer plenty of ability and who could be had later in the first round. Of course, Tampa Bay also needs secondary help, and if it doesn’t get a trade-down offer it likes, the team may simply choose one of the top DB prospects in the 2018 class, like Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick.

AFC South Rumors: Colts, Texans, Draft

April 20th, 2018 at 2:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Could the Colts move back yet again in the first round? Colts GM Chris Ballard won’t rule out trading the No. 6 pick.

“We will be open to moving back if we think it is the right thing for us to do and there’s enough players on the board, depending on how far we have to move back, that we feel comfortable taking,” the GM said (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).

The Colts already have extra ammo in the draft thanks to their swap with the Jets. In exchange for moving down from No. 3 to No. 6, the Colts now own three picks in the second round – their original selection at No. 36, plus picks at No. 37 and No. 49.

Here’s more from the AFC South:

The Texans haven’t ruled out trading up in this year’s draft, but GM Brian Gaine says there are more inclined to move down (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle). The Texans do not have a selection until No. 68 this year and Gaine is looking to get “more at-bats,” if possible.
The Titans made the no-brainer decision to exercise Marcus Mariota‘s fifth-year option for 2019. Mariota is slated to earn $20.922MM in ’19, though the additional year can be pulled for non-injury reasons.
Former Jaguars wide receiver Tyler Gaffney is leaving football to try his hand at a different sport.

Lions Draft Rumors: Trade Down, RB, OL

April 20th, 2018 at 1:54pm CST by Zachary Links

It sounds like the Lions will be looking for opportunities to trade down from No. 20.

“I think we’re going to kind of take it as it comes in the first round and see what’s there in the teens and evaluate what our options are,” GM Bob Quinn said, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. “I’m always in the business of getting more draft picks, if I can. … I think that’s just good for business. The more you get, the more you hit on. “So if we can acquire more picks, that would be something I look forward to. If there’s a player I really like at [No. 20 overall], I’m going to have to go ahead and take the pick.”

NFL Draft Rumors: Fitzpatrick, Jackson

April 20th, 2018 at 1:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Is the stock of Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick slipping? That’s the sense Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter) gets. Mortensen, personally, feels that Fitzpatrick is one of the three or four best overall talents in this year’s draft and one “proven evaluator not picking in the top 10” tells Mort that Fitzpatrick, Bradley Chubb, Quenton Nelson, and Saquon Barkley made up this year’s top four.

Here’s the latest NFL Draft buzz:

Several NFL sources tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that they really like Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson and Raanan expects there to be five QBs off the board in the top 20. Jackson is one of the more fascinating players in this year’s draft as some evaluators have written him off as an NFL QB, despite his tremendous athleticism.
On Friday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reported that LSU stars Arden Key and Derrius Guice could slip in the draft due to off-field concerns. Within the same piece, Pelissero touches on UCF cornerback Mike Hughes and Florida wide receiver Antonio Callaway. Hughes left the UNC football program two years ago when he was accused of sexual assault, but he maintains his innocence and teams believe his version of events, Pelissero hears. Callaway, meanwhile, has a host of red flags that figure to tank his stock. Callaway was cleared of a sexual assault allegation, but he argued in his Title IX hearing that he was too “stoned” to have intercourse, which is troubling considering a past citation for marijuana. He was also charged with two third-degree felonies for his role in a credit card scam. Callaway might be one of the the most talented WRs in this year’s class, but he could fall late in the draft due to all of his issues. It also doesn’t help that Callaway didn’t impress at his pro day.

LSU’s Key, Guice To Slip In Draft?

April 20th, 2018 at 1:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Two top talents from LSU could slide in this year’s draft, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Despite their talent, teams have serious concerns about defensive end Arden Key and running back Derrius Guice.

Key’s issues have been well-documented. The edge rusher is coming off of a down year and recently revealed to teams that his “leave of absence” from the team stemmed from a voluntary stint in rehab for marijuana use.

“He was a shell of what he was,” an AFC scout said of his 2017 season. “His actions have proven to be habitual, and I don’t know that he can kick it.”

Marijuana isn’t a major deal for NFL teams in this day and age, but Pelissero hears that evaluators see his usage as an impediment to his career. Key has to answer for being overweight in his final season on campus and clubs are also concerned about his offseason shoulder surgery. On a Friday afternoon conference call, NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said that he thinks Key is likely to go in the fourth or fifth round because of off-field concerns.

Guice, meanwhile, still ranks as one of the top players at his position, but personality concerns could hurt him. Guice made headlines earlier this year when he said that he was asked during combine interviews about his sexual orientation and whether his mother was a prostitute. Apparently, Guice has privately walked back those claims and said that he was not asked those questions by NFL teams.

“His explanation was that it was taken out of context,” one executive said. “There’s just a lot going on with him.”

While Key now seems a longshot to hear his name called in Day 1 of the draft, Guice could still be a first round pick.

“Is he talented? Yep. Do you have to have a handle on how to deal with him? Absolutely,” an offensive coordinator said. “He’s not a bad person — he’s just immature, silly. If he wasn’t all that other stuff, he’d be drafted in the top 20 picks. And he still might be in the top 20 picks.”

La Canfora On Draft, Raiders, Miller, Patriots

April 20th, 2018 at 10:26am CST by Zachary Links

UCLA tackle Kolton Miller could be a target for the Raiders if they trade down from the No. 10 overall pick, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com hears. However, they probably can’t move back all that far if they hope to land him. Evaluators and offensive line coaches that have spoken with JLC believe that Miller – and not Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey – is the best tackle in this year’s class. Plenty of teams in the teens are eyeing the 6’9″ prospect and McGlinchey is more likely to go in the late teens or early 20s, La Canfora hears. The Lions at No. 20 could be Miller’s floor as they would plug him in on the right side.

Here’s more draft buzz from JLC:

The Patriots are entertaining the possibility of moving up in the teens if the right quarterback falls, La Canfora writes. The Dolphins and Bills are exploring QBs at Nos. 11 and 12, so the Raiders could potentially find value by trading down from No. 10. Josh Rosen, in JLC’s estimation, appears to be the most likely of the big four QBs to slide. I’d agree with that assessment as the Browns, Giants, and Jets are reportedly not high on the UCLA product.
The Broncos say they are open to moving down from No. 5 and JLC believes that linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is very much on their radar. The likely trade scenario, he believes, would see the Bills moving up to get Josh Rosen if Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield come off of the board in the top four. The Bills own the Nos. 12 and 22 picks in the draft.
The Bengals at No. 21 could be the floor for Arkansas center Frank Ragnow. Ragnow is climbing up boards around the league and has a good chance of going in the first round.
The Ravens are looking for a tight end, but they would rather not select one at No. 16. La Canfora hears that the Ravens, ideally, would like to move down 5-7 spots to get South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst. The Ravens can’t go too far, however, with the Saints sitting at No. 27.
Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who won’t turn 20 until after the draft, is a lock to go in the top 10, JLC hears. He also wouldn’t be shocked to see him go as high as No. 6 overall, depending on how the first five picks shake out.
Florida defensive tackle Taven Bryan could go just outside the top 10 and JLC believes his worst case scenario is No. 26.
Florida state defensive lineman Josh Sweat could sneak into the late first round and seems very possible for the second round.

2018 NFL Draft News & Rumors