2019 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Poll: Where Will Kyler Murray Be Drafted?

February 16th, 2019 at 8:49pm CST by Micah Powell

The long-awaited speculation surrounding Kyler Murray‘s future was answered on Monday when the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Oklahoma announced his plans to commit to football and enter the NFL Draft.

This is big news, of course, because Murray was drafted by the Oakland A’s in the first round of the 2018 MLB amateur draft. The team agreed to let Murray play quarterback at Oklahoma with the expectation he would join the club for spring training in February. That plan backfired, as Murray took home college football’s top honor after throwing for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns, and adding 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground in his first season as a starter in Norman.

The success propelled the dual-threat passer into a potential first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and led to his decision to forego his deal with the A’s to pursue the NFL.

The upside is obvious with Murray, who possess Michael Vick-like quickness with a much more honed passing arm. Unlike Vick, Murray has been in pass-happy offense all the way back to his days with Texas high school powerhouse Allen, where he never lost a game in the highest classification in the Lone Star State. His ability as a passer and a runner makes him much more like Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson. Any team looking for a quarterback in the NFL Draft would be foolish not to give the Sooners star a look.

The drawback is also obvious. At an estimated 5-foot-9, Murray would easily be the shortest quarterback in the league. It’s not just the height that gives team pause, however, as he also possesses a slight build that is unlikely to add more bulk. While the height issue might be a little overblown following the success of Wilson, Drew Brees and Baker Mayfield, the slight profile is much more concerning and could make him much more susceptible to injury.

Those factors make trying to pick a landing spot for Murray a difficult task. Early in the process, many mock drafts had the Oklahoma quarterback as a late-first-round pick or a Day Two selection. Now, many of those same prognostications have him going in the top 10 or 15 picks. New Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury also drew headlines when a video surfaced of him saying he would take Murray No. 1 overall when he was coach at Texas Tech. He has since committed to Josh Rosen as his quarterback.

So, where in the 2019 NFL Draft does Murray go. Is he the top quarterback taken? Does he slip to the teens or the end of the first round? Or does the size question push him all the way to a Day Two or Three selection? Let us know your pick in the poll and give us your thoughts in the comments.

NFL To Let Players Banned From Combine To Attend Some Parts

February 15th, 2019 at 5:37pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The NFL is softening its stance toward the college players they initially barred from the combine. “The NFL sent a memo to GMs and coaches informing them LA Tech DE Jaylon Ferguson, MSU DT Jeffery Simmons, and CSU WR Preston Williams will be permitted to travel to Indy to undergo the same comprehensive medical evaluations given to invited prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine”, tweeted Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Rapoport noted in a followup tweet that “These players will get transportation to Indy, along with meals and a hotel if they are required to stay overnight. These prospects will not be permitted to participate in any other Combine evals or events.” The players had previously been banned from attending the combine at all. They’ll be evaluated by doctors in Indianapolis so that teams can have full confidence in their medicals, but they won’t be participating in the televised on-field drills.

All the players will do most of the drills they would’ve done at the combine at their pro days anyway, so it likely won’t have too much of an impact on their draft stock. Simmons’ draft stock already tanked earlier this week when he tore his ACL while training for the draft. He had been projected to go in the top-half of the first round, but will now likely fall out of the first day entirely.

Simmons and Williams had their bans announced weeks ago, but Ferguson’s was a much more recent development. Just two days ago, he surprisingly had his invitation rescinded. All three players were being disciplined under the league’s recently instituted policy that any player found to have been convicted of a felony, or of a misdemeanor that involved violence, wouldn’t be admitted to the combine. Ferguson’s incident is viewed to have been minor, and Rapoport tweeted at the time that teams see it as “certainly not disqualifying.”

NFL Rescinds Jaylon Ferguson’s Combine Invite

February 13th, 2019 at 5:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Louisiana Tech edge rusher Jaylon Ferguson broke the NCAA’s all-time sack record last December and is draft-eligible, but he won’t be attending the NFL’s scouting combine later this month. The league rescinded Ferguson’s combine invitation after a background check revealed he was convicted of simple battery during his freshman year, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.

Ferguson becomes the third 2019 prospect to be barred from the combine, joining Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and Colorado State wide receiver Preston Williams. The NFL previously announced that any player found to have been convicted of a felony, or of a misdemeanor that involved violence, wouldn’t be admitted to the combine. Unlike Simmons and Williams, Ferguson’s case had not been made public.

While NFL teams won’t be able to observe Ferguson at the combine, they’ll still line up pre-draft visits with the pass rusher. In fact, Rapoport and Pelissero report Ferguson will likely take more club meetings now that he’s been banned from the combine, as teams surely want to have a face-to-face sit-down with Ferguson prior to the draft. Teams had been aware of the incident involving Ferguson and don’t seem to view it as “disqualifying,” tweets Rapoport.

Ferguson, a potential first-round pick, put up 45 sacks and 67.5 tackles for loss during his four-year run with Louisiana Tech. 17.5 of those sacks came in 2018, when Ferguson was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year.

Jeffery Simmons Suffers Torn ACL

February 12th, 2019 at 5:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, projected to be a top 15-pick in the NFL Draft, suffered a torn ACL while going through position drills last weekend, according to Simmons himself. Simmons posted a statement on his Twitter account indicating that he will have surgery early next week. Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter) first reported that Simmons sustained a knee injury, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted that the injury is a torn ACL and that a surgery is forthcoming.

Of course, Simmons’ status as a top draft choice is now very much in flux, as he will probably be sidelined for his entire rookie year.

Simmons, who stands 6’4″, 300 pounds, appeared in 37 total games in his three-year career with the Bulldogs, managing 159 tackles (30.5 for loss), six sacks, and five forced fumbles during that time. He was named first-team All-SEC in both 2017 and 2018, and this season won the Conerly Trophy as the top college football player in the state of Mississippi.

Even before the injury, Simmons had some red flags. He was arrested for simple assault in 2016 after repeatedly striking a woman, though, for his part, Simmons says he was attempting to stop said woman from assaulting his sister. The incident occurred just before Simmons began his collegiate career and he was allowed to enter MSU while completing counseling programs. Williams was later arrested in 2017 for an altercation involving a woman.

As a result of those issues, Simmons was barred from participating in the draft combine.

Latest On Kyler Murray

February 11th, 2019 at 8:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyler Murray previously hired Scott Boras to represent his MLB interests, but now that the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner has announced intentions to pursue an NFL path, he made a decision on that front.

Entering the week without an NFL agent, Murray hired Select Sports Group’s Erik Burkhardt, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports (on Twitter). Select Sports was believed to be the favorites for Murray, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill (Twitter link).

The Oklahoma-developed quarterback will enter the pre-draft process as one of the most unusual prospects in memory. A 5-foot-10 (with most expecting him to measure up at 5-8 or 5-9 at the Combine) dual-threat passer with one year of full-time college gridiron work, Murray was a top-10 MLB draft pick. He will now force quarterback-needy teams to do extensive homework in advance of the NFL draft.

NFL executives are coming around on the diminutive signal-caller. Of the 10 GMs or higher-ranking execs NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport surveyed, nearly all of them believe Murray will be a first-round pick, rising significantly from a small sample Rapoport took in December (video link). Some of these execs said Murray will be a mid-first-round selection. Conversely, Albert Breer of SI.com has not heard personnel people quite as bullish on Murray’s NFL fit, tabbing him as a second- or third-round prospect but a player who, because of positional scarcity, will likely end up as a first-rounder.

The first round has several teams in need of immediate quarterback answers — the Giants, Jaguars, Broncos, Dolphins and Redskins — and some potentially in need of future solutions (the Buccaneers, Bengals, Chargers and Patriots). The Saints also fit into the latter category but do not hold a first-round selection. The Raiders have three, and while they employ Derek Carr, his job security is not nearly as rock-solid as it was under the Reggie McKenzie regime. The Giants also may be leaning against being a player in the Murray sweepstakes.

Kyler Murray To Participate In Combine

February 7th, 2019 at 2:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray will be among the prospects auditioning at the 2019 NFL Draft Combine, according to a press release from the NFL. There are 338 participants in total, but Murray’s name stands out due to the intrigue surrounding him and his ongoing dilemma of deciding between football and baseball.

The Oakland A’s (and, by extension, Major League Baseball) are in a tug-of-war against the NFL to secure Murray’s services. Murray, the No. 9 overall pick in last year’s MLB draft, profiles as a promising outfielder in the baseball world. He also has serious potential as an NFL QB and he stands to earn more than double the $4.66MM signing bonus that the A’s gave him if he winds up being a first-round pick.

On the baseball side, Murray is represented by super agent Scott Boras. However, he has yet to retain an agent for the NFL. That has let some NFL execs to question his commitment to football, though today’s news may convince the doubters otherwise.

In his first season as a starter, Murray threw for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns and ran for another 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Sooners. Oklahoma reached the College Football Playoff semifinals with Murray at the helm but fell to Alabama 45-34.

Latest On Kyler Murray

February 4th, 2019 at 12:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Kyler Murray has entered his name in the 2019 NFL Draft and league executives are intrigued by his talent. They’re also concerned about the Oklahoma quarterback’s situation and his true intentions, according to sources who spoke with Matt Miller of Bleacher Report.

On the baseball side, Murray is represented by super agent Scott Boras. However, he has yet to retain an agent for the NFL.

“He’s still going in the first [round], but he needs to get an [expletive] agent and do it the right way,” one person told Miller.

Another source expressed concern that Murray may be making a leverage play to get more money from the Oakland A’s. This jibes with other recent reports – even though Murray says he wants to play football, he is said to be very much undecided about which sport to pick. The A’s are still negotiating to potentially sweeten his deal and Major League Baseball is also working to bring the two-sport star to the diamond.

If Murray can convince NFL execs that he is serious about playing football, it’s possible that he could be a top 10 pick.

2019 NFL Draft Order

February 4th, 2019 at 9:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Super Bowl is in the books, which means the order for the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft is in the books. The Patriots, of course, will have the final pick in the first round while the Rams will approach the podium at No. 31.

[RELATED: 2019 NFL Draft Rumors]

Here’s the complete rundown of the first round:

Cardinals
49ers
Jets
Raiders
Buccaneers
Giants
Jaguars
Lions
Bills
Broncos
Bengals
Packers
Dolphins
Falcons
Redskins
Panthers
Browns
Vikings
Titans
Steelers
Seahawks
Ravens
Texans
Raiders (via Bears)
Eagles
Colts
Raiders (via Cowboys)
Chargers
Chiefs
Packers (via Saints)
Rams
Patriots

Jeffery Simmons Barred From Combine

January 31st, 2019 at 11:58am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL Draft scouting combine is weeks away, but one of this year’s top prospects will not be taking part in the event. Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, a potential top 10 pick, will not be invited because he does not meet the criteria for the NFL’s policy regarding past issues involving violence, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com hears (Twitter link). The same goes for Colorado State wide receiver Preston Williams.

Simmons was arrested for simple assault in 2016 after repeatedly striking a woman. For his part, Simmons says he was attempting to stop said woman from assaulting his sister. The incident occurred just before Simmons began his collegiate career and he was allowed to enter MSU while completing counseling programs. Williams, meanwhile, was arrested in 2017 for an altercation involving a woman.

So far, these are the only two known players to be barred from the combine for this year, sources tell Pelissero. However, invitations have been pulled in past after failed background checks.

Simmons, who stands 6’4″, 300 pounds, appeared in 37 total games in his three-year career with the Bulldogs, managing 159 tackles (30.5 for loss), six sacks, and five forced fumbles during that time. He was named first-team All-SEC in both 2017 and 2018, and this season won the Conerly Trophy as the top college football player in the state of Mississippi.

Despite the red flags, Simmons is widely expected to be an early first-round selection. CBSSports.com ranks him as the draft’s No. 7 overall prospect.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Lock, Texans, Colts, Vinatieri, Assistant Coaches

January 29th, 2019 at 3:36pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The 2019 NFL Draft is less than three months away, with the combine right around the corner. Draft buzz is starting to heat up, and one team in a particularly interesting situation is the Broncos. Denver has the tenth overall pick, and has been looking for a new franchise quarterback ever since Peyton Manning retired. While the team has Case Keenum under contract for one more year, it seems like there’s a very good chance the Broncos take a quarterback early yet again.

Adding fuel to that fire, Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post hears that Broncos GM John Elway is “smitten” with Missouri signal caller Drew Lock, and that Elway’s infatuation with the quarterback was “the worst-kept secret at the Senior Bowl.” Lock seems like a real possibility to go to the Broncos at ten, and could be the first quarterback taken if Dwayne Haskins slips a little bit. If the Broncos do draft a quarterback, they could get out of Keenum’s contract relatively easily, or choose to keep him on for one year as a bridge quarterback/mentor.

Here’s more from the AFC:

The Texans made a front office move today, bringing in former Jets executive Clay Hampton to be their new director of football operations, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). McClain notes that Hampton was in the Jets’ front office for 17 years, working his way up from being a ball boy to become their director of football operations. McClain also writes that Hampton will report directly to GM Brian Gaine who worked for the Jets at the same time as Hampton.
Adam Vinatieri officially signed on for a 24th season a few days ago, and now we have the details on his new contract with the Colts. Vinatieri signed a one-year $3.875MM deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Vinatieri turned 46 in December but showed no signs of slowing down this season, even though he did miss two kicks in Indianapolis’ divisional round playoff loss to the Chiefs.
Speaking of the Colts, the team made a couple of new additions to Frank Reich’s staff today. They hired Jason Michael as their tight ends coach and Chris Strausser as their offensive line coach, the team announced in a tweet. The Colts’ offensive line had an amazing turn around in 2018, but they fired Dave DeGuglielmo after the season so Reich could bring in one of his own guys, and he apparently settled on Strausser, who was with the Broncos last season. Strausser reportedly was also drawing interest from the Browns.

2019 NFL Draft News & Rumors