2019 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat Misdiagnosed?

April 25th, 2019 at 12:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Well, this is interesting. Teams now believe that Montez Sweat‘s heart condition was misdiagnosed at the combine, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Follow-up tests on the Mississippi State defensive lineman revealed no risk to the player, which is phenomenal news for Sweat’s health and football future alike.

Sweat was initially flagged for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which causes a thickening of artery walls. As a result, some teams to removed him from the draft board completely. Now, two sources say the situation is not nearly as dire as once thought.

Two sources tell RapSheet that the thickness of Sweat’s heart wall is actually 1.5 centimeters, not ~2.0, which makes for a much lower risk of problems. If Sweat’s wellbeing is not in danger, his stock could be restored just in time for Thursday night’s draft.

Sweat was previously listed among the 23 attendees for the NFL Draft’s green room, an indication that he was in the first round mix. Sweat changed his plans after the medical tests scared teams away, but it sounds like he could be in line to receive some good news tonight when he’s watching the telecast from elsewhere.

Sweat finished his two-year Bulldogs career with 22.5 sacks and 30 tackles for loss. He spent his first two collegiate campaigns at Michigan State, where he did not see a whole lot of playing time.

Darnell Savage To Be First-Round Pick?

April 25th, 2019 at 12:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Maryland safety Darnell Savage, a virtual unknown just weeks ago, has emerged as a possible first rounder, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. He’s visited the Panthers, Seahawks, Rams, Steelers, Eagles, and six other clubs, and at least one of those clubs has him in consideration for the Top 32.

Savage put himself on the map as a junior with 59 tackles, eight pass breakups, and three interceptions. He delivered yet again last year with four picks, two pass breakups, and 52 tackles (5.5 tackles for loss). He really impressed in workouts, however, and evaluators now see him in a whole different light.

At 5’11 and 198 pounds, Savage lacks ideal size for the next level. However, he has some scouts thinking that his football IQ and innate instincts will make him a success story in the NFL. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has heard comparisons between Savage and Raiders safety Lamarcus Joyner, which is pretty high praise for the Maryland product.

Latest On Raiders’ NFL Draft Plans

April 25th, 2019 at 10:46am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have kept their draft plans shrouded in secrecy, to the point where they dismissed their core scouts in order to keep a lid on things. With hours to go before the draft, we may have some insight into their strategy, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano (on Twitter).

If the Raiders stay put at No. 4, Graziano does not expect the Raiders to select a quarterback, despite the rumblings we’ve heard as of late. If Alabama defensive end Quinnen Williams is available, which seems increasingly unlikely, Graziano thinks he’ll be the pick, or the Raiders could opt for Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver as a Plan B.

If the Raiders move up, Graziano hears they’ll target Nick Bosa. They could conceivably land this year’s consensus top talent by sliding up to the Niners’ No. 2 overall choice if SF is eyeing Josh Allen, as has been rumored.

Should the Raiders could choose to keep all three of their first-round picks, they could surprise by using the No. 24 or No. 27 on Marquise Brown, Graziano hears. That would be a stunner after the Raiders added Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams in the offseason, but crazier things have happened on draft day.

Jets “Determined” To Trade Down

April 24th, 2019 at 2:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets’ desire to move down from the No. 3 overall pick has been well documented at this point. Apparently, their motivation is reaching a fever pitch in the buildup to Thursday night’s draft. The Jets are “determined” to slide back, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY hears.

Jets GM Mike Maccagnan is on the record as saying he’s “open” to the idea of moving back. Apparently, he’s been underselling it.

“They seem to really, really want to move down,” said one NFL exec. “Maybe they’re just keeping their options open, but it sure seems like that No. 3 pick is for sale.”

As of this writing, the Jets have only six picks, which is less than ideal for a club with multiple holes in the midst of an exceptionally deep draft in the first four rounds. Moving back from No. 3 overall could give the Jets an impressive haul of choices, especially if a QB-needy team like the Redskins bite.

The Jets are seeking to at least recoup the second-round pick they surrendered when they moved up for Sam Darnold last year, one source tells Vacchiano. The Jets could easily get that and then some, depending on how far back they’re willing to move. Still, any deal likely won’t happen until draft day and might not transpire until the Jets are called to the podium on Thursday night.

Redskins Exploring Move Into Top 5

April 24th, 2019 at 1:16pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins have explored moving into the Top 5 of the NFL Draft, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). As it stands, the Redskins are set to pick at No. 15 overall, but they could vault up the board between now and Thursday night.

It’s not immediately clear who the Redskins are targeting, but such a move could put them in range for quarterbacks like Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock. It’s also not clear who the Redskins are talking to, though the Jets at No. 3 would make sense given their well-known desire to move down and add draft picks.

If the Redskins are able to get into the Top 5, they’ll sneak ahead of the Giants at No. 6, which would eliminate one of their biggest competitors at QB. Of course, moving up that far will cost the Redskins and history indicates that they may have to part with a future first-round pick to get a deal done. They can also deal from this year’s Round 2 and 3 picks at No. 46, No. 76, and No. 96 overall.

For now, the Redskins are set to go into 2019 with Case Keenum as their QB. Alex Smith, of course, is sidelined after his gruesome leg injury from last year and Colt McCoy is also working his way back from a broken leg of his own.

Whatever the Redskins do from here, it sounds like a Josh Rosen trade won’t be a part of their plans.

Jerry Tillery Ahead Of Schedule

April 22nd, 2019 at 12:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Good news for Notre Dame defensive tackle Jerry Tillery. The potential first-round pick is ahead of schedule in his rehab from shoulder surgery, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.

Tillery is expected to be ready to for all football activities by early July, which should help his draft stock heading into Thursday. The DT met with the Broncos, Chiefs, Eagles, Colts, and four other teams in the lead-up to the draft and any one of those clubs could consider him towards the end of the first round.

Analysts are high on Tillery’s potential and given the latest news, it would be a surprise if he lasted until the third round. The youngster offers upside as a defensive tackle in 4-3 schemes but can also fit as an end for 3-4 clubs.

In his final year with the Fighting Irish, Tillery registered seven sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. It also helps that Tillery had a strong showing at the combine, including the best SPARQ score (a measurement of overall athleticism) of any defensive linemen.

Latest On Montez Sweat

April 22nd, 2019 at 10:52am CST by Zachary Links

Montez Sweat‘s stock has bottomed out and it’s possible that he will not hear his name called on Thursday night, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears. This may help to explain why Sweat – who has been long projected to go in the first round – has opted against attending the NFL Draft in person.

Sweat’s heart condition has caused some teams to remove him from their draft board, so there are definitely less suitors for his services. Some cardiologists say that Sweat’s enlarged heart will not prevent him from playing, but there’s also no known case of another NFL player with the same issue. The unknowns have created serious question marks for talent evaluators, despite Sweat’s measurables and on-field production.

Despite the heart condition, Sweat racked up 22.5 sacks over his final two seasons with the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Texans, Bengals, 49ers, Bills, Raiders, Packers, and Buccaneers all met with him, but it’s not clear whether all of those teams still have him in consideration.

Last year, Michigan standout Maurice Hurst plummeted to the fifth round due to a (different) heart condition and Sweat could be in for a similar fall. Hurst’s case may work to Sweat’s advantage, however. Last year, Hurst appeared in 13 games (ten starts) for the Raiders and racked up four sacks with 31 total tackles.

Cardinals Receiving Interest In No. 1 Pick

April 22nd, 2019 at 10:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have received feeler calls from teams inquiring about trading up for the No. 1 overall pick, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. However, at this time, it’s not clear how serious the Cardinals are about moving the top choice.

For months, it has been widely rumored that the Cardinals will use the No. 1 pick to select Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray. But, for what it’s worth, the Cardinals reportedly have not reached a consensus on the dynamic athlete. Some in the Cardinals’ front office would prefer to spread the wealth a bit by trading down and filling multiple holes on the roster. With several QB-needy teams also eyeing Murray (the Raiders, some say, could be in the hunt), there’s a real opportunity for the Cardinals to get excellent value if they’re willing to pass up on this year’s most intriguing signal caller.

Top defenders like Nick Bosa and Quinnen Williams would also make plenty of sense for the Cardinals and if they’re not specifically hung up on landing Bosa, they could be able to move down, fix their matador defense, and still come away with another young QB such as Dwayne Haskins or Drew Lock.

The Cardinals have only a few days left to sift through the offers and make up their minds – the first round of the NFL Draft will get underway on Thursday night at 8pm ET/7pm CT.

Memphis RB Darrell Henderson Met With Four Teams

April 21st, 2019 at 3:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Memphis running back Darrell Henderson is now considered a possibility to sneak into the back end of the first round of the draft, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds Henderson has recently met with the Rams, Eagles, Raiders, and Cardinals.

Henderson (5’9″, 200) topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons and averaged an astounding 8.9 yards per carry in both campaigns. He ranks fourth behind Josh Jacobs (Alabama), Miles Sanders (Penn State), and Devin Singletary (FAU) on The Draft Network‘s running back rankings, and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com calls Henderson a “home run hitter” while comparing him to now-49er Tevin Coleman.

Henderson is exceptional at running out of the shotgun formation: over the last four college seasons, Henderson ranks third in Graham Barfield’s Yards Created metric — which attempts to identify production a running back generated on his own, independent of offensive line play — out of shotgun. Circling back to the the four clubs Henderson has recently visited, the Eagles ranked fifth league-wide in shotgun run rate, per Warren Sharp. The Raiders finished 11th, the Cardinal 23rd, and the Rams dead last (just 4%).

Raiders Eyeing Starting Guard In Draft

April 20th, 2019 at 1:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders disbanded their successful guard tandem this offseason, trading All-Pro Kelechi Osemele and a sixth-round pick to the Jets for a fifth-round selection. They plan to find Gabe Jackson‘s next guard mate in this draft, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes.

Osemele and Jackson started together for three seasons, forming one of the NFL’s best guard duos. This stands to be Jackson’s sixth season as a Raiders starter. He will join Rodney Hudson, Trent Brown and, likely, Kolton Miller on the Raiders’ first-string line. But it does not look like the Raiders want Denzelle Good or UFA addition Jordan Devey to be part of the unit.

Good, who started three games for the Raiders last season after the team claimed him late in the year, re-signed on a one-year, $1.8MM deal. Devey (two Chiefs starts in 2018) will make $880K this season.

Beyond their three first-round picks, the Raiders hold the No. 35 overall selection. Their next pick is not until No. 106, pointing to the team using one of its first four choices on a guard. The current thinking is a quarterback will not be one of Oakland’s first three picks. The team is eyeing cornerback help in this draft.

The Raiders’ only known pre-draft guard visit was with mid-round prospect Connor McGovern, but their staff coached Dalton Risner, a tackle who is likely to move inside at the pro level, along with Chris Lindstrom and centers Garrett Bradbury and Erik McCoy at the Senior Bowl.

2019 NFL Draft News & Rumors