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2021 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Syracuse S Andre Cisco To Enter NFL Draft

November 11th, 2020 at 11:52am CST by Zachary Links

Syracuse safety Andre Cisco will turn pro and enter the 2021 NFL Draft, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Cisco, who signed with agents Andre Odom and David Mulugheta of Athletes First, could wind up as a first-round pick.

[RELATED: Latest On Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence]

Cisco burst on to the scene with seven interceptions in his freshman year, followed by five INTs in 2019. Then, in September, the preseason first-team AP All-American tore his ACL during pregame warmups when he collided with a teammate. The injury ended his season after just two games and, ultimately, capped his collegiate career.

The Long Island native has the potential to steal the show at the combine, if he’s fully recovered by then. Reportedly, Cisco has clocked a 4.33-second 40-yard-dash in the past, along with 17 bench press reps of 225 pounds. Though he’s been knocked for trying to force interceptions, Cisco’s big play ability and athleticism should bring him lots of attention in the buildup to the draft.

Also working in Cisco’s favor — a safety class that is viewed as relatively weak. He’ll be joined by Oregon’s Jevon Holland, who opted out of the 2020 season and shifted his focus towards draft prep.

Latest On Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence

November 11th, 2020 at 10:02am CST by Zachary Links

Clemson star Trevor Lawrence says he’s still undecided on whether to enter the 2021 NFL Draft, as ESPN.com’s David M. Hale writes. Meanwhile, NFL executives tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter that they have no doubt about Lawrence’s future plans. 

“You have a better chance of winning the Boston Marathon than he does of going back to school,” one source told Schefter.

Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney recently expressed similar sentiments, admitting that he’d “be surprised” if Lawrence, the projected No. 1 pick, returns to campus next year. For his part, Lawrence says he isn’t interested in discussing his plans any further, noting that he wants to enjoy the rest of the year and focus on his return to the field.

Clemson managed to beat Boston College without Lawrence under center but they came up short in Saturday’s thriller against Notre Dame. The good news is that Lawrence is set to return after completing the NCAA’s COVID-19 protocol.

The Jets and Jaguars are keeping a watchful eye on Lawrence, who has been hailed as a generational talent.

“I’ve honestly never seen anything like him,” one NFL quarterbacks coach told Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller this week. “You’ve seen guys with a bigger arm, and you’ve seen guys who are faster, but I’ve never seen a prospect who has every trait you need and has them at a high level.”

Trevor Lawrence Tests Positive For COVID-19

October 29th, 2020 at 7:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Clemson star quarterback Trevor Lawrence has tested positive for COVID-19, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). Lawrence, who projects as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, will be out of action for Saturday’s game at Boston College. His availability beyond this week will hinge on his condition and forthcoming tests.

[RELATED: Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle Done For Year]

A two-time starter in national championship games, Lawrence took the reins for the Tigers midway through his freshman season in 2018. The former five-star recruit has been on the No. 1 overall pick radar ever since. Between ’18 and ’19, the 6-foot-6 passer threw an eye-popping 66 touchdown against just 12 interceptions. As a sophomore, Lawrence became a key rushing presence for the ACC power, gaining 563 yards on the ground and scoring nine TDs.

Recently, the QB surprised many by saying that he might consider returning for another season.

“My mindset has been that I’m going to move on, but who knows? There’s a lot of things that could happen,” Lawrence said Tuesday during his media session. “… We’ll just have to see how things unfold. There’s a lot of factors in that. But honestly, just really playing this year. Putting everything I have into it. Not really focusing on next year whether I leave or stay. Obviously, I have the option to do either one.”

Meanwhile, head coach Dabo Swinney expects to lose his star player to the pros.

“I mean, we’ll certainly let him stay if that’s what he wants to do. I’d be surprised if he’s back with the Tigers next year, but who knows?,” Swinney said earlier today, before the news of the positive test (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN).

Trevor Lawrence No Longer Certain To Declare For 2021 Draft

October 27th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The most coveted quarterback prospect since at least Andrew Luck, Trevor Lawrence may be having second thoughts about leaving school early and becoming the 2021 No. 1 overall pick. At least, he wants to now keep his options open.

Lawrence said before the start of his junior season he would leave Clemson after the 2020 slate and enter the 2021 draft. Now? That is not a certainty.

“My mindset has been that I’m going to move on, but who knows? There’s a lot of things that could happen,” Lawrence said Tuesday during his media session. “… We’ll just have to see how things unfold. There’s a lot of factors in that. But honestly, just really playing this year. Putting everything I have into it. Not really focusing on next year whether I leave or stay. Obviously, I have the option to do either one.”

This will be interpreted as the 6-foot-6 quarterback feeling uneasy about the prospect of playing for the Jets, who are 0-7. The Jets drafted Sam Darnold third overall in 2018 and have seen him regress this season. The franchise did not get it right with Mark Sanchez at No. 5 overall in 2009 either. And a return to school after being expected to declare and go No. 1 to the Jets would not be unprecedented. Peyton Manning returned to Tennessee in 1997, when the Jets held the No. 1 pick. They then traded down and did not draft a first-round quarterback until Chad Pennington in 2000.

However, there are six one-win teams — the Giants, Falcons, Vikings, Jaguars, Texans and Bengals — who have also emerged in the early portion of the #TankforTrevor pursuit. Of those, only the Bengals and Texans boast QB situations that would point to them trading the pick. While the Lawrence race is far from over, it certainly is notable the quarterback has backtracked from being a surefire entrant in the 2021 draft.

Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle Done For Year

October 27th, 2020 at 9:08am CST by Zachary Links

The season is over for one of the top prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft. Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is done for the year after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured ankle, head coach Nick Saban announced. 

“It’s a difficult timetable to know when a guy can come back from something like this,” Saban said (via Mike Rodak of AL.com). “That’s something that’s going to be ongoing. Probably six to eight weeks before he can even start real heavy rehab, then relative to your position, how fast you can come back after that is really, really up in the air.”

Saban didn’t explicitly rule out Waddle for the season when speaking with reporters, but the operation makes his return a near impossibility. At 5’10”, 180 pounds, Saban likened Waddle to the football version of Allen Iverson. Pro evaluators agree – Waddle’s athleticism has been on full display over the last three years, both on offense and in the return game. He put himself on the radar as a frosh in 2018 with 18.8 yards per catch. This year, he pushed his stock even further with an eye-popping 22.3 yards per grab.

The injury could prompt Waddle to return, but he’s still likely to be in the first round mix if he makes a full recovery. He’s already proven to be lethal in the slot and in the punt return game (19.3 yards per return average), so he’ll be especially coveted if he can display a full array of routes in workouts.

2021 NFL Draft Order

October 12th, 2020 at 11:57am CST by Zachary Links

With most of Week 5 in the books, we bring you a way-too-early look at the current order for the 2021 NFL draft. For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2020 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. After that, the same goes for the six clubs eliminated from each round of the postseason, with the final two picks determined by the outcome of the Super Bowl.

Here’s where things stand in the race to the bottom:

  1. New York Giants (0-5)
  2. Atlanta Falcons (0-5)
  3. New York Jets (0-5)
  4. Washington Football Team (1-4)
  5. Minnesota Vikings (1-4)
  6. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)
  7. Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans, 1-4)
  8. Los Angeles Chargers (1-3)
  9. Detroit Lions (1-3)
  10. Denver Broncos (1-3)
  11. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3-1)
  12. Cincinnati Bengals (1-3-1)
  13. Miami Dolphins (2-3)
  14. San Francisco 49ers (2-3)
  15. New Orleans Saints (2-2)
  16. New England Patriots (2-2)
  17. Arizona Cardinals (3-2)
  18. Indianapolis Colts (3-2)
  19. Dallas Cowboys (2-3)
  20. Carolina Panthers (3-2)
  21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
  22. Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)
  23. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)
  24. Cleveland Browns (4-1)
  25.  Chicago Bears (4-1)
  26. Baltimore Ravens (4-1)
  27. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams, 4-1)
  28. Tennessee Titans (3-0)
  29. Green Bay Packers (4-0)
  30. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-0)
  31. Buffalo Bills (4-0)
  32. New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks, 4-0)

Trey Lance Declares For 2021 Draft

October 6th, 2020 at 4:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trey Lance will join Trevor Lawrence as part of the 2021 draft pool. A North Dakota State quarterback prospect who has been consistently mocked as a first-round pick, Lance will opt to leave the Division I-FCS school early to prepare for the draft, Pete Thamel of Yahoo.com reports.

Despite Lance having only played one season of college football, he is draft-eligible after redshirting in 2018. North Dakota State tabled its football season to 2021 but played a one-off game against Central Arkansas last weekend. That will double as the sophomore passer’s college finale.

In 16 games for the Bison last season, Lance dominated by throwing 28 touchdown passes (with no interceptions) and rushing for a Bison-best 1,100 yards. He has joined Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields, who has yet to declare, as top quarterback prospects for 2021. Lawrence is playing as a junior but announced he will leave Clemson after this season.

The 6-foot-4 Lance led North Dakota State, an FCS-level dynasty, to a 16-0 season and a national championship. The Bison have seen two recent passers go on to the NFL, with Carson Wentz‘s stock rising swiftly in 2016 en route to being the No. 2 overall pick. Lance’s predecessor, Easton Stick, is currently backing up Justin Herbert with the Chargers.

Still, it represents a major development that a non-Division I-FBS player is declaring after one season of action. The Division I-FCS championship game is scheduled for May 15, which would be a non-tenable setup for Lance since it falls after the draft. While Lawrence profiles as the player who will be connected to the team with 2020’s worst record, Fields and Lance figure to be in the mix soon after.

Oregon S Jevon Holland Opts Out

September 26th, 2020 at 4:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

A second high-profile Oregon Duck will not play this season. Despite the Pac-12 agreeing to play an abbreviated season beginning in November, safety Jevon Holland announced he will opt out of his junior season (Twitter link).

Holland, who ranks 20th on Todd McShay’s big board of draft-eligible 2021 prospects, joins acclaimed Oregon tackle Penei Sewell in opting out. Several high-end prospects have opted out of this COVID-19-altered season, and although some moved to return to their respective schools, others remain set to steer clear this unusual season and preparing for the ’21 draft.

Holland intercepted nine passes as a Ducks underclassman and ended his sophomore season as a first-team All-Pac-12 performer. He also worked as Oregon’s primary punt returner last season. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Holland as his No. 16 overall prospect for 2021.

The Pac-12 plans to begin its 2020 season Nov. 6. The conference will play a seven-game season that will wrap up Dec. 18.

Northwestern T Rashawn Slater To Opt Out

September 24th, 2020 at 5:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the top tackle prospects set to be eligible for the 2021 draft will begin his pre-draft training early. Northwestern tackle Rashawn Slater is opting out of the 2020 season, Pete Thamel of Yahoo.com reports.

Slater’s decision comes when a few notable Big Ten names — from Purdue wideout Rondale Moore to Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade to fellow tackle prospect Jalen Mayfield (Michigan) — reversed course on their opt-outs after the Big Ten’s call to begin its season in October. But Slater has played 38 college games and may not have too much to gain from a strong senior season amid uncertain circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I didn’t think a winter or spring season allows for optimal recovery or training to have a great rookie year,” Slater said, via Thamel. “I talked about it with everyone. Everyone at Northwestern has been extremely supportive. They’ve had open and honest conversations with me. I can tell they wanted the best for me.”

The son of former eight-year NBA veteran Reggie Slater, Rashawn has started 37 games at either left or right tackle. However, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. slots the 6-foot-4, 308-pound blocker as the No. 3 draft-eligible guard. Slater fared well against Chase Young in their final matchup last season, not allowing the ex-Buckeyes phenom to record a quarterback hit when they were matched up. Shifted from right to left tackle as a junior, Slater did not allow a sack in 11 games last season.

Changing course from its previous decision to consider a late-winter or spring start to the season, the Big Ten is now set to begin play Oct. 24.

Purdue WR Rondale Moore To Opt Back In For 2020 Season

September 24th, 2020 at 4:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

First-round wide receiver prospect Rondale Moore will return to Purdue for his junior season, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

One of several marquee Big Ten talents to opt out over the summer, Moore is the latest to reverse course. Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade has opted back in; so has Michigan tackle Jalen Mayfield. The Big Ten’s decision to begin play in October, after previously tabling its season to potentially 2021, has helped bring back some of its top players.

Moore will return after missing most of his sophomore season. The high-end Purdue recruit dominated as a freshman in 2018, totaling 1,471 scrimmage yards and 14 touchdowns en route to Big Ten freshman of the year acclaim. A hamstring injury ended the star Boilermaker’s second season after just four games. Rather than enter the NFL only on the strength of his abbreviated underclassman run, the 5-foot-9 standout will return for what will likely be his final college season.

This summer, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler tabbed Moore as his No. 3 wideout prospect for 2021 — behind LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase and Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman. Both players opted out, though Bateman has been connected to a 2020 return. Complications from Bateman signing with an agent have arisen, however.

COVID-19 has impacted the college football season considerably so far. The Houston Cougars have seen four games postponed or canceled. Notre Dame’s Saturday tilt against Wake Forest has been moved to December, and South Florida — which faced the Fighting Irish last week — nixed its Saturday game as a result. While the NFL has a much greater degree of certainty of finishing its 2020 season than the college game does, the Big Ten has agreed to follow the ACC, Big 12 and SEC in playing this fall. The northern Power 5 conference begins play Oct. 24.

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