Austin Seferian-Jenkins - Pro Football Rumors

Bucs Sign Austin Seferian-Jenkins

June 19th, 2014 at 11:47am CST by Zachary Links

JUNE 19: The Bucs’ deal with Seferian-Jenkins is now official, tweets Smith.

JUNE 12: The Bucs have agreed to terms with tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter). An official release is expected soon.

The 21-year-old Washington standout was selected in the second round with the 38th overall pick. Like many of today’s NFL tight ends, Seferian-Jenkins has a basketball background and the 6’6″ athlete was a member of the Huskies basketball team in his frosh year. The Bucs thought highly of the underclassman and made him the second TE selected in the draft, ahead of Jace Amaro, Troy Niklas, and C.J. Fiedorowicz. Most projected Seferian-Jenkins as a second round choice but there were teams reportedly considering him in the later part of the first round.

Over the course of three seasons at Washington, Seferian-Jenkins hauled in 146 catches for 1840 yards and 21 touchdowns. His talent hasn’t been questioned but he did raise a red flag for teams in March of 2013 when he was arrested for a DUI.

After signing third round tailback Charles Sims earlier today, Tampa Bay has now signed or agreed to terms with every player in its 2014 draft class, as shown in PFR’s running list.

NFC South Notes: Bucs, Panthers, Saints

May 17th, 2014 at 10:35pm CST by Peter Sowards

The NFL is a grown man’s league, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have taken notice.

First-round receiver Mike Evans and second-round tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins both stand 6 feet 5, imposing figures amongst their defensive counterparts. Both players have basketball backgrounds. As the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud writes, the Bucs and coach Lovie Smith like their basketball players.

“My experience is that anybody can’t go out there and play basketball,” Smith said. “It takes a good athlete with quickness, size, vertical (jump). Normally, that translates to getting good production on the football field.”

Stroud points out a number of former hoopsters who excelled in pro football, including Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham. Getting position on your defender in football is similar to boxing out for a rebound in basketball, and it looks like the Bucs are hoping to cash in on the trend.

Draft Notes: Caplan, Safeties, Beckham

May 5th, 2014 at 8:59pm CST by Rory Parks

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan held a Q&A on Twitter Monday evening, and that session contained a few interesting nuggets. All links, of course, go to Twitter:

Caplan does not believe Johnny Manziel will make it past pick No. 7, but his absolute floor is No. 13.
He also does not think Manziel’s former teammate, Mike Evans, will make it out of the top 10.
Caplan tweets that TE Jace Amaro could go in the first round, but is more likely a 2nd-round prospect, along with Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
Caplan believes another high-riser, DT Aaron Donald, has turned himself into a top-10 selection.
As he has been saying all offseason, Caplan thinks the Vikings will bolster their defense with the No. 8 overall selection.

And as beat writers and national analysts continue to churn out draft tidbits like so much butter, let’s dive into some more draft-related links:

Barring a trade, the Colts will not pick until deep into Day 2, as their first selection is No. 59 overall. When they finally do send a draft card to the podium, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star writes that the team will take a “long look” at safeties. Which is understandable given how thin they currently are at the position.
However, this year’s safety class is fairly weak, and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer says the Eagles, another team that needs safety help, will find slim pickings even in the first round. As Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman says, “I don’t think it’s a good group overall.“
ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini tweets that if the Jets really want LSU wideout Odell Beckham, Jr., they will have to trade up to get him. At least one team above the Jet’s No. 18 overall selection is said to be in love with Beckham.
Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle tweets that seven teams called Baylor CB Demetri Goodson today, and that the Titans expressed strong interest.
The Bears and Ravens both have mid-first round picks, and both are set at the quarterback position. As such, a run on QBs early in the first would benefit both teams by allowing talent at other positions to fall, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune and Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. Biggs believe that such a run will, in fact, happen.
In the same piece, Brown writes that the Ravens could also stand to benefit even if there is no early run on quarterbacks, as their No. 17 overall selection would be more appealing to teams in search of a top QB prospect. Although Baltimore has been widely expected to take an offensive lineman or wide receiver in the first round, Brown believes they could “pull a surprise” and take a cornerback first if someone like Justin Gilbert or Darqueze Dennard should fall.

AFC North Draft Notes: Ebron, Ravens, Bengals

May 3rd, 2014 at 4:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest out of the AFC North:

The Ravens would likely select tight end Eric Ebron in the event that he falls to pick No. 17, tweets Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times. Baltimore could also have interest in Jace Amaro or Austin Seferian-Jenkins, likely in the second round.
In another tweet, Zenitz mentions that the have Ravens interest in yet another tight end, Notre Dame’s Troy Niklas, who is viewed as an excellent in-line blocker.
In a separate, full-fledged article, Zenitz points to the Ravens’ addition of tight-end friendly offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak as evidence for why adding a third tight end to a group that already includes Dennis Pitta and Owen Daniels is not unfathomable.
Teddy Bridgewater to the Bengals makes sense, writes Cole Harvey of ESPN.com, even if Cincinnati has more pressing needs. Harvey still believes the team should focus on either defense or offensive line depth in the first round, but allows that the addition of Bridgewater would be a smart play what with Andy Dalton‘s looming contract situation.
Former NFL general manager Bill Polian doesn’t think Ebron is a fit for the Steelers, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Ebron, who is more a of a dynamic pass-catcher than an in-line tight end, would not mesh with the Steelers’ preference for TEs who maul in both run and pass blocking.
Because of Brian Hoyer‘s rapid recovery from injury, and the signing of Vince Young and Tyler Thigpen, the Browns might be positioning themselves to draft a quarterback in the second round, or even later, according to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. This would allow the team to focus its two first-round picks on other positions of need, such as receiver or cornerback.

Draft Updates: WRs, Clowney, Latimer, Mason

April 25th, 2014 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

While the general consensus suggests that Clemson wideout Sammy Watkins is the clear-cut top wide receiver in this year’s draft class, that’s not necessarily the case, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. After speaking to several execs, scouts, and decision-makers, La Canfora came away believing that Texas A&M wideout Mike Evans, who has the size advantage on Watkins, could be the first receiver to come off the board.

“Would I be surprised if Evans ended up going before Watkins?” said one evaluator. “No, I wouldn’t. But we do think there is a drop-off after those two, and we know they won’t be there when we pick [later in the first round].”

Regardless of where Watkins and Evans land, it figures to be a busy first round for receivers, according to La Canfora, who says Marqise Lee and Odell Beckham may not make it past the late teens, given the interest they’re receiving from teams like the Ravens, Steelers, and Jets.

Here are a few more Friday draft items:

In a series of tweets, Albert Breer of the NFL Network shares a few insights into the draft. Among them: Many people believe Jadeveon Clowney and Khalil Mack are worth trading up for since this year’s pass-rushing group is fairly thin. Additionally, clubs may be more inclined to trade into the late first round to draft a quarterback, since the fifth-year option for first-round picks gives teams additional flexibility.
Speaking of Clowney, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the details on the “force plate” assessment the Falcons put the defensive end through today. According to Breer (Twitter links), Clowney’s performance was very impressive.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins‘ basketball background could separate him from other tight ends, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The Washington product is in good company as some of today’s top tight ends – Jimmy Graham, Jordan Cameron, Julius Thomas – played college basketball at some point. Seferian-Jenkins could be an option for the Packers in the first or second round if he’s on the board.
The Eagles, who had three representatives at wide receiver Cody Latimer‘s workout today, spent 20 minutes post-workout having him run their routes, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Eagles pick at No. 22 and the Indiana product’s stock appears to be rapidly rising.
Combine exams revealed that Auburn running back Tre Mason has a bone in his wrist that will require surgery, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Meanwhile, Mason denied the report via Twitter, saying that he doesn’t need surgery.
In an Insider-only piece at ESPN.com, Mark Dominik suggests a few hypothetical draft-pick trades outside of the top 10 that could make sense for both sides.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Aikens, Lawrence

April 23rd, 2014 at 6:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

University of Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins is visiting Jets tomorrow, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). The team is in desperate need of a playmaker at the position, as Jeff Cumberland and Kellen Winslow struggled to provide a consistent option at tight end in 2013.

Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo visited the Jets today, reports Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). The team could be interested in the signal-caller, should he be available in the second round.
Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will be visiting the Jets tomorrow, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Clinton-Dix has visited the Pats and Eagles earlier this offseason.
The Dolphins are interested in Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens, writes Kevin Lerner of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The Dolphins need to add to their secondary, and were impressed by Aikens during Senior Bowl practices.
The Patriots had a pre-draft visit lined up for Demarcus Lawrence, but decided to cancel it, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The defensive end/outside linebacker could go off the board within the top 50 picks.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC Notes: CJ2K, Manziel, Clowney, Texans

April 21st, 2014 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

The specific financial details of Chris Johnson‘s two-year deal with the Jets have leaked, as Aaron Wilson details at the National Football Post. The $8MM contract includes a $3MM signing bonus and a $1MM non-guaranteed base salary for 2014. If the Jets want to keep the veteran running back for a second season, they’ll owe him a $500K option bonus on the 22nd day before the 2015 league year begins. For 2015, Johnson would have a $3.5MM base salary and a $1MM escalator.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

David Climer of the Tennessean wonders if Johnson’s agent was responsible for getting the running back cut by the Titans, since it seems as if he didn’t thoroughly explore the possibility of his client accepting a pay cut. However, Climer ultimately concludes that both sides were probably ready for a change anyway.
Johnny Manziel‘s and Jadeveon Clowney‘s visits with the Texans are happening today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Both prospects should have a chance to make their case to be the first overall pick.
We heard yesterday that the Jets are bringing in cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Darqueze Dennard for pre-draft visits this week, and we can add another name to that list, after Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert tweeted that he’ll visit the Jets today. According to Gilbert, he’ll also be visiting the Broncos, Lions, and Falcons.
Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports that Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins has already visited six NFL teams, including the Dolphins.
UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr and Wisconsin defensive tackle Beau Allen are visiting the Steelers today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown.
The Raiders are conducting a private workout for Purdue offensive tackle Kevin Pamphile today, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).

North Notes: Vikings, Browns, Bears, Lions

April 15th, 2014 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

After working out for the Vikings on the weekend, Teddy Bridgewater visited with the team yesterday and is still there today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who notes that the Vikes are taking an extended look at the Louisville signal-caller. Bridgewater could very well still be on the board when Minnesota picks at No. 8.

Here’s more from out of the NFC and AFC North divisions:

The Vikings and tight end Kyle Rudolph are said to have mutual interest in working out a long-term agreement to keep Rudolph in Minnesota, but the team has yet to approach the 24-year-old about an extension yet, as he tells Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
Johnny Manziel‘s previously reported workout for the Browns is scheduled for this weekend, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
After meeting with the Texans today, Blake Bortles will have finished with his pre-draft visits and workouts, with the exception of a visit with the Browns next week, according to Caplan (Twitter links).
Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will meet with the Bears this week, tweets Rapoport, adding that Clinton-Dix has also met with the Panthers and Falcons, among other teams. The Bears, meanwhile, have their eye on safeties, having already hosted Calvin Pryor.
Rapoport passes along word of a couple more pre-draft visits, tweeting that Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard visited the Bengals today and yesterday, while Minnesota safety Brock Vereen visited the Steelers last week. The brother of Patriots running back Shane Vereen will also meet with the Vikings this week, says Rapoport (via Twitter).
The Lions announced pre-draft visits for Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Boston College kicker Nate Freese, as Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com details.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune takes a look at Notre Dame defensive tackle Louis Nix, who recently visited the Bears.
Matthew Mulligan‘s one-year deal with the Bears is a minimum salary benefit contract, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Chris Pressley‘s one-year pact with the Browns falls into the same category, Wilson adds (via Twitter).

East Notes: Revis, Roberts, Bills, Giants, Jets

April 11th, 2014 at 7:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap wonders what the Patriots‘ offseason might have looked like if Darrelle Revis hadn’t become available. Of course, the Pats have never been the type of team to commit major money and years to a cornerback. However, with Revis willing to sign was it essentially a one-year deal with a franchise tender, New England was able to add a top flight talent on a low-risk move. All things considered, the Pats didn’t have a ton of room to work with this winter and came away with two major upgrades for their secondary in Revis and Brandon Browner and Fitzgerald gives them the appropriate credit. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..

Andre Roberts thought he was going to step into the No. 2 receiver role for the Redskins when he signed with them this offseason, but the arrival of DeSean Jackson has put that into serious doubt, writes ESPN.com’s John Keim. The 26-year-old was frustrated by his role after four seasons with the Cardinals but he might be facing more of the same in D.C. with Jackson and Pierre Garcon in the fold.
The Bills hosted Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde, Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens today, writes Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.
In addition to the Buccaneers, former Boston College and Florida lineman Matt Patchan told Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter) that he has already worked out for the Patriots. Patchan’s next trip is to the 49ers on Monday.
Albany State offensive tackle Kadeem Williams met with Giants coach Tom Coughlin after his workout today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. His next workout will be with the Meadlowlands’ other tenants, the Jets. Williams worked out for the Buccaneers and Chargers in late March.
Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News doesn’t expect nose tackle Josh Brent to be back with the Cowboys in 2014, but he says that the possiblity is not completely closed. If the Cowboys don’t get what they want in the draft and still find themselves thin at the defensive line, it could still be in the cards. Brent, of course, hasn’t been on the field since 2012 following the tragic car accident that claimed Jerry Brown.

Seferian-Jenkins Has Fractured Foot

February 22nd, 2014 at 9:50pm CST by Peter Sowards

Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, considered to be a first-round prospect by most draft prognosticators, has a stress fracture in his foot and will not be back to full strength for six to eight weeks, according to Todd Dybas of the Tacoma News Tribune (via Twitter).

It’s unclear when the 21-year old from Fox Island, Washington suffered the injury. Tight ends did their on-field work today at the NFL Scouting Combine, but Seferian-Jenkins was not among the participants.

SI.com’s Doug Farrar listed Seferian-Jenkins as one of his first-day combine sliders due to a “last minute medical issue” that forced the 6’6″ athlete to bow out. Farrar mention’s the DUI Seferian-Jenkins received in March 2013 as another issue, as well as his decreased production from 2012 to this past season.