Darius Robinson

Draft Notes: Barton, ’30’ Visits, Wilson

The 2024 tackle class has drawn rave reviews in the lead-in to this month’s draft, but Graham Barton is among those expected to play on the inside upon entering the NFL. The Duke product has nevertheless helped his draft stock recently.

Barton was already gaining steam as a rising prospect before his Pro Day, as noted by ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He battled injuries during the 2023 season and was forced to miss the Senior Bowl as a result, but the two-time All-American managed to take part in the Blue Devils’ Pro Day last week. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports Barton’s performance was highly impressive, and it secured his status as a Day 1 prospect.

Following up on the strong workout, Reid notes Barton could now work his way into the top 15 come draft night. Many NFL teams view the first-team All-ACC selection as a center, but he could also see time at guard at the pro level. Wherever he lines up as a rookie, Barton will face high expectations and no doubt draw the attention of many teams near the top of the order in need of reinforcements up front.

Here are some other draft-related notes from around the NFL:

  • Missouri’s Darius Robinson has also seen his stock rise in the wake of the Senior Bowl, and NFL teams are keeping an eye on him. The Steelers recently hosted him on a ’30’ visit, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He adds Robinson has 20 meetings with teams on the books, making him one of several potential first-rounders who will remain busy as the draft approaches. O-lineman Taliese Fuaga is among the prospects who also met with the Steelers, as noted by Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Staying in Pennsylvania, the Eagles hosted Laiatu Latu on a ’30’ visit, Geoff Mosher of Inside the Birds reports. The UCLA product is one of the best edge rushers in the 2024 class, having earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023. His college resume includes a medical retirement, however, so there will be risk involved in selecting him. Philadelphia and all other prospective suitors will no doubt have a vested interest in Latu’s medical examinations. The Eagles traded Haason Reddick to the Jets, creating the need for a new investment along the edge.
  • The inside linebacker class is not believed to have a Day 1 prospect, but Edgerrin Cooper is among the top options teams will have to choose from. The Texas A&M product had a strong Pro Day showing, and he has a number of ’30’ visits lined up. Per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, the list of interested teams includes the Texans, Eagles, Cowboys, Panthers, Chargers and Buccaneers. Cooper was a consensus All-American in 2023 after racking up 84 tackles (including 17 for loss), eight sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
  • Pittsburgh, Dallas, Carolina and Tampa Bay are among the teams also set to host Western Kentucky wideout Malachi Corley, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes. Garafolo adds the Browns, Ravens, Seahawks and 49ers have also booked a visit with the small school standout. Corley is a member of a very deep receiver class, but his 180 catches, 2,279 yards and 22 touchdowns over the past two seasons along with a strong pre-draft process has put him firmly on the draft radar.
  • Marshawn Kneeland has also drawn considerable pre-draft attention. The Western Michigan defensive end has either already met with (or plans to visit) the Eagles along with the Chiefs, Saints, Jaguars, Jets, Vikings, Colts and Commanders, per Pauline. Kneeland spent four years with the MAC program, totaling 12.5 sacks and 28 tackles for loss while establishing himself as a power rusher and strong run defender.
  • While a number of prospects have helped their stock recently, the opposite is of course true of others. Michigan receiver Roman Wilson appears to have fallen into the latter category, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. He notes Wilson is in danger of falling to the late second round or early in the third, something which could become increasingly possible if a run on the draft’s other pass-catchers takes place. Wilson averaged 16.4 yards per catch and scored 12 touchdowns on a run-heavy Wolverines offense last season, but his size (6-0, 180) and mediocre statistics from his three other campaigns could make him less appealing than other WR options.

AFC Notes: Tebow, Watt, Jaguars, Ware, Bills

Tim Tebow, who has been frequently linked to the Jaguars over the years, purchased a $1.4MM home in Jacksonville, according to Andrew Thurlow of the Jacksonville Business Journal. Of course, the Jaguars have their quarterback of the future in Blake Bortles and there is zero indication that they’d be interested in bringing Tebow aboard, who last played in the NFL in 2012. But, if they ever want to audition a backup, the former Florida QB will be a hop, skip, and a jump away. Here’s more out of the AFC..

  • With speculation that a new deal for Texans defensive end J.J. Watt could get a contract extension in the ballpark of $23MM per year, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap takes a stab at what kind of contract the disruptive DE could fetch. Ultimately, Fitzgerald concludes that a four year contract worth $57.6MM could make sense for both sides. As the Texans are going through a remake of their roster, it could make both football sense and PR sense to hammer out a new deal with Watt this year.
  • Jaguars coach Gus Bradley expects the club’s offense to be more balanced this year. Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union says that new RB Toby Gerhart will be a huge key towards making that happen.
  • Thanks in part to cupping therapy, new Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware says that he’s feeling great, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. “I feel better than I did the last two years going into the season,” Ware said. “Stronger, faster. I feel flexible.”
  • The Bills have waived wide receiver Cordell Robinson and cornerback Darius Robinson, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • The Patriots re-signed wide receiver Derrick Johnson, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).

Bills Sign 10 Undrafted Free Agents

THURSDAY, 3:30pm: The Bills have added Minnesota defensive back Michael Carter to their undrafted free agent class, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550AM.

TUESDAY, 12:23pm: The Bills have signed nine undrafted free agents, the team announced today on its website. All nine of the newest Bills are defensive players. Here’s the full list:

  • Derek Brim, S, Buffalo
  • Deon Broomfield, S, Iowa State
  • James Gaines, LB, Miami (FL)
  • Damien Jacobs, DT, Florida
  • Bryan Johnson, LB, West Texas A&M
  • Darrin Kitchens, LB, Florida
  • Kenny Ladler, S, Vanderbilt
  • Darius Robinson, CB, Clemson
  • Colby Way, DL, Buffalo