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Ezekiel Elliott

Draft Rumors: Conklin, Stanley, Chargers, Elliott

April 22nd, 2016 at 3:33pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s growing buzz around Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, who tweets that Conklin is getting top-10 consideration. Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) suggests that there are some coaches around the NFL that prefer Conklin to Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley, who is generally considered the draft’s second-best tackle after Laremy Tunsil.

Still, while Tunsil is viewed as the top tackle – and perhaps even the top player – by many teams around the NFL, there’s not a complete consensus on that. NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock (Twitter link) suggests there has been some “momentum” for Stanley to go in the top 10, perhaps even before Tunsil. While that seems unlikely, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter) that teams aren’t all set yet.

Here are a few more draft rumors and updates from across the league:

  • Speaking today to reporters, including Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter links), Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said that trade talks involving the No. 3 pick have “really slowed down” since Wednesday. The team will continue to explore trade opportunities and won’t make a final decision on the pick until next Thursday, but trade discussions have “quieted considerably.”
  • Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott could come off the board as high as No. 4 next Thursday, and likely won’t last beyond pick No. 13, says Jason Cole (video link). Cole suggests that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is very fond of Elliott, but as we saw a couple years ago when Dallas took Zack Martin over Johnny Manziel, Jones is willing to defer to other decision-makers in the team’s front office during the draft.
  • Bills officials are traveling to Alabama today to meet with defensive tackle Jarran Reed, multiple sources tell John Wawrow of The Associated Press. Reed had previously been scheduled to visit Buffalo, but had to cancel due to the birth of his child, says Wawrow. Since teams can no longer host players on pre-draft visits, the Bills will travel to Reed, rather than vice versa.
  • During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link), Southern Utah safety Miles Killebrew said that he paid a visit to the Seahawks.

Dolphins Rumors: Draft, CBs, Jason Jones

April 22nd, 2016 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

Landing a cornerback – and perhaps more than one – is the Dolphins’ top priority in this year’s draft, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a lock to take one with the No. 13 pick, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

According to Jackson, if Miami opts for the best player available in the first round, and that player is a non-cornerback, there’s a belief the team could still land a quality CB at No. 42 and/or No. 73. Jackson mentions Miami’s Artie Burns, Baylor’s Xavien Howard, and Virginia Tech’s Kendall Fuller as a few potential targets.

Here’s more on the Dolphins from Jackson, including several notes on their possible draft plans:

  • If running back Ezekiel Elliott or linebacker Myles Jack slip to No. 13, the Dolphins would have interest in both players. The team recently sent a contingent to Los Angeles for a private workout with UCLA’s Jack.
  • Some Dolphins scouting and front office people are resistant to the idea of drafting Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III if he’s on the board at No. 13, since the team would prefer a big, physical cornerback.
  • Miami is intrigued by Houston’s William Jackson III and Ohio State’s Eli Apple, but they may not be great value at No. 13, so trading down might be a consideration. Dolphins VP Mike Tannenbaum said today that there have been preliminary conversations about the No. 13 pick, tweets James Walker of ESPN.com.
  • The Dolphins have discussed the possibility of taking one of the top offensive tackles in the first round and moving him to guard – at least temporarily – but that seems to be an unlikely outcome.
  • On special teams, the Dolphins are keeping an eye out for help in the return game and potential competition for kicker Andrew Franks. Special teams coach Darren Rizzi has privately worked out multiple kicker prospects, including Nick Rose of Texas and Daniel Sobolewski of Albright.
  • The Dolphins continue to have conversations with free agent defensive end Jason Jones, and there’s mutual interest between the two sides in working something out.

Draft Updates: Jack, J. Smith, Reed, Elliott

April 18th, 2016 at 11:23am CST by Luke Adams

Linebackers Myles Jack and Jaylon Smith are two of the biggest wild cards in this year’s draft, as both players have the talent to be top-five picks, but the health concerns to take them entirely off some teams’ boards.

Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (Twitter link) spoke to one source who calls Jack a “time bomb,” suggesting that his knee issues may limit him to just a few good seasons, if that. One source – possibly the same one – also tells Bowen that Smith’s re-check showed a “drop-foot problem, caused by nerve damage,” adding that his prognosis hasn’t improved since the combine.

Not every team will agree with that source’s assessment of Jack and Smith – some teams are said to be encouraged by Jack’s latest medicals – but many other clubs will likely view those prospects the same way, meaning there’s a chance that both players, particularly Smith, could slip a little further than expected on draft day next week.

Here are several more draft updates from around the league:

  • At least three more teams are getting a first-hand look at Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed this week, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Reed will visit the Jets on Monday, the Chargers on Tuesday, and the Texans on Wednesday.
  • Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott will have his previously-announced visit with the Bears this Wednesday, tweets Ian Rapoport.
  • The Lions are hosting Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander for a visit today, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) that Detroit is actively exploring the defensive back market in this year’s draft more than most other teams.
  • Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller, who received positive reports following his medical re-check last week, is visiting the Jets today and will meet with the Panthers on Wednesday, per Rand Getlin (Twitter link).
  • Middle Tennessee State defensive back Kevin Byard, who has already visited seven teams, will visit four more this week. According to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, Byard is making trips to visit the Ravens, Jaguars, Buccaneers, and Panthers.
  • Boston College linebacker Steven Daniels is visiting Washington this week, and has previously worked out for the Browns and Colts, among other teams, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.

East Rumors: McCoy, Fins, Pats, Jets, Cowboys

April 16th, 2016 at 3:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although LeSean McCoy was cleared of wrongdoing from the alleged brawl that took place involving the Bills running back and off-duty Philadelphia police officers, the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office will review the Philadelphia district attorney’s decision not to charge McCoy for the Feb. 7 incident, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reports.

State Solicitor General Bruce Castor said McCoy and others possibly involved in the fight “are not totally cleared” of charges despite Philadelphia DA Seth Williams’ decision earlier this month not to charge the former Eagles ball-carrier. If the Pennsylvania DA’s office determines McCoy should have been charged for his role in the melee, Rodak reports it could ask a court to overturn Williams’ decision.

Citing insufficient evidence, Williams cleared McCoy of potential charges. Although we heard earlier this week McCoy is unlikely to face an NFL suspension despite the league conducting its own investigation, an overturn of Williams’ decision would increase the likelihood the Bills’ starting running back would miss time this season.

Here’s more from the Eastern divisions.

  • Ezekiel Elliott will visit the Dolphins on Monday and Tuesday, James Walker of ESPN.com reports. Miami having lost Lamar Miller and missed out on signing C.J. Anderson and Chris Johnson makes the team’s interest in backfield help fairly clear. “They do have a hole at running back, and they do have some good people around on offense,” Elliott said. “It seems like the running back is the spot that they’re missing out on. So I think it would be a pretty good fit.”
  • The Patriots do not treat their 30 allotted pre-draft visits like recruiting trips as some of their NFL brethren do, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports, with the six-time 21st-century AFC champions devoting an entire work day (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) to meeting with the prospect(s) in their facility rather than taking the player(s) to dinner. The secretive organization also prefers the players it’s serious about drafting not to leak word of the visit. The Pats abruptly cancelled Nate Solder‘s 2011 meeting when details of the summit surfaced, but New England drafted the tackle anyway.
  • Recently released defensive tackle Dominique Easley sent out an Instagram post thanking the Patriots for his time there, Volin relays. The Globe reporter notes upon Easley being drafted in the first round two years ago, he soon wanted nothing to do with the organization, refusing to listen to the team regarding his knee rehab process.
  • Former Patriots practice squad quarterback Garrett Gilbert will count $9K toward New England’s 2016 salary cap after winning a grievance related to a roster bonus that the team didn’t pay when the Lions claimed him last June, Volin reports. Gilbert has yet to throw a regular-season pass but did collect a Super Bowl ring from his work with the 2014 Patriots.
  • A Manhattan federal judge ordered the video from a 2012 incident involving Brandon Marshall to be made public, Kimberley Martin of Newsday reports. A federal jury last week found the Jets wideout not liable for one count of assault and one count of battery in the civil case in which a woman claimed the then-Dolphins wideout punched her in the face.
  • Tony Romo said Saturday he’s resumed throwing and has been delivering passes using his full throwing motion for nearly two weeks, per the Cowboys website. Recovery time from the Mumford procedure Romo underwent for his troublesome collarbone issues March 8 was slated at six-to-eight weeks.
  • Cowboys personnel worked out Jared Goff on Saturday morning in Berkley, Calif. Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones were among the team’s representatives there, and Jones, per Peter King (on Twitter), loved what he saw from the Cal quarterback. The Cowboys pick fourth, and after the Rams’ trade that allowed them to vault from No. 15 to No. 1, and may not be in position to take Goff any longer.

Pauline’s Latest: Eagles, Elliott, Mathews, Cook

April 15th, 2016 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net is back with another round of draft-related updates and rumors at WalterFootball.com, so let’s see what he has for us, with less than two weeks until draft day….

  • If the Eagles select running back Ezekiel Elliott and decide to make Ryan Mathews available, the Cowboys and 49ers would have interest in the veteran, per Pauline. As James Walker of ESPN.com tweets, Elliott feels like the Eagles have shown the most interest in him so far, so it’s possible he’ll end up in Philadelphia. Even in that scenario though, and even if the club was willing to trade Mathews, it’s not clear whether Howie Roseman would be enthusiastic about dealing with a divisional rival or with Chip Kelly‘s team.
  • Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook continues to be plagued by leadership questions, with Pauline hearing that he came off as “flippant and cavalier” during some team interviews. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier this week that he expects Cook to come off the board earlier than many observers expect, which could still be true, since all it takes is one team willing to roll the dice.
  • San Jose State running back Tyler Ervin is drawing interest around the league and could end up as a day two pick, says Pauline. The Panthers, Browns, Texans, Saints, and Patriots have hosted Ervin for pre-draft visits.
  • Vanderbilt linebacker Stephen Weatherly has worked out for the Panthers, Patriots, Colts, and Cardinals, and has visited the Panthers, Broncos, Saints, Raiders, Chiefs, and Vikings. Meanwhile, Maryland linebacker Yannick Ngakoue worked out for the Texans, Cowboys, Saints, Colts, Titans, Ravens, Dolphins, and Patriots, in addition to making several previously-reported visits. Pauline believes both players may come off the board earlier than expected.

La Canfora’s Latest: Browns, Goff, Titans, Eagles

April 13th, 2016 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, we learned that a high-ranking official told Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he believes the Browns have their sights set on Jared Goff at the No. 2 overall pick, rather than fellow quarterback Carson Wentz. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com thinks the same thing, writing today that Cleveland offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton favors Goff.

According to La Canfora, many Browns scouts prefer Wentz to Goff, so the Browns’ front office and personnel department isn’t unanimous when it comes to a QB preference. But there’s some concern about Wentz’s lack of experience against high-level opposition, and a belief that the analytics favor Goff. So if the Browns do select a signal-caller with the second overall pick, which isn’t guaranteed, La Canfora believes it will be Goff.

La Canfora’s latest piece at CBSSports.com includes plenty of other noteworthy tidbits, so let’s dive in and round them up….

  • The Titans have at least two trade offers on the table for the No. 1 overall pick that they consider “worthy starting points toward an eventual deal,” and La Canfora says rival teams expect GM Jon Robinson to eventually deal the pick. “They’ll market it up to the draft to get the best ransom they can, but they’ll move it,” said one executive for a team that has explored moving up. If the Titans do keep the first overall pick, La Canfora expects Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil to be the choice.
  • The Eagles are “in love” with Ezekiel Elliott, and there’s a chance he’ll be Philadelphia’s pick at No. 8. La Canfora continues to believe the team’s interest in quarterbacks is a smokescreen, but notes that some executives think GM Howie Roseman is set on making a big splash on draft day, which could mean nabbing a QB.
  • Scouts who have talked to La Canfora uniformly prefer Clemson’s Kevin Dodd to his teammate Shaq Lawson, and like Alabama’s Jarran Reed more than A’Shawn Robinson. “I really hope there are people in this league who like Robinson more than Reed,” one top evaluator said of the Crimson Tide duo. “That just makes it easier for us.” Robinson is viewed as a player whose stock is being overstated by mock drafts, as is Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple.
  • Several teams, including the Chiefs, are very high on Louisiana Tech defensive lineman Vernon Butler, who is expected to be a first-round pick, per La Canfora.
  • La Canfora expects TCU’s Josh Doctson to be the first wide receiver to come off the board.
  • The Steelers are doing a lot of homework on cornerbacks, leading La Canfora to believe they’ll probably go in that direction in the first round.

Cole’s Latest: Raiders, Goff, Wentz, 49ers

April 12th, 2016 at 5:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason Cole of Bleacher Report released a series of videos today on a handful of noteworthy NFL topics. Let’s dive right in and round up the latest from Cole….

  • The idea of the Raiders potentially moving to Las Vegas is gaining some momentum, a “well-placed” NFL source tells Cole (video link). According to Cole, Raiders owner Mark Davis is scheduled to speak later this month in Las Vegas about the possibility of building a stadium in the city, and Las Vegas decision-makers will have to decide whether to devote tax funds to a stadium.
  • Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News notes (via Twitter) that the Raiders‘ interest in Las Vegas – assuming the funding falls into place – “can’t be overstated,” while Cole suggests that Davis would commit to attempting to relocate the franchise to Vegas if the city is prepared to put up the necessary money.
  • Contrary to a previous report, quarterback prospects Jared Goff and Carson Wentz won’t be visiting the 49ers this week, according to Cole (video link). That doesn’t mean the two top QB prospects won’t eventually make the trip to Santa Clara, but the 49ers have already worked them out individually and have gotten a closer look at them. Cole also hears that GM Trent Baalke really likes Michigan State signal-caller Connor Cook.
  • There’s a “growing sense within the Cowboys‘ organization” that Dallas is seriously considering drafting a quarterback at No. 4, a source tells Cole (video link). Per Cole, some members of the organization prefer to target a defensive player or even a running back (Ezekiel Elliott) at that spot, but there are others who are arguing for a QB since they don’t believe the Cowboys will be drafting this high again for quite some time.

AFC Draft Notes: Bills, Ravens, Browns, Texans

April 9th, 2016 at 11:36am CST by Ben Levine

With the NFL draft starting in less than three weeks, let’s check out some assorted prospect notes from the AFC…

  • Following reports that the Bills are “enamored” by Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.com believes the signal caller would be a good fit for the organization. In fact, if the Bills really do feel strongly about Jones, the writer suggests not waiting until the third round to select him.
  • Unless the Ravens are convinced Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott can be a 1,200-yard rusher, Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com writers that it would be a mistake to select the back with the sixth overall pick. Brown cites the team’s holes on defense, as well as the team’s depth at running back.
  • The Browns will be hosting several local prospects prior to the draft, including Harvard offensive lineman Adam Redmond. “For a guy like me, that’s huge,” Redmond told Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. “I’m not getting written about. I’m not on draft blogs or anything like that, which is fine. But I need to take advantage of every opportunity. I think that is what separates those high-ranked guys and guys like me. I might only get one shot, so I need to take advantage of that.”
  • The Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson tweeted the list the attendees at the Texans local prospect day, including University of Houston punter Logan Piper, defensive back Adrian McDonald, and running backs Kenneth Farrow and Ryan Jackson.

East Notes: Cowboys, Jets, Eagles, Bills

April 8th, 2016 at 6:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey has sat atop the Cowboys’ draft board since February, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reports. The corner-needy Cowboys have the fourth pick and seem like a good bet to choose Ramsey if he drops to their selection, but they have inquired on moving up to No. 1 via trade and could grab him there. Like Ramsey, North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz – the Cowboys’ top-rated signal-calling prospect, per Pauline – is also a possibility in the first round. The club has mixed feelings on a couple Ohio State standouts – running back Ezekiel Elliott‘s stock is high within the organization, while assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett is bearish on end Joey Bosa.

PFR’s Rob DiRe has one of these four players going to Dallas in his first mock draft of 2016. Click here to find out which of the quartet he currently thinks will end up in a Cowboys uniform.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • The retirement of D’Brickashaw Ferguson leaves the Jets in need at three of football’s most significant positions – left tackle, quarterback and pass rusher – Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes. Ferguson would’ve returned for an 11th season had his $10.375MM salary remained in place, but the Jets wanted to cut that figure in half, according to Mehta, and the 32-year-old wasn’t receptive to the idea. Ferguson also worried about the possibility of the Jets releasing him prior to the season because he didn’t have any interest in signing elsewhere and relocating his family, per Mehta.
  • The Eagles’ reported interest in a first-round quarterback is a smokescreen, opines CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who believes they could trade down from the eighth overall pick to acquire more selections and ultimately address needs elsewhere. Philadelphia leads the league in real dollars spent since the start of the 2015 league year ($200MM-plus), including deals given to quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel. It’s fair to say the Eagles are in win-now mode, then, and La Canfora doesn’t expect them to eschew immediate help at problem positions in order to add a top-round QB to the mix.
  • With Tyrod Taylor entering a contract year, the Bills look poised to select a quarterback by the second day of the draft, as La Canfora details. The Bills are “enamored” of Ohio State’s Cardale Jones, says La Canfora, who reports that they also like Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg and Stanford’s Kevin Hogan.
  • Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall won his civil trial relating to a 2012 altercation outside a Manhattan nightclub, and won’t be responsible for damages, per attorney Harvey Steinberg (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). The NFL is unlikely to pursue any discipline for Marshall, since he never faced criminal charges and the incident occurred years ago.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Elliott, Titans, Cook, Butler

April 7th, 2016 at 10:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott is expected to be the first player off the board at his position, and is receiving attention from several teams picking in the first half of the first round. As Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets, Elliott said during an appearance on NFL Total Access that he has visits lined up with the Eagles (No. 8), Bears (No. 11), and Dolphins (No. 13). He has also previously met with Dallas.

With NFL teams focused on working out and meeting with players who may end up on their rosters about three weeks from now, let’s round up a few more draft updates….

  • Deadlines typically spur action in the NFL, which means the best trade offer for the No. 1 pick may not be on the table for the Titans until draft night. Still, as Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com details, GM Jon Robinson isn’t opposed to the idea of making a deal in advance, suggesting it would give his team the opportunity to make plans accordingly. In the meantime, Tennessee continues to take a close look at top prospects, and will bring in Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner on Monday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
  • ESPN’s Jon Gruden believes that Michigan State’s Connor Cook “is gonna be perhaps the best quarterback in this draft” (Twitter link from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).
  • Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter link) adds the Lions and Patriots to the list of clubs that have worked out Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Vernon Butler. The Lions have also met with Jordan Jenkins, as the Georgia linebacker confirmed on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link via Alex Marvez of FOX Sports).
  • Marvez also passes along an update from a SiriusXM NFL Radio appearance by Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen, who said he has had workouts or meetings with the Buccaneers, Panthers, Falcons, and Cowboys (Twitter link).
  • In addition to attending local workouts for the Jets and Giants, Rutgers wideout Leonte Carroo is paying visits to the Dolphins and Patriots, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Carroo had an explosive college career, averaging 19.5 yards per reception and racking up 29 touchdowns over the last three seasons.
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