HEADLINES

Jack Conklin

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.

Draft Notes: Jack, Raiders, Dolphins, Conklin

April 22nd, 2016 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Many teams believe that reported concerns about Myles Jack‘s knee issues have been overblown, but just in case he slips out of the top 10 as a result of those concerns, the Raiders are doing their homework on the linebacker. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets that Oakland sent a contingent to UCLA on Thursday to work out Jack.

Here are several more draft updates from around the NFL:

  • The Dolphins have genuine interest in Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin as a possible target at No. 13, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald indicated that Miami hasn’t ruled out the idea of drafting a tackle early and playing him at guard to start his NFL career, but I’d be surprised if the Fins actually went in that direction.
  • Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that the Steelers and Colts are among the teams that have been doing most due diligence on West Virginia safety Karl Joseph. Joseph, who is coming off a major knee injury, is viewed as a probable day two pick.
  • Cal wide receiver Kenny Lawler has worked out for the Saints, Falcons, Cowboys, Eagles, and Colts in the weeks leading up to the draft, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Lawler is also believed to have met with the Titans and Jets last month.
  • The Patriots have displayed “steady interest” in South Florida defensive end Eric Lee, according to Aaron Wilson, who says Lee is working out for Texans linebackers coach Mike Vrabel today (Twitter links).

Draft Rumors: Jack, No. 3 Overall, Spence, Conklin

April 19th, 2016 at 7:34pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The notion that Myles Jack‘s surgically repaired knee is a “time bomb” is greatly exaggerated, sources tell CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who writes that the torn meniscus the UCLA linebacker suffered last year should not meaningfully alter his draft stock. “This kid is a great player. His change of direction is awesome. This is getting totally blown out of proportion,” said an executive. All the teams La Canfora spoke with indicated that Jack won’t last beyond the top 15. The Jaguars, who hold the fifth selection, “seem locked into” Jack, says ESPN’s Mel Kiper (Twitter link via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union).

More of the latest draft rumors:

  • The Chargers are generating plenty of interest in regards to the third overall selection, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). On the possibility of trading the pick, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said last month, “It’s certainly an option. We’ll just follow it through and see where it goes.”
  • Eastern Kentucky defensive end Noah Spence is arguably the best pass rusher in this year’s draft class, but he’s likely to last until the second round because of off-field issues in college, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report offers (video link). Teams view Spence as a good kid, but there’s concern that the drug problems which got him dismissed from Ohio State will resurface in the NFL, per Cole.
  • Michigan State offensive tackle and prospective first-rounder Jack Conklin has met with or worked out for the Titans, Bills, Chargers, Steelers, Falcons, Jets, Colts, Buccaneers and Lions, he told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
  • Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett worked out for and/or visited the Panthers, Titans, Falcons, Patriots, Chargers, Packers and previously reported Jets, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter).
  • Arizona State receiver Devin Lucien visited the Bengals on Tuesday, per Getlin, who notes that he has also visited with/and or worked out for the Cardinals, Patriots and Rams (via Twitter).
  • Bowling Green receiver Roger Lewis has visited with or worked out for the Bengals, Cowboys, Patriots, Seahawks, Vikings and Chargers, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Lewis is a potential third- or fourth-round pick, notes Caplan.
  • Auburn cornerback Blake Countess has drawn interest from 13 teams, including Washington, the Ravens and Giants, writes Aaron Wilson of NFPost.com.

Pauline’s Latest: Jets, Titans, Conklin, Giants

April 13th, 2016 at 5:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Most NFL people that Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via WalterFootball.com) has spoken with tell him that the Jets could still look to take an offensive tackle in the first round even after trading for Ryan Clady. With that in mind, the Jets are bringing Jason Spriggs of Indiana to Florham Park, New Jersey for an official visit on Thursday.

Many view Spriggs as the best pure left tackle in the draft outside of Ole Miss star Laremy Tunsil. Spriggs has been rising on draft boards around the league and the Hoosiers senior has already visited the Broncos and Saints and worked out for the Titans and Ravens.

Here’s the latest from Pauline:

  • Recently, it was reported that the Titans would consider trading down from No. 1 to select Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley. Pauline hears that Michigan State’s Jack Conklin is also in the conversation if the Titans move down. Pauline previously ID’d Conklin as a possible Top 12 pick in this year’s draft.
  • The Giants continue to show strong interest in Laquon Treadwell, who is in the conversation at No. 10 overall, Pauline hears. Pauline also adds that several teams do not agree with the assertion that Treadwell is only the second-best wide receiver in this year’s class. While some reports would indicate that the Ole Miss product is slipping down draft boards, that might not be the case.
  • Speaking of the Jets, Pauline hears that they are very high on tackle Brent Qvale, a UDFA they added in 2014. However, Pauline gets the sense that the Clady signing means that Gang Green does not see him as being quite yet ready for a starting role. Qvale lined up at both left and right tackle during weekly practice in 2015. Sources tell Pauline that Qvale is likely to replace Breno Giacomini in 2017 if he continues to progress.
  • Western Kentucky tight end George Fant is garnering attention from NFL scouts, Pauline writes. Fant, a former WKU basketball player, has also received consideration at offensive tackle, but scouts believe that he should be a tight end because of his soft hands. If Fant drops some additional weight (currently 296 pounds), the belief is that he can make it work at TE. Fant has (or has had) workouts with a number of teams including the Bengals, Broncos, Cardinals, Chargers, Saints, and Seahawks. While Fant is apparently rising up draft boards, fellow Western Kentucky tight end Tyler Higbee is seeing his stock fall due to an off-the-field incident.

AFC Notes: Titans, Conklin, Broncos, Raiders

April 5th, 2016 at 8:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil is the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, but he’s not the only standout tackle the Titans are eyeing. A source tells Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com that the team is expected to host Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin for a visit soon. Conklin isn’t a candidate to come off the board first, but if Tennessee ends up moving down in the first round, he could be in play for the Titans.

Here’s more from across the AFC:

  • Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott was hosted for a pre-draft visit by the Broncos today, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Prescott is unlikely to go in the first round, so the Broncos could look to target him in the second or third round of the draft.
  • Central Arkansas defensive end Jonathan Woodard had a visit scheduled with the Raiders on Monday and will meet with the Titans on Friday, as Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News tweets.
  • Oklahoma State defensive lineman Emmanuel Ogbah recently paid a visit to the Bills and will soon visit the Texans, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network.
  • Seth Walder of the New York Daily News provides some details on Brandon Marshall‘s civil trial stemming from an altercation outside a Manhattan nightclub in 2012. As Walder notes, Marshall didn’t face criminal charges at the time, but it’s unclear if the NFL might still consider discipline, should the Jets wideout lose the civil trial.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett said he has a visit on Sunday with the Jets (Twitter link via Alex Marvez of FOX Sports). Vannett has frequently been linked to Gang Green in recent weeks, having already privately worked out for and met with the team.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Cowboys, Ramsey, Bosa

March 16th, 2016 at 4:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys want Jalen Ramsey, but they fear that he’ll be gone by No. 4, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net writes (via PhiladelphiaEagles.com). With that in mind, Dallas is eyeing Ohio State standouts Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott. Bosa would help bolster the team at defensive end while DeMarcus Lawrence recovers from surgery and Randy Gregory serves his first month suspension. Elliott, meanwhile, would give the team help at running back.

Here are the latest rumors on the 2016 NFL Draft (all of which come from Pauline, unless otherwise indicated):

  • Insiders believe that we could se three offensive tackles – Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley, and Jack Conklin – go in the first top 12 picks of the draft. That could start a run and Pauline writes that we could see six tackles taken in the first round.
  • The Cowboys would consider trading down, Pauline hears, but they want to stay ahead of the Giants at No. 10.
  • Observers at the UCLA pro day described Myles Jack as a “remarkable athlete.” One source told Pauline (in his running log for Walter Football) that “he looked like a defensive back doing linebacker drills.”
  • Aaron Wallace, the Bruins’ other notable linebacker, is gaining a lot of momentum in the scouting community, Pauline hears. Wallace currently has official visits set up with the Buccaneers, Browns, and Raiders with more likely on the way.
  • UCLA offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch has been graded as a top-75 selection, according to Pauline. Many believe that Benenoch can play tackle and guard in addition to center.
  • Georgia linebacker Jordan Jenkins says that he’ll have private workouts with the Raiders, Patriots, and Saints, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter) reports that Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook has private workouts scheduled with the Cowboys and Dolphins.
  • All 32 NFL teams were in attendance at MSU’s pro day, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. At the event, Cook met with the 49ers and Rams before the workout and met with the Browns‘ staff after.
  • Michigan State defensive tackle Joel Heath says that he will have a private workout with the Patriots this week, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets. In addition to that, he’ll meet with the Titans later this month. Heath previously met with the Colts and Buccaneers.
  • Pittsburgh wide receiver Tyler Boyd looked great at his Pro Day and the slowest unofficial 40-year-dash time that has been reported was in the low 4.5s.
  • Pittsburgh corner Lafayette Pitts recorded 40-yard-dash times under 4.4 seconds, with some watches marking him at 4.35.
  • There’s no definitive word on whether Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller will work out before the draft.
  • Youngstown State linebacker Terrell Williams is drawing interest from clubs. The Jets and Eagles, in particular, see him as a quality backup linebacker/core special teams guy.
  • The Lions have a private workouts set up with Michigan State offensive linemen Jack Conklin, Jack Allen, and Donavon Clark later this month, Birkett tweets.

Draft Rumors: Hogan, Conklin, Robinson, Ragland

February 22nd, 2016 at 8:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Around this time of year, teams start to get a sense of which quarterbacks can vault up the draft boards, Tony Pauline writes for PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Right now, the scouting community believes that guy is Stanford’s Kevin Hogan. Hogan has impressed with his arm strength and pass velocity and Pauline hears that teams might be pleasantly surprised by his improved wind-up at the Combine.

While we wait to see where Hogan might land, let’s take a look at some more of Pauline’s draft buzz:

  • Tackle Jack Conklin is universally graded as a first-round pick, but not everyone in the league is certain he can handle the left tackle position at the next level. Still, the Michigan State product is expected to interview well and he could find himself in the top half of the first round.
  • The stock of Florida wide receiver Demarcus Robinson will hinge greatly on his interviews, Pauline writes. Talent-wise, Robinson looks like a top-15 prospect, but his checkered past is giving teams pause. If he can make a strong impression on teams, however, he can be a second-day pick.
  • Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland, who tipped the scales at 259 pounds at the Senior Bowl, is expected to be much lighter at the Combine.
  • Several league decision-makers rate teammate T.J. Green as the top safety from the Clemson program rather than Jayron Kearse. Green is a solid athlete who lined up at safety, wide receiver and also played special teams for the Tigers.

Draft Updates: Conklin, Ogbah, Neal, Aguayo

January 6th, 2016 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

All-American offensive tackle Jack Conklin will forgo his senior season at Michigan State and enter the 2016 NFL draft, according to Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the offensive line prospect will be represented by Sean Howard and Vanguard Sports.

As Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets, Conklin has a realistic chance of coming off the board within the top 20 picks of this year’s draft. ESPN’s Todd McShay is particularly bullish on the Spartans’ tackle, ranking him as the third-best offensive lineman in this year’s draft class, and placing him 13th overall in his first mock draft (both Insider-only links).

Conklin isn’t the only college player whose intentions to declare early have been reported or announced today. Here’s the latest:

  • Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who was reportedly having preliminary meetings with agents over a month ago, will forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility to enter this year’s draft, he announced in a statement on Twitter. Miller tweets that he has an early second-round grade on Ogbah for the time being.
  • Florida safety Keanu Neal announced on Instagram that he will be heading to the NFL, rather than playing out his senior year with the Gators.
  • Florida State kicker Roberto Aguayo announced (via Twitter) that he will enter this year’s draft. As Joe Reedy of The Associated Press notes (via Twitter), Aguayo graduated from school early last month.
  • North Carolina State has announced that tight end David Grinnage will skip his senior season and will enter the 2016 draft, according to Ralph D. Russo of The Associated Press (Twitter link).

Draft Notes: Williams, Calhoun, Peat, Winston

January 2nd, 2015 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

In something of a surprise decision, Texas A&M running back Trey Williams announced (via Twitter) earlier this week that he intends to forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2015 NFL draft.

“Special thanks to my Texas A&M family and coaching staff,” Williams wrote. “I’ve prayed about it and decided to pursue my dream of playing in the NFL.”

The junior running back was only a part-time player in the Aggies’ offense in 2014, carrying the ball just 81 times for 560 yards (6.9 yards per carry). While his explosiveness could intrigue NFL teams, Williams is not as highly regarded a prospect as a number of other underclassmen running backs who have already declared for the draft.

Let’s round up a few more draft-related notes to start off the first Friday of 2015….

  • As recently as two weeks ago, Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams was believed to be returning for his senior season, so observers were surprised by a report that he was expected to enter the draft, writes Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. Pauline hears that the second-round grade Williams received from the draft’s advisory committee was a determining factor in his decision.
  • Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun also received a second-round grade recently from the advisory committee, rather than the first-round grade he was anticipating, according to Pauline. As such, Calhoun has yet to decide whether or not he’ll enter the draft.
  • Sources tell Pauline that the family of Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin has been telling people he’ll remain with the Spartans for another year.
  • Last month, a report indicated that Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat, a probable first-round pick, was on the fence about his plan for next year. Per Pauline, “all [is] quiet” on that front at the moment, with no word of any agent meetings for Peat.
  • Tight end Jesse James is reportedly telling people he intends to return to Penn State, but sources that have spoken to Pauline expect he’ll ultimately decide to enter the 2015 draft.
  • According to Pauline, one league insider compared Jameis Winston to Johnny Manziel, speculating that – assuming Winston declares for the 2015 draft – he’ll be the player that general managers are hoping is off the board by the time their teams pick. Reading between the lines on Pauline’s comment, perhaps that means those GMs are worried their owners will push for Winston even if the front office has another player graded higher.