HEADLINES

Leonard Fournette

Draft Notes: Fournette, McCaffrey, Mixon

December 7th, 2016 at 4:42pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s a two-team race for the top pick in the 2017 draft, writes Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. The 0-12 Browns essentially control their draft destiny, as the team has an 85.1-percent chance at the top pick (they’ve essentially clinched a top-5 pick). According to Seifert, the only thing standing in the Browns way is Robert Griffin III, although it’s unlikely the embattled quarterback will guide the team to any kind of winning streak.

The 1-11 49ers also loom as a contender for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft, with Seifert giving them a 14.1-percent chance at the top pick and a 99.7-percent chance at a top-5 pick. The organization will likely be making their highest pick since they drafted Alex Smith first overall in 2005.

Let’s take a look at some other draft notes from around the league…

  • Is LSU running back Leonard Fournette as good as Todd Gurley, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2015 draft? “[He’s] better,” two high level evaluators told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
  • NFL teams are “softening” on Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, who could end up being selected in the first round of the 2017 draft, reports Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link). Mixon, who was involved in a physical altercation in 2014, claims he was provoked by a female who used a racial slur and spit in his face. Video of the incident is set to be released later this month, according to Nolan Clay of the Oklahoman, which could shed light on the episode.
  • We learned last night that Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to declare for next year’s draft. The talented offensive weapon rushed for 1,596 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report declared him a “lock” to be a top-50 draft pick.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

LSU’s Leonard Fournette To Enter Draft

December 5th, 2016 at 2:04pm CST by Zachary Links

To no one’s surprise, LSU running back Leonard Fournette has announced that he will enter the 2017 NFL Draft. Fournette is widely projected to be among the top picks this spring. Leonard Fournette (vertical)

“I will be declaring for the 2017 NFL draft after our bowl game,” Fournette declared on Twitter. “I make this announcement now so that there will not be speculation and distractions while we prepare. I want everyone to know that I will forever treasure my experience as a Tiger.”

Some have called for Fournette to stay out of the Citrus Bowl, but the Tigers star says that he will not walk out on his team. So far this year, the talented tailback has missed four games due to various injuries including ankle sprains. In his injury-shortened season, Fournette has still managed to run for 843 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2015, Fournette was largely healthy and ran for 1,953 rushing yards, good for an average of 162.8 yards per game.

This year’s crop of running backs is expected to be a strong one with Leonard Fournette of LSU, Dalvin Cook of Florida State, D’Onta Foreman of Arizona, and Christian McCaffrey of Stanford at the top of the heap. Late last month, Foreman announced that he is going pro.

Running Back Notes: Martin, Elliott, Lacy, Bell

November 5th, 2016 at 10:55am CST by Ben Levine

Buccaneers running back Doug Martin hasn’t seen the field since the second week of the season, but the 27-year-old may finally have a definitive return date. Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter told SiriusXM NFL Radio that the team is optimistic that Martin will return for next week’s contest against the Bears.

“We’re hopeful that after these three days off that maybe he has a shot at Chicago,” Koetter said (via Alex Marvez of Sporting News). “But hamstrings seem to linger a little bit. We’ll have to wait and see.

“These hamstrings are just delicate. He was 90-plus percent back and doing his rehab run one day and he tweaked it again. (Bucs trainers) kind of had to go back and start over.”

Martin rushed for 1,402 yards and six touchdowns last season, and the organization rewarded him with a five-year, $36MM extension. The former first-round pick collected 85 yards on 25 carries in 2016 before being sidelined with the hamstring injury.

Let’s take a look at some other notes pertaining to the NFL’s running backs…

  • Domestic violence accusations have surrounded Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott this season, and an incident report from the Aventura (Fla.) Police Department (obtained by USA Today’s Tom Pelissero and A.J. Perez) said the player’s ex-girlfriend/accuser also accused the athlete of abusing her back in February. The police said there were no visible signs of injury, and Elliott was not arrested. The writers say it’s unclear whether the NFL knew about these previous allegations.
  • There are several big-name running back prospects in this year’s NFL draft, but one scout believes the depth is overrated. “This was billed as some elite running back class—it’s not,” the scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report. “[Leonard] Fournette is a freak, but everyone knows that. Dalvin Cook is exciting, but he’s not close to last year’s first-rounder [Ezekiel Elliott]. [Nick] Chubb is a third[-rounder] from what I’ve heard in our group. The big kid at Texas [D’Onta Foreman] is the one to watch if he comes out. I like him better than Derrick Henry.”
  • ESPN.com’s Field Yates previews the “biggest upcoming roster decisions” for each NFL team, and the writer points to two team’s running situations. With Eddie Lacy set to become a free agent, the Packers will have to decided whether they want to invest in the veteran or go a different route. If the team does look to replace the 26-year-old, Yates believes they’ll do so via the draft.
  • Meanwhile, Yates also looks at the situation in Pittsburgh between the Steelers and Le’Veon Bell. As the 24-year-old slowly creeps towards unrestricted free agency, the writer wonders whether the team will spend to keep one of their homegrown talents.

Colts Notes: London, Fournette, Tulloch, Swoope

July 9th, 2016 at 11:32am CST by Ben Levine

While some Colts players are surely anticipating their trip to London this season, it’s just more of the same for running back Frank Gore. The 33-year-old will be making his third career appearance at Wembley Stadium, and he compiled 189 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his previous two games.

The veteran told Kevin Bowen of Colts.com of his first trip to London in 2010. While the player was in an unfamiliar setting, it didn’t take long for him to feel at home.

“I saw people wearing my jersey and I was surprised by that,” he said. “I don’t know how they pick what team they want to cheer for but they are into it.”

Winston Guy (then with the Jaguars) played in London in 2013, and the veteran safety distinctly remembers the energy of the fans.

“It felt like a Super Bowl,” he said. “They didn’t care who won. They were just excited…It’s different, especially for guys that have never been across the world. Definitely a good week of experience.”

Let’s check out some more notes out of Indianapolis…

  • LSU running back Leonard Fournette would be an excellent fit for the Colts in next year’s draft, writes Bowen. The team has a need for a young running back, and the Colts’ depth may take a hit if Gore decides to retire. Of course, Bowen also notes that the organization shouldn’t be reaching for Fournette at the top of the first round.
  • Bowen can’t envision the Colts pursuing former Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch. General manager Ryan Grigson recently said that the team probably wouldn’t be adding more veteran talent, and the organization is also looking to make their defense younger. Considering the presence of Nate Irving and Sio Moore, signing Tulloch may not be the best use of the Colts limited cap space. The 31-year-old was released by the Lions earlier this week.
  • If the Colts end up seeking additional depth at other positions, Mike Chappell of Fox59 in Indy believes that receivers Brian Tyms or Josh Boyce could be out of a job.
  • After two years on the practice squad, it’s time for tight end Erik Swoope to make the active roster, writes Chappell. If the 24-year-old doesn’t prove that he’s worthy of the spot, rookie Darion Griswold could see himself sliding in behind Dwayne Allen and Jack Doyle.

Extra Points: Holdouts, Developmental League, Prospects

June 11th, 2016 at 8:12pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s check out some assorted notes from around the NFL as we wrap up the week…

  • NFL teams are often viewed as the “bad guy” in holdout situations, with fans usually siding with the players. However, as Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com writes, the player is actually breaking their initial agreement by pursuing a new contract, with the organizations holding the majority of the power. Fitzgerald outlines several ways NFL players could remedy this situation, including prioritizing guaranteed money over average annual value as well as pursuing shorter deals (thus allowing them to hit the open market sooner).
  • While the theory seems to have some general support, an NFL developmental league was not discussed during a recent league meeting. “It’s not something we’ve really talked much about as a group,” Giants owners Steve Tisch told Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. “I agree it sounds like a good idea, and something worth exploring. But it just isn’t a priority at this point.” Despite these other “priorities,” La Canfora is convinced that the topic will be “more of a front-burner issue” in 2016.
  • In his preview of next year’s prospective running back draftees, Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com declares that LSU’s Leonard Fournette “may have the best size-speed combo since Adrian Peterson.” Florida State’s Dalvin Cook and Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey round out Kempski’s top-three.

Extra Points: Fournette, Colts, Dolphins, Chiefs

May 13th, 2016 at 8:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

LSU running back Leonard Fournette is expected to a high draft choice in 2017, but he’ll be financially covered in the event that something goes awry. As Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com details, Fournette’s parents have purchased two $10MM insurance policies — one that would cover a career-ending injury, and another that would kick in if Fournette falls in next year’s draft. The entire article is well-worth a read, as Dodd excellently reports on the largely unregulated industry of NCAA athlete insurance.

Here’s more from around the league…

  • Former New Orleans scout Brendan Prophett is reportedly set to join the Lions as the team’s new director of pro scouting, and Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) hears that Prophett chose that position over a similar role in the Colts‘ front office.
  • Elsewhere in front office news, Marvez reports (Twitter link) that the Dolphins are promoting scout Adam Engroff to college scouting director. According to Miami’s media guide, Engroff has worked for the club since 1999, and has spent the past four years as a national scout.
  • Tom Reed of Cleveland.com takes a look at Browns undrafted rookie free agent Mike Matthews, a former Texas A&M center who is brother to Jake Matthews and cousin to Clay Matthews. Mike, for his part, says Cleveland was his first choice when identifying potential landing spot.
  • The Chiefs selected West Alabama receiver Tyreek Hill in the fifth round despite his having a domestic violence arrest in his past, but general manager John Dorsey told Pro Football Talk Live that Hill is not guaranteed a roster spot.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.