HEADLINES

Maxx Williams

Miller’s Latest: Draft, Eagles, Browns, White

April 10th, 2015 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report has plenty of draft updates for us today, including a new big board, a new first-round mock, and a handful of notable tidbits he has picked up from speaking to sources around the league. Here are a few highlights from Bleacher Report’s draft expert:

  • I noted last week that the Eagles appear to have genuine interest in Nelson Agholor, having been linked to him multiple times, and team sources tell Miller that Philadelphia does indeed “love” the USC wide receiver.
  • While some pundits have linked the Browns to right tackles in the first round, one high-ranking Cleveland scout tells Miller that the position “isn’t a priority” for the club.
  • Louisiana Tech’s Houston Bates and Cincinnati’s Jeff Luc are two college linebackers who are receiving some consideration as potential fullbacks, according to Miller.
  • While West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White does have a handful of visits on his schedule, he’s the type of player who doesn’t have many question marks, which explains why teams may not want to “waste” one of their 30 visits on him, writes Miller. So far, White has only visited the Titans, though he has the Bears, Giants, Rams, and Jets coming up.
  • Miller has heard from two separate teams that Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams didn’t come across well in his interviews with them. One said Williams seems “cocky [and] bored, and came off as too good for us.”

NFC North Notes: Peterson, Williams, Guion

March 24th, 2015 at 5:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As if Adrian Peterson‘s agent stating that it’s not in the running back’s best interests to play for the Vikings doesn’t paint a clear enough picture, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) reports that Peterson definitely wants out Minnesota, preferring to move on and play for a different organization. Per Cole, the three most likely destinations for Peterson are the Cardinals, Colts, and Cowboys — however, the Vikings know of Peterson’s desire to land in Dallas, and have no intention of helping him attain that goal. Vikings GM Rick Spielman has already stated that the club will not release Peterson, so a trade seems to be his only way out of Minnesota.

Here’s more from the NFC North…

  • Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams has a meeting lined up with his hometown NFL club, as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets that Williams will visit with the Vikings. Williams is expected to be the first tight end selected in next month’s draft.
  • Free agent defensive tackle Letroy Guion won’t face any charges resulting from his February arrest, and his case is now considered closed, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. However, the 27-year-old could still face discipline from the league, as Demovsky adds in a second piece. The Packers have expressed interest in re-signing Guion, who started all 16 games for them last season.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press explains how the Lions acquired Haloti Ngata from the Ravens earlier this month, noting that Detroit’s personnel department began looking at game film of Ngata immediately after Ndamukong Suh signed with the Dolphins.
  • The Lions are working on setting up a visit with Arkansas guard Cameron Jefferson, per Birkett (Twitter link).

Maxx Williams Declares For NFL Draft

January 2nd, 2015 at 1:08pm CST by Ben Levine

JANUARY 2: Williams formally announced today that he’ll enter the draft, tweets Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune.

DECEMBER 27: The tight end depth in next year’s draft just got a bit deeper, as Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com reports that Minnesota sophomore Maxx Williams is expected to enter the NFL draft. Wolfson notes that an official announcement is expected sometime following the Golden Gophers’ Citrus Bowl contest against Missouri.

Williams has already spent the three required years in college, where he’s caught 54 passes for 888 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 2014 season earned him a collection of accolades, including a second team All-American selection, the Big Ten tight end of the Year award, and first-team All-Big Ten honors. He was also a finalist for the Mackey Award, which goes to the nation’s top tight end.

According to Wolfson, Williams’ family is already seeking an agent with the belief that he’ll be a first or second-round selection. While Wolfson notes that his career numbers are not eye-popping, the player’s 6-foot-4, 250 pound frame will make him an instant contributor in the NFL. His father, Brian Williams, spent ten years in the NFL as the Giants center.

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.