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Melvin Gordon

Chargers Sign Melvin Gordon

May 14th, 2015 at 10:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers have signed first-round pick Melvin Gordon, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Bolts selected Gordon with the No. 15 overall pick after moving up two spots to land him.

San Diego sent a 2015 fourth-round pick and a 2016 fifth-round pick to the 49ers to ensure that they would snare Gordon. Some wondered if that was a necessary move, but GM Tom Telesco later explained that he was fearful another team would trade up for Gordon since Todd Gurley came off the board so early. Telesco never expected Gurley to last until his pick at No. 17, but Gordon was the clear cut No. 2 tailback in the draft after the Georgia star.

Gordon, a Wisconsin product, posted the second-most single-season rushing yards in FBS History with 2,587, putting him less than 50 yards shy of the watermark set by Barry Sanders. Interestingly, Gordon and fellow first round pick Trae Waynes were good friends growing up.

Chargers GM On Gurley, Gordon, Collins

May 5th, 2015 at 8:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Some draft prognosticators had the Rams selecting Todd Gurley at No. 10, but Chargers GM Tom Telesco wasn’t expecting him to be the pick. Telesco told Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (audio link) that he thought St. Louis was set at the position with incumbent Tre Mason in the backfield. It turns out that the Gurley selection altered the Bolts’ draft plans at the last minute and forced them to make a move. Here’s more from Telesco’s chat with Marvez…

  • Telesco explained that after Gurley came off the board at No. 10, he started making calls to other teams. He didn’t expect the University of Georgia star to be available at No. 17, but he did feel compelled to move up in the draft to get a running back after he was taken. The Chargers, of course, moved from No. 17 to No. 15 in order to draft Melvin Gordon.
  • The GM said that the Chargers have kept in touch with La’el Collins‘ agent and they continue to “compile information” on his off-field situation. A number of teams are getting background information on the LSU tackle and individual players are working hard to recruit him.
  • Sixth-round pick Darius Philon could see action as an inside pass rusher in nickel packages, Telesco said. He also said that the team will find a role for inside linebacker Denzel Perryman, whom they drafted in the second round.

Draft Notes: Gregory, Jags, Eagles, Titans

May 1st, 2015 at 7:47pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest notes concerning the ongoing 2015 NFL Draft:

  • Despite possessing immense talent, Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory wasn’t one of the first 50 players taken in the draft. One reason, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is that Gregory missed at least three pre-draft meetings with various teams, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. That “alienated” some clubs, per Schefter.
  • Jaguars general manager David Caldwell, who selected Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon in the second round, tried to trade back into the first round Thursday to land either Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon, tweets NFL.com’s Michael Silver. Both went in the top 15, however, which was too high for the Jags to trade up.
  • The Eagles tried to acquire the 45th pick from the Vikings, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link), before Minnesota used the selection on UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks. Philadelphia ended up moving from the 52nd pick to No. 47 and taking Utah defensive back Eric Rowe – whom Chip Kelly expected to go higher, per Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter).
  • After the Titans traded down from the 33rd overall pick to the 40th selection on Friday, general manager Ruston Webster said they were able to do so because there were four or five players on the board they liked. Therefore, Webster felt moving down was a worthwhile risk, tweets Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com. The Titans ended up taking former Missouri and Oklahoma wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham with the 40th pick.
  • The mother of new Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker, the 14th pick, had some choice words for Cleveland. “We didn’t want him going to Cleveland,” Reneca Parker said Friday, according to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald.“They don’t have a team, really, or a quarterback.” The Browns passed on Parker at No. 12, which pleased Dolphins football czar Mike Tannenbaum.“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the result,” he said.

AFC Draft Notes: Pats, Browns, Chargers, Titans

May 1st, 2015 at 12:25pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots have had a number of successful drafts during Bill Belichick‘s tenure, but Malcom Brown is confident he’ll be regarded as one of the best picks in team history.

Following the Patriots’ selection of the hulking defensive lineman last night, the University of Texas standout expressed his confidence to reporters (including Phil Perry of CSNNE.com):

“Ya’ll about to get the best player ya’ll have ever drafted so just be ready for when I touch the field.”

Of course, that may be a bit of an overstatement, especially since the team stole future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady in the sixth round. However, Brady made similar comments following the 2000 draft (also via Perry):

“I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.”

Let’s take a look at some more draft notes out of the AFC…

  • Browns GM Ray Farmer denied trying to move up to the No. 2 pick for quarterback Marcus Mariota, as Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. “No, no, no,” Farmer said. “Again, I’ve tried to tell people without telling them specifically, but the answer is no. There were no conversations of trading.”
  • The Chargers traded up to No. 15 because Melvin Gordon was the last of seven “impact players” left on their board, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego writes.
  • Meanwhile, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco told reporters (including Michael Gehlken of UTSanDiego.com) that he’s open to trading down either Friday or Saturday.
  • ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini examines some possible targets for the Jets on the second day of the draft. Among the possibilities are Virginia outside linebacker Eli Harold and Ohio State wideout Devin Smith.
  • The Titans like Dorial Green-Beckham, and Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com says he wouldn’t be “shocked” if the team selects the wideout with the 33rd pick (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Notes: Chargers, Ravens, Broncos, Fins

April 30th, 2015 at 11:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked about the Chargers‘ trade up for Melvin Gordon, general manager Tom Telesco said his club had seven “impact” players targeted in the first round, and the Wisconsin back was the last one available (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune). The Chargers were motivated to move up two spots to snag Gordon since they felt the Texans might be interested, and recognized that another team might try to move ahead of them.

Telesco added that the Chargers feel like Gordon is the best pass-protecting running back in the draft, which helps make up for not selecting an offensive lineman (Twitter link via Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune).

  • The Ravens selected wide receiver Breshad Perriman with the 26th overall pick, but if Perriman hadn’t been available, Baltimore likely would’ve tried to trade out of that spot, per GM Ozzie Newsome (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • According to GM John Elway, Missouri pass rusher Shane Ray was a top-10 player on the Broncos‘ draft board, so it’s not surprising that the team was willing to move up a few spots to No. 23 overall to grab him (Twitter link via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).
  • After taking a receiver in the first round, the Dolphins figure to target cornerbacks, guards, linebackers, or even defensive tackles with their second round pick, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, providing a few names to watch. Having sent their third-rounder to the Saints earlier in the offseason, the Dolphins will only pick once tomorrow unless they make another move.

Chargers Acquire No. 15 Pick From 49ers

April 30th, 2015 at 8:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers have acquired the 15th overall pick from the 49ers, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). The 49ers will get pick No. 17, a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 117), and a 2016 fifth-round pick, per Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link).

San Diego will use their newly-acquired pick to select Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). The NCAA’s leading rusher last season, Gordon will fill the void left by Ryan Mathews, who left for the Eagles in free agency. The Chargers were a rumored destination for Todd Gurley, but since he went 10th overall, the Bolts will settle for the draft’s second-rated back.

King’s Latest: Bucs, Mariota, Cowboys, Pats

April 29th, 2015 at 11:10am CST by Luke Adams

Before answering readers’ questions in his weekly mailbag this week, Peter King of TheMMQB.com passed along a number of the latest draft rumors he’s hearing with the first round just one day away. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

  • The Buccaneers have yet to receive a trade offer that “would come close” to making them decide to move down from No. 1.
  • The Titans, Buccaneers, and Jaguars have all inquired with teams picking late in the first round about moving up from the second round, says King. The three teams have the first, second, and fourth picks, respectively, in round two.
  • One GM told King that while the Titans still look like the favorites to end up with Marcus Mariota, he wouldn’t be shocked if Cleveland “trades the farm” to land the Oregon quarterback. The thinking is that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is sick of the merry-go-round at the position, and would like to land a “squeaky-clean” signal-caller to lead the franchise.
  • The Cowboys would love to see running back Melvin Gordon fall to them at No. 27, but two other names to watch are linebackers Eric Kendricks (UCLA) and Benardrick McKinney (Mississippi State).
  • One team considering drafting a tackle in the first round is debating whether or not LSU’s La’el Collins will be on its draft board on Thursday night. While King acknowledges that this may be unfair, he explains the club’s thinking: “How can you draft a guy who’s being sought in connection with the death of a woman, even if police are saying now he isn’t a suspect? He needs to be exonerated by Thursday.”
  • The Patriots like USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor, who looks like a logical target for the club if he’s still available at No. 32.
  • With the 21st overall pick, the Bengals are considering Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, who had ACL surgery in January. King views this is a sign that teams are willing to wait on a prospect who wouldn’t be healthy enough to contribute immediately if they think he can be a premier player in the long term.

Sunday Roundup: Draft, Weddle, J. Houston

April 26th, 2015 at 12:48pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some notes from around the league on this Sunday afternoon, including one note on the first overall pick in Thursday’s first round:

  • Multiple teams have reached out to the Buccaneers recently to determine what it would take to move up to the No. 1 overall pick, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). However, Getlin adds in a second tweet that although the Bucs have listened, no offer has been strong enough for the team to seriously consider trading down just yet.
  • Similarly, Conor Orr of NFL.com writes that Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie has fielded calls on Oakland’s No. 4 overall selection.
  • In a separate piece, Orr writes that the Chiefs are keeping the lines of communication open with star outside linebacker Justin Houston, who was slapped with the franchise tag in March. Kansas City has a little under three months to work out a long-term deal with Houston, and the fact that talks are still ongoing and are still progressing is a good sign that something will get done.
  • Paola Boivin of The Arizona Republic believes Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon would be the perfect first-round choice for the Cardinals, who hold the No. 24 overall pick.
  • Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post feels the Broncos should take an offensive tackle in the first round, even if they have to trade up a couple of spots to do it. Renck goes on to examine some of the prospects that could be available when Denver is on the board.
  • Chargers safety Eric Weddle feels “highly disrespected” by the team’s refusal to engage in contract talks despite his desire to retire with the organization, but Matt Calkins of U-T San Diego believes the Chargers are taking the right approach.
  • Given that the Jaguars feel better about their roster than they have in the past two seasons, Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union would not be surprised if the team traded a couple of picks to move into the back of round 1 or up in rounds 2-3.
  • Continuing a theme among NFL beat writers, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean looks at the offensive side of the Titans‘ roster heading into the draft and offers his predictions as to what the team will do to address its deficiencies on that side of the ball during draft weekend.
  • Washington GM Scot McCloughan‘s history suggests he will select an edge rusher with his top pick in this year’s draft, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. Although Tandler says Randy Gregory‘s red flags will probably keep him off McCloughan’s board, Vic Beasley and Dante Fowler, Jr. would both be good bets.

Draft Notes: Winston, Gurley, Gordon

April 14th, 2015 at 3:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jets, who hold the sixth overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, are in need of a franchise quarterback and have already worked out Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, one of the top two signal callers available. They’d also like to visit with Florida State’s Jameis Winston, who joins Mariota as a likely top five pick, but that meeting may not happen. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Winston was unable to meet with the Jets when they wanted him to and the sides are now having difficulty finding a time.

Here’s the rest of the latest draft news:

  • The Browns, who are in search of a running back, have already visited with Georgia’s Todd Gurley, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan, and will next meet with Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon. ESPN’s Josina Anderson tweets that Gordon will be in Cleveland for a visit Thursday that could last through Friday. Both Gordon and Gurley are potential first-round picks. The Browns hold the 12th and 19th overall selections.
  • Having worked out Mariota, the Chargers will next head to Los Angeles to do the same with UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).
  • The receiver-needy Panthers will meet with Central Florida’s Breshad Perriman tonight and tomorrow, per Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). They’ll also work out USC’s Nelson Agholor, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • The Broncos will visit with Texas A&M offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi next Tuesday, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Klis believes Ogbuehi could be a second-round target for the Broncos.
  • Mississippi State running back Josh Robinson recently visited with the Colts, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
  • San Jose State’s Akeem King, a former wide receiver who converted to safety, is drawing interest as a cornerback, tweets Matt Barrow of the Sacramento Bee. The Raiders, Falcons, Saints and Seahawks are all eyeing King.
  • The Falcons worked out Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah, according to Ross Jones of FoxSports.com (Twitter link).
  • Cincinnati linebacker Jeff Luc will meet with both the Jets and Patriots prior to the draft, tweets Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller.

AFC Notes: Chargers, Bills, Dolphins, Jets

April 14th, 2015 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers appear to be contemplating the post-Philip Rivers era in San Diego, as they take a closer look at Oregon signal-caller Marcus Mariota today. After working out Mariota, the team’s brass will head to Los Angeles to put UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley through a workout of his own, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

GM Tom Telesco and head coach Mike McCoy have repeatedly stated they want Rivers to retire as a Charger, so there may be no need to identify his successor quite yet. But Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune believes this offseason is the prime time for San Diego to trade Rivers in a deal to snag Mariota, arguing that all the factors in play point to it being a win-win move for the franchise and for the veteran quarterback, who is entering the final year of his contract.

We still have a little more than two weeks until the draft gets underway, so it will be interesting to see if the Rivers trade rumors pick up steam or die down as April 30 approaches. In the meantime, here are a few more notes from across the AFC:

  • Free agent wide receiver Brad Smith is paying a visit to Buffalo to meet with the Bills, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com details. Smith played for Rex Ryan on the Jets, but it’s not clear if there’s a spot for him on Ryan’s new club, with players like Percy Harvin, Marcus Easley, and Marcus Thigpen already in the mix as potentially versatile offensive weapons, returners, or special-teamers.
  • Given where we’ve seen running backs drafted in the last couple years, it would be surprise to see one go as high as No. 14 overall this year. Nonetheless, the Dolphins, who hold that pick, are hosting Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon for a visit next week, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
  • Outside pass rushers Bud Dupree and Shane Ray will be visiting the Jets, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter links). Although there has been plenty of chatter linking Mariota to New York, the team is in a good spot at No. 6 to add a top pass rushing prospect.
  • The Steelers hosted Washington State defensive tackle Xavier Cooper, Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman, and UAB tight end Kennard Backman on pre-draft visits today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown. Cooper met with the Saints in New Orleans yesterday, but we haven’t heard much to date about the tight ends.
  • Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby is visiting the Colts today, according to Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • On the heels of the Raiders‘ agreement with free agent wide receiver Michael Crabtree, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com shares a few initial thoughts on the deal, outlining why the former Niner is worth the risk on a one-year investment.
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