Sheldon Rankins - Pro Football Rumors

Saints’ Sheldon Rankins Suffers Broken Fibula

August 15th, 2016 at 11:49am CST by Zachary Links

Saints first-round defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins is believed to have suffered a broken fibula based on the initial tests conducted, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). If that’s the case, the first-round pick is likely a candidate for the IR-DTR list, which would allow for a mid-season return to action.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that Rankins is likely to be sidelined for about six weeks. Another person familiar with Rankins’ injury said the initial prognosis has him missing 6-8 weeks, Schefter tweets.

Rankins has more tests on the docket to learn what other damage there could be besides the broken fibula (link). If those tests come back clean, a return is possible.

Scouting guru and PFR contributor Dave-Te Thomas has been looking forward to Rankins’ debut for some time now.

“Rankins is a strong tackler who will strike and deliver a blow,” Thomas wrote for NFL Draft Report. “He is conscious of wrapping the outside leg of ball carriers to prevent the opponent from leaning forward to gain extra yardage after that initial hit…As a pass rusher, Rankins can beat you with either his speed or power. He has very good body control and excellent hip snap. His hand usage and quick burst off the snap lets him consistently pressure the quarterback. He also has very good confidence in using his rip and club moves on the bull rush and has very good agility to spin away from the initial block and stymie the counter moves.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Saints Sign Sheldon Rankins

May 9th, 2016 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have secured three of their 2016 draft picks, including their top two selections, general manager Mickey Loomis formally announced today in a press release. In addition to signing first-round defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, second-round wide receiver Michael Thomas, and seventh-round running back Daniel Lasco, the club parted ways with running back Vick Ballard, defensive end Phillip Hunt, and fullback Toben Opurum.

All three veterans cut today by New Orleans have appeared in regular-season NFL games. Ballard notably ran for 814 yards and a pair of touchdowns during the 2012 season, when he served as the Colts’ primary back for most of the year. Hunt, 30, has been a part-time player for the Eagles and Lions in parts of four seasons since 2011, picking up four career sacks. Opurum, meanwhile, appeared in his first two regular-season games for the Saints in 2015.

As for the Saints’ draft pick signings, Rankins’ deal represents the most significant of the three, of course — it’s worth $12.802MM over four years, with a $7.51MM signing bonus and a fifth-year option for 2020. Thomas will receive a signing bonus of $1.923MM on his four-year rookie pact, while Lasco will get a modest $75K bonus.

No NFL team had a smaller 2016 draft class than the Saints, who selected just five players, so New Orleans has now locked up more than half of its draftees.

Draft Rumors: Spence, J. Smith, Rankins, Vikes

April 27th, 2016 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

Eastern Kentucky edge defender Noah Spence, who had multiple positive drug tests during his time at Ohio State, sent each of the NFL’s 32 teams the results of the 20 drug tests he has taken since last May, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Schefter, Spence had Eastern Kentucky conduct five drug tests from May through December, then submitted to 15 more – one per week – since January.

In terms of pure on-field talent, Spence is viewed as one of the top pass rushers in this year’s draft class, but his off-field question marks may cause him to slip a little further than he’d like. Still, he continues to be viewed as a first-round pick, and receiving evidence that he has been clean for the last year may make some teams a little more inclined to roll the dice on him.

Here are a few more of today’s pre-draft rumors and updates:

Despite his significant knee injury, which is expected to sideline him for the entire 2016 season, Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith is still viewed as a potential day-one or day-two pick, according to Adam Schefter (Twitter links). Schefter hears that Smith is likely to be selected before the end of round three, and one NFL head coach even believes the linebacker could come off the board late in the first round.
The buzz surrounding Louisville defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins has intensified today. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) both have heard that Rankins will be considered as early as No. 4 by the Cowboys, with La Canfora predicting that he’ll end up as a top-10 pick. Tony Pauline at WalterFootball.com has heard that the draft stocks for both Rankins and Mississippi State DT Chris Jones have risen, with teams seeking interior pass rushers.
Several NFL teams think Ohio State wideout Michael Thomas is being undervalued, and will transition well to the NFL, according to Tony Pauline, who says the Chargers and Bengals are among the teams with interest in Thomas. Pauline adds within the same article that the Vikings aren’t a lock to draft a receiver in round one, and will consider Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche if he’s available.
With Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley being mentioned in the same conversations as Laremy Tunsil recently, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk looks into whether or not the Tunsil/Stanley debate is real.
The NFL is considering Philadelphia and Los Angeles to host the 2017 NFL draft, with Philly emerging as the favorite, tweets Adam Schefter. As Schefter points out, neither of those cities’ teams has a first-round pick in 2017.
Purdue defensive tackle Ryan Watson has visited, worked out for, or received inquiries from eight teams since his pro day, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Stanley, Nkemdiche, Cowboys, Bills, Bucs, Bills

April 5th, 2016 at 9:08am CST by Zachary Links

Ronnie Stanley of Notre Dame is considered by most as a top 10 lock, but not all teams agree, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net writes (for PhiladelphiaEagles.com). Some scouts are worried about the left tackle’s athleticism and others just see him as flat out overrated, and that’s causing his stock to drop. It’s possible then that Stanley will go from the top 10 to somewhere in the middle of the first round.

Here are the latest draft rumors from around the NFL:

Ole Miss defensive end Robert Nkemdiche will meet with the Jaguars on Wednesday and the Ravens on Thursday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Nkemdiche met with Arizona on Monday and will check in with Oakland today.
Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins is visiting the Bills, Buccaneers, and Cowboys this week, as Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. Garafolo wonders if Dallas might be considering a trade back from No. 4 to take Rankins.
Indiana left tackle Jason Spriggs is gaining momentum and “several personnel people believe he’s a lock to be selected in the bottom third of round one,” Pauline writes.
Rees Odhiambo will take visits with the Buccaneers, Seahawks, and Dolphins and has a workout with the Saints, per Rapoport (on Twitter).
Former Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock has worked out for Patriots, Lions, Ravens and Vikings, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. He’s also scheduled to meet with the Dolphins this week.
Middle Tennessee State defensive back Kevin Byard will work out for the Panthers on Tuesday, visit the Falcons on Wednesday, visit the Chiefs on Thursday, and visit the Packers on Friday, as Wilson tweets.
Texas-El Paso defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris will visit the Raiders and Chiefs and work out for the Bears and Vikings, Wilson tweets.
Southern Mississippi offensive lineman Norman Price is generating some buzz as of late, Pauline writes.
Western Kentucky cornerback Prince Charles Iworah is vaulting up draft boards and could land in the fourth round, Pauline writes.