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Tevin Coleman

AFC North Notes: Ravens, Myers, Coleman, Bowe

March 15th, 2015 at 5:50pm CST by Rob DiRe

The first wave of free agency is winding down, and many teams have already made their big splashes and are turning their attention to the NFL Draft. Still, the action is far from over. Plenty of front offices are looking at the second wave as a time to find bargains on second-tier free agent names, as well as a number of veterans who either have recently been released or are soon to be cut by their current teams.

As teams look for other options to improve their roster with the cream of the crop free agents already signed, here are some notes from around the AFC North:

  • The Ravens are in the market for wide receivers after losing Torrey Smith to the 49ers, specifically a downfield threat, writes Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. Luckily for Joe Flacco, the draft is deep with pass catchers such as burners Philip Dorsett of the University of Miami and Devin Smith of Ohio St., and there are a number of free agent options left on the market as well, including Dwayne Bowe, Michael Crabtree, Hakeem Nicks, and Cecil Shorts.
  • The Ravens are hosting offensive guard Robert Myers of Tennessee State for a private workout, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team is also one of three that will host a visit with Indiana tailback Tevin Coleman, according to Wilson. The other teams are the Cardinals and Panthers.
  • The meeting between Bowe and the Browns was very positive, writes Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). There continues to be mutual interest between the two sides.

Draft Notes: Mariota, Coleman, Winston

February 16th, 2015 at 8:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota told reporters that he is still undecided about throwing at the combine, according to Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter). Mariota says that he’ll decide in the next day or two as he evaluates his sore shoulder. Meanwhile, he has kept his pre-draft routine and training regiment fairly close to the vest, so it’s unknown how much throwing he has even done to date. Here’s more draft news..

  • Indiana running back Tevin Coleman won’t work out at the combine, Gil Brandt of NFL.com tweets. Coleman’s foot is still in a boot from offseason surgery and he won’t be ready to go in time, but he will work out at Indiana’s pro day on April 15th.
  • NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock expects the Buccaneers to pick Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston over Mariota because of how the former Seminole fits into the Bucs’ offense, Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times writes. He doesn’t expect an easy decision for coach Lovie Smith and GM Jason Licht, however, and he expressed concern over Winston’s predilection for interceptions.
  • On his conference call with NFL reporters, Mayock said that he believes this year’s class is deepest at running back and wide receiver, and thinnest at quarterback and safety (Twitter link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star). Mayock also said he believes there are eight top-tier defensive tackles in the 2015 draft class, with a drop off after that (Twitter link via Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer).
  • Just 15 quarterbacks were invited to this year’s combine, the fewest in 13 years, according to Colleen Wolfe of NFL.com (on Twitter). Of course, things aren’t much better for quarterback-hungry teams on the open market.
  • Off-field issues will be a major topic of conversation this year in Indy, Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports writes. More so than the on-field workouts and athletic testing, the medical evaluation and the team interviews — the stuff that isn’t shown on TV — can be the most revealing information for NFL teams.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Tevin Coleman To Enter Draft

December 29th, 2014 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Indiana running back Tevin Coleman has confirmed he will enter the 2015 NFL draft, according to Joe Schad of ESPN.com (Twitter link). “This is my dream,” Coleman told Schad. The junior running back had reportedly been meeting with agents earlier this month, suggesting he was about to make the leap to the NFL.

Coleman, 21, racked up 2,036 rushing yards on 270 carries this season, adding 15 touchdowns to go along with his 7.5 yards per carry. A unanimous All-American, Coleman is viewed as a top-five running back in the 2015 draft class, ranking behind only Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley on ESPN’s current big board. CBSSports.com has Coleman ranked fourth among running backs – behind Gordon, Gurley, and Ameer Abdullah – and 50th overall.

Coleman becomes the sixth underclassmen running back to declare his intent to enter the 2015 draft. Gordon, Gurley, Jay Ayaji, Mike Davis, and Duke Johnson are all headed to the NFL as well. You can check out our running list of early entrants for 2015 right here.

Draft Rumors: Peters, Williams, Ray, Peat

December 16th, 2014 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

For the first time ever, the number of NCAA underclassmen entering the NFL draft in 2014 cracked the triple digits, establishing a new record, but that record may not last long. According to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), one source thinks it’s possible that last year’s number (102) will be “dwarfed” this year. As Getlin adds in a second tweet, the most commonly cited reason for underclassmen making the leap to the NFL early is that players are “sick of playing without market-based compensation.”

With that in mind, Getlin has updates on several potential early entrants for the 2015 draft. Let’s dive in….

  • Washington defensive back Marcus Peters will enter the 2015 draft, multiple sources tell Getlin (Twitter link). Peters currently projects as an early-to-mid-round pick.
  • Despite his public hedging, USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams is viewed as a virtual lock to enter the draft, sources tell Getlin (Twitter links). According to Getlin, Williams, who is considered one of NCAA’s top prospects, is believed to have already selected an agent, based – in part – on “a long-standing family relationship.”
  • Missouri defensive end – and SEC sack leader – Shane Ray is seriously considering entering the draft, writes Getlin, who notes that Ray’s mother has been vetting potential agents for her son. The redshirt junior is viewed as a likely top-10 pick.
  • Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat, a probable first-rounder, is currently on the fence about whether or not to leave school early, according to Getlin (Twitter link).
  • Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead is “strongly” leaning toward leaving school early and entering the draft, says Gatlin. Armstead hasn’t decided anything officially yet, but his father has been meeting with agents in order to be prepared if and when his son declares his intent.
  • Tevin Coleman has been meeting with agents, and while the Indiana running back hasn’t signed with anyone, the signs are pointing to him entering the draft, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.