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Latest On Todd Gurley

April 30th, 2015 at 6:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With the draft about to begin, let’s check out the latest on perhaps the top running back available, Georgia’s Todd Gurley…

  • Dolphins sources have provided hints that they want to select Gurley, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). No source has said this outright, per Salguero, but reading between the lines, it sounds like Miami wants Gurley.
  • Though Salguero (via Twitter) suggests that the Chargers could look to move ahead of the Dolphins for Gurley, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union Tribune says (Twitter link) that San Diego could prioritize offensive line help over adding an RB.
  • Another team could be in on Gurley, as the 49ers could be surprise contender to draft the running back, per Dianne Marie Russini of NBC 4 (Twitter link).
  • Earlier tonight, we heard that in addition to the Dolphins and Chargers, the Browns could aim to trade up for Gurley.

Breer’s Latest: Titans, Gurley, Rams, Bears

April 30th, 2015 at 6:13pm CST by Luke Adams

With the draft less than an hour from getting underway, Albert Breer of the NFL Network took to Twitter to pass along a number of draft-related nuggets. Here are the highights from Breer (all Twitter links):

  • The Titans have fielded offers for the No. 2 pick, but haven’t gotten any to their liking yet and are ready to draft Marcus Mariota. The club isn’t very interested in picks below 15th overall as a central part of any trade package.
  • Teams like the Browns, Dolphins, and Chargers are eyeing Todd Gurley, and it’s possible one of those clubs – or another suitor – will get anxious and trade up for the Georgia running back, given the interest he’s generating.
  • Although Washington, the Jets, and the Rams are all viewed as trade-down candidates in the top 10, St. Louis is a little more flexible than the other two teams, who may not want to drop too far. Washington may target an offensive lineman like Brandon Scherff or Ereck Flowers if Scot McCloughan decides to move down, and those players – or Andrus Peat – could be targets for the Giants and Rams as well.
  • There’s a belief that Giants GM Jerry Reese would prefer a pass rusher to an offensive lineman at No. 9, but depending on how the first few picks play out, the value might not match up.
  • According to Breer, the run on offensive lineman may happen earlier in the first round than people think, which may motivate one or two teams to trade up. Cameron Erving has a chance to go in the teens. The Panthers and Broncos are among the teams picking late in the first who are seeking offensive linemen.
  • Cornerback Trae Waynes is generating buzz and could go as high as seventh overall to the Bears. Dupree and Kevin White are also in the mix at No. 7. The draft range for Amari Cooper appears to be between the third and sixth overall pick, so he likely won’t be available for Chicago at No. 7.
  • The Falcons may decide to move up from No. 8 for an impact defender like Leonard Williams, but if they stay where they are, Bud Dupree could be their man.
  • Either Sean Mannion or Bryce Petty figures to be the third quarterback off the board, and it’s not likely to happen in the first round.
  • According to Breer, teams believe Shane Ray will slip but will be picked in the first round, whereas Randy Gregory isn’t viewed as a first-round pick.

Draft Rumors: Gurley, Saints, K. Johnson

April 30th, 2015 at 6:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Three teams who pick in the top ten are considering Georgia running back Todd Gurley, according to Todd McShay of ESPN (Twitter link). The Dolphins are also known to be in on Gurley, but it sounds like he may not last that long.

Here are some more rumors as we approach the start of the draft:

  • A “high-level” Saints source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that the club doesn’t intend to take a quarterback in the first round. Previous reports had indicated that New Orleans would be interested in Baylor QB Bryce Petty at No. 31.
  • Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson is expected to be off the board by the time the Ravens pick at No. 26, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who notes that the Dolphins, at pick No. 13, could consider Johnson.
  • It’s possible that we see a run on offensive tackles near the end of the first round, which could cause the Broncos to consider trading up. However, Denver won’t give up a second-rounder to do so, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
  • The Lions recently called Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi to double-check his contact information, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). That might not mean much on its face, but at least we know Ogbuehi, who is recovering from an ACL injury, is still on Detroit’s board.
  • The Rams have received calls from teams interested in moving up to the tenth pick, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Jets Rumors: Wilkerson, Washington, Draft

April 30th, 2015 at 10:53am CST by Zachary Links

The draft isn’t in New York anymore, but that won’t stop some ambitious Jets fans from booing their team’s first round pick, as Stu Woo of The Wall Street Journal writes. “The booing is more than just about this year’s draft,” one fan said. “It’ll never stop unless there’s a Super Bowl.” The latest on the Jets..

  • The Jets are high on Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler Jr., and Amari Cooper. They’ll likely be gone by No. 6, however, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com hears from sources that there are now four projected targets for the Jets at No. 6: wide receiver Kevin White, outside linebacker Bud Dupree, offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, and running back Todd Gurley (though he adds that Gurley is a longshot).
  • Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson has come up in discussion with at least one other team picking in the top five, but it’s still doubtful that he’ll be traded at this point, Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets.
  • A Jets source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he was hearing buzz of Washington possibly moving down. The Jets are very interested in how that plays out since it will impact them at No. 6.
  • The source who spoke with Anderson (link) also didn’t didn’t rule out the possibility of moving out of No. 6 and he said that additional positions may be considered if they do. Many have said that the Jets could drop back in the draft though if they stay put, a pass rusher seems like a good possibility.

Draft Rumors: Collins, Bucs, Gurley, Titans

April 29th, 2015 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

We heard yesterday that police are looking to question La’el Collins following the shooting death of a pregnant woman last week, though the LSU offensive lineman isn’t considered a suspect. Jim Boren, the attorney for Collins, tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that he has been in constant contact with the lead detective in the case, and spoke to the district attorney yesterday.

“We took the investigation seriously,” Boren said on Tuesday. “We’ve tried to rule him out as a suspect. We’re going to provide that information to the police, and ultimately [Collins] will sit down and talk to them. But the timing is poor.”

Indeed, even if Collins is officially ruled out as a suspect by police, which appears likely, it’s not clear if that will happen before the draft gets underway tomorrow night, and teams figure to approach the lineman with extra caution.

As we wait to see how the ongoing investigation affects Collins, let’s round up a few more Wednesday draft rumors from around the league….

  • According to Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht, trade inquiries involving the No. 1 overall pick are on the rise this week, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Still, I think Tampa Bay would have to be blown away to move out of that first overall spot.
  • One team has Georgia running back Todd Gurley at No. 1 overall on its draft board, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, adding that it’s safe to say that’s not the consensus around the NFL. In fact, scouts who have spoken to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report don’t believe Gurley will be a top-10 pick, as has been rumored.
  • Within Freeman’s piece, the BR scribe notes that the Jets are still very much in the hunt for Marcus Mariota, though he’s skeptical that New York will offer enough to move the Titans out of the No. 2 spot.
  • Speaking of those Titans, Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network (Twitter links) hears that Tennessee isn’t just taking trade calls — the club is making them as well. So far, things haven’t gotten serious, but trade talks involving that second overall pick could heat up today and tomorrow, says Darlington.
  • Amidst reports that Shane Ray could slide out of the first round, and perhaps much further than that, one NFL executive tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link) that the Missouri pass rusher “isn’t going to fall very far” following his citation for marijuana possession.
  • Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian appears to be a popular target, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who writes that Siemian has received calls from 11 teams in the past two days. Those teams are the Broncos, Jets, Jaguars, Raiders, Vikings, Packers, Browns, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, and Dolphins.

Pauline On Gurley, Bengals, McKinney, RBs

April 28th, 2015 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

After his citation for marijuana possession, the expectation is that Missouri linebacker Shane Ray could fall out of the first round and that’s an opinion shared by many in his camp, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net writes. Earlier today, we learned that teams that wouldn’t have had a chance to land Ray before are now inquiring on him, with both GMs and owners doing their homework. Here’s Pauline’s latest:

  • The Dolphins are hoping that Todd Gurley doesn’t get selected in the top 10. If the running back is still on the board, Miami will happily snag him at No. 14, per Pauline.
  • As of now, there’s a very good chance the Bengals take an offensive tackle in round one and they’re said to be looking at Jake Fisher and Cedric Ogbuehi, among others.
  • Linebacker Benardrick McKinney spent an extensive amount of time the past few days talking with the Broncos and Cowboys. If Kevin Johnson is unavailable when the Cowboys are on the clock in round one, they will strongly consider either McKinney or Eric Kendricks, Pauline hears.
  • There’s a good possibility that Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is still available when the third round begins. While teams like his film and cover skills, his knee injury from last December has some clubs concerned. Recently, PFR’s Rob DiRe wrote that he expected Ekpre-Olomu to experience a dropoff in draft stock from last year to this year, but not this severe. Had he gone pro last season, the Oregon notable may have had a chance to be a first-round pick.
  • There are a number of running back-needy teams who might wait until the fourth round before drafting at the position, due to the quality and depth available this year. David Cobb and Buck Allen have been brought to Pauline’s attention as fourth round types that can contribute off the bat and Miami junior Duke Johnson is also getting buzz.
  • Alonzo Highsmith, senior personnel director for the Packers, is pushing hard for Denzel Perryman at the bottom of round one. If Green Bay takes the Miami notable, the team would then push Clay Matthews to the outside. The belief is Green Bay still values a cornerback with that first pick and Eric Rowe continues to be in the mix, but Perryman is also a possibility.
  • Don’t be surprised if tight end Wes Saxton is drafted much earlier than presently predicted, as teams are high on his speed and athleticism. Saxton, a South Alabama product, could go as high as the fourth round. Notre Dame tight end Ben Koyack is also getting additional attention.

Miller’s Latest: Cooper, Browns, Gurley

April 28th, 2015 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report reported yesterday that while there are NFL teams interested in drafting Dorial Green-Beckham in the first round on Thursday, ownership has squashed those plans. In fact, a source from one team drafting in the top 15 tells Miller that ownership responded with a flat-out “no” when the topic of DGB in the first round was broached.

Miller has many more items in his latest piece at Bleacher Report, so let’s dive in and check out the highlights….

  • Raiders sources tell Miller that coaches in Oakland have “fallen in love” with Amari Cooper. The Alabama wideout, who has also been linked to the Jaguars at No. 3, could be the surprise pick over Leonard Williams if he’s available at No. 4.
  • The Browns like Marcus Mariota a lot, and Miller continues to hear that the team has interest in trading up to land him. Miller also hears that Cleveland has spoken to the Giants – drafting ninth overall – about a possible deal.
  • Browns sources don’t expect safety Tashaun Gipson to be on the roster in 2016. According to Miller, the belief is that he’ll price himself out of Cleveland’s range. Gipson is currently forgoing the Browns’ voluntary workouts, having not yet signed his RFA tender.
  • Todd Gurley‘s knee is looking better than anticipated, with one team source telling Miller the running back could play in Week 1 of the NFL season.
  • The Eagles are being connected to UCF wideout Breshad Perriman, according to several GMs who spoke to Miller.
  • Miller asked four different teams about Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory, and while none of those four clubs expect him to be selected within the top 10, they all believe he’s still a first-round player.
  • Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead has been the popular pick for the 49ers in mock drafts, and Miller hears that Armstead is indeed a Niners target at No. 15 if the club doesn’t trade up or down.
  • Chronic knee problems have resulted in a pair of guards – Florida State’s Tre‘ Jackson and Alabama’s Arie Kouandjio – failing physicals during the pre-draft process, sources tell Miller. Both players’ stocks figure to take a significant hit as a result of injury concerns.

Rapoport On Browns, Vikings, P.J. Williams

April 27th, 2015 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has passed along a handful of noteworthy draft nuggets via Twitter this afternoon, so let’s check out what he has for us….

  • According to Rapoport (Twitter link), the Browns have spoken to Washington within the past week about possibly moving up to No. 5. Cleveland has two first-rounders to work with, and Washington GM Scot McCloughan indicated today that he was open to moving down and picking extra picks, so there could be a match there. Of course, as Rapoport adds, the Browns have “touched base” with most teams in the top 10.
  • Another pick to keep an eye on is the No. 11 selection, which currently belongs to the Vikings. Rapoport tweets that Minnesota wants ammo to move around in the draft, and points out that the 11th pick is an appealing one because fifth-year option prices decrease outside of the top 10. As such, there may be potential trade partners interested in moving up to that spot.
  • Lawyer Jonathan Simon tells Rapoport (Twitter links) that the DUI case against Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams has been dismissed. According to the paperwork filed in the case, the signs of impairment claimed by the arresting officer were not corroborated on video. The timing of the dismissal is good news for Williams, whose draft stock may have taken a hit if the case had moved forward.
  • Rapoport identifies the Dolphins, Jaguars, and Texans as some teams that may be interested in drafting Georgia running back Todd Gurley (Twitter link).
  • Oklahoma’s Jordan Phillips and Mississippi State’s Preston Smith are two defensive linemen who could sneak into the back of the first round on Thursday, tweets Rapoport.

Draft Rumors: Falcons, Gurley, Cowboys

April 27th, 2015 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons have long coveted a standout pass rusher, and the club could get the opportunity to draft one this year. The team currently has the No. 8 pick, but according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, GM Thomas Dimitroff will consider the possibility of moving up a few spots to land Florida edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. It would cost Atlanta an extra pick or two to trade up for Fowler, who is widely considered the top pass rusher in the draft, but the club hasn’t hesitated to make that sort of move in the past, most notably moving up to snag Julio Jones in 2011.

Here are a few more notes and rumors from around the NFL, as draft night approaches:

  • With his ACL healing well, Todd Gurley now appears likely to be a top-20 pick, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. According to Breer, when he called around this weekend, the Browns (Nos. 12, 19), Dolphins (No. 14), and Chargers (No. 17) were all linked to the Georgia running back.
  • The Browns may be considering Gurley with one of their two first-round picks, but the team figures to take a long look at receivers as well. Per Pro Football Talk (Twitter link), UCF wideout Breshad Perriman dined last night with Cleveland GM Ray Farmer and other team executives.
  • While a consensus is forming for a few picks near the top of the draft, it’s not clear where USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams – viewed by many as 2015’s best prospect – will land, writes Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. As badly as the Raiders may need a wide receiver, I’d be surprised if Oakland passed on Williams at No. 4, assuming he’s available there.
  • The Cowboys will have a hard time passing up Washington’s Marcus Peters or Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson in the first round if either cornerback is still on the board at No. 27, says Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).
  • Colts owner Jim Irsay isn’t ruling out any possibility for his team on Thursday, suggesting that the Colts could easily trade up or down from No. 29, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.

Dolphins Targeting Todd Gurley In Draft

April 26th, 2015 at 2:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Dolphins rushing attack was the most dynamic part of the club’s offense in 2014 — third-year pro Lamar Miller ran for more than 1,000 yards, scoring eight touchdowns, and Miami ranked second in rushing DVOA, per Football Outsiders. But the team reportedly wants to add another option to its backfield, as multiple sources tell Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald that the Dolphins “covet” Georgia running back Todd Gurley.

“He’s a talent,” Miami assistant general manager Eric Stokes said of Gurley. “He’s definitely a player that his ability stands out and shines. He’s an exciting guy to watch. We’ve enjoyed working through that process with him and seeing him. From there, we’ll see where things shake out.”

Let’s take a look at some more Dolphins notes, courtesy of Beasley’s Herald colleague Barry Jackson:

  • With Dion Jordan‘s future with Miami in doubt, the Dolphins could look to select a defensive end in this week’s draft, per Jackson. Fellow end Cameron Wake is 33 years old, while Olivier Vernon is a free agent after this season, so depth at the position could be an issue.
  • On the other hand, Jackson writes, the club is high on young defensive lineman Derrick Shelby (who saw more than 400 snaps last season) and LB/DE Chris McCain, so perhaps Miami feels comfortable with its option along the defensive line.
  • General manager Dennis Hickey has taken risks on players with character questions in the past, so Washington CB Marcus Peters and Oklahoma WR Dorial Green-Beckham probably aren’t off the Dolphins’ draft board. Peters, specifically, had a private workout with Miami, and PFR’s Rob DiRe has the club selecting Peters with its first-round pick.
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