Category: Draft News

Bears QB Caleb Williams remains frontrunner for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year

Caleb Williams has a great shot to be this season’s C.J. Stroud.

The Chicago Bears kicked off the NFL preseason on Thursday night when they took on the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game. Unfortunately, Bears fans did not get to see the premier of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

Chicago is banking on Williams turning around the franchise. The Bears haven’t had a legitimate franchise signal called in a very long time and they have built a potent offense around him to help him succeed.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

Bet MGM currently has Williams as the big favorite to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Here’s how the top five break down.

1 – QB Caleb Williams, Bears: +135

2 – QB Jayden Daniels, Commanders: +600

3 – WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals: +650

4 – WR Malik Nabers, Giants: +1500

5 – QB Bo Nix, Broncos: +1700

Williams will be throwing to fellow rookie Rome Odunze who the Bears selected with their second first-round pick. In looking back, there hasn’t been a rookie quarterback come into a better situation since the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Browns trade two 2024 picks to Denver for WR Jerry Jeudy

Browns trade two 2024 Day 3 picks to Denver for WR Jerry Jeudy

The print isn’t even dry yet after adding the compensatory picks to the updated 2024 NFL draft order sheet and we’ve already got a change.

On Saturday, the Cleveland Browns agreed to trade two Day 3 picks in the 2024 draft to the Denver Broncos for veteran wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Broncos will get a fifth-round pick and a sixth-rounder from Cleveland. The trade cannot be processed until the new NFL league year begins on Wednesday.

Cleveland has multiple picks in each round involved in the trade, and it’s unclear exactly which selections will convey to Denver in the deal. They give up Jeudy, their first-round pick from 2020, and can use the extra picks to help restock the Russell Wilson-less roster.

NFL awards 34 total compensatory draft picks for 2024

NFL awards 34 total compensatory draft picks for 2024, including two special comp picks

The 2024 NFL draft order is finally complete. On Friday, the NFL revealed the compensatory draft picks awarded for the upcoming draft.

Compensatory picks are awarded to teams who lose players in free agency. They are scaled based on the net loss of total contract value for the players who leave for another team.

There are the typical 32 compensatory picks that are traditionally added for net losses in free agency. In addition, the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers received special comp picks for minority hirings from their organizations.

The comp picks begin at the end of the third round, with the Jacksonville Jaguars earning the No. 96 overall pick. The numbering is off due to the Miami Dolphins forfeiting their third-round pick (No. 86) for tampering violations involving Tom Brady and Sean Payton.

Third round

96 – Jaguars

97 – Eagles

98 – Rams (special comp)

99 – 49ers (special comp)

Fourth round

132 – 49ers

133 – Bills

134 – Ravens

Fifth round

167 – Saints

168 – Packers

169 – Saints

170 – Eagles

171 – Eagles

172 – Chiefs

173 – Cowboys

174 – Saints

175 – 49ers

Sixth round

208 – Bengals

209 – Rams

210 – Eagles

211 – 49ers

212 – Jaguars

213 – Rams

214 – Bengals

215 – 49ers

216 – Cowboys

217 – Rams

218 – Jets

219 – Packers

220 – Buccaneers

Seventh round

253 – Chargers

254 – Rams

255 – Packers

256 – Jets

257 – Jets

 

The Jets will make the Mr. Irrelevant pick with the final comp pick. Note that these picks are eligible to be traded.

The scouting combine will be in Indianapolis through at least 2025

The NFL scouting combine will be in Indianapolis through at least 2025

The annual scouting combine has become a rite of passage for the NFL. It’s the biggest event on the draft calendar outside of the actual draft itself, and the combine has been in Indianapolis for almost 40 years.

Recently, there has been talk and debate about moving the scouting extravaganza out of Indianapolis. The NFL’s new main campus in southern California is often seen as the next home of the combine. But any move will have to wait a little bit longer.

The NFL announced it is keeping the combine in the middle of the country. The combine will remain at the Indiana Convention Center and the adjacent Lucas Oil Stadium through at least 2025. This year’s combine is already scheduled for the week that spans the end of February into March, with interviews beginning on Wednesday, February 28th and on-field workouts the following day.

Washington OL Troy Fautanu declares for the 2024 NFL draft

Washington OL Troy Fautanu declares for the 2024 NFL draft

With multiple stars already set up at the tackle position for this upcoming class, it gets even heavier with the news that Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.

For the last two seasons for the Huskies, Fautanu has been a staple along their offensive line at the left tackle position as their entrenched starter. During his two seasons as the blindside protector Fautanu was one of the most successful and reliable tackles in the country blocking for a team that eventually made the national championship game. During that stretch, Fautanu gave up just two sacks and four quarterback hits.

Fautanu played offensive lineman consistently at a high level and has plenty of athleticism to back up his game for the next level. Having played both guard and tackle during his time in Washington he showed he can anchor either position and could be asked to kick inside during the draft process. Versatility and production are invaluable at the next level, and as such Fautanu should hear his name called within the top 50 selections of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Missouri RB Cody Schrader declares for the 2024 NFL Draft

Expect the see Schrader hear his name called sometime in the second or third round in a deep running back class.

One of the best and most influential stories in college football is taking his talents to the next level as Missouri running back Cody Schrader has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.

A former walk-on at Missouri, Schrader has established himself as one of if not the top backs in all of college football after an incredible season with the Tigers. During the 2023 season, Schrader carried the Missouri offense with 276 carries, 1,627 rushing yards, and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Schrader was a menace when he had the ball in his hands, grinding out hard yardage play after play and becoming the most explosive piece of the Tigers’ offense.

Schrader has the potential to be an every-down back at the next level; while not possessing elite levels of speed, he has shown enough athleticism and burst to play at the next level with elite-level instincts and vision for his position. Schrader is functional as a pass catcher and, given his low center of gravity and insistent running style, could be a short-yardage menace. Expect the see Schrader hear his name called sometime in the second or third round in a deep running back class.

The 2024 NFL draft slots for the non-playoff teams are now set

The 2024 NFL draft slots for the non-playoff teams are now set

The 2023 NFL season has come to an end for the 18 teams that did not qualify for the postseason. That means we now know the order of the first 18 picks in the 2024 NFL draft.

Here are the slots for the non-playoff teams, with trades included.

 

Draft news: Underclassmen ruled eligible to play in postseason showcase games

Underclassmen ruled eligible to play in postseason showcase games like the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl

The rules governing which players are eligible to play in postseason all-star and draft showcase games are changing. For the first time, underclassmen will be eligible to play in games like the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl.

The NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams advising that underclassmen will be able to play in those games. The director of the Shrine Bowl, Eric Galko, confirmed the memo and news in a social media post,

It’s a major shift by the NFL and the bowl games themselves. The games have historically been showcases for players who have either exhausted their college eligibility or who graduated early and wish to move on from the college game. As Galko notes, it’s something that several of the postseason exhibitions have been trying to get for years.

No word yet on whether the underclassmen will be allowed to return to school if they participate in the exhibition and then change their minds in regards to heading to the NFL.

Another 2025 draft pick has been traded already

Several 2025 NFL draft picks have already been traded before the 2023 NFL season begins

Another trade involving a draft pick that is nearly two years away took place in the NFL this week. The New York Jets and Detroit Lions agreed to a deal that involves not one but two selections in the 2025 NFL draft.

The trade sent 2020 second-round pick Denzel Mims from New York to Detroit. The Jets dealt the disappointing wideout for the very low compensation of a pick swap in the late rounds of 2025. New York will receive a 2025 sixth-round pick from Detroit but only if Mims makes the Lions roster. The Jets sent back a 2025 seventh-rounder that is not conditional.

This deal joins a small but growing list of picks in the 2025 draft that have already been traded. Among the others:

  • The Panthers’ second-round pick belongs to the Chicago Bears as part of the trade for Carolina to move up to No. 1 overall in 2023 and select QB Bryce Young.
  • The Eagles’ fourth-rounder which was sent to the Lions as part of the trade for RB D’Andre Swift.
  • A deal between the Browns and Vikings that sent EDGE Za’Darius Smith to Cleveland. The Browns included a fifth-round pick in 2025 in the deal, while Minnesota sent back a sixth and a seventh in 2025

Trades of far future picks like this didn’t use to happen in the NFL.

The 2025 NFL draft will be in Green Bay

The draft will head from Detroit in 2024 to Green Bay the following year

The NFL will keep circulating the annual draft extravaganza around the member cities for the foreseeable future. After the 2024 edition in Detroit, the 2025 NFL draft will stick in the NFC North.

On Monday, the league voted to award the 2025 NFL draft to the city of Green Bay. It will be the first time the draft has been in Wisconsin, and it marks the third host city with NFC North ties after the upcoming event in Detroit and the 2015 and 2016 drafts, which took place in Chicago.

The Packers revealed the draft will be centered around historic Lambeau Field and the Titletown section of the downtown stadium.