Tag: 2nd round

Commanders sign 2nd-round pick DT Johnny Newton

The Commanders sign DT Johnny Newton.

For the second time in two days, the Washington Commanders have signed one of their second-round picks.

On Tuesday, just before the Commanders opened their three-day minicamp, No. 50 overall pick cornerback Mike Sainristil signed his four-year rookie contract.

On Wednesday, defensive tackle Johnny Newton’s turn came. The No. 36 overall pick from Illinois signed his four-year rookie deal worth $9.757 million.

The 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year injured his foot during his final collegiate season and underwent surgery in January. Newton played through the injury, a partial Jones fracture of his right foot, and still had a dominant senior season.

However, head coach Dan Quinn revealed last month that when he visited his doctor during his recovery, he was told he had a similar injury on the opposite foot. Newton underwent surgery on that foot, and when the team began minicamp this week, he was out of the boot.

Quinn said the Commanders weren’t putting any timetables on his return.

Washington opens training camp later next month.

Instant analysis and grade for the Lions selection of DT Levi Onwuzurike

The Detroit Lions select Washington defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike in the second round and could fill an underrated need on defense

To kick off the second day of the 2021 NFL draft, the Lions turn their focus to defense and build up the trenches with the selection of Washington defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike.

Even though most of the fan base were hoping to address either or receiver or safety, especially with some highly touted players still on the board, GM Brad Holmes opted to target another big Pac-12 individual to play alongside Trey Flow and Michael Brockers.

Onwuzurike plays with a ton of energy and displays explosiveness and quickness that will be highly utilized in a penetrating defensive front that the Lions will probably be looking to implement. He has very active hands that allow him to slip through gaps with ease and provide the necessary pressure in the backfield. He covers sideline to sideline and packs enough punch and juice that makes him a nuisance for any offense.

He is a light defensive tackle, which sometimes tends to backfire on him to create an anchor and get thrown around. Some see his production as lacking, but that was due to Washington’s scheme to create opportunities for other players.

Most draft analysts considered this a weak defensive lineman class, but some had Onwuzurike as their top defensive tackle this year, swapping between Christian Barmore. He does have the traits to be a disruptive defensive tackle and fit exactly what the Lions have been looking for in potential players with his high motor, grit, and all in all, a team player first that will give it his all every single down.

Defensive tackle is a need for the Lions, but it wasn’t the biggest need to address this early in the draft with holes at safety, linebacker, and receiver. With players like Trevon Moehrig and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah still available to fill those needs still on the board, it is a tough sell.

On the flip side of the coin, the Lions might have figured they can address those another needs later on in the draft since they might be deeper than the drop-off the defensive tackle class is. Either way, Onwuzurike provides a strong-willed presence on the defensive line and compete early for a large role.

Grade: B

Watch: D’Andre Swift highlights

Videos highlight Detroit Lions 2020 second-round pick, Georgia running back D’Andre Swift.

Here is a collection of video highlights featuring Detroit Lions second-round pick, Georgia running back D’Andre Swift.

Get to know Swift with the team released highlight reel:

How the pick happened via virtual draft:

Swift’s post-draft interview with Lions multi-media reporter Tori Petry:

CBS Sports’ feature of Swift’s career highlight reel:

The rookie scout portfolio’s Matt Waldman’s breakdown of Swift’s 2019 games against Alabama and Auburn:

Clip from Swift’s at the NFL Combine:

A collection of best plays from Twitter:

2020 NFL Draft: Which Georgia football players could go tonight?

Here are some Georgia football player we hope will be taken in either the first or second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Georgia Bulldogs had two players selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Things got started when the New York Giants used the #4 overall pick to draft offensive tackle Andrew Thomas.

Three hours later, Georgia saw another offensive tackle go as the Tennessee Titans took Isaiah Wilson with the 29th overall pick.

We kept waiting and waiting to hear D’Andre Swift’s name called, but that did not happen on night one. Most expected the Dolphins or the Chiefs to take Swift.

Instead, Miami traded down from #26 to #30 and took Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene. But the real shocker came with the final pick of the first round when the Kansas City Chiefs took LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, making him the only ball carrier taken in the first round.

Edwards-Helaire is a great player, but he’s no Swift. Either way, Swift is going to make one team very happy when he hears his name called early on in the second round. He is currently the second best available player on Mel Kiper’s Big Board.

So, with rounds two and three quickly approaching, here’s a look at which Georgia Bulldogs we could expect to be selected tonight:

Running back D’Andre Swift:

 Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Swift should go very early in round two. The Dolphins and the Bucs hold the #7 and #13 picks, respectively, in the second round. They both may be forced to trade up in order to get Swift.

Offensive guard Solomon Kindley:

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

I’d expect Kindley to go in either the late second or early third round.

Safety J.R. Reed:

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

He’s one of the best safeties in the entire draft. Could he find his way into either the second or third round?

Quarterback Jake Fromm:

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Maybe a bit early Fromm, who analysts see as a fourth round guy.

8 Trade-up options back into 1st round for Cowboys

After looking at what Dallas might gain in a trade back from No. 17, here’s a look at what they might use to trade up from No. 51.

With the NFL draft now just one day away, it’s probably a good idea to look at things from another perspective. Last week, 12 trade-back scenarios were laid out in which the Dallas Cowboys vacated the No. 17 overall pick in order to get more bodies into the rotation.

Dallas hasn’t moved off of their first round pick in over eight years though, as our 10 Draft Commandments outlines in Commandment No.3, “Thou shall covet keeping your first rounders.” But what about after that? There’s plenty of reason for Dallas to consider moving up from where they pick next, No. 51. What kind of opportunities could be there?

We polled managing editors of other NFL teams here on the Wire network and eight of them said their teams would heavily consider trading back from their current positions to acquire more picks.

Some of the clubs that responded will likely be out of the Cowboys’ range to trade back into the first round.

Dipping Into 2021’s Stash

The New Orleans Saints (No. 24) and Minnesota Vikings (No. 25) editors all indicated they believe their teams would be willing to move down in the draft and out of the first round.

In order to reach these lofty heights from all the way down at pick No. 51, the Cowboys would have to dip into their 2021 cache of picks to make things happen. Here’s why.

Saints (24) – 740 pts
Vikings (25) – 720 pts

Cowboys (51) – 390 pts
Cowboys (82) – 180 pts
Cowboys (123) – 49 pts
Cowboys 2nd, 3rd, 4th-round picks total – 619 pts

Even if Dallas gave up their next three picks, which they would never do, they’d still not have enough to swing a deal for any of these picks. They’d need to give up a high-value 2021 pick to make this happen.

Future picks are normally regarded as having one-round-less value, so a 2021 first is worth the 16th pick in the 2020 second round, or 420 points.

Here are a couple trade scenarios using these numbers.

Option 1: Cowboys send 2.19 (390) + 3.18 (180) + 2021 2nd (190) to Saints for 1.24 (740) + 5.23 (22.6). 760 points for 762.6 points

Option 2: Cowboys send 2.19 (390) + 2021 1st (420) to Vikings for 1.25 (720) + 3.41 (84) + 6.26 (8.2) . 810 points for 812.2 points

What if the Cowboys weren’t interested in giving up all of this draft capital, would they throw a player into a deal?

Continue…[lawrence-newsletter]

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