The Rams are in need of some pass-rush help after losing Dante Fowler Jr. and cutting Clay Matthews this offseason, and they’re almost certain to find some in the draft. They’ve shown interest in a number of pass rushers leading up to the draft, …
The Rams are in need of some pass-rush help after losing Dante Fowler Jr. and cutting Clay Matthews this offseason, and they’re almost certain to find some in the draft. They’ve shown interest in a number of pass rushers leading up to the draft, including Syracuse’s Alton Robinson.
According to Justin Melo of Draft Wire, the Rams had a FaceTime call with Robinson.
Robinson is considered a mid-round prospect, likely going sometime between Rounds 3 and 4. The Rams have two third-rounders at Nos. 84 and 104, which would be a good range for Robinson.
He boasts good athleticism and size at 6-foot-3, 264 pounds, running a 4.49 40-yard dash. He’s an explosive pass rusher, too, showing good burst off the line of scrimmage.
They are unable to make a trade that gets them a second-round pick.
Based on the names of the players that have come out as having had contact with the Arizona Cardinals, it would seem the team would like to trade down in the first round, hopefully adding a second-round pick. The players consistently seem to be ones pegged to be selected between picks 15 and 50.
However, in a mock draft simulation I ran, the Cardinals were unable to work a trade with either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos or Atlanta Falcons that would bring a second-round pick to the Cardinals. All three teams reportedly are looking to move up in the draft but were unwilling to give up a second-round pick.
Becton is Daniel Jeremiah’s No. 1 tackle in the draft, but in this simulation, the first tackle to be selected in Tristan Wirfs at No. 5 overall. Becton has experience playing both tackle positions. He is a mammoth of a young man an has very quick feet and good speed. His technique improved tremendously from 2018 to 2019, showing how coachable he is. And his tape shows him throwing guys around with ease. He can play right tackle as a rookie and gives the Cardinals flexibility if D.J. Humphries gets hurt or underperforms during his new contract.
Thomas may not excite fans like the massive Mekhi Becton, or be as athletic as Tristan Wirfs, or as dominant in the run game as Jedrick Wills.
But one thing he may be more than the other top three tackles? A very safe pick.
Given the Cardinals’ history of first-round picks that have not worked out very well, safe may be good. Thomas has the potential to be a solid right tackle for years, then take over at left tackle should something happen to DJ Humphries.
Entering the 2020 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts are much better on the defensive line than they were at the beginning of the offseason. But they could still add to the edge during the offseason’s biggest event.
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With seven picks between Rounds 2–6, the Colts will have ample opportunity to add to the edge rusher room that already includes Justin Houston, Kemoko Turay, Ben Banogu and Al-Quadin Muhammad as the players heavily in the rotation.
Even without a first and seventh-round pick, here is the best EDGE prospect for the Colts in each round of the draft:
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Round 1: K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
Even if the Colts were to trade up into the 20s on Day 1, Chaisson likely wouldn’t be available. However, there have been some questions rising about his scheme limits primarily projecting as a 3-4 outside linebacker and not necessarily one that would put his hand in the dirt consistently.
However, Chaisson has the speed and bend around the edge to get after the quarterback consistently while also having the recognition and burst off the line to be extremely intriguing for the Colts. It’s highly unlikely they would be able to trade up for him but if he somehow falls to the back end of the first round, it would have to be something they consider.
Other prospects: A.J. Epenesa, Iowa | Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
With the 2020 NFL Draft just around the corner, here’s a look at several Day 3 prospects the New York Giants could target.
There’s not much to do these days except analyze the upcoming NFL Draft and what we’ve done here is line up some possible Day 3 candidates for the New York Giants.
In both of the scenarios below, the Giants did not land Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons. In the first scenario, we passed on him at No. 4. In the second, he was gone before the Giants were on the clock.
Analysis: Wirfs is a versatile, athletic lineman the Giants sorely need. They have a lot invested in Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley and they need some talent up front to help stabilize the trenches.
Day 2
Round 2, Pick 36: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
Round 3, Pick 99: Nick Harris, C, Washington
Analysis: Queen would be a steal here and more than make up for passing on Simmons in the first round. Queen next to Blake Martinez in a 3-4 would be a nice tandem. Harris is a down-and dirty interior lineman cut from the Richie Seubert cloth. Giant fans will love him.
Day 3
Round 4, Pick 110: Julian Blackmon, S, Utah
Round 5, Pick 150: Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon State
Round 6, Pick 183: Antoine Brooks Jr., S, Maryland
Round 7, Pick 247: Levonta Taylor, CB, Florida State
Round 7, Pick 255: Mitchell Wilcox, TE, South Florida
Analysis: Blackmon is a pretty good fourth round find. I feel he’d start for the Giants right away. Hodgins was a sleeper, but his name has been rising. Not sure he’ll be around at No. 150. Brooks is a physical safety the Giants will find many uses for. Throckmorton would have to excel in camp to make the roster, but he’s got some ability. The final three players are all boom or bust types, but are all good athletes with solid football acumen.
The Seattle Seahawks address multiple positions of need, while grabbing three players from the same school, in CBS’ latest mock draft.
Most media outlets who attempt mock drafts are only willing to do the first, or maybe the first and second round. After all, trying to predict how the draft will shake out after that is nearly impossible.
The draft as a whole does a good job of identifying team needs, although it’s hard to imagine the team using three of their first five picks on players from the University of Michigan.
Regardless, here is a look at the mock draft selections, and whether or not they are a good fit for the Seahawks in 2020.
Buffalo Bills four-round mock draft from the Bills Wire staff following NFL free agency.
The transactions over the initial weeks of the NFL’s new year have shifted the landscape of the league quite a bit. Major names have been traded and significant free agents shifted their homes. This has an impact on many teams with their choices at the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills among them.
The Bills Wire staff now takes a look at how the Bills’ moves will impact their draft selections. The most glaring change in this version is that Buffalo does not have a first-round pick, as that draft slot was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. The Bills will need to be judicious with their remaining picks, finding value with the loss of a high-profile pick.
Editor Nick Wojton, along with staff writers Justin DiLoro, McKenna Middlebrook, Kyle Silagyi, and Matt Johnson, make their predictions for Buffalo’s picks in this edition of The Bills Wire staff four-round mock draft.
Here’s a look at each of their four-round mock drafts for the Bills, following the start of the league year and free agency:
Round 2 | Pick No. 54
Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver KJ Hamler. Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Nick’s Pick: DE Julian Okwara | Notre Dame
The Bills saw Devin Singletary take the NFL by storm last year and they shouldn’t forget one thing: he was a third-round pick. The Bills don’t need to reach here for a bak.
Buffalo’s best value in Round 2 might be an edge defender with some pass rush potential. The Bill have Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison already over 30. Trent Murphy, on the final year of his contract, is 29 himself. Julian Okwara could be a given a redshirt type of season, while still seeing a nice chunk of playing time in the defensive line rotation that the Bills run.At 6-foot-4, 252 pounds, Okwara has the makings of an NFL defensive end. Okwara sat out the recent combine due to injury, but he’s flashed as a strong pass rusher who plays with a high motor, something the Bills will covet.
Since 2018, Okwara’s 19.1 QB pressure percent led college football, per Pro Football Focus, and 33 percent of his career tackles went for loss. Run defense is where Okwara will likely need to prove his worth at the pro level, but that’s where a less-pressured rookie seasons comes into play.
Justin’s Pick: CB Damon Arnette | Ohio State
As is the case with no first-round pick, the Bills might not find a player that addresses a short-term need. So we’ll have the Bills address the player who will start opposite Tre’Davious White in 2021 instead. Damon Arnette was solid across the way from consensus top-cornerback prospect Jeff Okudah. Arnette can play both inside and out on the boundary. This flexibility will make him a very good support player in the secondary for Buffalo this year.
Arnette is a physical cornerback. He is aggressive in man-to-man coverage and thrives in press coverage. While he is not a burner (4.56 unofficial 40-yard dash time, according to NFL.com), he is an intelligent player who makes the right decision most of the time on the field. He needs refinement within zone coverage schemes. However, the Bills have had a great deal of success with developing secondary players under Sean McDermott, and the same would most likely happen for Arnette.
Kyle’s Pick: WR K.J. Hamler | Penn State
Though the Bills’ receiving corps is arguably among the league’s best after the acquisition of Stefon Diggs, the position group gets thin at the bottom of the depth chart. Robert Foster, Isaiah McKenzie, and Duke Williams certainly bring unique aspects to the team’s receiver room, but if Buffalo has the opportunity to add youth and big-play ability to the unit through a day-two selection, it should take advantage of it.
Enter K.J. Hamler. The speedy wideout out of Penn State is an ever-present home-run threat, a slot wideout who consistently creates separation with speed. Though he’s a bit undersized at 5-foot-9, 178-pounds, winning with size is not necessarily part of his game. He wins with agility off the line of scrimmage and sub-4.40 speed.
He’d be a rotational receiver in Buffalo’s offense straight away, a gadget player who could spell Cole Beasley from time to time. His immediate production would likely be far from earth-shattering, but long-term, Hamler could develop into a multi-use wideout – a burner who would also be useful in the short-to-intermediate passing game. By 2022, he could be a focal point of the team’s offense.
McKenna’s Pick: RB Clyde Edwards-Helarie | LSU
This pick may ruffle some of my colleagues’ feathers, but going into the draft the Bills still need playmakers. During Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s three-year career at LSU he ran for 2,103 yards, and 23 touchdowns. He became a household name during his final year, where he helped lead LSU to a title. While he ran the ball well, he was also effective as a pass-catcher, in his junior year he caught 43 passes for 453 yards and one touchdown. LSU’s offense had him lineup in the backfield and out wide to catch passes, where he showed off slick route running to create separation from linebackers and defensive backs.
He doesn’t have the measurements of a traditional NFL running back, he stands at 5-foot-8 and weighs in at 209 pounds, but those sorts of measurements actually play to his strengths as a runner. Edwards-Helaire is a patient yet physical runner who makes would-be tacklers miss with jump cuts, spins, or simply lowering his shoulder. In both versatility and production, there may not be a better running back in the draft.
Matt’s Pick: RB Cam Akers | Florida State
After a strong free agency period, one position that’s a little higher in demand for depth than others is at running back. In a draft that is QB, WR, and DL heavy, Buffalo could have their pick of the litter when it comes to the top RB prospects.
Edwards-Helaire is an option, but Cam Akers of Florida State is the pick. Devin Singletary is the guy in Buffalo, but he needs his complement. Many of the better teams in the NFL have used talented RB duos and have found success. Buffalo can get a top-10 talent from this RB class in Round 2. Over three seasons, Akers gained 2,875 rushing yards, 27 rushing touchdowns, 486 receiving yards, and seven receiving scores.
The Philadelphia Eagles have conducted a pre-draft interview with KJ Hamler (via @MikeGarafolo).
The former Penn State WR could be a potential 2nd round option.
The Seattle Seahawks could view Alton Robinson as a developmental pass rush project in the middle rounds, especially if Clowney comes back.
Even after signing Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa, and even if they manage to bring back defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the Seattle Seahawks are going to need more pass rushers in training camp and in the 2020 regular season.
While most of the mock drafts have the Seahawks taking a defensive end with their first round pick, namely Yetur Gross-Matos from Penn State, the team could opt to trade that first pick, or shore up another area of need while focusing on pass rushing in the middle rounds.
While the 2020 class is not exceptionally deep with pass rushers, there are plenty of projects the Seahawks could target in the 4-5 round range, and chief among them is Syracuse’s Alton Robinson.
Robinson recorded 14.5 sacks in his final two seasons with the Orange, and possesses the necessary burst, bend and speed to be an immediate factor as a pass rusher. However, he is still very raw and needs to work on his technique, footwork and variety of moves if he wants to be successful as an every down end.
Still – the Seahawks could certainly take Robinson as a project piece, allowing him to develop under their other rushers and letting him loose in 2021 after a year of seasoning.
Robinson probably isn’t a target as a replacement for Clowney, if he signs elsewhere, but if Seattle is able to get him back on a one-year deal it makes sense to take Robinson and groom him for 2021.
Another week of free agency has passed and the Arizona Cardinals have basically filled every starting spot they had open. That creates flexibility for the NFL draft.
If the Cardinals are looking to have their first-round pick have the most impact now, an offensive lineman might not be the way to go. The top defensive players are already off the board, so a big-time receiver is the way to go. Lamb will get to play in the Cardinals’ four-wide sets and can make an impact even as a rookie.
12 defensive standouts at the 2020 NFL combine for the Buffalo Bills to consider at the 2020 NFL Draft.
The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up in Indianapolis over the weekend. Potential rookie prospects took center stage while every team in the league watched. The Bills among them.
At the event, there were several defensive prospects who stood out. Could the Bills bring some of them in to fortify their stout defense?
Here are 12 defensive prospects who impressed at the combine that the Bills could consider adding at the upcoming draft:
Boise State linebacker Curtis Weaver. Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
DE Curtis Weaver | Boise State
Curtis Weaver is a bit of a hybrid player like Lorenzo Alexander was for the Bills. His scouting reports say the defender can lineup as a defensive end with his hand in the dirt or as a standup linebacker. That’s some of what Alexander did for the Bills. Over the past three seasons, Weaver recorded 34.5 sacks and 47.5 tackles for loss. At the combine, he posted a 7.0 time in the 3-cone drill and a 4.27 second short shuttle time.
DE Alton Robinson | Syracuse
Syracuse isn’t exactly the powerhouse type of football program a team will find an immediate impact-maker, but Alton Robinson could become a solid edge addition. With the pending loss of Shaq Lawson via free agency and the rotation the Bills play at the defensive end position in mind, Robinson put up positive combine numbers that the Bills could like. His 4.69 seconds in the 40-yard dash was the third best among all defensive linemen in the draft. Robinson also posted 25 bench press reps and a 35.5-inch vertical jump, making him Cuse’s best defensive prospect since Chandler Jones.
