Tag: pre-draft visit

Lions to have pre-draft visit with Cincinnati CB Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner

Garnder is a Detroit native who allowed a QB Rating of 31.8 on targeted passes in 3 seasons for the Bearcats

Things could be getting a little saucy in Detroit soon. The Lions are set to host Cincinnati Bearcats cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner for a visit in the coming weeks.

The Lions, like all 32 NFL teams, attended the Cincinnati pro day on Thursday. They apparently like Gardner enough to schedule a formal pre-draft visit with the talented cornerback, who is almost universally projected in the top 10 picks of the first round in next month’s draft.

Each team gets up to 30 visits with prospects, and Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reports the Lions will use one of theirs on Garnder.

Gardner, 21, has top-30 visits with the New York Jets, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Seattle Seahawks, according to league sources. He has already met privately with Texans coach Lovie Smith, per sources, at the Cincinnati Pro Day workout where he stood on his NFL Combine testing numbers. He also met with the Giants, Jets, and New Orleans Saints at his pro day.

The Lions don’t appear to be in the market for a first-round cornerback, but many times teams use those visits just to pick the brain and investigate the players who they might wind up facing quite a bit in the NFL.

Garnder is from Detroit originally, a graduate of Martin Luther King High School. He had a phenomenal college career for the Bearcats, allowing a QB Rating of just 31.8 on targeted throws over the course of his three seasons starting in Cincinnati.

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Lions meet with Nebraska OL Brenden Jaimes on pre-draft visit

Jaimes can play either tackle spot

The Detroit Lions recently held one of their pre-draft visits with Nebraska offensive lineman Brenden Jaimes. In accordance with NFL and school COVID-19 protocols, the meeting was held virtually.

Jaimes holds the Nebraska program record for starts by an offensive lineman with 40. He began as a right tackle but spent the last two-plus seasons as the primary left tackle for the Cornhuskers. However, his NFL future is likely at right tackle or guard. He did get some looks inside during Senior Bowl week.

At 6-6 and 300 pounds, Jaimes can play too upright and loses his balance and leverage at times. He improved his hand placement and ability to slide his feet in his senior season, so there is some upside despite the lengthy college experience. Jaims is generally projected as a seventh-round pick or undrafted free agent.

2020 NFL Draft: 29 Prospects remain on Cowboys interest list for Day 3

Updated pre-draft visit tracker for the Dallas Cowboys headed into the final four rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.

With three rounds in the books of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys have come out of it walking tall. Dallas made its biggest splash in Round 1 with the selection of premier Oklahoma wide receiver Cee Dee Lamb. In Round 2 the Cowboys addressed a big need in their secondary by selecting Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs. Round 3 the Cowboys added depth to their revamped defensive front by selecting another Oklahoma Sooner in defensive tackle Neville Gallimore.

When taking a look at the pre-draft interest tracker, Diggs was the only selection out of their first three who visited with the Cowboys prior to the draft, virtually or at one of the all-star games or scouting combine. Lamb and Gallimore were not on the original list.

On Day 3 of the NFL Draft there are still plenty of notable names on this list in which Dallas may come calling to address some needs.

Cornerback

Troy Pride, Notre Dame (Round 3/4)

Grayland Arnold, Baylor (Round 6)

Lavert Hill, Michigan (Round 6)

Thakarius Keyes, Tulane (Round 6/7)

Defensive Line

Curtis Weaver, Boise State (Round 2/3)

Jon Greenard, Florida (Round 3)

Trevis Gipson, Tulsa (Round 4)

Alton Robinson, Syracuse (Round 5)

Kenny Willekes, Michigan State (Round 5)

Chauncey Rivers, Mississippi State (Round 6/7)

Qaadir Sheppard, Ole Miss (Round 6/7)

Kendall Coleman, Syracuse (UDFA)

Raekwon Davis, Alabama (Round 2/3)

James Lynch, Baylor (Round 3)

Rashard Lawrence, LSU (Round 4/5)

Broderick Washington, Texas Tech (Round 5)

Josiah Coatney, Ole Miss (Round 7)

Linebacker

De’Jon Harris, Arkansas (UDFA)

Offensive Line

Cameron Clark, Charlotte (Round 5/6)

Cordel Iwuagwu, TCU (Round 7)

Prince Tega Wanogho (Round 3)

Hakeem Adeniji, Kansas (Round 4)

Evin Ksierzarczyk, Buffalo (UDFA)

Quarterback

James Morgan, Florida International (Round 5)

Safety

Josh Metellus, Michigan (Round 5)

Jordan Fuller, Ohio St. (Round 5)

Shyheim Carter, Alabama (UDFA)

Tight End

Colby Parkinson, Stanford (Round 4/5)

Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt (Round 6)

Wide Receiver

Josh Hammond, Florida (UDFA)

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Broncos had pre-draft video call with DL Robert Windsor

The Broncos had a pre-draft video call with Penn State defensive lineman Robert Windsor.

The Denver Broncos had a pre-draft video call with Penn State defensive lineman Robert Windsor, according to Draft Wire’s Justin Melo.

Windsor (6-4, 290 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds 21 times at the combine earlier this offseason. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein believes Windsor will have to show considerble improvement to make a roster in the NFL.

“Undersized interior linemen without a great pass rush have a hard time sticking around for long so he’ll need to get bigger and better with his hands to have a shot at making a team,” Zierlein wrote of Windsor.

During his four seasons with the Nittany Lions, Windsor totaled 120 tackles — including 19 tackles for losses — and 13 sacks. He also recovered three fumbles and forced two fumbles during his time at Penn State.

Windsor is likely a late-round or undrafted free agent candidate. If selected or signed by Denver, he would likely compete for a rotational backup job on the defensive line. The Broncos will have 10 picks to use during the draft, which will be held from April 23-25.

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Browns hold pre-draft meeting with Utah EDGE Bradlee Anae

Anae would make a very nice No. 3 EDGE for the Browns form the middle rounds

The Cleveland Browns recently held a pre-draft teleconference visit with Bradlee Anae, a pass-rushing EDGE from Utah. Anae would make for a fun fit in Cleveland under new defensive coordinator Joe Woods.

Anae generally projects as a third- or fourth-round prospect. He’s a player where teams like the Browns will have to trust the game tape, because Anae’s athletic testing is not inspiring. His combine results were underwhelming:

However, his game tape is a different story. Anae has exceptional pass rush moves and didn’t rely on his athleticism to win in college, something that’s often not true for top-level pass rushers. During Senior Bowl week, Anae was fantastic, nearly unblockable in 1-on-1s and team drills.

He’d make a very nice No. 3 EDGE for the Browns from the middle rounds.

 

Broncos had pre-draft call with WR Denzel Mims

The Broncos had a pre-draft video call with Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims.

The Denver Broncos recently had a pre-draft video call with Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Mims (6-3, 207 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds 16 times at the combine earlier this offseason. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has compared Mims to Tre’Quan Smith, who was a third-round pick in 2018.

“If the route work and intensity catch up with his natural athletic ability, he could become a dangerous ‘Z’ receiver in a vertical offense, but the floor might be lower than some teams are comfortable with,” Zierlein wrote of Mims on NFL.com.

During his final three years with the Bears, Mims caught 182 passes for 2,901 yards and 28 touchdowns. He is the sixth-best wide receiver in this year’s class, according to Luke Easterling’s post-combine rankings on Draft Wire.

Denver will have 10 picks to use in the NFL draft (April 23-25) and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team add several receivers to the roster.

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Broncos had pre-draft call with CB Kindle Vildor

The Broncos are continuing to look at cornerback prospects entering the NFL draft.

The Denver Broncos had a pre-draft video call with Georgia Southern cornerback Kindle Vildor, according to Steelers Depot’s Daniel Valente.

Vildor (5-10, 191 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds 22 times at the combine earlier this offseason. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein says the cornerback “has the ability to challenge for a CB4/CB5 spot for man-cover defenses.”

Zierlein was not impressed with Vildor’s tackling, which probably wouldn’t make him a good fit for Vic Fangio’s defense in Denver.

During his final three years with the Eagles, Vildor totaled 94 tackles, one sack, nine interceptions, one forced fumble and 25 pass breakups. He would likely compete for a rotational job if selected by the Broncos later this month.

Vildor is the 22nd-best cornerback in this year’s class, according to Luke Easterling’s post-combine rankings on Draft Wire.

Denver will have 10 picks to use in the NFL draft (April 23-25) and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team add multiple cornerbacks.

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TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney meets with Browns, possible 2nd-round pick

Gladney has a lot of traits the Browns should find appealing

One of the potential Browns targets for their second pick in the 2020 NFL Draft confirmed he’s met with the team. TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney listed the Browns among several teams he’s had a virtual pre-draft visit with over the past few weeks.

The Horned Frogs standout fits squarely in the second tier of cornerbacks in the class, a group that also includes Florida’s C.J. Henderson, LSU’s Kristian Fulton and Trevon Diggs from Alabama. All of them, including Gladney, generally project in the 15-40 overall range.

The Browns pick at No. 41 overall in the second round. Gladney’s speed, ball skills and relentless competitiveness would make him a good value fit for the Browns if he’s still on the board. He does have some ability to play in the slot.

Broncos had a pre-draft call with OL Josh Jones

The Broncos had a pre-draft video call with Houston offensive lineman Josh Jones this week.

The Denver Broncos had a pre-draft video call with Houston offensive lineman Josh Jones this week, according to Draft Wire’s Justin Melo.

Jones (6-5, 319 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 5.27 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds 24 times at the combine earlier this offseason. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has compared Jones to Bobby Massie, who was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2012 draft.

“He’s a good fit for a move-oriented rushing attack and has the traits and talent to become a future starter if he continues to develop with coaching,” Zierlein wrote of Jones on NFL.com.

Jones is the fifth-best tackle in this year’s class, according to Luke Easterling’s post-combine rankings on Draft Wire.

If selected by the Broncos, Jones would likely be viewed as an eventual successor to Garett Bolles at left tackle. If his fifth-year option is not picked up, Bolles will become a free agent next spring.

Denver will have 10 picks to use in the NFL draft (April 23-25).

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NFL teams will put ‘the film doesn’t lie’ to the test this offseason

With no player visits and no pro days this offseason, NFL teams will have to reply on film more than usual.

In response to COVID-19, the NFL has shut down team facilities — no draft prospects may visit teams and clubs aren’t allowed to travel to go visit any prospects. That will make this spring a unique offseason for the NFL.

With no visits and no college pro days, the Broncos — and every other team — will have to rely on film to evaluate prospects more than usual.

“I think every year you hear people say — scouts and coaches and personnel people — that 90 percent of the evaluation is off the tape,” Denver coach Vic Fangio said during a conference call with reporters on March 31. “The other 10 percent is the combine and pro days and all the other stuff that goes on with it. This is the year it will really be tested.”

The Broncos did not take their coaches to the combine earlier this offseason, which allowed those coaches to focus on watching film of prospects. Thanks in part to that decision, Denver feels prepared for the draft despite unusual circumstances.

“A lot of times you can guess how fast a guy runs generally speaking,” Fangio said. “It’s more important what the tape is. That’s what everybody says. This will be the year that it is really put to the test.”

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