Tag: pro day

Broncos sent their WR coach to Jha’Quan Jackson’s pro day

The Broncos sent their wide receivers coach to scout WR Jha’Quan Jackson at Tulane’s pro day last month.

The Denver Broncos sent wide receivers coach Keary Colbert to Tulane’s pro day last month which featured wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson, according to Jim Nagy.

Jackson (5-9, 188 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds at and bench-pressed 225 pounds 12 times at the NFL combine earlier this offseason.

Jackson, 23, spent five years with the Green Wave, hauling in 109 receptions for 1,743 yards and 17 touchdowns in 56 games. He also returned 59 punts for 677 yards and one touchdown and returned 35 kickoffs for 772 yards.

Jackson is projected to be a late-round pick in the NFL draft later this month. If he’s picked by the Broncos (or signed as an undrafted free agent), Jackson would likely compete for the backup slot receiver position while also competing for reps as a returner. Marvin Mims is expected to play in the slot and handle return duties this season.

Denver is also taking a close look at Jackson’s teammate, quarterback Michael Pratt. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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Broncos met with QB Michael Hiers at Samford’s pro day

The Broncos met with quarterback Michael Hiers at Samford’s pro day last month.

The Denver Broncos met with quarterback Michael Hiers at Samford’s pro day last month, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson.

Hiers (6-1, 215 pounds) spent two seasons at Murray State before transferring to Northwest Mississippi Community College in 2020. In two seasons at NMCC, Heirs threw for 4,519 yards and 34 touchdowns.

The quarterback then transferred to Samford in 2022. Over the last two years with the Bulldogs, Heirs threw for 6,600 yards and 54 touchdowns against 12 interceptions in 24 games. He also rushed for six scores at Samford.

Despite posting big numbers at the FCS level in college, Heris is projected to go undrafted in the NFL draft later this month.

The 24-year-old quarterback could be a late-round prospect for the Broncos if they’re looking for a third- or fourth-string QB to take to training camp. It’s also possible that Denver could be taking a look at Heirs as a potential rookie minicamp tryout candidate.

The Broncos invited Case Cookus to rookie camp in 2021 and while he did not last long in Denver, Cookus is now starting in the United Football League. Hiers might hope for a similar career path after college.

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Commanders to host Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. on top 30 visit

The Commanders will host Washington star QB Michael Penix Jr. on a pre-draft visit.

We know of the Washington Commanders’ potential interest in some of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft. Washington general manager Adam Peters, head coach Dan Quinn, assistant general manager Lance Newmark, and offensive coordinator all went to the pro days of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and J. J. McCarthy.

The Commanders’ brass didn’t attend Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s pro day. Why? Penix’s pro day was last Thursday, the same day as Maye’s pro day in North Carolina. The Commanders had representation at Washington’s pro day, as the Huskies feature multiple early-round prospects, but not all of the chief decision-makers were present.

On the surface, this makes sense, as Williams, Maye, Daniels, and McCarthy are widely viewed as the top prospects. However, some believe Penix would be a first-round pick, too, if not for his worrisome injury history. Had Washington’s pro day not fallen on the same day as Maye’s, Peters, Quinn, Newmark, and Kingsbury likely would’ve been present.

The Commanders are interested in Penix, as they will use one of their 30 pre-draft visits with the record-setting quarterback, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

Penix began his career at Indiana, where he spent four seasons. However, injuries marred his time with the Hoosiers, as he suffered two ACL tears and two shoulder injuries. He transferred to Washington ahead of the 2022 season and was a first-team All-American in 2023.

Penix joins Daniels as the quarterbacks confirmed to visit the Commanders ahead of the draft. Don’t be surprised if Williams, Maye and McCarthy are eventually on that list, too.

Saints scout sleeper first-round prospect at Duke pro day

All 32 NFL teams were in attendance at Duke’s pro day, including the Saints — who could view center Graham Barton as an answer to their problems at tackle or guard:

Here’s a name to keep in mind for the New Orleans Saints in the 2024 NFL draft: Graham Barton. All 32 NFL teams were represented at Duke’s pro day to clock the Duke offensive lineman as he went through his paces, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid, and he impressed with top marks in every category.

Barton played both left tackle and center in college, and pro scouts are confident he could line up at all five spots along the offensive line in the NFL. He certainly has the athleticism for it. After weighing in at 6-foot-5 and 311 pounds, Barton timed the 40-yard dash in just 4.84 seconds, per Duke’s official announcement (though Reid’s sources clocked him at 4.94 to 4.97). The school also said that he recorded a 4.43 in the short shuttle (Reid had him at 4.54 and 4.56 on his two attempts) and a 7.34 in the three-cone drill (Reid said 7.31 and 7.32), showing off high-end agility no matter how you slice it.

And while he may not be a common pick for the Saints in many mock drafts right now, Barton may not be much of a reach at No. 14. Some evaluators grade him as a top-15 prospect in the draft class. His versatility to play all five spots could help the Saints field their five best linemen whether he’s replacing Trevor Penning at left tackle, James Hurst at left guard, or Ryan Ramczyk at right tackle. He’s most often projected to stay at center in the NFL, but the Saints are known for moving guys around after turning pro (with mixed results).

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Broncos sent scouts to QB Spencer Rattler’s pro day

The Broncos sent scouts to QB Spencer Rattler’s pro day earlier this month.

The Denver Broncos sent scouts to quarterback Spencer Rattler’s pro day on March 12, according to KOA Radio’s Benjamin Allbright. The Broncos also met with Rattler at the NFL combine.

“Broncos [visit] went really well,” Rattler said on March 1 at the combine. “That’s a team that is an interesting situation — [I] met with Coach [Sean] Payton and all those guys. It was a great time, I had great talks with them.”

Rattler (6-0, 211 pounds) spent three seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to South Carolina. Last month, a Draft Wire mock draft had Denver picking Rattler in the third round, a common projection for his draft stock.

The 23-year-old prospect completed 67.5% of his passes for 6,212 yards with 37 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in two seasons (25 games) with the Gamecocks. He also rushed for seven touchdowns at South Carolina.

The Broncos currently hold eight picks, including 76th overall in the third round. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury was busy at the pro days of Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye

Kingsbury spent plenty of time talking with the coaches of Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye last week.

The Washington Commanders hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. It’s no secret that Washington is likely targeting a quarterback with the pick.

So, it’s no surprise the Commanders have sent a heavy presence to the pro days of each of the draft’s top quarterback prospects.

Last week, it was Jayden Daniels (LSU) on Wednesday and Drake Maye (North Carolina) on Thursday. Several pictures and videos have been making the rounds of general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn interacting with Daniels and Maye.

Peters and Quinn weren’t the only two from Washington attending these pro days. Assistant general manager Lance Newmark and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury were also present.

This is not a surprise, as Kingsbury is expected to have a significant say in who the Commanders pick in the draft. Ultimately, though, Peters will make the call.

Meanwhile, Kingsbury was doing his homework on Daniels and Maye last week, spending plenty of time with their respective college coaches.

Here, Kingsbury is with Daniels’ QB coach.

When Kingsbury was at North Carolina’s pro day, he spent a lot of time with UNC offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey.

Here’s another instance where Kingsbury is seen talking with Lindsey. This time, Peters joins in the conversation.

Kingsbury spent time talking with coaches when he was at USC’s pro day two weeks ago to see Caleb Williams. Kingsbury spent 2023 as an analyst at USC.

Kingsbury will not make the final decision, but his input into each quarterback will carry a lot of weight as he’ll work closely with the young passer once he arrives.

 

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels says his elbow is ‘perfectly fine’

Jayden Daniels says relax. There is nothing wrong with his elbow.

During LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels’ pro day this week in Baton Rouge, a disturbing image emerged concerning his throwing elbow. It all began with a post from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

Remember, this is not an image from his pro day, but sometime last season. He happened to pass for 40 touchdowns and ran for 10 more last season when he won the Heisman Trophy.

So, what is going on with Daniels’ elbow? The image shows some type of growth on his elbow.

A doctor responded to the viral photo and said it appeared that Daniels was dealing with olecranon bursitis in his elbow. He said it is very common and more annoying than concerning.

Here’s the full tweet from the doctor:

Daniels, who is set to be a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL draft, perhaps as high as No. 2 to the Washington Commanders, apparently had enough of the photo and responded that it was essentially much ado about nothing.

There we have it. The man has spoken, and his elbow is fine. NFL teams have not shown any concerns regarding Daniels’ health.

Commanders adviser Rick Spielman thinks Drake Maye will go before Jayden Daniels

An interesting perspective from someone with recent ties to the Commanders.

Rick Spielman is a longtime NFL executive who most recently spent 10 seasons as the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings. Since his firing in 2022, Spielman has mostly worked in the media, covering the NFL draft and other topics.

However, in January, Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris revealed in a statement that he had hired Spielman to serve on an advisory committee along with two-time NBA executive of the year Bob Myers. The purpose was to help Harris identify a new general manager.

The Commanders quickly hired 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters, considered by most to be the top candidate for anyone with a GM opening. From there, Washington’s advisory committee, now with Peters, began a coaching search that saw Dan Quinn emerge as the Commanders’ new head coach.

We later learned of Spielman’s role in identifying GM candidates for Harris.

With the NFL draft less than one month away, the Commanders pick No. 2 overall, where they are expected to select a quarterback. USC’s Caleb Williams is likely heading to Chicago at No. 1, meaning Washington is set to choose between Drake Maye (North Carolina) and Jayden Daniels (LSU).

Daniels and Maye had their pro days this week. By all accounts, it went well for both passers. The Commanders were well represented at both pro days, with Peters, Quinn, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and Lance Newmark in attendance. Peters and Quinn were spotted talking to both quarterbacks, while Kingsbury spent plenty of time with North Carolina offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey.

What did Spielman think of Maye and Daniels?

On his “With the First Pick” podcast, Spielman was impressed with both quarterbacks, but believes Maye will be drafted ahead of Daniels.

“No, I do believe Drake will go first,” Spielman said. “We watched them back to back.”

Spielman’s comments came when his co-host Ryan Wilson repeated a text he received about Maye: “You’re crazy if you think Jayden is going before Drake.”

Here’s the clip.

Spielman also tweeted out the following on his X account:

He tweeted the following after Daniels’ pro day:

So, what does this mean? Ultimately, nothing, but we don’t know Spielman’s current status with the Commanders. We do know he is not involved with Washington’s draft preparation. Peters is over personnel. Spielman was only hired to be an advisor and it’s uncertain if that role is ongoing.

It is interesting to hear his viewpoints for multiple reasons. One, he’s a longtime NFL general manager. Secondly, he was in Washington’s building. No one knows if Spielman and Peters ever discussed draft prospects.

Spielman’s thoughts are interesting, for sure, but what Adam Peters thinks is what matters the most, and, he isn’t about to reveal his preference.

Watch: NFL draft prospect Isaiah Washington impresses at the Rutgers Pro Day

Isiah Washington had a very strong pro day at Rutgers.

Isaiah Washington had an impressive pro day at Rutgers on Thursday, impressing in front of NFL scouts.

There were 40 representatives from 30 NFL teams on hand to see Washington and several other Rutgers athletes perform at the pro day. But the buzz from the event was Washington’s impressive display which included a one-handed catch.

At 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds, Washington had a very solid 38-inch vertical. He ran a 4.53 time in the 40.

But it was the on-the-field work that showed Washington’s upside.

The video, posted by NFL agent Neil Schwartz, shows Washington making an impressive one-handed catch. Schwartz is one of the NFL’s most powerful agents and he represents former Rutgers running back [autotag]Isiah Pacheco[/autotag] among his clients., Pacheco has been a star on two Super Bowl teams with the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Last year for Rutgers, Washington had 25 catches for 321 yards and a touchdown.

At No. 12 Penn State in the penultimate game of the regular season, he had five catches for 55 yards.

Dennis Allen says Saints aren’t finished adding pass catchers, and not just at WR

Dennis Allen says the Saints aren’t finished adding pass catchers, and not just at wide receiver. Does that imply big-time Georgia tight end Brock Bowers is in play at No. 14?

Could the New Orleans Saints make their offense more multidimensional by adding more pass catchers? Almost certainly. They’re still shorthanded at wide receiver, and they didn’t get enough production out of the tight ends last year. The question is where those new additions might be lining up.

When responding to a question at NFL owners meetings about the addition of veteran wideout Cedrick Wilson Jr. to the receivers room, Saints head coach Dennis Allen shared an interesting nugget on the team’s overall approach to reloading on offense.

“I certainly think that’s something, an area in terms of a pass catcher — not necessarily a wide receiver, but a pass catcher, is something we’re going to continue to look at,” Allen mused. “I feel better about our depth now than I did a month ago, but I think that’s still probably a position we’ll look at somebody to add.”

The Saints signed Wilson and Stanley Morgan early in free agency, adding them to a group that includes Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and A.T. Perry. The depth is better than it was in February before Shaheed was re-signed, when Olave and Perry were the only players under contract, but there are still eight spots open on the training camp roster at wide receiver. They’re hardly close to capacity.

But as Allen pointed out, we shouldn’t limit focus to wide receivers. If they can find a tight end who can outplay Juwan Johnson (37 catches for 368 yards) or Foster Moreau (21 receptions for 193 yards), the Saints shouldn’t let those veterans’ presence stop them.

Big-time Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers has become a favorite of Saints fans who have watched him tear up the SEC the last few years: Bowers has scored 26 touchdowns in 40 games while finishing the last three seasons with ridiculous stat lines. He had 56 receptions for 882 yards as a freshman in 2021, and improved in 2022 with 63 catches for 942 yards. His production in 2023 was a comparative letdown, but his 56 grabs and 714 yards were better than many tight ends manage in a career.

His skills are obvious as a run-after-catch threat who can force a missed tackle and set up poor pursuit angles by the defense. What’s unclear is whether Bowers will test well enough athletically for the Saints’ college scouting department to approve. They maintain strict standards for the timing and agility drills, and Bowers pulled out of testing at the NFL Scouting Combine at the last minute. He also declined to participate in Georgia’s pro day, citing a a hamstring injury, and plans to work out individually for scouts on April 10. The deadline for teams to host draft prospects like Bowers at their headquarters is April 17, and no contact is permitted after April 24. The first round begins April 25.

The Saints overlooked Kendre Miller’s lack of athletic testing to draft him in the third round last year, but there’s a big difference between the 14th overall pick and the 71st selection they used on Miller. It’s tough to see the Saints ignoring an incomplete scouting report on such a risky pick, at a position known for being slow to develop in transition from the college game to the NFL. But you never know. What’s clear is they feel the offense needs more weapons, and that a young player like Bowers could have a lot to offer.

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