Tag: Round 4

Saints trade up in Round 4 to select OL Nick Saldiveri in 2023 NFL draft

New Orleans Saints trade up in Round 4 to select Old Dominion right tackle Nick Saldiveri in the 2023 NFL draft:

Whew: the New Orleans Saints made their move, trading up in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft to go get Old Dominion offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri. They traded a fifth-round pick (No. 165) to the Chicago Bears so they could upgrade their fourth rounder (No. 115) to the very first selection of Day 3 (at No. 103).

Which meant Saldiveri was the top player available on their board. The 22-year-old mainly lined up at right tackle in college, but he brings subpar length (33.2-inch arms) and may be considered for a move inside to guard. Saldiveri has very strong movement skills and a 9.47 Relative Athletic Score.

As for their remaining picks? Barring another trade, the Saints are currently scheduled to make three more selections:

  • Round 5 (146)
  • Round 7 (227)
  • Round 7 (257)

More to follow…

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2020 NFL Draft: Cowboys trade up, select center Tyler Biadasz in Round 4

Dallas will bring in another center from Wisconsin to try to fill the hole left after the retirement of fellow alum Travis Frederick.

The Cowboys sat tight for almost four full rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, eschewing trades up or down and staying in their assigned slots for their first quartet of picks. But with the Eagles ready to close out Round 4 with the 146th selection, Dallas made a move and traded up to get the guy they wanted.

With the 146th pick, the Cowboys selected Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz. In exchange, they sent the first of their two fifth-round picks (No. 164) to Philadelphia, along with another fifth-round pick in 2021. The Cowboys still have a fifth-round pick this year, the 179th overall.

For Biadasz, he’ll now have an opportunity to come in and compete for the roster spot recently vacated by five-time Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick, also a Wisconsin alum.

After a redshirt freshman year in Madison, the Wisconsin farm kid started every game in his first two seasons of play for the Badgers. Biadasz underwent hip surgery in early 2019, forcing him to miss the team’s spring practices. After his junior season, in which Wisconsin finished 10-4 and were Big Ten runners-up, Biadasz was named a first-team All-American and won the Rimington Award honoring the nation’s best center. He skipped his senior year of eligibility to declare for the NFL Draft.

Biadasz is 6-foot-4 and weighs in at 314 pounds.

In his scouting report, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein says of Biadasz:

“Solid but unspectacular center prospect who has been a consistent performer during Jonathan Taylor’s rushing reign in the Big Ten. He’s smart, well-versed in every blocking scheme and plays with efficient, inside hands that possess impressive grip strength. He plays under control and usually hits his landmarks, but he has issues winning when matched against power. Pass protection could be a concern, as NFL sub-rushers will feast on his lunging and average lateral quickness. Biadasz’s skill level has been developed, so he could become an early starter with limited upside.”

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2020 NFL Draft: Cowboys select CB Reggie Robinson II in Round 4

Dallas continued to restock their secondary by selecting the cornerback from Tulsa on Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

A bit of the excitement and shine always wears off the NFL Draft by the time Round 4 rolls around. The primetime lights are gone; it’s early afternoon on a Saturday. The commissioner has cleaned out his jar of M&Ms, hung up his sweater, and could well be out mowing the lawn.

But it’s no time for front offices to ease up on their late-round picks. The fourth through seventh rounds are critically important to every team’s long-term roster building; as ESPN noted to begin their broadcast, 65% of players in the 2019 season joined their teams after Round 3 of the draft.

The Cowboys continued their 2020 restocking efforts by selecting cornerback Reggie Robinson II out of Tulsa with the 123rd overall pick. As a high schooler in Cleburne, Texas, Robinson played both wide receiver and corner. At Tulsa, he ascended to a starting spot in the Golden Hurricane’s secondary as a redshirt freshman and never gave up the spot.

As a senior, Robinson earned first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors after leading Tulsa with four interceptions and 13 pass breakups. He also posted 38 tackles (one for loss) and two fumble recoveries. Also a special teams contributor, Robinson managed to block a kick in each of his four seasons. He was invited to the 2020 Senior Bowl in Mobile.

According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

“The size, length and ball production offer up hope, but Robinson’s lack of speed and athletic traits could prevent him from maintaining playmaking positioning as a pro. He has average instincts, but his length can be a disruptive factor in close quarters. If he can crank up his run-support intensity, he might get looks as a zone corner or a safety.”

Robinson will compete in training camp with fellow rookie corner Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys’ second-round pick from Alabama. The two join a cornerback group in Dallas that includes Jourdan Lewis, Anthony Brown, Chidobe Awuzie, and Maurice Canady. The Cowboys lost Pro Bowl cornerback Bryon Jones during free agency in March.

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Falcons select Fresno State LB Mykal Walker in 4th round

With the first of their two fourth-round picks, the Atlanta Falcons selected Fresno State linebacker Mykal Walker with pick No. 119 in the 2020 NFL Draft

With the first of their two fourth-round picks, the Atlanta Falcons selected Fresno State linebacker Mykal Walker with pick No. 119 in the 2020 NFL Draft:

Walker is a versatile linebacker that can effectively rush off the edge and is above average in coverage. He’s a great addition with De’Vondre Campbell signing with the Cardinals.

The Falcons have Deion Jones at middle linebacker and Foye Oluokun penciled in as an outside linebacker. Walker could be the perfect fit as that third linebacker capable of lining up all over in different sets.

2019 Stats: 96 tackles (56 solo), 9 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 4 passes defended

Video: Here’s Walker playing against Toldeo in 2019:

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Texans trade out of 111th overall in Round 4 of 2020 NFL Draft

The Houston Texans have traded out of the 111th pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Houston gets picks 136 and 141 from Miami.

The Houston Texans acquired more picks in Round 4 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

The AFC South champions were slated to pick at 111th overall early in the fourth round on Saturday, but coach and general manager Bill O’Brien brokered a deal with the Miami Dolphins to acquire their 136th and 141st overall picks.

The move allows the Texans to get more top-150 talent on the board. It also gives Houston an extra pick after they came into the draft with just seven total selections, and the third-lowest draft capital among all 32 teams.

The Texans could use the extra selections to help the offense.

“I feel good about the defensive side of the ball,” O’Brien told reporters Friday night after day two. “I feel really good about where we’re at. We have a few more picks here tomorrow and we’ll see how it goes.”

With two extra fourth-rounders, it should go a little better than expected for the Texans.

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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