Tag: Stanford Samuels III

Raiders add 3 following rookie minicamp tryouts

3 new Raiders and 2 cuts following rookie minicamp tryouts

Rookie minicamp is in the books for the Raiders. And the result is three new players in the fold following tryouts over the weekend.

The Raiders have added undrafted free agent TE Travis Koontz, former Packers CB Stanford Samuels III, and former Bears T Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

With the new additions, the team waived C Brett Heggie and WR Tre Turner who had been added as an undrafted free agent last week.

Koontz put up 21 catches for 306 yards and four TD’s last season at Texas Tech.

Samuels III went undrafted in 2020 out of Florida State. He spent all of last season on the Packers’ practice squad, getting called up for two games.

Wheatley Jr. is a converted college tight end who spent last season on the Chicago Bears’ practice squad. And of course he’s the son of former Raiders running back Tyrone Wheatley.

Packers signing Florida State CB Stanford Samuels III in UDFA

The Packers are adding a cornerback in undrafted free agency, signing Florida State’s Stanford Samuels III.

The Green Bay Packers signed one of the top undrafted free agents available following the 2020 draft.

Cornerback Stanford Samuels III agreed to sign with the Packers, according to Florida State football’s official Twitter account.

Samuels (6-0, 187) produced 24 pass breakups and eight interceptions over 37 games and 24 starts with Florida State. He was an early entrant into the draft but didn’t get drafted.

At the combine, Samuels ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds – the slowest time among cornerbacks – and didn’t do any jumps or agility testing, likely tanking his draft stock.

According to Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Samuels is an experienced press corner with a long wingspan (almost 77″) and ball skills. Brugler ranked Samuels as his 26th best cornerback in the class.

Considering his lack of speed and lapses in man-to-man coverage, some have considered Samuels a potential candidate to move to safety at the next level.

Lance Zierlein’s scouting report on Samuels, whom he considered a potential future starter: “Tall, slender, man-cover corner who is disruptive and physical from press but needs to rely on technique and footwork to avoid penalties at the next level. Stat services dinged him for catches and yards allowed that should have clearly gone on the safety’s tab. He plays with good instincts and athleticism to make plays on the football and is a challenging matchup on 50/50 balls. He possesses the necessary traits to fit into a variety of coverage schemes, but teams will want to see better effort and consistency in run support. Samuels might find starter’s work within the first couple of years in the league.”

The Packers didn’t draft a cornerback, opening the door for Samuels to compete for a roster spot. Veteran Tramon Williams remains unsigned.

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2020 NFL Draft: A CB in every round for the Philadelphia Eagles

2020 NFL Draft: A CB in every round for the Philadelphia Eagles

The 2020 NFL draft is just two weeks away and although he Philadelphia Eagles landed Darius Slay, the Birds will likely address the cornerback position with one of their remaining eight picks.

The Eagles don’t have a pick in every round but in case of some wheeling and dealing, we decided to project one cornerback from every round that the Eagles could target.

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Round 1: Trevon Diggs, Alabama

The younger brother of Bills star Stefon Diggs, the former Crimson Tide star was a projected top-15 pick and could slip to the late first-round or early second. Diggs finished his junior season with 37 tackles, three interceptions, eight passes defended, two fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns.

He’s not afraid of the bright lights or the big moment and could be just what the doctor ordered if the Eagles go cornerback in Round 1.

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2020 NFL Draft: 4 cornerbacks the Jets could target in later rounds

Jets Wire takes a look at four cornerbacks the Jets could target in the later rounds of the 2020 NFL draft.

There is no question that the Jets need to add a cornerback or two in the upcoming 2020 NFL draft.

Joe Douglas did a nice job addressing the position in free agency by bringing back Brian Poole and inking Pierre Desir to a one-year deal. However, even with Poole back in the fold and Desir’s arrival, New York still needs additional cornerback depth. Past Poole and Desir, the Jets’ cornerback room is littered with inexperienced and unproven players.

New York is unlikely to address cornerback early in the draft, making the later rounds the ideal time for Douglas to sure up the position. Who are some potential late-round targets the Jets could have their eyes on? Let’s take a look.

Reggie Robinson, Tulsa

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Considering the Jets’ defensive scheme, Robinson’s skill set makes him an ideal late-round cornerback target.

At 6-foot-1, Robinson has the speed, length and athleticism to play in Gregg Williams’ defense. He ran a 4.4 40-yard dash at the NFL draft combine and has a knack for being disruptive in the secondary, as he recorded four interceptions and four pass breakups in his senior year.

Robinson’s not a finished product, but he has the potential to develop into a starting outside cornerback. Considering that is exactly what the Jets need, they would be foolish to pass on him if he is still on the board in the later rounds.

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Saints pick wide receiver and cornerback in latest 2020 mock draft

The New Orleans Saints picked Arizona State WR Brandon Aiyuk and Florida State DB Stanford Samuels III in the latest 2020 NFL mock draft.

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The New Orleans Saints are setting themselves up to approach the 2020 NFL Draft from a variety of directions, thanks to a talent-rich roster and a manageable list of pending free agents. However, their most pressing needs may lie at wide receiver and at cornerback, and a new three-round mock draft from NFL.com’s Chad Reuter acknowledged that.

Reuter connects the Saints with Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in the first round, pairing the Sun Devils prospect with a first-team All-Pro wideout in Michael Thomas. Aiyuk is best known for his ability to gain yards after the catch and track vertical passes thrown deep downfield, so he could theoretically help out a Saints passing game that’s struggled to gain those chunks of yards through the air. He’s one of several receivers competing to be picked in the first round; a strong showing at next week’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis could solidify his draft stock.

In the third round, Reuter has the Saints picking Florida State prospect Stanford Samuels III. Samuels is a tall, wiry defensive back (listed at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds) with a knack for getting his hand on the ball. He intercepted eight passes (with 16 total passes defensed) in three years for the Seminoles, lining up all over the secondary in zone coverage. He probably needs to bulk up to thrive in the pros, but he’d be a good fit for a Saints team severely lacking depth at cornerback; just three corners are under contract right now, and either Janoris Jenkins or Patrick Robinson could be salary cap cuts.

But what happened in the second round of Reuter’s mock draft? The Saints packaged this pick (No. 56) last year to acquire both Erik McCoy and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Reuter projects it to be traded again. It’s owned by the Miami Dolphins right now, but Reuter has the Detroit Lions ending up with it, and selecting Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Winfield is a tremendous talent (he intercepted seven passes in 2019 alone, and forced two fumbles), but you have to imagine the Saints are happy with what they got out of their involvement with this pick.

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