Random 2011 Draft Chatter....

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Lions host a pair

According to DetroitLions.com, draft prospects Prince Amukamara and Cameron Jordan visited the Detroit Lions facilities this week.

The royal visit was expected. The Lions need help in the defensive backfield, Amukamara is a blue-chip prospect at CB and fellow Nebraska product Ndamukong Suh has likely been able to give the coaching staff an insider's take on his former teammate. The question is whether he'll still be on the board when the Lions are up.

Generally, most mock drafts don't have the Lions taking a defensive end with the No. 13 overall pick, given that the D-line was an area of strength for the team in 2010. However, depending on how the teams above them draft, they may have an elite DE fall into their laps, and they'll want to have good knowledge of the prospects at the position.

As ESPN NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert notes, the official team visits don't always provide a ton of additional information on how a team is thinking:

- Tim Kavanagh

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Kevin Seifert
Many will visit, only one will be their first-round pick

"The Lions have traditionally hosted a number of top prospects heading into the draft, and each team is allowed a total of 30 individual visits. It's tricky to read much into them; sometimes they can be for matters as simple as a medical re-check. The Lions were also reported to have hosted Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith on a visit last week."

 

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WR of interest for the Ravens

The Senior Bowl, NFL draft combine and first week of pro days are complete. This week brings another slate of campus-based workouts, and for the Baltimore Ravens, that means they'll get a closer look at Univ. of Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith.

Mike Duffy of BaltimoreRavens.com previewed the Terps' event, speculating that Smith may elect to sit on his impressive numbers from the combine (a 4.43 40-yard dash and 41-inch vertical).

The Ravens will certainly send some representatives down I-95 for the event, in spite of the possibility that Smith won't perform the tests of physicality again. As Ravens director of pro personnel Eric De Costa explains, pro days are "another piece of the puzzle. ... The positional workouts are important. We get to be down there close, which we don't get to do at the combine. And, our coaches can see the guys up close."

Over on the ESPN AFC North blog, James Walker doesn't think Smith -- or another deep threat WR -- is worthy of the team's first-round selection:

- Tim Kavanagh

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James Walker
There's another more pressing need

"A first-round receiver would be, at best, a No. 3 option for the Ravens. A first-round right tackle has a chance to start in Week 1."

 

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Watkins a hot commodity

Monday, we updated the teams possibly in the hunt for former Canadian firefighter-turned-offensive lineman Danny Watkins. Watkins played tackle for Baylor, but is being projected to play guard at the NFL level.

Wednesday, Watkins will work out for the Baltimore Ravens and St. Louis Rams, according to Aaron Wilson of National Football Post. In addition to the Rams and Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears have conducted workouts with Watkins, and the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are also believed to have interest.

ESPN AFC North blogger James Walker has a feeling that Watkins is a fit for that division:

- Tim Kavanagh

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James Walker
He'd fill a need for any of the four

"Watkins is a prospect to watch for this division. To some degree, every AFC North team has questions on the offensive line, and Watkins could be a target late in the first round or early in the second round."

 

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Niners eyeing QBs

Though Alex Smith met with new San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh prior to the ban on all coach-player contact, it's important to remember that he's poised to hit free agency this offseason, and the Niners did not take the opportunity to extend his deal when they could. Smith may eventually be back, but it's assumed that the team will also acquire some additional options through the draft, free agency or a trade.

The general consensus in the mock drafts being published is that the Niners will focus on the defensive side of the ball with their top pick (No. 7 overall). But when it's their turn in the second and third rounds, this may be their time to strike.

According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, both Harbaugh and Niners general manager Trent Baalke will attend the pro day for Nevada prospects, and that includes QB Colin Kaepernick. Barrows also notes that TCU's Andy Dalton, Florida St.'s Christian Ponder and Iowa's Ricky Stanzi are believed to be under consideration by the team.

Though some mock drafts are compiled without the possibility of teams trading, Barrows' own version had both the Carolina Panthers and the 49ers trading back into the bottom of the first to select Ponder and Kaepernick, respectively.

 

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Titans, Mallett a match?

Following Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett's pro day performance last week, much fun was had with his pedestrian 40-yard dash time. However, based on the throwing portions of the session, Bucky Brooks of NFL.com opined that Mallett had hammered his way back into the first round.

One of the teams most in need of QB help this offseason is the Tennessee Titans -- Vince Young is being shown the door, Kerry Collins' return is uncertain and Rusty Smith is still a bit green. So it's not surprising to read the report from Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean that the Titans will have a pre-draft visit with Mallett on April 12-13.

It's not certain that the Titans will take a QB with their first-round pick (No. 8 overall); moreover, if Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert are off the board, we don't know whether they like Mallett enough to use that pick on him. But given this sign of public interest, they may want everyone to at least think they're interested.

 

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RB option for the Broncos

The University of Illinois is staging a pro day for its draft prospects on Tuesday, including potential first-round picks Corey Liuget (a defensive tackle) and Mikel Leshoure (a running back). With the second overall pick, the Denver Broncos are unlikely to take either man. But given that they have three other picks in the draft's Top 70, we could see the Broncos move around a bit to position themselves to draft one of the two Illini.

In fact, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, Leshoure fits what new head coach John Fox prefers in his RBs.

The news is not all good for Mikel (and others at his position), however, as Todd McShay wrote earlier this pre-draft season that using a high draft pick on a tailback may not be the smartest investment:

- Tim Kavanagh

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Todd McShay
Lack of production in first season

"It seems clear that running back is no longer one of the positions at which NFL rookies can make a significant impact. Many factors contribute to that, including the fact that more teams employ a running back-by-committee approach, along with the increased focus on the passing game. No matter the reasons, teams should approach this year's class warily because history says they might not get a significant boost from 2011 rookies."

 

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The case for Newton as No. 1 pick

Sunday, a report from National Football Post indicated that two specific teams were hot on the trail of quarterback Cam Newton: the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings.

But the main subject of speculation, debate, rumor-mongering and everything else is the Carolina Panthers' interest in the Auburn product. It's the Panthers that hold the No. 1 overall pick; so if they want him, they've got him.

In a column for the Charlotte Observer this week, Tom Sorensen writes that while Patrick Peterson or A.J. Green will likely pay dividends to the teams that draft them right out of the gate, the chance at getting a long-term franchise QB is too much to pass up. Such a player has eluded the franchise since its inception.

We've got six weeks and a day until the draft begins, so the Panthers have time to weigh their options.

- Tim Kavanagh

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Pat Yasinskas
Panthers may use the Freeman plan

"I know Tom well and he wouldn't be writing this if he didn't have a pretty strong vibe. Sorensen also brings up the point that it might be wise to sign a veteran to allow Newton some time to absorb the game. If he's on the sideline, that's not going to sit well with Carolina fans, who can be a little impatient and certainly have a right to be after what has gone on recently. But think back to how Tampa Bay handled Josh Freeman's rookie year. The plan was to make sure he didn't start for the first half of that season. In the long run, that turned out to be a great move."

 

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Taylor a first-rounder?

With the prevalence of the 3-4 defense in the NFL -- and the importance of the nose tackle to that formation -- a young draft prospect that projects to being able to handle the rigors of playing NT can stick out, even in a draft that is as stacked with D-linemen as this one.

Such could be the case for Baylor product Phil Taylor. "Don't see him getting out of the first round," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock recently said, per Evan Silva of NBCSports.com. "I must have gotten five phone calls after his pro day, people just raving about him."

Four teams in the Top 10 run a 3-4 -- the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins -- though there are bigger needs elsewhere for each. The Houston Texans sit at No. 11, and they will need an NT as they make the switch to a 3-4, but help in the secondary is a more pressing concern (to put it mildly). The next possibilities are the San Diego Chargers at No. 18, the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 21 and the Jets at No. 30. The Miami Dolphins just used their franchise tag on Paul Soliai, so it wouldn't make a lot of sense to use a first-round pick on another NT.

- Tim Kavanagh

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Rich Cimini
Can't see Taylor getting past the Jets

"Nose tackle is a 'money' position in Ryan's defense, along with outside linebacker and cornerback. If Taylor is there, the Jets will have a hard time passing."

 

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QB options for Dolphins

An idea made the rounds recently that the longer the impasse between the NFL and the players' trade association lasts, the more likely it will be that Chad Henne will be the Dolphins' starting quarterback this fall.

But it's unlikely that the Dolphins won't give themselves at least one more viable option, and with free agency and trades still a far-off idea, the draft remains the primary method of player acquisition. According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, the team has "every intention" of drafting a QB this April.

That doesn't mean the No. 15 overall pick will be a QB, and maybe not even in the second-round, either. But one player to keep in mind is Colin Kaepernick, with whom the team has scheduled a workout later this month, per Salguero. Though two or three QBs might go in Round 1, Kaepernick and many others will be available in later rounds, and this may make more sense given that the new rookie may have a truncated offseason program this summer.

- Tim Kavanagh

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Mel Kiper, Jr.
Only Locker grades out higher than Henne did

"Henne never had the grade Locker did. But they both have accuracy and consistency issues. Locker is a much better athlete. He has tremendous mobility. He can be a real factor moving the football. The issue is that he doesn't seem tremendously instinctive. He's an enigma. You wish his completion percentage were higher and that he didn't have that disasterous game against Nebraska. But he's interesting. Ponder and Mallet are similar. Locker will have a higher grade than Henne and Ponder and Mallet will be right in line with Henne."

 

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Smith's stock sliding

In as much as negative media reports can sway a draft prospect's stock, Jimmy Smith's value in the draft has certainly taken a hit in recent weeks. There were questions on Smith due to some off-field issues prior to the pre-draft season, and according to a number of reports, those concerns were not allayed at the NFL draft combine.

In fact, Smith has been completely removed from some teams' draft boards, according to a report this week from Draftinsider.net.

In order to maintain a sense of balance on Smith, it's important to read the words of Ashley Ambrose, a 13-year NFL vet who was Smith's defensive backs coach at Colorado before leaving in January. "I never had a problem with Jimmy," Ambrose confirmed, per the Detroit Free Press. "When I said be at meetings, he was there 10 minutes early. That was the thing with Jimmy. Now, his freshman and sophomore year it would have been totally different. But if I said something then he'd adhere to it, and he was vocal with the other guys, he became a leader. A vocal leader."

Ambrose also indicated to the paper that he'd have no reservations in taking Smith with a high draft pick. Now it's up to teams like the Houston Texans, Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars to make that decision for themselves (provided that Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara are off the board).

- Tim Kavanagh

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Mel Kiper, Jr.
Possibility for the Ravens

"He's a top 15 guy on talent. He's a CB with a lot of ability and a lot of physical talent. He's 6-2, 210, had a 36 vertical and ran a 4.43. Very experienced player. If he's there for Baltimore, he would have to be a guy to look at. Teams at 20-32 would have to look at him."

 

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Carter in consideration by Lions

The Detroit Lions completed a visit with UNC linebacker Bruce Carter on Wednesday, according to DetroitLions.com, and at least in Carter's view, so far so good.

"I think everything went really well," Carter opined, per the site. "They have great facilities, coaches are great. The Lions are a team that's on the rise, so they've got everything going for them. I feel like it would be a great fit for me, but it's not up to me to decide."

The idea of Carter landing with the Lions is not a new one. As we know, the Lions likely need to add two new starting LBs this offseason -- though GM Martin Mayhew was adamant that Ashlee Palmer and Bobby Carpenter were legitimate NFL starters -- and back on Feb. 24, we passed along the analysis from Tom Kowalski of MLive.com that Carter would be a good target for the team. Had he remained healthy throughout his final season at UNC, the physical freak might've been a first-round pick. And as long as that knee injury is healing properly, the Lions may get a steal if he drops to them at their second-round pick (No. 44 overall).

 

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Injury update on Bowers

Earlier this week, we made note of the reports being floated that defensive end prospect Da'Quan Bowers was sliding down draft boards as a result both of his knee injury and because of a lack of transparency on his recovery.

However, on Thursday morning, Aaron Wilson of National Football post reported word from a source close to the situation, who said that Bowers' "knee is great." The source also indicated that Bowers "has been training without limitation for a long time now."

In spite of the alleged draft board slide that's been occurring, Bowers has visits lined up with a number of the Top 10 teams in the draft order, including the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and the Tennessee Titans.

Our dual draft experts have Bowers falling to Tennessee and Cleveland, respectively:

- Tim Kavanagh

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Mel Kiper, Jr.
Two first-round DEs in a row for Titans

"A tremendous natural pass-rusher, Bowers falls a little because of needs elsewhere before this pick and because of some very small but lingering questions about his knee. He was unable to work out in Indy as a precaution with his recovery. Tennessee targeted its pass rush in the first round last year, but Bowers simply represents too much value at this position and with the pass rush still in need of an upgrade, he provides immediate help as well."

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Todd McShay
Bowers fills a massive need

"New defensive coordinator Dick Jauron is leading the transition to a 4-3 scheme and needs to find the proper personnel along the front seven, and finding a traditional 4-3 end is a top priority this offseason. Bowers is an ideal fit, with the power, quickness an instincts to be an every-down end in the NFL. He might fall this far only because of lingering concerns about recent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, but if the Browns can get Bowers they will certainly be happy."

 

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More ideas for the Bears at No. 29

The Chicago Bears came within a game of the Super Bowl during the 2010 season, and as they reload for another run in 2011, mock drafters the world over have sent them a variety of prospects.

As a service to his loyal readers, John Mullin of CSN Chicago provided a round-up of more recent mocks, noting which player gets taken with the Bears' first pick at No. 29 overall.

Of the three mocks cited by Mullin, the Bears go O-line across the board: Mike Pouncey, Derek Sherrod or Orlando Franklin.

Though the offensive line was a bit of a problem for the Bears in 2010, a selection on the defensive line -- especially a replacement for departed under tackle Tommie Harris -- would also be a logical pick. One player that could fill that role is Temple product Muhammad Wilkerson, a 315-pounder with elite pass-rushing skills. Of course, given that Wilkerson's stock is rising quickly as pre-draft season continues, he might not be available that late. In fact, ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr. bumps the DT up to the Top 10 on his latest Big Board.

 

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Second-round options for Niners

As the pre-draft season continues, we're starting to see the speculation move from the first round into the second -- Todd McShay of ESPN's Scouts, Inc. goes two rounds deep in his latest mock, for instance.

Continuing that trend, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee passes along a few names that the San Francisco 49ers might be considering as their second-round pick on April 29.

Barrows operates under the hypothetical that the Niners have already drafted a quarterback in Round 1, or don't like the QBs available at No. 45 overall, so the team's other big need (an edge pass-rusher) is the one addressed in the second. As a result, with the help of Matt Miller of New Era Scouting, he sees five possibilities with that pick: Brooks Reed, Justin Houston, Akeem Ayers, Sam Acho and Bruce Carter.

 

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Teams ponder drafting Christian

Though Florida St. quarterback Christian Ponder performed well at the Senior Bowl -- garnering MVP honors -- and at the NFL draft combine, there were still questions on some of his abilities, including throwing the deep ball. According to the reports published following his pro day on Wednesday, he appears to have alleviated some of those concerns.

"He had a real good day," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher beamed, per the Associated Press. "Especially with guys he'd never thrown with." Due to none of the FSU wide receivers being eligible to participate as targets for Ponder -- and the labor strife creating a situation where current NFL players couldn't participate either -- former NFL WR Isaac Bruce was called in for duty.

Ponder will now go through a battery of team visits as the next step in the process. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean believes that Ponder has now separated himself from the second-round ranks, and possibly moved himself into the bottom portion of the first round.

While many of the QB-needy teams are in the top portion of the draft, it wouldn't be surprising to see one of those teams trade up from their second-round pick back into the first in order to secure Ponder.

 

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Mallett in Miami?

The good news about Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is that he's got an arm like Dan Marino. The bad news is that he's got feet like ... well, like Dan Marino. Add in questions about his maturity and rumors of drug use, and you've got one of the most difficult players to predict in this year's draft. He could go almost anywhere in the second round, or even move up into the first if one team gets desperate for a quarterback.

Could Mallett wind up on the Miami Dolphins? Dolphins writer Jesse Agler asks that question and comes up with mixed results. He cites Rob Rang of CBSSports.com in saying that Mallett could be the second coming of Joe Flacco, but also quotes Wes Bunting of the National Football Post as saying Mallett makes a lot of "terrible" throws, and that he's "not that impressive as a prospect."

The Dolphins have the 15th pick in the first round, which is way too early for Mallett. Further, the Dolphins currently have no pick in the second round, having traded it to the Denver Broncos in the Brandon Marshall deal. However, Dolphins president Jeff Ireland told Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., that he wants to trade back into the round. "We're always looking to try to do that. As of right now we don't have one, but who knows, on game day, draft day we'll have one."

If the Dolphins like Mallett and he lasts into the second, they may have no choice but to make someone an offer they can't refuse.

 

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Browns to pass on Green?

By any measure of receiving firepower, the Cleveland Browns were shooting blanks in 2010 -- the hapless squad ranked in the bottom three teams in the league in receiving yards, touchdowns, first downs, and average gain per catch. With the sixth pick in April's draft, they should have a chance to take Georgia's A.J. Green, the consensus pick as the top wideout available. Is there any reason the Browns should pass on the playmaker?

Absolutely, says ESPN AFC North blogger James Walker. He notes that the best wide receivers in the league (naming Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, and Larry Fitzgerald) often play for losing teams, while the best teams in the league (including division rivals in the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens) are always heavily stocked on the defensive line:

- Vince Verhei

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James Walker
Scheme change affects draft needs.

"The Browns are switching to a 4-3 defense next season under first-year head coach Pat Shurmur and new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron, and they will get run over in this physical division if they don't add monsters up front. Cleveland's pass rush also is important, and the team doesn't have anyone in the front seven whose specialty is getting to the quarterback."

 

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Jets' draft plans

As Rich Cimini of ESPN New York notes, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan was among the visitors from Gang Green in Champaign, Ill., for the Fighting Illini's pro day. Cimini lists three potential first-round picks from Illinois. The first to go off the board will likely be defensive tackle Corey Liuget, but it's unclear how he would fit in the Jets' 3-4 scheme. Running back Mikel Lishoure could also go in the first round, but the Jets won't be taking a running back that early.

That leaves linebacker Martez Wilson as the most likely target on the Jets' draft board.

"Indeed, Ryan may have been there to see Wilson (6-4, 250), whose stock has been rising since last month's scouting combine," Cimini writes. "Wilson blazed a 4.42 in the 40, fastest among linebackers. He played inside linebacker in college, but some believe he can make the switch to outside linebacker in a 3-4 -- and that's what the Jets are looking for."

Nothing about the draft is ever set in stone, though. "Various reports, however, said Wilson didn't fare well in the workout, struggling in position drills," Cimini writes. "Another potential red flag: Wilson suffered a disc injury in his neck in the 2009 opener and missed the rest of the season. He came back last season to start 13 games, finishing with 11.5 tackles for loss and four sacks."

 

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Lions ready to pounce on OL?

The Detroit Lions continued their schedule of official visits by hosting two more prospects on Thursday: Pittsburgh defensive end Greg Romeus and Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Taking Pouncey is a tricky proposition for the Lions. Generally, he's being given a mid- to late-first round projection, so the idea there is that they could trade down if they were sold on drafting him. On the other hand, with some pretty big needs elsewhere, it might be smarter to pass on bolstering the interior O-line with their top pick.

 

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Falcons have a need for speed

ESPN NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas crafted an insightful column elaborating on the Atlanta Falcons' need for a speedy wide receiver, including this interesting nugget culled from data provide by ESPN's Stats and Information group:

"On passes of 21 yards or more downfield, Matt Ryan completed 38.5 percent of his passes to Roddy White and three of them went for touchdowns. When throwing that same distance for other receivers, Ryan only completed 16 percent of his passes for one touchdown."

So, Ryan needs a secondary downfield threat behind White. One player that might be able to fill this role is Jerrel Jernigan, a Troy product who recently had a private workout attended by Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff, head coach Mike Smith and offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In Ledbetter's view, this signifies that Jernigan is under serious consideration.

Jernigan, a QB in high school, has run a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash, and when asked to compare himself to a current pro, went with DeSean Jackson. "At Troy, I didn't get a lot (of press coverage). I can get off of press, but I just didn't see it a lot in the conference I played in. But I can get off press. I can play outside or inside."

Some feel that the Falcons are all but certain to take a pass-rushing defensive end in the first round (No. 27 overall), and it would appear that Jernigan is in the mix for them in the second. [Editor's note: He wasn't selected in Todd McShay's latest mock (which went two rounds deep), so it's possible].