NFL Draft Rumors: Jaguars, Watkins, Dennard, Bills, Garoppolo, Savage & Draft Visits

 

Jaguars

• Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports that South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney will arrive in Jacksonville tonight.
• Peter Schrager reports that Texas A&M WR Mike Evans is also among the NFL prospects meeting with the Jaguars on Wednesday.
• Ian Rapoport reports that BYU OLB Kyle Van Noy and Notre Dame DL Stephon Tuitt are also visiting with the Jaguars.
• O’Halloran reports that Alabama QB A.J. McCarron will also meet with the Jaguars on Thursday.

Jacksonville is reportedly hosting QBs Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr,and Jimmy Garoppolo, as well as LB Khalil Mack and OT Greg Robinson. 

The Jaguars are clearly doing their home work on all available options at the top of the draft. Evans offers plenty of size at the receiver position and has phenomenal catch radius, but it would be surprising to see him drafted ahead of Sammy Watkins.

We have the Jaguars selecting LB Khalil Mack at No. 3 overall in our most recent 2014 NFL Mock Draft.

Sammy Watkins

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Clemson WR Sammy Watkins will workout for the Rams on Monday.

Ian Rapoport reports that Lions Vice Chairman Bill Ford Jr was at the team’s facility on Tuesday and did meet with Watkins during his visit. Rapoport adds that it would obviously require a trade for the Lions to land Watkins, but he believes this could be something to watch.

Rapoport previously mentioned that there is a “really strong” connecting the Lions and Watkins.

We have the Watkins going to the Browns at No. 4 overall in our most recent 2014 NFL Mock Draft.

Darqueze Dennard

Gil Brandt reports that Michigan State CB Darqueze Dennard visiting Rams Thursday and the Bengals and Jets next week.

There has been buzz in recent weeks that Dennard’s stock could actually be lower than many expect.

• Matt Miller of the Bleacher Report mentions that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Dennard drop into the second-round of this year’s draft.
• Lance Zierlein of the Sideline View previously mentioned that the NFL is “absolutely not” as high on Dennard as the Internet is.

We have Dennard going to the Steelers at No. 15 overall in our most recent 2014 NFL Mock Draft, but we may have to adjust that next week.

Bills

The Bills announced that Texas A&M OT Jake Matthews and Louisville LB Preston Brown both visited with the team.

The Bills currently hold the No. 9 overall selection in this years draft, so there is a chance that Matthews could be available to them depending on how things play out at the top of the draft.

Buffalo has Cordy Glenn in place as their starting left tackle, but were forced to rely on Erik Pears at right tackle last year.

Pears, 31, appeared in all 16 games for the Bills last season, but was rated as the No. 56 offensive tackle in the league by Pro Football Focus. According to their ratings, Pears was a solid pass-protector, but unfortunately rated as the third-worst run-blocking tackle.

Matthews should be able to step in and produce from day one, so this could be something to watch in the coming weeks.

We have the Bills selecting UNC TE Eric Ebron at No. 9 overall in our most recent 2014 NFL Mock Draft.

Jimmy Garoppolo

Dane Brugler of CBS Sports reports that after taking the “current pulse of this quarterback draft class,” Easteran Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo is “quietly a very coveted player.”

Garoppolo is working out for the Jaguars on Wednesday and will visit with the Browns later this week, per Tony Grossi.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper previously mentioned that Garoppolo has the most upside of any quarterback in this year’s draft and Charley Casserly of the NFL Network believes he is the best quarterback based on his game tape.

We have Garoppolo going to the Jaguars in the second round of our most recent 2014 NFL Mock Draft.

Tom Savage

According to Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network, the buzz surrounding Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage is “legitimate.“

Jeremiah adds that Savage’s name “keeps coming up” when talking to decision makers around the league.

Gil Brandt has been a big Savage supporter for months now and recently compared his arm to Troy Aikman’s. Brandt believes Savage could be a top-40 prospect.

ESPN’s Todd McShay mentioned that Savage “could be a second-round pick” on the First Draft Podcast.

NFL Draft Visits:

• Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas is working out for the Patriots Wednesday. (Tony Pauline)
• LSU QB Zach Mettenberger met with the Raiders Tuesday night. (Tony Pauline)
• Chip Kelly and Mike Tomlin were both present for Penn State WR Allen Robinson’s Pro Day. (CBS Sports)
• Clemson DB Bashaud Breeland visited the Raiders on Tuesday. (Aaron Wilson)
• Boise State OL Charles Leno will work out for the Patriots on Wednesday. (Aaron Wilson)
• Rutgers WR Brandon Coleman worked out for Eagles WR coach Bob Bicknell on Monday. (Tony Pauline)
• Virginia Tech WR D.J. Cole is working out for the Patriots Wednesday. (Tony Pauline)