NFL Rumors

Draft Rumors: Ryan Mallett, Marcus Cannon, Justin Houston, Christian Ballard

April 26, 2011

Here’s a collection of some of the days rumors that pertain to some NFL Draft prospects.

NFL Network’s Paul Burmeister reports that Ryan Mallett’s drug issues and “character issues” are documented by NFL GM’s. Brumeister says that this news comes from “off-the-record conversations with GMs and coordinators.”

NFL teams are “wondering if they want (Mallett) to be the face of their franchise,” said Burmeister.

This is the type of thing that could cause a Mallett to fall out of the the first-round and possibly even out of the second-round.

Every year there is a flurry of contrasting reports as the draft nears and as we’ve already noted, Mallett’s remains the biggest enigma of this years draft so it will be fascinating to see where he goes and who’s willing to take a chance on him.

Marcus Cannon:

The news broke earlier in the day that TCU G/T Marcus Cannon has a treatable form of lymphoma and will start chemotherapy sessions starting on Wednesday.

Cannon is said to have a growth on his groin region which could be life threating if it’s not treated.

NFL teams are certain to pass on him especially considering that the he was projected to go in the second-round of this years draft. As sad as it is, this may cause him to drop down into the last few rounds of the draft and possibly even out of the entire draft completely.

Justin Houston:

FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reports that Georgia DE Justin Houston tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine in February.

Houston is already considered a fringe first-round pick so this news will most likely push him back into the second-round but his talent should entice someone to take him before the third-round.

Christian Ballard:

In the same Jay Glazer report, he mentions that Iowa DE Christian Ballard also tested positive more marijuana but unfortunately for him, he is not consider to be as talented Houston so this news will push him down further and possibly into the third-round.

Obviously, both players weren’t taking the draft process as serious as it should have been taken and will most likely have a negative impact on their immediate future.