Commanders
- According to ESPN’s John Keim, a team source says the only quarterback the Commanders would have considered taking was Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker, and only if he had been available when they picked in the third round.
- Keim adds he’s been told by team sources that QB Sam Howell had a second-round grade on their board in 2022, and had they not traded for QB Carson Wentz, they would have targeted him in that range. Once he fell to the fifth round, the value was too much to pass on.
- The team wanted Howell to sit and learn because there were fundamentals he needed to refine, like his footwork. Commanders HC Ron Rivera cited a specific play last preseason where Howell’s lack of attention to detail in his dropback resulted in a sack instead of a pass attempt. Howell explained: “In college, we took the same drop for most of our pass plays. Here, every play you’ve got to know the exact drop and know how many hitches the ball has to come out in each progression.”
Cowboys
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said WR Brandin Cooks has provided veteran leadership in the locker room and has put his speed on display.
“The moment that guy showed up, just watching him in workouts and how he carries himself from drill-to-drill, what he does pre-workout and post-workout to take care of his body to have that speed,” Prescott said, via the team’s website. “When you throw it to him, it stands out, his speed is different from many others. He’s already been helping CeeDee, helping the young guys, playing cornerback to teach them the little nuances of route-running. It’s gonna be huge for me and huge for the room.”
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb said Cooks’ presence has been a huge benefit for his game and has helped provide guidance for him.
“I’m more of a visual learner and he’s more of a ‘let me show you’ type,” Lamb said. “Honestly if I have any questions, the first moment he stepped in, he said to ask and be open with him. Out of all the guys I’ve had ahead of me, I always pick their brain. That’s one thing I’m good at. In a situation like this, he can still run, he can still move, he’s very explosive. It’s good to have him a part of this team. [Cooks brings] excitement, speed. And of course that veteran leadership, you can’t have too much of it.”
Lamb believes the sky is the limit for the team offensively.
“Can’t really put a ceiling on us,” Lamb said. “As you can tell, we can score from anywhere, quite honestly. We just have to put it together.”
Giants
- According to Jeremy Fowler, the Giants believed the Chiefs and at least one other team were looking to move up in round one of this year’s draft, which is why they ultimately made the deal with the Jaguars to go up and get Maryland CB Deonte Banks.
- Fowler adds that the Giants think they could have two “impact corners” in Banks and sixth-round corner Tre Hawkins III.
- Per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, Giants first-round CB Deonte Banks believes he’ll be a terrific fit in New York’s scheme: “They play a lot of man, so if you know me, you know how I play man. It’s just a mentality thing. I just love doing it.”
- Giants HC Brian Daboll said third-round WR Jalin Hyatt would get a chance to factor into the competition to return punts: “Absolutely. We’ll put as many guys back there as we can to figure that one out.”
- Giants sixth-round CB Tre Hawkins downplayed the leap in the competition going from Old Dominion to the NFL: “Randy Moss, where did he go? He went to Marshall. There are greats everywhere, so the level of competition isn’t too much of a difference.”
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