NFL Rumors: Draft, Jerry Jeudy, Joe Flacco

Draft

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says in addition to the consensus top-four offensive tackles, there’s a second tier of four more offensive tackles who could end up going in the first round — USC’s Austin Jackson, Houston’s Josh Jones, Boise State’s Ezra Cleveland and Georgia’s Isaiah Wilson.
• Breer mentions Texas Tech LB Jordyn Brooks as a player who could sneak into the back of the first round. 
• Breer thinks the lack of interior offensive line depth in this class could push Michigan C Cesar Ruiz into the first round while LSU C Lloyd Cushenberry won’t be far behind Ruiz. 
• Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline reports nearly half the league has failed Alabama DE Terrell Lewis on his medical evaluations. 
• Pauline says evaluators he spoke to were disappointed in Utah DT Leki Fotu, who had the physical skillset of a first-round pick and could still go in the third round, but was inconsistent last season. 
• USC WR Michael Pittman Jr. is graded by one team as a top-15 player, per Pauline. 
• Meanwhile, there’s a solid difference of opinion on USC OT Austin Jackson, with some teams grading him as a legitimate first-round talent and others seeing him as a second-round pick. 
• While there’s a wide disparity in how teams view the cornerbacks after the top two, Pauline says it’s looking like LSU CB Kristian Fulton, Clemson CB A.J. Terrell and Utah CB Jaylon Johnson will end up in the first round. 
• Pauline adds Alabama CB Trevon Diggs and TCU CB Jeff Gladney are looking more like second-round picks, while Auburn CB Noah Igbinoghene could go high in the second round. 
• NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero lists five players who could be surprise first-round picks, starting with Notre Dame TE Cole Kmet who stands out in a weak class to one AFC coach: “If you want him, you’re going to have to take him late first or early, early second. Big dude, can catch, knows how to use his body. He’s probably one of the top inline Ys in the last couple years. Super smart. High character in every way.”
• Kmet’s teammate, Notre Dame DE Julian Okwara, also earned a mention from an NFC personnel director because of his athleticism: “I already counted him to be a clear 1. He’s a bright kid and he’s got other interests. But I think athletically, he can run and bend like no one else coming off the corner.”
• TCU WR Jalen Reagor is a candidate to sneak into the back end of the first round in a deep receiver class despite dealing with what one NFL coordinator termed horrid quarterback play: “The Reagor kid is interesting because his quarterback play was so atrocious. It’s hard to put that on him. But he wasn’t consistent either. He’s got return ability, too, so that’s where he separates himself a little bit.”
• Louisiana-Lafayette G Robert Hunt is someone an AFC scout could see get pushed up boards because of the run on offensive linemen: “Good player. Probably more of a right tackle/guard combo guy. I would see [him as] more of a Day 2 guy — but tackles go.”
• Some teams have character concerns with Ohio State CB Damon Arnette but others think his talent could push him into the first round for teams willing to overlook those issues: “To the kid’s credit, maybe it’s in his past. That’s what you’re banking on if you take him that high. What his saving grace will be is he f—ing loves ball.”
• Colorado WR Laviska Shenault Jr. says he’s recovered from the core muscle surgery he had on March 3: “I’m 100% already…If I was in season (this wk) they’d put me in practice by mid-week. So (I feel) clear..It was (slated as) a 6-8 wk recovery and I was feeling good starting the 5th wk…I’m feeling good.” (Josina Anderson)
• FIU QB James Morgan had multiple virtual pre-draft meetings with the Colts and has also generated interest from the Titans, Jets, Patriots, and Buccaneers. (Mike Wells)
• Seahawks GM John Schneider said it is his understanding that the 2020 NFL Draft will have an “honor system” in place, where teams negotiating trades will not have their pick skipped if they exceed the time limit. (Ed Werder)

Jerry Jeudy

• Natalie Egenolf of 975 The Fanatic in Philadelphia said Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy could see his stock drop due to an unreported knee issue, per a source. 
• NBC Sports’ Derrick Gunn corroborated her report, saying some teams have even taken Jeudy off their board in the first round.
• In an interview on the radio station, ESPN’s Adam Schefter called it a “lingering” knee issue for Jeudy. 
• However, Schefter doesn’t expect it to dramatically impact Jeudy’s draft position: “I am aware of those kind of issues, losing stock might be strong, instead of going 13, could he go 17th? I don’t think it’ll have a dramatic affect on his stock. He’s still a great wide receiver and I don’t see it having a major affect on his stock.”
• Jeudy’s agent, Chris Cabott, tweeted a rebuttal: “No issue here. The knee is fine. Jerry never missed a practice or a game in two years after the surgery. He never even needed treatment on the knee. Every team examined him at the Combine. No team saw anything that even required him to participate in the Combine recheck.”
• While NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports two teams expressed concern about Jeudy’s left knee at the Combine, Alabama team doctor Lyle Cain wrote all 32 teams a letter detailing the surgery, saying Jeudy “has not required any treatment” and is expected to move forward “without limitations.”
• Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller said numerous contacts in the top-15 picks don’t have any issues with Jeudy’s knee, and mentions this could be a ploy to get him to fall. 

Joe Flacco

• According to KUSA’s Mike Klis, there is expected to be interest in former Broncos QB Joe Flacco after the draft. His situation is on hold until he can take a physical but more medical offices are expected to open after May 1. 
• Flacco has said he would be open to taking a job as a backup quarterback.