Two of the biggest names in the upcoming NFL Draft, and possibly the first two picks taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans, will reportedly not attend the live event in Chicago.
According to Adam Schefter Marcus Mariota will not attend the draft and will spend the day in Hawaii with his family.
Marcus Mariota told NFL it is important to him, personally and culturally, to be in Hawaii to celebrate next step in life. No draft for him.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 31, 2015
Family considerations may knock Jameis Winston out of a trip to Chicago because his grandmother can’t travel. Winston told the NFL Network after his Pro Day at Florida State where he completed 91 out of 102 throws. The last time a No. 1 pick didn’t attend the draft was in 1994 when Ohio State defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals.
While at one point considered a high risk to draft, Winston has been on a full damage control tour since his season ended at Florida State with a loss to Alabama in the semifinal game of the new FBS college football playoff. It’s worked and Winston seems a lock to be picked by the Bucs at No. 1. Even Winston himself made it clear Tuesday, saying that he’s “the best player in the draft.”
https://vine.co/v/OLTvVOJPWBK
I think Mariota goes No. 2 to the Titans, but other mock drafts have him going anywhere from the New York Jets at six or the St. Louis Rams at 10.
Five teams were on hand to watch Winston’s Pro Day Tuesday, including the Buccaneers. The NFL Network’s cameras even caught Winston laughing with Bucs coach Lovie Smith during the workout.
https://vine.co/v/OLTTzDMeZE7
Jones lays down a sub-4.4 40-yard dash at UConn’s Pro Day
Byron Jones got the world’s attention by setting a new world record in the broad jump at the NFL Combine last month, but Tuesday he may have moved into the first round of the NFL draft with a 4.36 40-yard dash at the University of Connecticut’s Pro Day.
“@rg_xii: You see him! That's what I'm talkin about! “@UCTVCHANNEL14: Byron Jones 2nd try is a 4.3 pic.twitter.com/9Cgbf6Tshb””he floating
— ForeignMoneyBoyz (@foreignmoneyboy) March 31, 2015
During the combine Jones, still recovering from a shoulder injury that kept him from running in the 40, leapt 12-feet-3 inches in the broad jump and 44.5 inches in the vertical jump.
Ravens add QB Schaub to depth chart
The Baltimore Ravens added a little security to their quarterback situation Tuesday, signing veteran Matt Schaub to a one-year contract worth $3 million according to the Ravens’ website.
Before adding Schaub, the Ravens had only sixth-round pick Keith Wenning under contract backing up Joe Flacco. Wenning has never thrown an NFL pass. Schaub has thrown plenty in his career, starting seven years for the Houston Texans. Last season Schaub backed up Derek Carr in Oakland and threw just 10 passes.
Raiders cut Antonio Smith
Defensive tackle Antonio Smith is looking for work again for the second consecutive season after getting cut by the Oakland Raiders. Cutting Smith gives the Raiders an extra $3.2 million in cap space.
Smith started all 16 games for the Raiders last season, though you wouldn’t know it from his stats. Smith had 20 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble and at 6-foot-3, 290 pounds he’s not even taking up a lot of space on the line. There’s reports that he could end back up with the Houston Texans, the team that drafted him in 2004 in the fifth round. Smith had his best season in 2012 with 30 tackles and seven sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Colts add Vincent Brown to wide receiver corps
The Colts have been busy updating their wide receiver unit this offseason, with the biggest addition coming a couple of weeks ago with former Texans wideout Andre Johnson. Tuesday they added free agent Vincent Brown. Brown spent most of last season injured with the Oakland Raiders. Brown is a rising talent, with 41 catches for 472 yards and a touchdown in 2013 with the San Diego Chargers.
Brown was a star in college for San Diego State. His senior year he caught 69 passes for 1,352 yards and 10 touchdowns, finishing his career as the fourth leading receiver in school history. Brown was the Poinsettia Bowl Co-MVP with eight catches for 165 yards. His 13 100-yard receiving games with the Aztecs is tied for tops in San Diego State history.
