NFL News and Notes: Draft on the Horizion

The NFL Draft is rapidly approaching many teams already know they’ll be drafting high and are looking ahead to the off-season to improve their rosters through free agency and the draft. Other teams like the Eagles, Cowboys, Jets, Titans, Raiders, Bengals to name a few are fighting and clawing (though with some of the Sunday performances you wouldn’t know it) to make the playoffs, but in two weeks they too will turn their attention to the off-season and the draft. Here is the “word” about what’s happening with the N.F.L. draft.

The Oklahoman writes that Landry Jones can improve his stock by returning for the 2012 College Football season, though the writer seems to think Jones has played better than his perception has him playing. The writer quotes Todd McShay,

“You start to look at Landry Jones as the one big faller, in my opinion. Landry Jones (hurt his stock) with inconsistency throughout the year and, really, falling apart when Ryan Broyles, his go-to wide receiver, got injured. In those last three games – they lost two of them – zero touchdown passes, five interceptions. That’s not getting it done without the one wide receiver. It really looks like he lost his confidence.” 

Here’s the point, going back to McShay: Jones should come back, because this is currently what people think of him. Helpless without Broyles. The culprit of the Sooners’ slide. Couldn’t be much farther from the truth, but why fight it? Play one more season, prove yourself in 2012 and be one of the first quarterbacks – maybe thefirst – to be taken in 2013.

These are a few days old, but Profootball Weekly has their All American team and Robert Griffin III parent’s are reportedly talking to agents

In Rob Rang’s most recent big board update he has a few surprised. WR Kendall Wright makes it all the way to 15th overall, Dontari Poe is 19th and Nic Perry is up at 25th overall. I think Perry is a player that can definitely surprise leading up to the draft. He has an awful lot of ability and this class is lacking bona-fide studs at pass rushers. I could see Perry ending up in the late first round. Our Big board deviates from Rang’s pretty significantly.

Buffalobillsdraft.com has a look at the HBCU Bowl All Star Game This link also takes a look at the breakdown of the players throughout the week including video. There aren’t many huge names there, but one name to keep a look out for is Adrian Hamilton who plays Prarie View. Hamilton is 6’3 255 pounds and extremely productive as a pass rusher who had about 20 sacks this year. I haven’t seen him play live yet, though. Buffalbills draft also has a constantly updated underclassman draft tracker

Wes Buntin of National Football Post loves him some Ryan Tannehill. Bunting’s big board is always a little bit different, but there is no mistaken this. Tannehill, right now has the 3rd highest grade for draft prospects

Though he is behind both Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. Tannehill is a player with a lot of upside. He just started playing quarterback after being one of the most productive wide receivers in Texas A and M’s history. He his extremely athletic and has all the tools, but he needs a lot of refinement.

Phinphanatic’s Stephen Deyerle thinks that the New York Jets might be inclined to make a push for Peyton Manning this off-season. This is something I’ve wondered for awhile too. Would the Jets dare go out and try to get Peyton Manning. The Jets have a really plus defense imagine if they could get a quarterback like Peyton Manning. It might cost them their future, but this is a team that is close to a Superbowl appearance, and Peyton Manning could push them over the top. There is just my own and Stephen’s speculation and no sources news or anything of that nature. But it is an intriguing possibility to consider, if the Colts are even inclined to trade away their first pick.

Be sure to check out our scouting report page, we added some new scouting reports over the weekend like Utah State RB Robert Turbin.