Month: March 2015

Connecticut wide receiver Geremy Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds today at his campus Pro Day workout.
Davis is regarded as a rising draft prospect with several NFL teams expected to rank him on their draft boards between the third round and fifth round.
Davis had no dropped passes this season.
Davis also performed well at the NFL scouting combine.
He bench pressed 225 pounds 23 times at the combine, with a 36.5-inch vertical leap and a 10-4 broad jump.
The 6-foot-3, 216-pounder caught 44 passes for 521 yards and three touchdowns last season.
As a junior, Davis caught 71 passes for 1,085 yards and three touchdowns.
During his sophomore year, the Georgia native caught 44 passes for 613 yards and a touchdown
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun

The Chicago Bears signed running back Jacquizz Rodgers to a one-year contract.
Rodgers played his first four NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
He was a fifth-round pick out of Oregon State in 2011.
Rodgers rushed for 1,116 career yards and five touchdowns and caught 155 passes for 1,104 yards and five touchdowns.
The 5-foot-6, 190-pounder averaged 24 yards on kickoff returns.
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun

The San Diego Chargers signed offensive guard Michael Huey.
They cut center Jeff Baca and nose tackle Chas Alecxih.
Huey signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2011 after going undrafted out of Texas.
He started 20 games in four seasons for the Longhorns.
The Chargers cut Huey in training camp.
Huey played for the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena League, winning three consecutive Arena Bowl titles and being named All-Arena League. Huey was on the Washington Redskins’ practice squad briefly last season.
Baca split time between the practice squad and 53-man roster in 2014, and was active for games against the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs.  Alecxih spent the entire season on the practice squad after being released at the end of training camp.
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun

The Oakland Raiders cut veteran defensive lineman Antonio Smith.
In 10 years with the Houston Texans, Smith has 324 tackles, 41.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and 11 fumble recoveries
Starting every game last season for the Raiders, Smith had 20 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble.
The Texans could pursue Smith now that he’s been released.
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft testified today that former tight end Aaron Hernandez told him he was innocent when he asked him if he was involved in murdering Odin Lloyd.
“I understood there was an incident that had transpired, and I wanted to know whether he was involved, and if he was — any player that comes into our system, I consider part of our extended family, and I wanted to get him help,” Kraft said. “He said he was not involved, that he was innocent and that he hoped that the time of the murder incident came out because he said he was in a club.”
Kraft said the conversation was at Gillette Stadium.
“He hugged and kissed me and thanked me for my concern,” Kraft said.
Kraft, while leaving the courthouse said: “It’s very sad.”
When asked if he has sympathy for Lloyd, Kraft replied: “Yes, a man died.”
Patriots security director Mark Briggs said he spoke with Hernandez, saying: “I asked him why he’d lawyered up.”
“He swore on his baby’s life that he was telling the truth,” Briggs said.
Hernandez was asked to leave the stadium the next day.
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider

Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun

The Indianapolis Colts signed veteran wide receiver Vincent Brown to a one-year contract.
Brown is a former San Diego Chargers third-round draft pick from San Diego State.
Brown has 72 career receptions for 919 yards and three touchdowns.
Brown caught 12 passes for 118 yards in seven games last season with the Oakland Raiders.
Brown caught 41 passes for 472 yards and one touchdown in 2012.
Brown was an All-Mountain West Conference selection in college as a senior when he had 1,342 receiving yards.
He had 23 career touchdowns and 13 career 100-yard games.
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun

The Carolina Panthers signed veteran linebacker Jason Trusnik to a one-year deal.
He previously visited the New York Jets.
Trusnik, 30, is a former undrafted Jets free agent who played for the Miami Dolphins the past four seasons. He had 48 tackles and an interception last season.
Trusnik has also played for the Cleveland Browns. For his career, Trusnik has 220 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks.
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun

Notre Dame tight end Ben Koyack ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 and 4.76 seconds at his Pro Day workout.
NFL scouts have been impressed with Koyack’s athleticism and intelligence.
The 6-foot-4, 257-pounder had a 30-inch vertical leap and a 9-8 broad jump.
He had a 4.52 20-yard shuttle, 12.20 in the long shuttle, a 7.32 three-cone drill and he bench pressed 225 pounds 16 times.,
He caught the football well during his positional drills today, which were run by the Pittsburgh Steelers’ tight end coach.
Koyack caught 30 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns last season and was named an All-Independent selection.
He Ppayed in all 13 games in 2013 with five starts finishing with 10 catches and three touchdowns.
Growing up in Oil City, Pa., he caught 62 passes for more than 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns his senior season, and was named first-team all-state.
Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider
Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun

The Sports Quotient’s annual Draft Preview series returns! Over the course of the 10 weeks leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft, we will take a look at the top NFL prospects at each position. This seventh week, the focus is on offensive linemen. Today’s O-line prospect is T.J. Clemmings from Pitt.

College Career

A second-team All-American and first-team All-ACC pick in 2014, T.J. Clemmings began his career at Pitt as a defensive end. Following a redshirt adjustment year during his third year at Pitt, Clemmings started 13 games at right tackle each of his final two seasons. A 2015 Senior Bowl pick, Clemmings helped lead the Pitt Panthers to the 16th best rushing game in the country.

Pros

At 6’5″ and 309 pounds with 35″ arms, Clemmings is the perfect size for an NFL tackle. His athleticism and explosiveness set him apart in this class, as his nimbleness can allow him to block more effectively for shifty running backs. His experience at defensive end earlier in his college career gives an idea of how athletic he can be in the trenches. 

Cons

For being a first round talent, Clemmings is pretty inexperienced. Coming off only his second season at strictly right tackle, the former defensive end has a lot of growing room. In some ways this could be a strength, but it means the Panther product is further from making an impact in his rookie season. 

Grade

Needing to fill out a bit more and gain more confidence in his new(ish) position, Clemmings remains something of a project. However, his physical frame and skill set he already wields is a fantastic start. While Clemmings may not be able to jump right in on the first day of camp and make a difference, he could see a lot of playing time from a contender, especially if he falls late in the draft. Expect to hear his name being mentioned in a team’s success in the playoff push weeks.

Best Fit

The best spot I see for Clemmings is Tampa Bay, but only assuming they take Jameis Winston with the 1st overall pick. I don’t really see Clemmings staying on the board through to the second round, but if he remains available, then the Buccaneers need to grab him to protect their new franchise quarterback.