#nfl-draft

#nfl-draft

A few hours before that news conference, the Rams traded pick No. 26 to the Atlanta Falcons, who used it on James Pearce Jr. The outside linebacker has 8.5 sacks this season, which leads all rookies. He has recorded at least a half-sack in seven straight games, which is the second-longest streak by any rookie since 1982 when sacks became official, according to ESPN Research.

We have made the decision to place Maxx Crosby on the Reserve/Injured list for the remainder of the 2025 season. After deliberate and thorough consultation with multiple top medical professionals, it became clear that this decision was in the best interest of both the franchise and the player. Maxx is the ultimate warrior, and he has fought extremely hard to compete each week with his teammates since injuring his knee mid-season. We are grateful for his extraordinary contributions. He is a true Raider on and off the field -- we look forward to his leadership and toughness into 2026 and beyond.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos has dropped his appeal for another year of college eligibility and declared for the NFL draft. Castellanos thanked family, friends, coaches and teammates and "everyone who has supported me along this journey" in a statement posted on social media. Just Win Management Group, which represented Castellanos during his legal fight, said it supported his decision. "While the unique facts and circumstances surrounding the petition for an additional year of eligibility did create a path of viability, after careful review and consideration, we full support Mr. Castellanos' decision to forego that continued pursuit and focus his attention on preparing for the 2026 NFL draft," the agency said in a statement.

Nico Iamaleava will remain with UCLA in 2026, he announced Monday, with the school also announcing that the quarterback is "forgoing the 2026 NFL draft." The redshirt sophomore transferred to UCLA from Tennessee prior to the 2025 season, in which the Bruins finished just 3-9 and coach DeShaun Foster was fired after an 0-3 start. UCLA has since hired James Madison coach Bob Chesney, who guided the Dukes to the College Football Playoff, losing 51-34 at Oregon on Saturday.

Let's start with the obvious: this mock draft would never happen in real life. Not because the trade is reckless, or the value is questionable, and definitely not because Philadelphia suddenly grew a conscience. It wouldn't happen because the Eagles would rather eat a bad contract than accidentally help the Cowboys do something that resembles competency. And honestly? I respect the hate.

Almost two years into his professional career, that's not the case anymore. Newton had a first-round grade with most experts. General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn presented him with the Commander Gold Tag, reserved for primary targets who align with their desired ethos. When he slipped through the cracks and into their laps at No. 36 overall, Washington didn't hesitate to bring him on board.

A few fans kept repeating the same idea: Trade the second first-round pick, move out of 25 and pick up a 2nd and 3rd. It didn't matter whether they liked the players I mocked at 14 or 25. It didn't matter how the board fell. The loudest reaction was that Dallas should automatically turn pick 25 into more draft capital. When I pulled up the draft value chart, the numbers told a very different story.

His "contact courage" has been noted by coaches and teammates as an often overlooked but critical ingredient to the Patriots' defensive success. A third-quarter play in a Week 11 win over the New York Jets -- when 6-foot-1, 205-pound Gonzalez jacked up receiver Tyler Johnson, leading receiver Isaiah Williams to run into Johnson's back on a sweep -- is one notable example of Gonzalez's recent success in that area.

To be honest with you, it kind of pissed me off because I didn't think it made any sense,

In a sport dominated by some of the world's fastest and strongest humans, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen is neither. That was evident during the 2013 NFL draft process for Allen, a 6-foot-2, 211-pounder whom many analysts considered the top receiver. But Allen had suffered a season-ending PCL injury in his final season at the University of California. He ran a 4.71-second 40-yard dash at his pro day -- well behind Marquise Goodwin's 4.27 time that led receivers at the combine.

The New England Patriots are sporting a handsome 7-2 record after nine games, making even the rosiest predictions look tepid. One reason is that Mike Vrabel's first overall Patriots' draft pick, left tackle Will Campbell, is crushing Pro Football Focus's (PFF's) rookie ratings weekly. For some, it was a risky pick who'd project only to an NFL guard position. The reason was his shorter arms, which measured a whopping 3/8" shorter than the supposed requisite minimum.

Arriving as the No. 56 overall pick out of Western Michigan last year, Kneeland made four NFL starts. His tragic death comes less than three days after he scored his first NFL touchdown. Kneeland returned a blocked punt for a score against the Cardinals on Monday night in Dallas. After Sam Williams notched the second-quarter block, Kneeland pounced on the recovery for a score. It marked Kneeland's first touchdown in the college or professional ranks.

Lemon doesn't jump off the page at first glance. He's undersized at 5-foot-11, and he doesn't have the blazing speed of some other prospects. But the USC wideout is a technician on the field. He can operate in the slot or on the outside, using his lateral quickness and impressive feel for zone coverage to consistently find open space. The wide out has sure hands, rarely dropping passes that come his way.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ohio State had 14 players from its national championship team selected in the NFL draft, which tied the team record and raised legitimate questions about who would fill the holes. Rebuilding years don't happen at Ohio State, but the Buckeyes projected as a team that might evolve over time. Halfway through the regular season, the Buckeyes' growth spurt has already come, and the team looks fully capable of defending its title.

"Be patient and be ready," he said. "You got to be ready when it's time. But when it's time, you're going to know. And it's coming up. I got a prediction. I ain't telling nobody. I got a feeling when it's going to go down. But it's going to go down this year. ... He's going to get a shot."

He was the No. 3 wide receiver prospect in the nation during his senior year of high school, according to both 247Sports and ESPN. He was a consensus top-40 recruit and some even had him in the top-20. One such scouting report, which projected him as an early-round pick, listed his player comparison as none other than current Patriots teammate Stefon Diggs, who is a four-time Pro Bowler.