Broncos expected to sign NCAA’s all-time leading rusher as UDFA The Denver Broncos have not yet officially announced their 2023 undrafted free agent signings, but we’ve been tracking the team’s UDFA additions on Broncos Wire. One of the biggest names on the list so far running back Jaleel McLaughlin. The speedy running back started his college career at the Division II level, rushing for more than 2,400 in each of his two years at Notre Dame College (Ohio). McLaughlin then transferred to Youngstown State (FCS). At YSU, McLaughlin rushed for 3,418 yards in three years, finishing his college career with 8,155 rushing yards, an NCAA record at any level. He scored 79 rushing touchdowns in five seasons. The productive running back then turned heads at YSU’s pro day by running a 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds. McLaughlin was “widely expected to be drafted,” according to Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon, so Denver might have landed a gem by signing him as a UDFA. Before the draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein predicted McLaughlin would be a sixth-round pick. He might now be an early favorite to make the Broncos’ 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent. YAHOO
They left out an important part: 5'9" 187 He isn't built to be a NFL RB. Slot receiver maybe, punt returner certainly...not a RB.
Always time to add good weight to the frame. Warrick Dunn came into the combine at 176, so that's a good deal lighter. Devon Achane was only one pound heavier, and he was drafted in the 3rd round this year. Deuce Vaughn was lighter at 179 and went in the 6th round. Some other smaller impact guys - Darren Sproles clocked in at 189. Dave Meggett came into the combine at 174. Napoleon Kaufman and Charlie Garner were both 182.
Insider says Patriots-Steelers trade was done just to torment Jets On the surface, the New England Patriots trading back from No. 14 to 17 overall with the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to be about nothing more than acquiring more draft capital. But according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s motivation for swapping picks and only getting back an additional fourth-rounder was much more vindictive than what meets the eye. “They should have had to give up a [third-rounder] and not a four to move up there,” an anonymous NFL general manager told La Canfora. “Belichick did it just to f--- the Jets. He sold low because he knew the Steelers were going to take the kid the Jets wanted to take. … I think the trade totally blindsided them. They were scrambling.” Another anonymous executive told La Canfora Belichick knew exactly what he was doing, stating, “Bill will try to screw them over any chance he gets.” The Steelers jumped the Jets, who had pick No. 15 after swapping the No. 13 overall pick with the Green Bay Packers in the Aaron Rodgers trade, for Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones — the player New York was reportedly targeting. With all four of the top offensive tackles off the board — Jones, Paris Johnson Jr., Peter Skoronski and Darnell Wright — the Jets settled for Iowa State defensive end Will McDonald. Offensive line was a priority for New York after acquiring Rodgers. Duane Brown and George Fant (who’s no longer with the team) split time at left tackle last season, and right tackle Mekhi Becton, the team’s first-round pick in 2020, has missed all but one game over the last two seasons. The Jets did go offensive line with their next two picks, however, grabbing Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann in Round 2 and Pittsburgh tackle Carter Warren in Round 4. YARDBARKER _______________ __________________________ Hoodie is conniving, deceptive, vindictive, Thats why I like him!
By the way... Looking ahead to 2024, there might be another top-heavy QB run available and the class looks pretty good. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, K.J. Jefferson, Quin Ewers, Michael Penix Jr., Spencer Rattler, Bo Nix, Shedeur Sanders, just to drop a few names.
I stand corrected... I wouldn't trust him, but at that size to be a RB, but there are at least 6 players in history that prove me wrong.
Not really, considering it's your opinion and there are likely a litany of examples that would back up your thoughts on his size and why it's too much of a risk for some GMs to consider drafting. And I didn't really research it that much to come up with a list of names to throw in the mix. Ideally, you would hope for the MJD physical type that puts him right at 200 for the combine (was rumored to play at sub 195 when he entered college). I don't see most of the topics discussed here as binary solutions or I'm right/you're wrong. And my post wasn't about making a point one way or the other. It was more about elaborating on Torgo's thoughts.
Let's also talk about how college production doesn't necessarily indicate NFL success. Garrett Wolfe was a prime draft pick by Chicago over a decade ago, and he was an NCAA leading rusher at that time (or something like that, if memory serves). He was also a smaller guy. Didn't go anywhere at the NFL level. Then you've got your Tim Tebow's, etc. It sounds like this kid feasted on programs with disparate talent levels, with offenses that fed him the ball, and did so over a full five years. Now, don't get me wrong, his numbers are AMAZING - I had to read them twice just to be sure I wasn't misreading - but that's not necessarily relevant to his NFL success. Man should be proud as hell of his college career, for sure, but that's just a separate discussion.
Peter Skoronski says Arthur Smith told him, “You’re really boring me” in Combine interview Former Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski was selected by the Titans with the 11th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. One team that passed on Skoronski was the Falcons, which may not have been a surprise given the interaction Skoronski had with the Falcons at a Combine interview. Skoronski told Dan Pompei of TheAthletic.com that Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was openly unimpressed with him when the two talked at the Combine. “The head coach was on me the second I got in there,” Skoronski said. “I was giving them generic answers to their questions, and he said, ‘You’re really boring me right now. Your answers are so boring.’ The whole meeting, he kept looking at his computer. I was kind of laughing to myself and said, ‘Sorry, I don’t know what you want me to do. I’m answering you honestly.’” Skoronski also had an interview with Titans coach Mike Vrabel at the Combine, and he says he liked Vrabel’s energy. The feeling was apparently mutual, as the Titans chose the player who bored the Falcons’ coach. PFT
I would be tempted to open my mouth and talk back, which is what would make me a terrible combine interviewee. I would have said, you know what, I am sorry I am boring you, but I really want to be on a team that is established to win and not one who is living off the successes of my former head coach.
Absolutely, 100% agree, but Skoronski took the high road and good for him. Not sure why Coach Smith would have been like that, but the report came from the Athletic, so who knows what exactly may have occurred. Maybe Arthur Smith gets wind of this and adds some clarification.
I'll say this. No one and I mean no one thought Jalen Hurts would become the Jalen Hurts we see now. Ridder has every tool in his chest that Hurts does. Hope he proves everyone wrong.
When I first saw this news story this morning, my immediate reaction was THAT was exactly the real question Arthur Smith was pressing - how Skoronski would react. I do NOT think he was trying to provoke Skoronski. More that he was already coaching in a sense by letting him know the interview had been meaningless to that point and seeing if Skoronski could respond to the coaching prompt and deliver. You only have 15 minutes for the interview time slot, so if there's something you really want to find out, you have to make it happen in a hurry. Arthur Smith figured Skoronski was either coached or otherwise wasn't going to give anything other than bland responses. In his own style, he point blank told Skoronski that he wasn't making an impression one way or the other and to step it up if he wanted to make his 15 minutes count. That fits with Smith's style. Miss Manners might not approve, but he's also not going to waste the player's time by letting him continue to flounder with a dud of an interview.
