Blame fickle general managers, or a news cycle that needs constant nourishment, but prospects are apparently still making big moves up and down boards just days away from the 2013 NFL Draft. Sunday's biggest buzz-worthy names were Johnathan Franklin and E.J. Manuel, both of whom are reportedly pushing toward the back end of the first round, according to reports.
2013 NFL Draft news: Johnathan Franklin, E.J. Manuel make late push up boards
We’re just days away from the 2013 NFL Draft, yet draft boards are still in full flux. Check out what you may have missed Sunday.
Al Messerschmidt
Check out those stories and more below.
According to reports, a number of NFL teams now have UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin ahead of Alabama's Eddie Lacy on their draft boards. Franklin racked up over 2,000 yards of offense rushing and receiving last season for the Bruins, and has impressed during workouts this offseason. Lacy entered the offseason as perhaps the consensus top running back in the draft, but he disappointed during a private workout after missing the NFL Combine with a hamstring injury.
While this year’s running back class is deep, few experts are expecting a running back to be drafted in the first round. UNC’s Giovani Bernard is also expected to be one of the first running backs taken.
Where Oregon offensive tackle Kyle Long goes in the NFL Draft will likely depend on how NFL teams view his multiple off-field troubles. Long thrived in his final season under Chip Kelly, but it took a rocky road to get there. He committed to Florida State in 2008, but left the school after his freshman season. In 2009, Long was arrested for drunk driving and had to check into rehab for drug use.
Long put himself back on track by attending a California junior college before transferring to Oregon, but NFL general managers are perhaps understandably nervous.
E.J. Manuel is now the No. 2 quarterback behind Geno Smith on several draft boards, according to reports. Teams have apparently fallen in love with Manuel's physical gifts late in the scouting process, with the Cleveland Browns going so far as to compare the Florida State prospect to Cam Newton.
Many still have reservations about Manuel’s game. SB Nation’s own Matthew Fairburn called him the most overrated quarterback in this year’s draft class. That said, players with speed and strength in a 6’5, 238-pound frame aren’t exactly easy to come by.
The New York Jets are looking to trade out of the No. 9 overall pick, according to reports. The Jets now have two first-round selections after sending Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the No. 13 overall pick and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2014. The Jets could use the stockpile of picks. Unfortunately for them, the No. 9 slot may prove too difficult to move out of. Several teams may be tempted to trade up for one of the draft's three elite left tackles -- Luke Joeckel, Eric Fisher and Lane Johnson -- but all three are likely to be gone well before the Jets' first selection.
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