2014 NFL Draft Rumors: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Calvin Pryor Visit Titans; Kelvin Benjamin Cancels Workout

Calvin Pryor
Calvin Pryor
Louisville Cardinals safety Calvin Pryor Andrew Weber USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Titans have a bunch of holes to fill, and can theoretically entertain the idea of a safety, linebacker or lineman with the 11th overall pick in May’s draft.

The top two safeties in this year’s class — Alabama’s Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Louisville’s Calvin Pryor — recently came through Nashville to visit with the team, according to the Baltimore Sun and Nashville Tennessean.

After meeting with members of the Titans coaching staff, Clinton-Dix was off to visit the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens, per the Sun. In the XN Sports Mock Draft 2.0, Clinton-Dix and Pryor are projected to come off the board with the 13th and 14th picks, respectively, to the St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears.

Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin’s draft stock was on the rise — that is until lately. NFL Media draft analyst Gil Brandt reported Benjamin recently blew off a private workout with an NFL coach, who made a special trip out to see the prospect, who declined to show up because he was “too tired.”

There are a number of different teams in need of wide receiver help, and teams picking toward the latter half of the first round have kept an eye on Benjamin, who is in the mix to be the third, fourth or fifth wide receiver off the board behind Clemson’s Sammy Watkins and Texas A&M’s Mike Evans.

Blowing off a workout goes along with the knock on Benjamin, which is that the 23-year-old lacks concentration and has consequently led him to a nine-percent drop rate. This hiccup could force him out of the first round.

Ra’Shede Hageman’s draft stock was seemingly on its way down, but according to the National Football Post, the Minnesota defensive tackle has had meetings with three different teams recently.

The Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts have all hosted Hageman, per the report. Hageman is largely considered a first-round pick, but it’s not out of the picture he comes off the board Day 2.

In an appearance on the Ross Tucker Podcast, NFL Films’ Greg Cosell said Hageman will “polarize” war rooms due to his size and athleticism, adding that he’s the “most physically gifted defensive tackle” in this year’s draft class. Cosell also pointed out that while he has the makings of being a top-10 pick, Hageman lacks consistency and has a tendency to disappear at times, making him a bit of a boom-or-bust prospect.

author avatar
Sam Spiegelman
Sam Spiegelman is a native New Yorker covering sports in New Orleans. He likes Game of Thrones way too much. Tweet him @samspiegs.