Insider Notes on Bengals potentially trading Trey Hendrickson during draft week, Colin Granger's move from CBB to Panthers, and more

As teams begin their final draft meetings in preparation for this year’s event, news about plans for all seven rounds will leak out gradually. When it does, I’ll keep everyone up to date on what I hear.

Edge rushers & the Cincinnati Bengals

2025 NFL Scouting Combine - Source: Getty

Edge rushers as a unit could end up being the top position selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft in two weeks. As many as eight edge rushers could be drafted in the first round, or 25% of the picks in the frame.

Three, including Abdul Carter, Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker, are expected to be top-15 picks, though some teams are moving Walker to their linebacker board, and justifiably so.

The overwhelming feeling in the league is that the Cincinnati Bengals, who own the 17th pick, will determine if there’s a run on edge rushers during the second half of Round 1. If the Bengals take an edge rusher, the floodgates are expected to open up, and at least seven, or possibly eight, will be drafted before Day 1 is through.

It may also create a situation where teams may try and trade up from the bottom of the first round to ensure they acquire a pass rusher. The teams that hold five of the final six picks in Round 1 are expected to target an edge rusher on the first or second day of the draft.

Many tell me the Bengals will do exactly that. Take an edge rusher with the 17th pick, and then trade Trey Hendrickson on draft weekend or soon after the seven rounds are completed.

The team does not have to trade Hendrickson, one of the league’s best pass rushers, who is in the final year of the three-year deal he signed with the franchise in 2023. Sources tell me Cincinnati could also target a defensive tackle with its pick in the first round.

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Coastal Carolina BB players getting NFL looks

Colin Granger: Coastal Carolina vs. NC State - Source: Getty

George Fant, the former basketball player turned NFL lineman from Western Kentucky, is helping athletes like him get a jump start on Sundays. Fant, you may remember, was a four-year starter for the Hilltoppers basketball team, winning multiple All-Conference honors along the way, before spending his final year of college as a tight end for the football team.

Signed as an undrafted free agent after the 2016 draft, Fant had a nine-year career, starting 75 games at both offensive tackle spots before being released by the Seattle Seahawks just last month.

He's now helping other college basketball players who aspire to play in the NFL make the switch. His top pupil moving toward this year’s draft is Colin Granger, who has played basketball for three different colleges since 2020 and finished up at Coastal Carolina this past season, where he started 11 games.

Granger, who measures 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, is projected by scouts to play tight end on Sundays, and there’s legitimate interest in his talents. Six teams attended his pro day on Friday, where Granger touched 9-foot-7 in the broad jump and timed 7.25 seconds in the three-cone and 4.29 seconds in the short shuttle.

He looked good in drills and is receiving interest from all the teams that made the trip for his pro day, which included the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings.

Carolina is bringing Granger in for an official-30 visit, while the Falcons invited the budding tight end to their local pro day.

Fant intends to expand his camp for basketball-to-football prospects moving forward. He’s currently working with other hoopsters who aspire to play in the NFL, though Granger is the only one available in this month’s draft.

Fant is also not done with football himself and hopes to sign a contract with a team he believes would be the right fit. He’ll be working out for the Baltimore Ravens on Monday.

UPDATE: Granger has officially signed with the Panthers to play as a tight end.

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South Alabama wideout impresses

Jamaal Pritchett: South Alabama vs. Appalachian State - Source: Getty

The last time we saw South Alabama receiver Jamaal Pritchett, he was tearing up the competition at the Senior Bowl. The diminutive wideout, who ranked among the nation’s best last season by catching 91 passes for 1,126 yards with nine TDs, shockingly never received an invitation to the combine.

Ten days ago, Pritchett proved why he belonged in Indianapolis with the other top receiver prospects, as he timed as low as 4.39 seconds in the 40 and also hit 9-foot-9 in the broad jump.

Prichett has worked out with the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans and met with the New York Jets, New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns.