DRAFT-PANTHERS
Panthers select Washington LB Thompson with 1st round pick
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β The Carolina Panthers have selected versatile linebacker Shaq Thompson from Washington with the No. 25 overall pick in the NFL draft.
The 6-foot, 228-pound Thompson was the winner of the Paul Hornung Award, given to the nation’s most versatile player.
He scored six touchdowns in 2014 β four on defense and two as a running back. He even started at tailback against Colorado last year and ran for 174 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and caught two passes for 41 yards.
Thompson had 3.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and five fumble recoveries in 40 games at Washington.
Thompson was also drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 18th round of the 2012 MLB Draft, but wound up playing football.
DRAFT-LIONS
Lions trade down, pick OL Tomlinson of Duke at No. 28
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) β The Detroit Lions have drafted guard Laken Tomlinson of Duke in the first round Thursday night after trading down from the No. 23 pick to No. 28 in a deal with Denver.
Tomlinson is the first player out of Duke to go in the first round since Cleveland took linebacker Mike Junkin with the fifth overall pick in 1987.
Detroit traded the No. 23 pick to the Broncos, moving down five spots and acquiring offensive lineman Manny Ramirez, a fifth-round pick this year and a fifth-rounder next year from Denver.
The Lions have been reshuffling their offensive line after Matthew Stafford was sacked a career-high 45 times last season. Detroit has moved on from longtime center Dominic Raiola, and guard Rob Sims’ future is uncertain.
DRAFT-TEXANS
Texans choose Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson 16th overall
HOUSTON (AP) β The Houston Texans have taken Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson with the 16th overall pick in the NFL draft.
Johnson had 43 tackles, including 3 Β½ for losses, defended 15 passes and had three interceptions as a senior last season. The 6-foot Johnson joins a secondary that features cornerbacks Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph.
The Texans have gone heavy on defense in recent years, selecting a defensive player in the first round in six of the last seven seasons, including selecting Jadeveon Clowney first overall last year. They did it again Thursday night.
Johnson was voted second team All-ACC by coaches last season to wrap up a career where he broke up 35 passes, which were the fourth-most in school history.
DRAFT-SAINTS-ANTHONY
Saints take Clemson linebacker Anthony at No. 31 overall
METAIRIE, La. (AP) β The New Orleans Saints have selected Clemson linebacker Stephone Anthony with their second of two first-round picks in Thursday night’s NFL draft.
The Saints acquired the pick, 31st overall when they traded star tight end Jimmy Graham to Seattle, which also sent center Max Unger to New Orleans.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Anthony joins a Saints defense that ranked second-to-last in the NFL with 384 yards allowed per game. The Saints’ defense also ranked 23rd in sacks per pass attempt, and could have used another edge pass rusher, but Anthony has been an inside linebacker in college.
Last season, he led Clemson was 90 tackles, and was named first-team All-ACC.
With their first pick in the draft, at No. 13 overall, the Saints selected Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat.
DRAFT-FALCONS
Falcons pick Clemson DE Vic Beasley with No. 8 pick in draft
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) β The Atlanta Falcons have selected Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL draft, addressing a glaring need on a struggling defense.
Beasley, regarded as perhaps the most explosive edge rusher in the draft, had 11 Β½ sacks as a senior in 2014.
The Falcons gave up the most total yards and passing yards in 2014 and ranked next to last in the league in sacks. They have made improving their defense an offseason priority under new coach Dan Quinn, the former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator.
Quinn is working closely with general manager Thomas Dimitroff in the draft.
Atlanta has eight picks in the draft, including two in the seventh round.
HURRICANES-DANIELS
Hurricanes not bringing back minor-league coach Jeff Daniels
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) β The Carolina Hurricanes say they won’t bring back Jeff Daniels as the head coach of their top minor-league affiliate in Charlotte.
Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis said Thursday that Daniels’ contract will not be renewed once it expires at the end of June.
Daniels spent four years as an assistant with the Hurricanes and was on Peter Laviolette’s staff when they won their only Stanley Cup in 2006.
He spent the past seven years coaching the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers, going 268-225-51. Charlotte finished 13th in the Western Conference this season and did not make the playoffs.
