NFL Scouting Combine buzz: Antonio Brown, Kyler Murray hottest topics in Indy

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The top 300-plus draft prospects converged on Indianapolis last week for the NFL Scouting Combine. But next month’s draft was far from the only topic being discussed in the convention center, as well as the downtown restaurant and bar scenes.

One of the hottest topics – as he has been all offseason – was Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, who is on the trade block and expected to be dealt in the near future. The Raiders reportedly are one of a handful of teams to show interest in making a deal with the Steelers for the talented-yet-mercurial seven-time Pro Bowl receiver.

Away from the podiums, here is what some NFL coaches, executives, scouts and player agents had to say about Brown and many other topics, including much-talked-about Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray:

-- The Raiders' interest in trading for Brown is real, per multiple sources, though it’s uncertain what they would be willing to give up to get him. Recent questions about Brown's attitude are not an issue for the Raiders in pursuing a trade.

-- The 49ers have not shown any interest in Brown. They obviously are not alone. Overheard, a conversation between one coach and a person not affiliated with an NFL team: The coach turned a question around when asked about Brown. “I don’t know, what do you think?” The reply: “I think he would be a disaster.” The coach smiled and replied, “You’re a smart man.”

-- “As soon as Kyler Murray came in over (5-foot-10), you can mark him down as going to the Cardinals,” said one personnel director who knows first-year Arizona coach Kliff Kingsbury. “It makes too much sense. Kliff needs to get his guy, and Josh Rosen is not his guy.”

-- Raiders coach Jon Gruden has a real appreciation for Murray, according to an AFC coach and an AFC scout. That doesn’t mean Gruden will find a way to take Murray -- Derek Carr is fully expected to be the Raiders QB next season -- but his compliments are not lip service. Gruden really likes Murray’s combination of speed and arm strength, and does not believe height will impact his performance in the NFL.

-- While there is so much talk about Gruden’s affinity for Murray, he also likes Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins and North Carolina State’s Ryan Finley. The Raiders aren’t expected to take a quarterback high, but they could land one later in the draft.

-- The 49ers and Raiders are eligible to be featured on “Hard Knocks,” the behind-the-scenes training camp series that airs on HBO. Coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have been adamant that they do not want the 49ers to participate. The Raiders are not completely out of the picture, but one source said there’s an assumption the Detroit Lions will be the featured team this summer.

-- Ole Miss receiver D.K. Metcalf might have improved his stock and become a top-10 NFL draft pick with his performance at the combine, according to one AFC scout. This receiver class does not have a truly dominant athlete with college production to match, but Metcalf flashed top-flight speed and strength that should get him taken much higher than expected.

-- Metcalf and Florida edge rusher Jachai Polite did not connect with the 49ers during their interviews. The 49ers still have more questions than answers, and can be expected to spend more time with each prospect before the draft. There were no red flags about Metcalf entering the combine. But, according to one evaluator, it was difficult to find anyone at Florida who would vouch for Polite. “He kind of does his own thing. He’s not a bad kid, but he’s just immature.”

-- The Raiders were big Quinnen Williams fans heading into the combine, and they hold him in higher esteem now after an excellent formal meeting with the Alabama defensive tackle and his blazing 4.83-second 40-yard dash, according to three league sources. If Williams is available at No. 4 and the Raiders are on the clock, it is believed he will join the Silver and Black.

-- The Raiders view Ohio State edge rusher Nick Bosa as the NFL draft’s best edge rusher, according to league sources, but they do not expect him to be available when they select at No. 4. Bosa is not expected to last beyond the 49ers at No. 2. Said one NFC coach: "Bosa is far and away better than anyone else. You look at the tape, and he's clearly the best of the bunch."

-- Ole Miss receiver A.J. Brown has some detractors, according to an AFC scout, who believes Brown might not be one of the first few receivers drafted -- he might've been the third-best receiver on his own team -- and could slip down the board.

-- “The 49ers will pay to get a linebacker in free agency and fill wide receiver in the draft,” one well-connected NFL agent predicted. “Everybody knows you have to overpay in free agency, and the 49ers would rather overpay for a linebacker than a wide receiver.” The 49ers also expect to be in the market to add a starting-caliber safety in free agency -- at the right price, of course.

-- “When I look at Deebo Samuel, I see a slot receiver,” one AFC assistant coach said of the South Carolina wide receiver.

-- “I like N’Keal Harry a lot. The question is how he runs. That will determine if he's a first-round pick. If he goes 4.55, that’s fine,” one AFC coach before Harry, the Arizona State wide receiver, ran a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash.

-- The Raiders have long liked Maryland safety Darnell Savage, according to an AFC coach. They kept a close eye on him at the Senior Bowl and came away impressed. That was the case again at the combine, when he ran a blazing-fast 40-yard dash and performed well in combine drills.

-- Rashan Gary tested extremely well at the combine as expected, but at least one AFC coach is concerned by his lack of production and that the Michigan edge rusher took too many plays off in college.

-- Much was made about Alabama offensive lineman Jonah Williams' arm measurements at the combine, but an AFC scout said most teams won’t be bothered by that after seeing him perform consistently well on tape.

-- “This is a good year to get an interior offensive lineman. Just don’t expect to get anyone like Quentin Nelson,” said an assistant general manager, referring to the guard the Indianapolis Colts selected at No. 6 overall last year.

-- Louisville receiver Jaylen Smith did not do much for his stock during the week at the Senior Bowl. “If he’s that lazy during a five-day interview,” said one assistant coach, “what’s he going to be like when some team gives him a job?”

-- Mississippi State edge rusher Montez Sweat had a dominant combine showing, and continued progress that has seen his stock soar. An NFC coach believes Sweat will go in the first half of the first round, pushed out of the top 10 only by the depth of elite talent in this year’s class.

-- LSU’s Devin White and Michigan’s Devin Bush are considered the top of the linebacker class, far away better than their competition, according to an NFC assistant coach. Speed and coverage ability are a major component of that evaluation in a league that demands linebackers have excellent range and tackling ability.

-- While tight end T.J. Hockenson is widely considered the draft’s best tight end, fellow Iowa tight end Noah Fant is close to that level, according to an AFC coach. Fant isn’t a carbon copy of his former teammate, but his athleticism and receiving skill could make him a dominant offense force at the next level.

-- Said an NFC scout: “The first 32 picks of the draft could all be defensive players, and it would still be a strong first round.”

Jennifer Lee Chan contributed to this report.

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