As is the case every year at this time, the post-signing day coaching rumor mill is kicking into high gear.
According to the NFL Network, new Cincinnati Bengals head coach (and former Nebraska quarterback) Zac Taylor is expected to conduct a very thorough and extensive search for a defensive coordinator. Among the potential candidates who will get an interview are a pair of SEC coordinators -- Florida’s Todd Grantham and Texas A&M’s Mike Elko.
Grantham is the only one of the two with previous NFL experience.
From 1999-2009, Grantham spent time on four NFL coaching staffs, including the Cleveland Browns as defensive coordinator (2005-07). The other stops were as defensive line coach with the Dallas Cowboys (2008-09), Houston Texans (2002-04) and Indianapolis Colts (1999-2001).
Since the last NFL stop, Grantham has served as the coordinator at Florida (2018), Mississippi State (2017), Louisville (2014-16) and Georgia (2010-13).
Elko, meanwhile, just completed his first year as the coordinator at A&M after spending one year in the same job at Notre Dame. He’s also been a coordinator collegiately at Wake Forest (2014-6) and Bowling Green (2009-13).