South Notes: Jaguars, Saints, Titans, Bucs
The Jaguars will host Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster and Ohio State safety Malik Hooker later this week, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link). Jacksonville holds the fourth overall pick, but both Foster and Hooker seem like unlikely selections given the club’s recent draft picks (Myles Jack) and free agent additions (Tashaun Gipson, Barry Church). Still, the Jaguars are likely simply doing due diligence on the draft’s top prospects. Indeed, the club is also slated to meet with running back Dalvin Cook (Florida State), running back Leonard Fournette (LSU), edge rusher Myles Garrett (Texas A&M), and running back Joe Mixon (Oklahoma), as O’Halloran writes in a full piece.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two South divisions:
- Count the Saints among the clubs that may consider Mixon, as the controversial prospect met with New Orleans today, tweets Nick Underhill of the Advocate. While a number of teams, including New England and Miami have ruled out selecting Mixon due to an assault incident, the Saints are reportedly among the clubs “digging in” on the 20-year-old. In New Orleans, Mixon would pair with Mark Ingram to give the Saints a lethal running back combination.
- Missouri defensive end Charles Harris worked out for the Titans on Monday, as he detailed to SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Harris is expected come off the board during the second half of the first round, and could conceivably be an option for Tennessee at pick No. 18. He put up 16 sacks over the past two seasons for the Tigers.
- The Buccaneers are hosting USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson on Monday, per Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. Jackson, who ranks as Daniel Jermiah of NFL.com‘s 37th overall player, would give Tampa Bay another young defensive back after the team spent a first-round pick on Vernon Hargreaves in 2016. Also a dynamic returner, Jackson could augment a Buccaneers special teams unit that was below average on both kick and punt returns last year.
- While Chase Daniel had other proposals on the table, the longtime backup chose a reunion with the Saints in part because Drew Brees‘ contract expires after 2017, as Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com writes. “[Brees] could play until he’s 45 if he wanted to,” Daniel said. “And the way his contract is sort of set up, yeah, it’s the last year of his contract, but for me, I’d be crazy to say that didn’t play a little bit into effect to come here, to play behind Drew again, to learn this offense, to get noticed in this offense and to see where it takes me.” Daniel, however, only signed for a single season, as well.
NFL Draft Rumors: Thomas, 49ers, Davis
There continues to be lots of talk about Solomon Thomas going No. 2 overall, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report hears (Twitter links). However, he’s not totally convinced that it’ll the 49ers taking him. On one hand, the Niners could use a strong 4-3 defensive end and Thomas could be used a role similar to what Michael Bennett has filled for Seattle. At the same time, Miller can also see the Niners trading out from No. 2, allowing the Panthers or Jaguars to move up for Thomas.
Miller speculates that SF could send the No. 2 overall pick to Carolina for the Nos. 8 and 40 selections. Recently, PFR’s Dallas Robinson ran down a number of scenarios in which the Panthers could come away with that highly-coveted draft choice.
While we wait to see how that plays out, here’s a roundup of the latest draft rumors:
- The Browns are visiting with Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis today and tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday), Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Davis missed the combine with an ankle injury but he is still considered to be one of the very best wide receivers in this year’s class. Last year, he had 97 catches for 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns.
- The Ravens are hosting prospects a number of big name prospects this week, including Alabama outside linebacker Tim Williams and North Carolina State safety Josh Jones (Twitter link via Albert Breer of The MMQB). Williams is said to have serious upside, but concerns about his conditioning and motivation may push him into the second round. This will mark Jones’ second meeting with Baltimore.
- Quarterback Deshaun Watson is scheduled to be with the Jaguars on Wednesday and Thursday (Twitter link via Josina Anderson of ESPN.com).
- Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore is on his way to visit with the Titans, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Titans could consider him at No. 5 overall.
- Ohio State safety Malik Hooker is visiting with the Bears, Rapoport tweets.
Draft Rumors: Browns, 49ers, Bears, Pack
The Browns will host Ohio State safety Malik Hooker for a pre-draft visit Friday, reports Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. The club is “very high on” Hooker and is considering taking him in the first round, adds Cabot, who notes that it might not be in position to land him. The Browns are likely to take Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett first overall, and Hooker could be off the board when their second selection (No. 12) arrives. Hooker underwent surgeries to repair a sports hernia and a torn labrum Jan. 31, causing him to miss the combine, but he’s still likely to come off the board in the first 10 picks.
In advance of its meeting with Hooker, Cleveland ran Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson through a private workout on the road Thursday, according to Cabot. Watson may well be the Browns’ pick at No. 12.
More of the latest draft notes:
- Garrett has upcoming visits with the 49ers and Bears, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. The Niners pick at No. 2 and the Bears are at No. 3, so it’s doubtful either will land Garrett. But it seems the 49ers would jump at the chance of selecting him, as 49ers general manager John Lynch said Thursday at Garrett’s pro day that he “checks all of the boxes” (via Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area).
- Add the Packers to the list of teams at least considering drafting Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon. The Pack brought Mixon in for a visit earlier this week, relays Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). At least two teams – the Patriots and Dolphins – have already ruled out a Mixon selection.
- The Panthers recently worked out Alabama outside linebacker Ryan Anderson, a source told Matt Zenitz of AL.com (via Twitter). Anderson could be a second-round target for the Panthers, who own the 40th pick.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Malik Hooker Won’t Participate In Combine
Ohio State safety Malik Hooker had two surgeries this week and as a result he will not be able to work out at the scouting combine, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets. Hooker had operations on a torn labrum plus a hernia injury that he played through late in the season. 
Hooker is widely projected as a top ten pick but it is fair to wonder if missing the combine could put his stock in flux. The Chargers are in need of a safety and the OSU product would make a lot of sense at No. 7, but if they don’t get to fully evaluate him they could shift their focus elsewhere to someone like LSU’s Jamal Adams.
Hooker started only one year in college but scouts have been salivating about his potential at the next level. As a redshirt sophomore, he had seven interceptions and returned three of those picks for touchdowns.
This week we learned that Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis could also miss the combine due to injury.
NFL Draft Rumors: Hooker, Ross, Mahomes
Here’s the latest draft news:
- Ohio State safety Malik Hooker announced that he is leaving school to enter the 2017 draft. Hooker, a redshirt sophomore, had seven interceptions and returned three of those picks for touchdowns. Scouts are high on him, but he has only one year of starting under his belt. Hooker is widely projected to be a first-round pick.
- Washington wide receiver John Ross III is skipping his senior year and entering the draft, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Despite two knee surgeries which cost him the 2015 season, Ross has maintained his blazing speed and figures to be one of the first receivers to come off the board this spring. This year, he hauled in 81 receptions for 1,150 yards and 17 touchdowns.
- Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes II is going pro and he has signed with an agent, Alex Marvez of The Sporting News tweets. Mahomes has gaudy numbers, but he comes with a few asterisks. For starters, the Texas Tech offense tends to lend itself to inflated totals. Secondly, Mahomes has been battling shoulder issues for the last year and he recently had wrist surgery. Right now, the consensus seems to be that Mahomes’ draft stock is a tier below fellow QBs like Mitch Trubisky, DeShone Kizer, and Deshaun Watson.
- The 2017 draft order has been set for about two-thirds of the NFL.