NFL eyeing several Hurricanes players
One of the reasons for UM’s No. 8 preseason AP ranking is that the Canes are again loaded with NFL-caliber talent.
One of several NFL scouts attending a closed Canes practice this month emerged very impressed. Some evaluators believe UM could have three firstround picks if everyone plays to their capability.
At the top of the list among seniors: safety Jaquan Johnson, cornerback Michael Jackson and defensive tackle Gerald Willis.
One NFC evaluator gave Johnson a third-round grade because “he’s obviously not that big,” but others rate him as a borderline firstrounder.
“There were two guys on the roster last year that were draft eligible that I thought were old school Miami guys — Mark Walton on offense and Jaquan Johnson,” one UM football staffer said. “I think Jaquan would be a successful Miami Hurricane in any era. Even if he were here with Ed Reed, he would have found a way to get on the field. He’s a damn good player.”
Safeties coach Ephraim Banda put it this way: “A lot of NFL people are asking … is he a leader? An alpha? Is he the guy who gets you lined up? My answer is 100 percent yes.
“They ask what type of player he is in locker room. Jaquan has a natural innate ability to lead. He can play in [and outside] the box, can play on third down, can play man and zone and has all the intangibles NFL head coaches and personnel guys know have to be there for a great player to happen.”
Another scout said he’s particularly intrigued by Willis, who has the size and strength teams covet.
Jackson was projected as a mid-round pick if he had gone pro early but could go much higher with a big senior year. One evaluator said some believe he can play safety or corner.
“Jackson’s size [6-1], athleticism and physicality could make him a top-20 pick,” said USA Today analyst/ former NFL scout Luke Easterling.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranks Johnson first among senior safeties and Jackson second among senior corners.
ESPN’s Todd McShay tells me he ranks Jaquan Johnson 58th and Michael Jackson 101st among all draft-eligible players. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller has Johnson 17th and Jackson 24th in his first mock draft.
McShay said Johnson
“has small hands [but] instincts and ball skills to develop into a playmaker” and Jackson’s “instincts, toughness and ball skills make him an intriguing early Day 3 prospect.”
A Among juniors, scouts are eyeing receiver Ahmmon Richards, defensive end Joe Jackson and linebackers Shaq Quarterman, Mike Pinckney and Zach McCloud.
CBS Sports has Richards 10th and Jackson 29th in its way-too-early mock draft. USA Today has Michael Jackson 18th, Richards 19th and Jackson 30th. Bleacher Report has Jackson 23rd.
Of Richards, McShay said he “projects as a fringe Day 2 pick based on his 2017 tape and durability concerns, but he has the ability to move up boards if he’s able to stay healthy and he’s more consistent catching the football in 2018. Richards has the top-end speed to get behind the coverage and he tracks the deep ball.”
Meanwhile, among drafteligible non-seniors, Kiper has Jackson fifth among defensive ends, Quarterman second among inside linebackers and Pinckney fourth among outside linebackers.
McShay is especially high on Joe Jackson among that junior defensive group, saying: “Jackson flashes the ability to get off the block in time to finish as a pass rusher [and is] a disruptive run defender.”
And McShay believes junior running back Travis Homer has become a strong prospect, ranking him 47th overall in his top 150.
“Homer rarely goes down on initial contact [and] shows deceptive top end speed,” McShay said. “Grades out as a No. 2 back with the ability to contribute on third down. If he builds on last year’s performance, he could go on Day 2 of the draft.”
Among seniors beyond Johnson, Michael Jackson and Willis, McShay believes safety Sheldrick Redwine, left tackle Tyree St. Louis and defensive end Demetrius Jackson also will warrant an NFL look.
And an NFL executive told NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah last season that senior Malik Rosier “shows the arm talent to develop into a next-level prospect.”
CHATTER
AA UM staffer said with a bit more than a week before the opener, neither Cade Weldon nor N’Kosi Perry has significantly distanced himself from the other in the battle to be UM’s No. 2 quarterback. That UM source said Weldon had played better than Perry until Weldon threw five — yes, five — interceptions in the scrimmage last Saturday. But Perry, while improved, has thrown multiple red-zone interceptions in August practices .Quarterbacks coach Jon Richt said they might alternate as backups and compete all season.
A How much has the Dolphins’ Jakeem Grant improved? So much so that Carolina cornerback
James Bradberry complimented him on his route running after Grant beat him for multiple catches in their preseason game. Grant has studied tape of how Pittsburgh Steelers All Pro Antonio Brown runs routes “and I try to mimic what he does.” Grant’s hands have become more reliable, but there are still some drops in practice.
Though it’s iffy if the
A
Heat and Justise Winslow can agree to a contract extension by a mid-October NBA deadline, Pat Riley said: “We’re committed to Justice. He’s committed to us. We have until October the 15th to make that decision.”
While the top pitcher
A the Marlins acquired from the Yankees for Giancarlo Stanton — Jorge Guzman — is 0-8 (3.99) in 20 starts at Single A, Michael King — the pitcher sent to the Yankees in the Caleb Smith/Garrett Cooper deal — is 9-5, 1.95 ERA in Single A, Double A and Triple A for the Yankees. … Miami pulled back Dan Straily from waivers when a team claimed him, thus preventing a trade this season. Derek Dietrich and Starlin Castro can be dealt.