Tag: top 30 visit

Chiefs among several teams hosting Nebraska WR Samori Toure on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs are set to host Nebraska Cornhuskers standout WR Samori Toure on a top-30 visit per report.

The Kansas City Chiefs have a visit lined up with a Nebraska Cornhusker who was a standout at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

According to NFL Network’s Michael Yam, the Chiefs are among five NFL teams who have a top-30 visit scheduled with Nebraska WR Samori Toure. He’s also set to visit the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears. Four of those five teams made the playoffs last year, and the one that didn’t is now run by former Chiefs exec Ryan Poles. It gives the sense that NFL teams are a bit higher on Toure’s ability than the media is.

Toure began his journey at the University of Montana, where he posted 155 receptions for 2,488 yards and 20 touchdowns over the course of three seasons with the Griz. He transferred to Nebraska for the 2021 college football season, appearing in 12 games for the Cornhuskers, recording 45 receptions for nearly 900 yards and five touchdowns.

During the pre-draft circuit, Toure turned heads at East-West Shrine Bowl practices with his hands and route-running ability. He showed out during the game too, helping the East team attempt to rally with five catches for 32 yards, including two touchdown grabs. They’d fall just short of that goal, losing 25-24 to the West team.

Listed at a hair under 6-1 and 191 pounds, Toure was one of the most notable 2022 NFL Scouting Combine snubs. He did go through on-field drills and timed events at the Nebraska pro day earlier this month, posting a 4.48s 40-yard dash, a 34-inch vertical, a 124-inch broad jump, a 6.77s 3-cone and a 4.22 shuttle run.

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Tracking Chiefs’ top-30 visits, private workouts

It’s the season for top-30 visits (and private workouts) and we’re keeping track of all those reported for the #Chiefs here:

It’s the season for pre-draft visits and private workouts for NFL teams. But what exactly goes on in those prospect visits or private workouts with draft-eligible players?

First, we’ll start with the top-30 visit. Every team is allotted 30 prospects visits at team facilities with draft prospects each year. Teams can use these on whichever draft-eligible players they want, be it high-value targets who could be selected in the first round or players who might not be drafted at all.

While players are on top-30 visits they’ll have a chance to meet with coaching staff members, front office executives and tour the team facilities. Teams will often go over a player’s game film with them in order to try and get a better understanding of their football knowledge and how they study the game. They’ll also just generally spend time with them to get to know the person behind the player and get an idea of how they’d fit in team culture and within the community.

On some occasions, players will meet with the medical and training staff for an evaluation if they had an injury or medical condition in college. This was key for the team eventually drafting a player like Trey Smith, who dealt with a blood-clotting issue in college.

Private workouts are distinct and separate from top-30 visits. These are when scouts or coaches schedule an on-field workout with a player, usually at a player’s school or a pre-determined location. Under no circumstances are they held at a team facility, though. Coaches and scouts can put prospects through pro-day timing events or have them participate in various football exercises and drills, simulating what might take place in practice or on gameday.

Really, both private workouts and top-30 visits are just another way for teams to gather more information on prospects. They don’t necessarily denote that a team is “high” on a player. Sometimes top-30 visits happen with a complete absence of draft interest, but instead to create the illusion of interest in the eyes of other teams. The NFL can be deceptive like that.

The Kansas City Chiefs have already scheduled or completed several visits with a number of prospects. Below you’ll find a list of those prospects, which we’ll keep up to date leading up to the draft:

Chiefs hosted Coastal Carolina RB Shermari Jones on top-30 visit

The #Chiefs brought in Coastal Carolina RB Shermari Jones for a top-30 visit on Monday.

The Kansas City Chiefs recently hosted an intriguing running back prospect on a visit.

As first reported by Underdog Fantasy’s Josh Norris, the Chiefs hosted Coastal Carolina Chanticleers RB Shermari Jones on a top-30 visit on Monday. Chiefs Wire has since been able to confirm Jones’ visit to team facilities.

Listed at 6-foot and 213 pounds, Jones started his college career at Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas. That’s probably when the Chiefs first caught wind of this player. If you’re a fan of the Netflix original series “Last Chance U” you might remember Jones from Season 4. He racked up nearly 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns in junior college before transferring to Coastal Carolina.

In his two seasons with the Chanticleers, Jones carried the ball 243 times for 1,438 yards and 16 touchdowns. Surprisingly he only caught four passes for 47 yards during his time in Conway, South Carolina. The majority of his production came during his senior season, a year where he helped Coastal Carolina to their first bowl win in school history.

Jones participated in the Chanticleers pro day on April 1, posting a 4.55s 40-yard dash, a 33.5-inch vertical, a 122-inch broad jump, a 4.44s shuttle, a 7.39s 3-cone and 20 repetitions on the bench press.

If you’re not familiar with top-30 visits, they are different from private workouts. Teams will host a total of 30 prospects at team facilities, where they can tour the facility, meet with position coaches, front office executives, scouts and members of the training staff. On occasion, they’ll get a chance to meet with a few players who are working at the team facility, but they won’t do any football activities or workouts during the visit. It’s essentially a way for NFL teams to fill in some blanks in their scouting reports and get to know how a player will fit within the team culture.

Jones is one of four reported top-30 visits so far alongside Georgia DT Devonte Wyatt, Jackson State LB/DE James Houston IV, and Pittsburgh TE Lucas Krull.

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Chiefs to host Pittsburgh TE Lucas Krull on top-30 visit

After posting some impressive numbers at his pro day, the #Chiefs are bringing in Pittsburgh TE Lucas Krull for a top-30 visit.

The Kansas City Chiefs are planning to host a native of Shawnee, Kansas on a top-30 visit.

According to Top Speed Strength and Conditioning’s Joseph Potts, the Chiefs are set to host Pittsburgh TE Lucas Krull on one of the 30 pre-draft visits allotted to the team. Potts would know too as he trains Krull during the offseason.

A former high school standout at Mill Valley in Shawnee, Krull was a two-sport athlete playing both baseball and football. Out of high school, Krull first took the opportunity to play baseball. He went to Jefferson College in Missouri, where he pitched for the Vikings’ baseball team during the 2017-18 season. That year he was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 34th round of the 2018 MLB draft. Instead of going to play baseball, Krull ended up at the University of Florida for the 2018 and 2019 college football seasons. He caught nine passes for 108 yards and completed 2 passes for 19 yards.

The following year, Krull joined the Panthers as a graduate transfer. He appeared in just one game that year due to injury, but he got a second chance to play in 2021. During the course of the season, Krull caught 38 receptions for 451 yards and six scores, working alongside QB Kenny Pickett, who will also be a top pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

A sleeper among the tight end group in the 2022 NFL draft, Krull was snubbed from the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. He posted some really great numbers at the Pitt Pro Day, with a 4.54s 40-yard dash, a 35-inch vertical jump, a 120-inch broad jump, 14 reps on the bench press and a 4.36s shuttle run, all at 6-6 and 253 pounds.

Why would the Chiefs be in the market for a tight end when they already have nine on the 90-man roster? Well, for starters, this is one of the deeper position groups in the 2022 NFL draft. If you can get good value because of the depth, it’s a smart move.

Another reason, though? Travis Kelce will be 32 years old this season and he’s going to have an increased amount of attention on him without Tyreek Hill on the field. Adding more players who can help take some of the load off of Kelce and develop behind him would be a wise move when it comes to extending his Hall of Fame career.

Krull is a solid blocker with good plays as a receiver at the intermediate level of the field. He has run-after-catch ability given his athleticism. He also has the size to be a red-zone target in Kansas City. There is also the added bonus of his ability to throw the football on gadget plays too.

Krull is one of three reported top-30 visits so far alongside Georgia DT Devonte Wyatt and Jackson State LB/DE James Houston IV.

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Seahawks use official top-30 visit on Cincinnati CB Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner

According to Aaron Wilson at the Pro Football Network, the team is using one of their official top-30 visits on Gardner.

For the first time since 2010, the Seahawks hold a top-10 pick in the NFL draft. Last time, they used it on Russell Okung, who became their franchise left tackle during their peak championship run.

It’s anybody’s guess which direction they’ll go this year, but for what it’s worth Seattle needs another boundary cornerback after allowing D.J. Reed to sign with the Jets. The best one in this year’s draft class is supposed to be Cincinnati’s Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. According to Aaron Wilson at the Pro Football Network, the team is using one of their official top-30 visits on Gardner.

Garnder (6-foot-2, 188 pounds) has the length you’d expect from a prototypical Pete Carroll cornerback. He also has ball skills to spare – having totaled nine interceptions in college despite not being targeted much.

Here’s a look at his 2021 highlights.

If the Seahawks want him, they’ll have to use their No. 9 overall pick.

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Eagles to host Lousiana Tech CB Amik Robertson on predraft visit

The Philadelphia Eagles will host cornerback Amik Robertson on a top-30 visit.

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Free agency is just one week away but NFL draft talk is all the rage around the league and teams have started their official predraft meetings or ‘Top-30 visits’ as it’s commonly referred to.

With starters, Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby set to be free agents, the Eagles could be looking for cornerback help via the open market and the draft process.

Mike Kaye of NJ.com is reporting that Eagles brass is set to meet with talented playmaking cornerback Amik Robertson of Louisiana Tech.

The Eagles have the opportunity to invite 30 prospects to the NovaCare Complex for designated pre-draft visits.

Robertson, a physical, ball-hawking cornerback, figures to play the slot in the NFL and is the type of player that could be on the Eagles radar.

Here’s an official scouting report on Robertson via NFL.com:

Smallish, outside corner with tremendous intensity, swagger, and toughness. Needs to handle the athletic challenges as a slot corner in the NFL. He gives rough rides to receivers trying to get away from his press before following it with route recognition and footwork to continue hounding his man. Physicality overtakes technique at times and he could struggle to mirror the release of savvy NFL slot receivers. The instincts and ball skills are rare and should translate to this level of competition in zone and man as long as he can shadow routes. Teams may worry about his size, but run support will not be a concern and Robertson could become a starting nickel as a Day 3 selection.

There have been hints of Avante Maddox moving from the slot to safety and Robertson could be the perfect replacement in the same mold as a player.

Robertson finished his collegiate career with 184 total tackles, 34 passes defended, 23 tackles for loss and 14 interceptions. He also accounted for four sacks, three defensive scores, and two forced fumbles.

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