Tag: visits

John Schneider, Seahawks scouts still working hard ahead of NFL draft

After visiting multiple prospects, Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider and his scouts still have work to do to finalize their draft board.

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider and his staff have been on a whirlwind tour meeting with prospects ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

Finally, back at home, Schneider spoke about the process so far during his weekly radio show on Seattle Sports.

“It’s exciting to go out and do the work and see all that, but I’m most excited about being back and being able to hunker down in the draft room with everybody and be able to study and continue to bounce things off each other and try to try to figure this thing out,” Schneider said. “I think just being back here – obviously I love sleeping in my own bed – but I don’t mind that travel at all.”

But all the hard work isn’t over just yet – there is still a lot to do ahead of the first round, and fortunately, it can be done closer to home.

“We’re still Zoom(ing) a bunch of guys,” Schneider explained. “We had a huge portion of our visits (on Wednesday) and then (on Thursday), we had our local group in for our local visit, which is a big tryout day. We had some really really cool guys in today and it was one of our better local days that we’ve had.”

After all the effort the crew has put in, it now comes down to putting the final touches on the Seahawks draft board.

“We’re meeting with the scouts right now. This is like our third time through the board,” Schneider explained, noting it could take up to five times to get everything up to par.

“It gets like a rescraping, kind of,” he said. “Not taking everybody off, but just moving around and making sure everybody has all their input and everybody feels good about it.”

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4 takeaways from the Chiefs’ pre-draft visits

What can we learn about the #Chiefs’ draft plans from the team’s pre-draft visits?

The Kansas City Chiefs have been very busy over the past 36 days hosting draft-eligible prospects at team facilities for top-30 visits. The team has just seven more days to get their pre-draft visits done, but we’ve already found out about more than half of those 30 allotted prospects they’ve had in.

These visits don’t always signal interest in the 2023 NFL draft, but every year the team manages to select at least one of the players they’ve met with. Last season, they grabbed Joshua Williams in the fourth round and Jaylen Watson in the seventh round after hosting them on top-30 visits.

With all that in mind, we’ve got a few takeaways from the list of prospects who’ve visited the Chiefs so far and what it might mean during the upcoming draft:

Saints among 20 teams to host Michigan DT Mazi Smith on pre-draft meetings

The Saints are among 20-plus teams to host first-round Michigan DT prospect Mazi Smith on a pre-draft meeting:

Here’s someone to watch in the first round: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the New Orleans Saints are one of the dozens of teams to speak with former Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Mazi Smith in the weeks leading up to the 2023 NFL draft. He’s one of the best interior linemen available in this year’s rookie class, and he would make a ton of sense for the Saints at No. 29 overall — if he makes it to their pick.

Smith would be the biggest defensive tackle in New Orleans, weighing in at 6-foot-3 and 323 pounds with 33.7-inch arms. Pound for pound, there aren’t many better athletes than him eligible in the 2023 draft. He’s also highly disruptive up front, even if his box score numbers don’t reflect it (just half a sack in 35 career games). He’s built like a traditional nose tackle but has the movement skills to line up all over the defensive front, and he’s well-versed in guarding the B gap, which is what the Saints should be looking for.

Having Smith and Khalen Saunders on the field for early downs creates an immediately-strong run defense, with Nathan Shepherd and Smith both well-suited for getting after the quarterback in obvious passing situations. Smith’s best production may still be ahead of him. He’s clearly on New Orleans’ radar, and fans should keep an eye on him when the draft begins in a few weeks.

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Saints schedule pre-draft visit with Tennessee OT Darnell Wright

Report: Saints among 20 teams to schedule pre-draft visit with Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright, one of this year’s best blockers

Now this is interesting: the New Orleans Saints are one of 20 teams hosting former Tennessee Volunteers offensive tackle Darnell Wright for a visit ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, per KPRC 2 Houston’s NFL insider Aaron Wilson. Wright is a projected first-round pick and one of the top blockers in this draft class, and is widely viewed as the best right tackle available.

And like many of the prospects New Orleans is flying into town, he hasn’t put together a complete athletic profile. Wright didn’t record a time in the three-cone drill or bench press at the NFL Scouting Combine or Tennessee’s pro day. The three-cone drill in particular is a critical evaluation tool for the Saints, who value it as an indicator of agility and movement skills in a tight area.

It may seem like a lot of effort to bring a prospect into town for just one drill, but the Saints have a gauntlet of exercises and classroom work they like to put players through while polishing off their scouting report. Wright can expect cognitive learning tests, position-specific maneuvers and any number of other evaluations on his itinerary when he visits the team facility. Interviews with coaches and front office personnel are also part of the process.

The Saints have been linked to several of Wright’s teammates like quarterback Hendon Hooker and wide receivers Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman, so they could also be looking for some insight on one of them by speaking with Wright privately.

So would the Saints draft Wright if he was available in the first round? Probably so. Ryan Ramczyk has rarely turned in a full week of practice as of late while the team manages a lingering knee injury, and if they’re concerned about his two- or three-year projection, it would make sense to invest in a replacement plan much like they did when they drafted him to take the reins from Zach Strief back in 2017.

Wright has the credentials to get it done. He’s an impressive athlete who moves very well at 6-foot-5 and 333 pounds, using his 33.7-inch arms and rare 82-inch wingspan to ward off opponents trying to turn the edge. He played a career-high 507 snaps in pass protection last year and didn’t allow a single sack against a slate of elite SEC pass rushers. He’s experienced at both tackle spots and he has a history of dabbling at guard, too. Few teams invest as many early-round picks in their front five as New Orleans, and Wright is someone to watch out for on draft day.

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Jaguars 2023 pre-draft visits tracker: Pass rush is a focal point

The Jaguars are using a lot of their top 30 visits on pass rushing prospects.

Jacksonville Jaguars brass won’t be revealing much about their plans for the 2023 NFL Draft in the final weeks before the first round begins on Thursday, April 27. The way the team is using its pre-draft visits may be providing a sizable hint, though.

Each NFL team is allowed to bring in 30 prospects for a visit before the draft. The Jaguars have overwhelmingly focused that allotment on defensive linemen and outside linebackers.

Here we’ll keep a running list of all the players who reportedly received an invite to TIAA Bank Field before draft day (listed alphabetically):

Saints to host Texas A&M running back Devon Achane on pre-draft visit

The New Orleans Saints plan to host Texas A&M running back Devon Achane on a pre-draft visit, per NOF’s Nick Underhill:

Add another running back to the list of 2023 NFL drafts the New Orleans Saints are checking in on. Texas A&M prospect Devon Achane has scheduled a visit at the team facility, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, giving the Saints a good look at a versatile player who could make an impact on multiple phases of the game.

Achane was mainly used as a runner at Texas A&M but he did well as a receiver and pass protector on small sample sizes. However, he’s about 20 pounds underweight from what the Saints usually look for at 5-foot-8 and just 184 pounds. He timed the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds and clearly has some home-run ability in the open field, but that might be more impressive from someone at a heavier weight class.

Despite his slighter frame, Achane is currently projected to be a second- or third-round pick in April’s draft. The Saints need more depth at running back but they’ll look to answer some questions in his evaluation at this meeting to determine whether he’s a good fit behind Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams.

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Saints work out ascending DL prospect Adetomiwa Adebawore

The New Orleans Saints worked out Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore, an ascending prospect in the 2023 draft:

The New Orleans Saitns have been linked to Adetomiwa Adebawore in so many mock drafts that it kind of felt like only a matter of time until he met with the team officially. KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson reports that the Saints put Adebawore through a personal workout to get a better idea of what the big man has to offer.

Adebawore put himself on everyone’s radar at the NFL scouting combine after weighing in at 6-foot-1.5 and 282 pounds, with great length for a defensive lineman thanks to his 32.8-inch arms. He posted top marks in all of the athletic testing at the combine to cap what’s been a productive college career, though pro teams have been trying him out at defensive tackle after he mainly played out on the edge.

He’d be a good fit for the Saints. Depending on which other prospects are available, he could be an option for their first-round pick at No. 29 or their second rounder at 40 overall. He’ll need some time to adjust to a new alignment and the jump in quality of competition, but he has the physical tools to be a disruptive player in their rotation behind Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders.

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Saints schedule pre-draft visit with Penn State corner Joey Porter Jr.

The Saints scheduled a pre-draft visit with Penn State corner Joey Porter Jr., one of the top defensive prospects in the 2023 rookie class:

Do the New Orleans Saints know where they’re picking this year? KPRC 2 Houston’s NFL insider Aaron Wilson reports that the Saints have scheduled a pre-draft visit with Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr., whose busy itinerary includes stops with the Raiders, Commanders, Ravens, Panthers, and Eagles in the days ahead.

Porter is drawing a lot of attention for good reason. He’s a virtual lock to be picked in the first 10 or 12 picks of the 2023 NFL draft, having played at an incredibly high level last year with 11 pass breakups in 10 games — before he timed the 40-yard dash in just 4.46 seconds at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, helping to generate an impressive Relative Athletic Score of 9.72. Don’t bet on him making it to the Saints’ pick at No. 29 overall.

So why are the Saints bringing him in? It could be as simple as wanting to put him through some agility drills and fill out his scouting report. Nearly every prospect the Saints have tabbed for these exclusive “top 30″ visits at their home facility in Metairie either didn’t finish athletic testing at the NFL scouting combine or missed the event entirely, due to injury or being snubbed by the selection process. The Saints’ scouting department puts an emphasis on agility and movement skills in a small space, so the three-cone drill and short shuttle are especially meaningful to them.

Even if they don’t have a prayer of landing Porter (or a real need, given their depth at cornerback), it might be worthwhile to fly him into town and run him through a few drills to get a better idea of what kind of athlete he is. With all of the NFC rivals picking high this year, odds are he’ll be playing somewhere nearby for the foreseeable future.

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Maryland WR Rakim Jarrett makes Top 30 visit to Saints facility

Former Maryland wide receiver Rakim Jarrett was one of several draft prospects visiting the Saints facility on Tuesday:

Former Maryland Terrapins wide receiver Rakim Jarrett was one of several 2023 NFL draft prospects visiting the New Orleans Saints facility’ on Tuesday, per a photo from the Saints locker room that Jarrett shared on social media. Teams are only allowed to host 30 prospects at their headquarters before the draft each year, so this is significant.

Other prospects visiting the Saints on Tuesday included Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker and Jarrett’s Maryland teammate, left tackle Jaelyn Duncan.

Jarrett had his most productive year in college in 2021, when he put up career-highs of 62 receptions for 829 yards, with 5 touchdown catches while lining up both outside the numbers and inside the slot. Dropped passes and inconsistency have been hurdles for him throughout his college career.

Hopefully Jarrett’s visit went well. He weighed in at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds with 31.3-inch arms, but put up solid numbers in the jumps and an impressive time in the 40-yard dash (4.44 seconds). He didn’t complete his agility testing at the NFL scouting combine, however, so that may explain what drew the Saints to him. He’s expected to be picked in the middling rounds of the 2023 draft.

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Saints to host Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt on pre-draft Top 30 visit

The New Orleans Saints plan to host Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Jalin Hyatt on an official pre-draft visit, one of 30 they’re allowed this year:

The Score’s Jordan Schultz reports that the New Orleans Saints are hosting former Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Jalin Hyatt on a formal visit at their Metairie headquarters this week, one of 30 official facilities meeting the team is allowed before the 2023 NFL draft. The Saints also hosted his college quarterback Hendon Hooker on Tuesday and hired his old college position coach Kodi Burns last offseason.

Hyatt won the Biletnikoff Award after his 15-touchdown, 1,267-yard breakout campaign last season. He’s one of several receivers hoping to hear their name called late in the first round of this year’s draft, along with Boston College standout Zay Flowers and North Carolina slot receiver Josh Downs.

Weighing in at 6-foot-1 and 176 pounds with 32.5-inch arms, Hyatt has good size for a vertical threat. And though he can separate easily with his straight-line speed, there are questions surrounding his route tree and the variety of ways he can test a defense. This private visit to New Orleans will probably see him go through a gauntlet of position drills to determine how high his ceiling may be.

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