Charles Harris

South Notes: Jaguars, Saints, Titans, Bucs

April 4th, 2017 at 7:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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.

Draft Rumors: Allen, Foster, Peppers, Mixon

March 5th, 2017 at 8:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Reuben Foster enjoyed one of the most eventful Combines without participating in much of it, being sent home after an argument with a hospital worker. The highly touted linebacker attributed the incident to a misunderstanding and will invite representatives of teams to meet with him on March 7 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., according to NFL.com (via Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk). The Crimson Tide’s pro day is March 8. Foster sent a letter to all 32 teams inviting them to meet with him then to discuss his side of the story.

Here’s more from draft-eligible talents, including one of Foster’s teammates.

Jonathan Allen has hovered around the top 5 of this class throughout mock draft season, but the shoulder issue that’s become known this weekend may cause the Alabama defensive tackle to drop. How far? In speaking with scouts, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report hears the Crimson Tide standout could plummet to the 12-17 range (Twitter link). Doctors discovered Allen has an arthritic left shoulder, and that’s concerned some NFL personnel. “It’s not really a problem now,” Allen said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “But it might be a problem 15, 20 years down the road.” Allen only performed 21 bench press reps. That number tied for 35th among defensive linemen.
Jabrill Peppers does not plan to go any farther with his Combine position group, telling media in Indianapolis he views himself as a safety going into the draft. The Michigan talent performed drills as a linebacker at the Combine due to being told he must work out at his most recent college position. “What do I look like? I’m a safety,” Peppers said, via Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press. “Free or strong [safety], I’m very fast, I’m stronger than the typical DB, tougher than a typical DB, seeing as I played linebacker in the Big Ten at 200 pounds. So anywhere from nickel, I can play some corner still.” Peppers, who weighed 213 pounds at the Combine, has trained as a safety primarily since Michigan’s Orange Bowl loss. The versatile defender functioned as a strong-side linebacker last season.
Joe Mixon is unlikely to be on the board when teams convene for Day 3 of the draft, Tom Peliserro of USA Today notes, regarding the growing league consensus on this matter. The Oklahoma running back caught on video punching a woman is viewed as a top-15 or top-20 type of talent. Pelissero notes there are other prospects in the draft teams are more concerned about than Mixon, who saw his defining collegiate moment become easier to scrutinize due to it being caught on camera. Mixon averaged more than 150 yards from scrimmage per game with the 2016 Sooners. Pelissero notes after speaking with some GMs, some teams have him off their board while others are using a wait-and-see approach to the controversial ball-carrier.
The University of Missouri’s string of defensive line prodigies figures to send the latest into the latter part of the first round or earlier portion of the second. Charles Harris figures to go in that range, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes (on Twitter), after impressing evaluators. Harris follows Sheldon Richardson, Kony Ealy, Markus Golden, Shane Ray and Aldon Smith as coveted pass-rushers from this program. Each of those players was a first- or second-round selection. ESPN.com’s Todd McShay views Harris as the No. 5 defensive end prospect in the draft. He recorded 16 sacks combined in the 2015 and ’16 seasons.

Extra Points: Gronk, Cowboys, Draft, Lions

December 1st, 2016 at 8:55pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Patriots and the family of Rob Gronkowski confirmed in a statement Thursday that the tight end will undergo back surgery Friday. The hope earlier Thursday was that Gronkowski would return during the playoffs, but that’s now in doubt. “We do not expect that he will be able to play for the remainder of the 2016 season, but will await the results of tomorrow’s surgery before making a final determination,” said the two parties (Twitter link).