Mel Kiper: Six Miami Hurricanes likely to be picked in NFL Draft

It could be a fruitful year for the Miami Hurricanes in the 2019 NFL Draft.

NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN indicated Tuesday during a national teleconference that there’s a good chance all six Miami Hurricanes who were invited to next week’s NFL Scouting Combine (Feb. 26 through March 4) in Indianapolis will be drafted. And he believes two of them could be taken in the first two rounds.

When Kiper was asked by the Miami Herald who among the six UM players — defensive tackle Gerald Willis III, defensive end Joe Jackson, cornerback Michael Jackson, running back Travis Homer and safeties Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine — does he believe will be drafted, and when they will be picked, here was his response:

“Most of those kids are going to get drafted.

“I think right now, if you look at where my ratings are, Willis had the huge year. Willis is in that late-first, second-round discussion. Jackson, coming off the edge, I think is more of a second-round pick — I’m talking about Joe Jackson.

“Michael Jackson, the corner, more of a Day Three pick.

“Jaquan Johnson is a guy who has been a big-play guy throughout his career. Look at what he’s done in terms of tackles and making plays in the secondary — showed up in some key games. So, I think he’s an early Day Three type of pick. Redwine as well.

“Homer is my 13^th highest rated running back. That would put him in the fourth, fifth round, sixth round category. But running backs, as I said, always drop a round or two lower than they’re rated.

“But of that group, Willis and Jackson and Jaquan Johnson would be your top three.”

Note that Joe Jackson and Homer declared early for the draft after their junior seasons. Defensive end Jackson, 6-5 and 265 pounds, is from Homestead and graduated from Miami Gulliver Prep. He had a great season as one of UM’s finest players on defense, starting 12 of 13 games and finishing with a team-high nine sacks. He added 14 1/2 tackles for loss, 47 total tackles, three pass breakups, a team-high nine quarterback hurries — and a 42-yard interception that he returned for his second career touchdown.

Homer finished his junior season with a team-best 985 rushing yards, the eighth best mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He had four rushing touchdowns. He finished his collegiate career with 1,995 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.

Out of all six, Willis, 6-4 and 300 pounds, is the young man who has garnered the most NFL talk.

ESPN analyst Todd McShay has Willis going to the New England Patriots with the final No. 32 pick in the first round. Willis had 52 tackles this season, and a team-high 18 of them for losses. His tackles for loss ranked 13th nationally for a team that led the nation in that category.

Willis also had four sacks, two pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, and a fumble recovery for the Canes’ No. 4 defense in the nation.

As for Johnson, he ended a tremendous career with a team-leading 92 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick. His close friend and former Killian High teammate Redwine was fourth on the team with 64 tackles and had 3 1/2 tackles for loss, three sacks, three interceptions, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

Cornerback Jackson, who one CBSSports.com mock draft in October projected to be a first-rounder, had 42 tackles in 2018, 3 1/2 for losses and 2 1/2 sacks. He added six pass breakups.

The NFL Draft is April 25-27 in Nashville.