:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54292713/usa_today_8940045.0.jpg)
As the clock ticks down to the start of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers continue to host players on pre-draft visits. The latest comes from a school which has sent several players to the Packers as undrafted free agents over the years: the Miami Hurricanes.
The player is Jermaine Grace, a six-foot, 223-pound inside linebacker, and the report from Hurricanes insider Peter Ariz indicates that the visit will take place on Tuesday, the same day that the Packers begin their spring workouts.
Grace was the leading tackler for the Hurricanes as a true junior in 2015, his one year as a primary starter. He racked up a total of 79 tackles, six for loss, and a pair of sacks. However, Grace was kicked off the team just prior to his senior season after reportedly being given discounts on luxury rental cars. The circumstances of the dismissal remain in dispute, however, as Grace’s attorney maintains that Grace never received any improper benefits. Miami did choose to keep him on scholarship, however, and he graduated from the school in December and participated in the Hurricanes’ Pro Day this March.
At that Pro Day, Grace put up some solid testing numbers, especially considering that he did not play at all in 2016. He ran his 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds, posted 21 reps on the bench press, and had a 7.37-second time in the 3-cone drill.
The Packers have close ties to the Miami football program, as senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith is a Miami alumnus. This visit will likely involve interviews as the team tries to get to know Grace better in an effort to learn more about the circumstances of his dismissal.
Click here for the full list of the Packers’ pre-draft visits.