The Washington Redskins are bringing in one of the top edge rushers in the 2015 NFL Draft and the team just so happens to have a glaring need at that position.
NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport reports the franchise is hosting Florida outside linebacker/defensive end Dante Fowler, Jr. for a visit on Wednesday.
The Redskins hold the No. 5 overall pick in the first round. Fowler is ranked No. 4 on NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's list of the top 50 prospects in the draft.
The former Gator's trip to the nation's capital is just the latest in a long line of stops on the pre-draft circuit this month and comes just two days after he visited the New York Jets, another team with a need at his position. While Fowler is staying busy by visiting clubs, there remains the question as to where he will go in the draft and if he'll even be around by the time the Redskins, Jets or others in the top 10 wind up picking.
NFL.com mock drafts are surprisingly unanimous in saying Fowler will be taken No. 3 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the prospect himself is pretty confident that there's little chance he winds up leaving the state of Florida to play professionaly.
Fowler has been atop NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock's list of top edge rushers since the NFL Scouting Combine and is considered by Jeremiah to be the safest pick at his position this year.
Still, it doesn't hurt Washington to bring him in for a visit in case he winds up falling to them at No. 5 (or if they want to move up in order to get him). Mock drafts are all over the board in terms of what they think the team's front office, led by new general manager Scot McCloughan, will do. Some analysts believe an edge rusher like Clemson's Vic Beasley or Missouri's Shane Ray will be the choice, but NFL Media's Charles Davis recently predicted an interesting scenario where top-ranked player Leonard Williams falls to the team at No. 5.
Such a move would presumably be welcomed by those at the Redskins' facilities, but for now, they're doing their due diligence on Fowler.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
