Texas and Notre Dame may have been the big names on Tuesday’s list of pro days, but a number of prospects at smaller schools were out to impress scouts and front office personell. Iowa Tech, North Carolina, McNeese State, Louisiana Tech and Southeastern Louisiana all held workouts on Tuesday.
2013 pro day results: Teams look for hidden treasure at small school pro days
The late rounds of the NFL Draft leave room for a lot of players with more potential than elite skill, and Tuesday saw many of those players hoping to impress scouts at small school pro days.
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Southeastern Louisiana cornerback Robert Alford impressed in his performance at the combine, with a 4.39-second, 40-yard dash and a 39-inch vertical leap, and reports indicate his pro day did nothing but help his chances. He has yet to climb into the first-round discussion, but he has been named as a top 42 pick.
Louisiana Tech attracted a fair amount of attention from the New York Jets, reports Jake Steinberg. Jordan Mills and Oscar Johnson were the two men the Jets were interested in, both offensive lineman with above-average size and power. Both men went to the combine and are projected as late-round picks, so New York is likely looking for a sleeper candidate here. If the Jets look to address their offensive line earlier in the draft, Jets blog Gang Green Nation had some thoughts about where they might look.
Jake Knott and A.J. Klein were the names to watch at Iowa State’s Pro Day, and the two linebackers did what they could to sway scouts nervous about their health. A knee injury at the combine prevented Knott from completing the workouts there, but he was able to move through drills easily on Tuesday, according to Mark Emmert. It was Klein’s shoulder that was the issue, but a reported 24 reps on the bench press should reassure scouts. Knott has placed higher than Klein in pre-draft rankings, but both look to be late-round picks.
North Carolina’s Pro Day was also on Tuesday, though some of the more prominent prospects sat out many of the tests. One of those is Sylvester Williams, a defensive tackle who has attracted attention fro the Carolina Panthers. His athleticism and speed have drawn praise, and Panthers blog Cat Scratch Reader took an extremely detailed look at his speed off the line and how that might contribute to the Panthers’ 2013 season.
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