NFL pro day results: Vandy’s Jordan Matthews, WVU’s Charles Sims show off

Jordan Matthews and Charles Sims wanted to prove that they are worthy of high draft picks. Noel Devine simply wanted to prove that he deserves a second chance.

by Louis Bien

Mar 21, 2014, 6:11 PM UTC

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Friday's spate of pro days doesn't feature as many big names as days past, but that doesn't mean it's void of star power. The best prospect set to work out for scouts is Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews, who could put himself in discussion for a first-round pick after impressing. West Virginia running back Charles Sims, meanwhile, is hoping he solidified at least a Day 2 selection at the Mountaineers' pro day.

Missouri Western tight end Reggie Jordan may be the best prospect among the several small schools hosting pro days on Friday. He clocked in with a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine last month, and has the build and athleticism to play either wide receiver or tight end. Northwest Missouri State cornerback Brandon Dixon may also prove himself worthy of a late-round selection if he can put on a show.

Check out the highlights from Friday below, including a surprise appearance from Noel Devine:

Missouri Western

Notable prospect:

TE Reggie Jordan (projected late-round pick)

Northwest Missouri State

Notable prospect:

CB Brandon Dixon (borderline draft prospect)

Vanderbilt

Jordan Matthews pleased with pro day

Jordan Matthews impressed at the NFL Combine in February, enough to confirm the belief that he is among the best wide receivers in his class. On Friday, he ran through drills and caught passes in front of NFL scouts, opting to let his test results in Indianapolis, including his 4.46 40-yard dash, stand on their own.

Matthews told the Tennessean after his workout that he was pleased with his performance, and happy with what he has been told by NFL teams since Indy.

Kenny Ladler picks up speed

Safety Kenny Ladler is hoping to climb into the middle round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He did himself a big favor by running a much improved 40-yard dash. Tony Pauline with Walter Football reported that Ladler ran in the 4.5 range after running a 4.70 in Indianapolis. Unfortunately, the improved time came with a mild setback.

Kenny Ladler pulled up with a right hamstring on his first 40-yd dash. Chase Garnham pulled up with a right quad on his second 40
— Jeff Lockridge (@jefflockridge) March 21, 2014

Wesley Johnson draws Steelers’ attention

Vanderbilt offensive lineman Wesley Johnson may be climbing draft boards. He received a lot of attention from the Pittsburgh Steelers in particular Friday.

Dan Rooney got a word in with Wesley Johnson after O-line drills #FutureSteeler? #VandyProDay pic.twitter.com/nJSS4Yd4mb
— Max Herz (@meeeexie) March 21, 2014

Rooney was reportedly paying special attention to Johnson throughout the workout. Given the Steelers’ struggles up front last season, the attention comes as no surprise.

Notable prospects:

WR Jordan Matthews (projected second- or third-round pick)
OT Wesley Johnson (projected fifth-round pick)
FS Kenny Ladler (projected fourth- or fifth-round pick)
CB Dre Hal (projected late-round pick)
WR Chris Boyd (borderline draft prospect)

West Virginia

Charles Sims impresses in drills

Sims decided to let his 4.48 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine stand as is, but he impressed during drills in front scouts from 24 teams, including a nifty bit of running through bags:

Sims is considered the fifth-best running back in the NFL Draft by SB Nation. He apparently didn’t do anything to hurt his standing.

Defensive end Will Clarke, meanwhile, hoped to prove he was worth a draft pick. He took part in the broad jump and the short shuttle, and improved both from the combine. He dropped his shuttle from 4.57 seconds to 4.50, and his broad jump from 112 inches to 119 inches, according to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt.

Noel Devine makes appearance and wows

Noel Devine wants a second chance at the NFL. He showed up at WVU’s pro day to make an impression, and by all indications he succeeded.

Noel Devine finishing his 40. Not sure what he ran but it looked pretty fast to me ... pic.twitter.com/S8zHRNvSX8
— John Antonik (@JohnAntonik) March 21, 2014

Hand timers had Devine running in the 4.3-second range in the 40-yard dash. Though Devine went undrafted in 2011 and failed to make much of an impact in two seasons in the CFL, his good impression Friday could give him a few tryouts.