2009 NFL Draft Pro Day Results
By Hunter Ansley
Hunter is a freelance writer who has been published by ESPN the Magazine. He runs Draft Zoo.com
Send Hunter an e-mail here: draftzoo@gmail.com
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
Pro Day Show Stealers
Let me preface this article by saying that I know as well as anyone that 40 times and broad jumps and pure stats don't make an NFL star. But, there is no denying that every year a handful of guys manage to get themselves noticed with excellent pro days. For some an outstanding workout is not only expected, it's the sole reason scouts fly across the country to eat their tenth serving of college town barbeque in the last four days. But for others, their school's pro day is the one final chance to impress in front of NFL brass. Take a second look at these five guys who managed to steal the show at their pro day.
Will Johnson, DT/DE, Michigan - OK, so there was no Braylon Edwards or Chris Perry at the Michigan Pro Day this year, but there were a few middle-round prospects who had an outside chance of hearing their names called at the end of the first day. DT Terrance Taylor had already opened a few eyes with his 37 bench reps at the combine. CB Morgan Trent was building off an already better than expected offseason.
But the guy who came away with the record for jaw drops had to be Will Johnson. No better than a sixth- or seventh-round guy at best before his workout, Johnson stole the show when he beasted out 47 reps of 225 pounds. Someone ought to put Taylor on "Nancy Kerrigan pipe watch." Johnson may still be a late-rounder at best, but his blend of size and unexpected strength has some teams talking about him as 5-technique in the 3-4 now, and that versatility will earn him some earlier looks.
Brice McCain, CB, Utah - The headliners here were clearly Sean Smith and Paul Kruger. And while neither Kruger nor Smith damaged their first-day stock, they didn't blow up the way McCain did. After turning in a 4.33 40, which would have beaten the Combine corners' best by a full .13 seconds, the smaller Utah defensive back jumped 36.5 inches straight up and 10-3 across. He would've been a hellacious hopscotch player. But since his sights are set on a different sport, McCain went ahead and put up 12 reps on the bench, which is about 11.5 more than most 5-9, 181-pound guys can do.
McCain won't suddenly leap into the second or even third round, but with the premium some teams (ahem... Jags, Raiders) put on measurables, he could have literally leapt his way into the fourth or fifth round. Just a note: No relation to former presidential candidate John McCain, who could only manage a 4.48. Probably why he didn't win the election.
Brian Toal, LB, Boston College - Toal is no better than the fifth-best overall prospect from his school, and when Mark Herzlich decided to return to Boston, he still became only the second best linebacker from BC. So, why not switch positions? Toal played a couple of them in college, including fullback, and now appears to have noticed that his size means a permanent move to fullback or safety is his best chance to get drafted. His times weren't astronomical, but with B.J. Raji and Ron Brace electing to keep a majority of their combine numbers, Toal saw an opportunity and seized it.
Toal posted 4.65 and 4.67 40s. Not great, but still much faster than safety/linebacker/parade marshal Nic Harris. Toal is a true football player with great instincts, and notching a 37.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot broad jump makes him all the more attractive. His 4.45 short shuttle and 7.05 three cone time aren't awful either. True, Toal's numbers don't quite measure up to some of the other guys on this list, but like I said, a guy with great intangibles who's willing to move around to help the team is an asset. Even if he ends up as a special teams contributor, he'll make a roster. At the very least, he's on a few radars now.
George Kelly, CB, UTEP - Ready for some insane numbers? George Kelly came out of nowhere to post one of the most impressive pro days by any prospect at any school. At 5-10, 185, he put up 19 reps on the bench, the same number that 6-4 332 pound Andre Smith managed. He jumped 40 inches in the vertical, which would have put him in the top three at the combine he wasn't invited to attend. And a 10-3 broad jump ain't too shabby either.
But the most impressive measurable? How about a 4.32 40 yard dash. Sure, stealing the show at a UTEP pro day is a little like stealing a free granola bar at Burning Man, but those are the kind of numbers that cause a double take on par with the one most guys would pull if Bar Rafaeli walked past in a saran wrap cocktail dress. Ok, maybe that's not the same.
Charlie Weis, Head Coach, Notre Dame - I couldn't help myself. With Notre Dame's pro prospect numbers historically down this year, someone had to step up and cater/entertain in South Bend. It's not exactly a red carpet event when David Bruton is the headlining act. The 15 scouts with nothing better to do that day gushed over the treatment from Big Charlie. And in the surprise of the year, those in attendance were served not one, but…two meals!
Another plus was the fact that pro day was incredibly well organized, which is no small task when three whole prospects of note are working out. Weis also made all of his players and support staff available for questioning, which I imagine consisted mostly of inquiries about the Zone diet and maternity pilates.
2009 NFL Mock Draft - Walt's
2009 NFL Mock Draft - Matt McGuire's
2010 NFL Mock Draft
NFL Picks
2009 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
![]()
© 1999-2011 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved
Privacy Policy
2 5 9
Hunter is a freelance writer who has been published by ESPN the Magazine. He runs Draft Zoo.com
Send Hunter an e-mail here: draftzoo@gmail.com
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: wpc112@gmail.com
Pro Day Show Stealers
Let me preface this article by saying that I know as well as anyone that 40 times and broad jumps and pure stats don't make an NFL star. But, there is no denying that every year a handful of guys manage to get themselves noticed with excellent pro days. For some an outstanding workout is not only expected, it's the sole reason scouts fly across the country to eat their tenth serving of college town barbeque in the last four days. But for others, their school's pro day is the one final chance to impress in front of NFL brass. Take a second look at these five guys who managed to steal the show at their pro day.
Will Johnson, DT/DE, Michigan - OK, so there was no Braylon Edwards or Chris Perry at the Michigan Pro Day this year, but there were a few middle-round prospects who had an outside chance of hearing their names called at the end of the first day. DT Terrance Taylor had already opened a few eyes with his 37 bench reps at the combine. CB Morgan Trent was building off an already better than expected offseason.
But the guy who came away with the record for jaw drops had to be Will Johnson. No better than a sixth- or seventh-round guy at best before his workout, Johnson stole the show when he beasted out 47 reps of 225 pounds. Someone ought to put Taylor on "Nancy Kerrigan pipe watch." Johnson may still be a late-rounder at best, but his blend of size and unexpected strength has some teams talking about him as 5-technique in the 3-4 now, and that versatility will earn him some earlier looks.
Brice McCain, CB, Utah - The headliners here were clearly Sean Smith and Paul Kruger. And while neither Kruger nor Smith damaged their first-day stock, they didn't blow up the way McCain did. After turning in a 4.33 40, which would have beaten the Combine corners' best by a full .13 seconds, the smaller Utah defensive back jumped 36.5 inches straight up and 10-3 across. He would've been a hellacious hopscotch player. But since his sights are set on a different sport, McCain went ahead and put up 12 reps on the bench, which is about 11.5 more than most 5-9, 181-pound guys can do.
McCain won't suddenly leap into the second or even third round, but with the premium some teams (ahem... Jags, Raiders) put on measurables, he could have literally leapt his way into the fourth or fifth round. Just a note: No relation to former presidential candidate John McCain, who could only manage a 4.48. Probably why he didn't win the election.
Brian Toal, LB, Boston College - Toal is no better than the fifth-best overall prospect from his school, and when Mark Herzlich decided to return to Boston, he still became only the second best linebacker from BC. So, why not switch positions? Toal played a couple of them in college, including fullback, and now appears to have noticed that his size means a permanent move to fullback or safety is his best chance to get drafted. His times weren't astronomical, but with B.J. Raji and Ron Brace electing to keep a majority of their combine numbers, Toal saw an opportunity and seized it.
Toal posted 4.65 and 4.67 40s. Not great, but still much faster than safety/linebacker/parade marshal Nic Harris. Toal is a true football player with great instincts, and notching a 37.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot broad jump makes him all the more attractive. His 4.45 short shuttle and 7.05 three cone time aren't awful either. True, Toal's numbers don't quite measure up to some of the other guys on this list, but like I said, a guy with great intangibles who's willing to move around to help the team is an asset. Even if he ends up as a special teams contributor, he'll make a roster. At the very least, he's on a few radars now.
George Kelly, CB, UTEP - Ready for some insane numbers? George Kelly came out of nowhere to post one of the most impressive pro days by any prospect at any school. At 5-10, 185, he put up 19 reps on the bench, the same number that 6-4 332 pound Andre Smith managed. He jumped 40 inches in the vertical, which would have put him in the top three at the combine he wasn't invited to attend. And a 10-3 broad jump ain't too shabby either.
But the most impressive measurable? How about a 4.32 40 yard dash. Sure, stealing the show at a UTEP pro day is a little like stealing a free granola bar at Burning Man, but those are the kind of numbers that cause a double take on par with the one most guys would pull if Bar Rafaeli walked past in a saran wrap cocktail dress. Ok, maybe that's not the same.
Charlie Weis, Head Coach, Notre Dame - I couldn't help myself. With Notre Dame's pro prospect numbers historically down this year, someone had to step up and cater/entertain in South Bend. It's not exactly a red carpet event when David Bruton is the headlining act. The 15 scouts with nothing better to do that day gushed over the treatment from Big Charlie. And in the surprise of the year, those in attendance were served not one, but…two meals!
Another plus was the fact that pro day was incredibly well organized, which is no small task when three whole prospects of note are working out. Weis also made all of his players and support staff available for questioning, which I imagine consisted mostly of inquiries about the Zone diet and maternity pilates.
2009 NFL Mock Draft - Walt's
2009 NFL Mock Draft - Matt McGuire's
2010 NFL Mock Draft
NFL Picks
2009 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
© 1999-2011 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved
Privacy Policy
2 5 9