The main event of the second week of the pro day schedule was at Northwestern, where there were two potential first-round draft picks on display. With as many as 50 NFL people taking in the workout, here are the latest pro day news and rumors coming out of Northwestern, Clemson, and South Carolina.
Pro Day News and Rumors | Adetomiwa Adebawore and Peter Skoronski Headline at Northwestern
The reviews on offensive lineman Peter Skoronski were solid but not spectacular. The Northwestern offensive tackle looked smooth and fluid in position drills, and he displayed next-level footwork. One criticism I heard was Skoronski did not display a powerful punch during bag drills.
That’s something you don’t want to hear from a guy whose arm length at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine came in a tad over 32 inches as teams decide whether to put the junior on their tackle or guard board.
Meanwhile, defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore continues to ascend up draft boards.
First, he produced three great days of Senior Bowl practice and an outstanding Combine workout. The 283-pound defender timed 4.49 seconds in the 40 and touched 37.5 inches in the vertical jump at the Combine, then a 7.11 in the three-cone and 4.19 in the short shuttle at his pro day. The shuttle time would have been the fastest of any defensive linemen who ran at the Combine, while only two participants in Indianapolis from the group ran faster in the three-cone.
Adebawore had meetings with the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, and Chicago Bears. Much of the Bears’ brass was on hand to meet with the defensive tackle, including general manager Ryan Poles.
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Like Adebawore, running back Evan Hull is another Wildcat that’s watched his NFL draft stock take off the past two months. Hull was terrific during Senior Bowl week, then performed beyond expectations at the Combine. Hull stood on his numbers from Indianapolis but participated in position drills.
For a 209-pound running back, Hull impressed with his burst and second gear, which is also something he displayed at the Senior Bowl. He caught the ball exceptionally well, and his route running was as good, if not better, than NU wideout Donny Navarro III, who took part in Northwestern’s Pro Day.
Presently graded as a late fifth-round pick on my board, the feedback I’m getting is Hull could land anywhere from the middle of Round 4 to the top of Round 6. Over the past two days, Hull interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, and Lions.
Cam Smith Impresses at South Carolina
A bevy of teams were on hand for the South Carolina Pro Day on Monday, including defensive back coaches from the New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, and New York Jets. The school’s top two prospects did not disappoint.
Cornerbacks Cam Smith and Darius Rush stood on their Combine marks but participated in position drills and looked terrific. They were smooth, fluid, and looked natural. The DB drills were run by coaches from the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos.
Smith, projected to be a first-round pick next month, is drawing interest from the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, and Jaguars. If Smith does make it out of the first frame, I highly doubt he gets past the Panthers’ pick in Round 2, 40th overall.
The Giants are a team that may have an interest in Rush, who was described as a hard-working, humble player. Rush has watched his draft stock take off the past two months as he turned in a tremendous Combine workout just weeks after three terrific days of practice at the Senior Bowl.
Grand Valley State Produces a Tackle Prospect
In an unusual Sunday pro day workout, 10 teams assembled in Allendale, Michigan, to watch Grand Valley State. The apple of their eye was massive offensive tackle Quinton Barrow.
Barrow, a Shrine Game participant who measured 6’5 1/2’’ and 322 pounds in Vegas, timed just over 5.2 seconds in the 40 and completed 20 reps on the bench press. His arm length was 34 ¼ inches at the Shrine Bowl.
The Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Houston Texans are showing a ton of interest in Barrow, who will also participate at the Central Michigan Pro Day. In fact, the Texans did extensive board work with Barrow and took him to lunch after the pro day workout.
Barrow, graded as a late sixth-round pick on my board despite not receiving an invitation to the Combine, is getting looks as both a left and right tackle by next-level evaluators.
All Eyes Were on Clemson’s Stars
The entire league was on hand for Clemson’s Pro Day as the defense touts at least two first-round picks. Here’s what I’m hearing so far.
Myles Murphy, who didn’t work out at the Combine, also didn’t participate during Tuesday’s workout as he continues to rehab from injury. Murphy has scheduled a pro day workout on April 4.
His linemate Bryan Bresee impressed the people who came to see him today. He tipped the scales at 302 pounds, four pounds heavier than his Combine weight.
Bresee redid the bench press and completed 28 reps, significantly better than his mark of 22 from Indianapolis. His short shuttle time was fast at 4.43 seconds, and his three-cone time of 7.39 seconds was an outstanding mark. The short shuttle time would’ve put him at the top of the defensive tackle chart at the Combine. Bresee looked outstanding in drills and was impressively athletic.
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The school put out a medical memo affirming Bresee did not suffer any injuries last season, rather the kidney infection he was dealing with was the cause of his problems. Primarily the medicine prescribed to Bresee for the infection caused massive weight gain, and it weighed him down.
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to show interest in the athletic D,t as are the Vikings and Jaguars. One team also showing interest are the Bears. Could Bresee be the contingency plan if the Jalen Carter situation is not settled by draft weekend? It’s seeming more plausible to me.
Receiver Joseph Ngata looked good in position drills and ran solid routes. He caught everything thrown in his direction. Ngata drew some interest from the Bills, Broncos, and Jets at pro day.