Mississippi State was the headliner on Tuesday’s NFL Pro Day schedule, and there were some terrific performances at Louisville and North Carolina State. With the latest on those three workouts, as well as a few updates from last week, here is today’s pro day report.
Pro Day News and Rumors: Emmanuel Forbes Remains a Hot Topic
Teams were on hand in Starkville on Tuesday for Mississippi State’s Pro Day. It was primarily scouts in attendance at the workout, though the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans sent defensive back coaches.
The DB coaches were on hand for Emmanuel Forbes, projected as a Day 2 pick. Forbes only did position drills and sat on his Combine numbers. This was a bit surprising as Forbes did not complete the short shuttle or three-cone in Indianapolis. While he looked fluid in drills, his frame, which measures under 6’1’’ and under 170 pounds, is a concern for scouts.
Tyrus Wheat came in five pounds heavier than his Combine weight of 263 pounds, and he was another player who only participated in position drills. Wheat did everything at the Combine except the three-cone.
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The questions around Wheat center on his next-level position; is he a 3-4 OLB or defensive end in a 4-3? Wheat timed well in the 40 at the Combine (4.65 seconds), but the rest of his marks were pedestrian.
Pass rusher Randy Charlton measured just over 6’3’’ and 265 pounds, which was 20 less than his playing weight. He timed 4.90 seconds in the 40, touched 30″ in the vertical jump, and 9’6’’ in the broad jump. Charlton has been invited to the Miami Dolphins’ local pro day.
The New York Jets ran the offensive line drills at Mississippi State’s Pro Day. This is a little strange as the Bulldogs have no draftable offensive linemen, rather two graded as marginal undrafted free agents. Then again, with LSU and Florida on the schedule for the next two days, this could just be a warmup for the Jets.
Louisville’s Kei’Trel Clark Continues Ascent
Cornerback Kei’Trel Clark continues his upward movement on draft boards.
The senior was outstanding during three days of Shrine Bowl practice and then was listed as one of my Combine winners from Saturday’s workout. Clark sat on his numbers from Indianapolis and looked terrific in position drills, which many consider the strength of his game.
Clark is a natural slot corner, and while I have him graded as a fourth-round prospect, there’s a feeling he may sneak into the back end of Round 3. The 49ers, Bengals, Steelers, and Cardinals are showing a lot of interest in Clark.
Safety Kendrick Duncan Jr., the former Georgia Southern star, weighed in at 218 pounds, timed in the high 4.5s in the 40, and completed 24 reps on the bench. Duncan then ran through the DB and LB drills.
As a sophomore at Georgia Southern, Duncan was the star of a defensive backfield laden with NFL talent. He transferred to Louisville, and his career stalled, partly due to injuries. He’s a priority free agent who will be signed by a team wanting a strong safety or one-gap linebacker. The Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings are looking hard at Duncan as a post-seventh-round signing.
Offensive lineman Trevor Reid had a sensational workout. After measuring 6’4’’ and 311 pounds, Reid touched 38″ in the vertical, 10’4’’ in the broad, and timed in the low 4.9s during the 40. He also completed 25 reps on the bench.
Reid was a left tackle at Louisville but is getting looks as a potential zone-blocking guard. He’ll be working out with the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday and is drawing heavy interest from the Raiders, Jets, Titans, and Dolphins.
Isaiah Moore Stars at North Carolina State
It was primarily scouts at NCSU Pro Day, though linebacker coaches around the league will probably regret not attending the workout.
Linebacker Isaiah Moore — a four-year starter considered a mid-Day 3 pick — really impressed scouts. His times in the 40 ranged from 4.62 to 4.68 seconds, a full tenth faster than scouts expected. The short shuttle was in the range of 4.38 to 4.44 seconds, and his three-cone was as fast as 7.04 seconds.
Moore is a natural ILB in a 3-4 alignment, though a few 4-3 teams are looking at him as a middle or strong side ‘backer. I’ve known since the Combine the New York Giants like Moore an awful lot. The Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts also like him. Keep an eye on the New England Patriots. I’m told they are fond of Moore, who fits the style and substance the franchise looks for in a linebacker.
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Offensive guard Chandler Zavala, a Shrine Bowl participant, turned in an impressive workout. He completed 30 reps on the bench and touched 32.5″ in the vertical jump. His times included 5.01 seconds in the 40 and 7.56 seconds in the three-cone.
A few players from Campbell took part in the NCSU workout, and tight end Julian Hill was impressive. Hill measured 6’4’’, 247 pounds, and ran the 40 in the high 4.5 range. He caught 38 passes for 659 yards with five touchdowns last year, and Hill is getting rave reviews from Campbell head coach Mike Minter, the former safety who played in the NFL for a decade.
Campbell pass rusher Brevin Allen pulled up with a hamstring issue during the 40 and only completed the bench press.