There was a decent crowd on hand at Kansas State’s Pro Day to watch one of the final campus workouts of this NFL draft cycle. Here’s what I’m hearing on where prospects could land and more from today’s pro days at Kansas State, Florida State, Texas A&M, and Chattanooga.
Pro Day News and Rumors: Felix Anudike-Uzomah Struggles, While Deuce Vaughn Stars at Kansas State Pro Day
Cornerback Julius Brents sat on all his Combine numbers and performances, choosing not to participate in anything.
Defender Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who did not run the 40 at the Combine, chose not to run the 40 at his pro day. He did run the three-cone and was timed close to seven seconds flat.
There were rumors Anudike-Uzomah may not be at full health. He was excused from testing at the Combine due to a right foot injury, and there was chatter at the pro day that he was struggling with a groin issue, though I’ve not confirmed that is the exact injury.
His position work was described as uninspired, as Anudike-Uzomah didn’t look overly explosive or particularly quick. Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker coach Chuck Smith ran the drills, had Anudike-Uzomah participate in bag drills, and dropped him into coverage throughout the workout.
As told to me by someone in attendance, “It did not look like a top 50 workout.” I personally never bought into the first-round hype for Anudike-Uzomah and have a late-second-round grade on him.
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The New Orleans Saints had their defensive line coach on hand, and friend Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report told me Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was also on hand. Smith also did one-on-one work with Anudike-Uzomah when the main workout was finished.
Eli Huggins, a low-level UDFA and high-effort player, went down with what seemed to be a serious Achilles injury during position drills. Huggins planted his foot during one of the drills and then crumpled to the turf.
Running back Deuce Vaughn ran the 40 in the high 4.4s. I’m told his shuttle times were quick, but I don’t have results at the time of this writing. During position drills, Vaughn moved incredibly well laterally and displayed tremendous footwork. His pass-catching workout was average, and Vaughn didn’t show soft hands. There was a loud slapping sound whenever he caught the ball.
Wide receiver Kade Warner, son of Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, looked sharp. He measured 6’1’’, 201, and hit 36.5 inches in the vertical jump. Warner ran great routes and caught the ball extremely well. He’s drawn some comparisons to 14-year veteran Brandon Stokley.
Jammie Robinson Performed Well at Florida State Pro Day
Safety Jammie Robinson sat on most of his Combine marks but ran the shuttle at FSU’s Pro Day. Several people told me he looked very good in drills, which were run by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Robinson has a handful of official 30 visits, including with the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, and Green Bay Packers.
Receiver Ontaria Wilson timed anywhere from the high 4.4s to the low 4.5s in the 40, with 4.49 seconds seemingly the consensus. His short shuttle timed in at 4.4 seconds, and he recorded 7.12 seconds in the three-cone. Wilson ran solid routes and caught the ball well in drills, which were run by the Denver Broncos.
Tight end Camren McDonald pulled up during his 40 and did nothing else.
Isaiah Land and Xavier Smith Were Top Names at Florida A&M Pro Day
The Florida A&M workout took place yesterday as two dozen teams drove from Gainesville to Tallahassee after the Gators were done.
Isaiah Land sat on his Combine marks and did both defensive line and linebacker drills. Land timed 4.62 seconds after weighing 236 pounds at the Combine, ten pounds more than his Senior Bowl weight. Land has been drawing plenty of interest from the Broncos, Raiders, and Carolina Panthers.
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Xavier Smith, one of the most underrated slot receiver/return specialists in the draft, had a terrific day. Smith previously took part in the HBCU Combine and timed as fast as 4.38 seconds in the 40. Yesterday, he touched 36.5″ in the vertical jump and clocked in at 4.1 seconds in the short shuttle and 7.13 seconds in the three-cone.
He’s a true downfield threat and an explosive return specialist and was very productive for Florida A&M over the past three seasons. After receiver drills, the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, and Titans ran Smith through special teams drills. He’s drawing a ton of interest from the Bears and Los Angeles Chargers, and Smith has been invited to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ local pro day.
Scouts Eye McClendon Curtis at Chattanooga Pro Day
I’m told all 32 teams were in attendance for the Mocs’ Pro Day, as they have two OL prospects that teams are interested in. The highest-profile one is offensive guard McClendon Curtis.
Curtis was a player I heaped praise on during the Senior Bowl, as he was terrific during each day of practice. He took part in the Combine, timing the 40 in 5.24 seconds with a 10-yard split of 1.82. He also completed 25 reps on the bench, a solid mark for someone whose arms came in at 35”.
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Today, Curtis just participated in position drills, which were run by the New York Giants. He projects as an early-fourth-round pick but could sneak into the late part of round three. Curtis is a perfect system fit for a power gap scheme, and it’s no surprise the Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of interest in him.
Defensive tackle Devonnsha Maxwell, who participated in the Shrine Bowl, timed 5.18 seconds in the 40 with a solid 10-yard split of 1.69 seconds. His other marks included 4.74 seconds in the short shuttle and 7.63 seconds in the three-cone. Maxwell also completed 30 reps on the bench press. He has official 30 visits with the Indianapolis Colts and Titans.