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2016 NFL Draft: Derrick Henry and seven other pro day winners
By Dane Brugler | NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst
April 8, 2016 10:57 am ET
Once the combine concludes at the end of February, the NFL calendar transitions to the pro day season as scouts, coaches and other team representatives travel all over the country to work out thousands of NFL hopefuls. And now that March and the pro day circuit is complete, the NFL Draft is only a few weeks away.
Looking back, several players boosted their NFL profiles and helped themselves in the eyes of NFL scouts at pro day workouts, including these notable prospects:
Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama (6-3, 247)
In his Heisman season, Alabama running back Derrick Henry touched the ball 406 times on offense, but that includes only 11 catches as he didn't receive the opportunity to show his receiving skills last season. However, that wasn't the case at the Crimson Tide pro day as he ran routes, caught the ball smoothly and even lined up out wide as a wide receiver. Henry rested on his numbers from the combine, including a 4.54 40-yard dash, but his performance as a pass-catcher during his pro day workout helped his draft stock.
Tra Carson, RB, Texas A&M (5-11, 227)
Dealing with a right toe injury most of his senior season, Carson had surgery and was unable to be a full participant at the NFL combine. He was a full participant at the Aggies' pro day this past week and turned some heads with a 4.54 40-yard dash, 37-inch vertical and 7.10 three-cone. Carson has the size of a power back, but his film (and his testing numbers) shows he has the agility to be more than that.
Keenan Reynolds, RB/WR, Navy (5-10, 191)
One of the most productive players in college football history, Reynolds holds the FBS records for touchdowns from scrimmage (88) and rushing yards by a quarterback (4,559). He was the point guard of the Navy option attack, but he will need to switch positions for the NFL and performed well at his workout both as a rusher and receiver. He posted respectable numbers in the 40-yard dash (4.56), vertical (37.5 inches) and broad jump (10 feet) and did a nice job with his route-running from the backfield and in the slot. Reynolds has sterling intangibles and his workout might get him drafted in the later rounds.
Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas (6-5, 250)
Once Henry declared early for the draft, he was pegged as the top player at his position in a relatively weak tight end class. Some of that buzz wilted after a pedestrian combine, where he chose not to perform any of the testing or agility drills and put up only 13 reps on the bench in Indianapolis. However, Henry was able to regain some of that momentum at his pro day and made it clear that he is the best tight end this year. He ran 4.68 in the 40-yard dash and added a 1.60 10-yard split, 7.16 three-cone drill and 21 reps on the bench.
Tyler Higbee, TE, Western Kentucky (6-6, 249)
After a strong first half of the season, Higbee was plagued down the stretch with a knee injury that eventually required surgery in December. The rehab kept him sidelined for the Senior Bowl and combine and he didn't run the 40-yard dash or any other agility drills at the Hilltoppers' pro day. However, he did run routes for the scouts in attendance and impressed despite being only 75-percent healthy. Although he has flown under the radar due to injury, Higbee is an explosive player on tape who is worthy of top-100 consideration.
Tyrone Holmes, DE, Montana (6-3, 253)
Another notable combine snub, Holmes was the FCS Defensive Player of the Year as a senior with 24.0 tackles for loss and 18.0 sacks, producing an impressive film reel for NFL teams. And he backed up the tape with his pro day workout in front of the 18 NFL teams in attendance, recording a 4.62 40-yard dash, 1.62 10-yard split, 37.5-inch vertical leap and 4.28 short shuttle. He was already deserving of a mid-round draft pick based on the film, but the buzz among several scouts seemed to pick up after his workout.
Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron (5-11, 227)
One of the more notable combine snubs, Brown doesn't have prototypical size for the linebacker position, but his athleticism pops off the film. And that speed was on full display at the Zips' pro day as he ran a 4.44 40-yard dash, including a 1.53 10-yard split. Brown also jumped well (35.5-inch vertical leap and 10-foot-5 broad jump) and posted an impressive number on the bench press (33 reps). There is nothing he can do about his lack of height, length and growth potential, but Brown has the athletic traits that should make him at-worst a special teams ace.
Kevin Byard, FS, Middle Tennessee (5-11, 216)
The best defensive back to ever come out of the Middle Tennessee program, Byard had a productive week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, but he was overlooked for the combine and did not receive an invite. However, he shined bright at his pro day with a sub 4.5 40-yard dash with notable numbers in the vertical (38 inches), short shuttle (4.20) and three-cone drill (6.73). Byard has ball skills and instincts (school-record 19 career interceptions), and he impressed NFL scouts with his testing athleticism. He is in the conversation to be the highest drafted non-combine prospect in the 2016 class.
By Dane Brugler | NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst
April 8, 2016 10:57 am ET
Once the combine concludes at the end of February, the NFL calendar transitions to the pro day season as scouts, coaches and other team representatives travel all over the country to work out thousands of NFL hopefuls. And now that March and the pro day circuit is complete, the NFL Draft is only a few weeks away.
Looking back, several players boosted their NFL profiles and helped themselves in the eyes of NFL scouts at pro day workouts, including these notable prospects:
Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama (6-3, 247)
In his Heisman season, Alabama running back Derrick Henry touched the ball 406 times on offense, but that includes only 11 catches as he didn't receive the opportunity to show his receiving skills last season. However, that wasn't the case at the Crimson Tide pro day as he ran routes, caught the ball smoothly and even lined up out wide as a wide receiver. Henry rested on his numbers from the combine, including a 4.54 40-yard dash, but his performance as a pass-catcher during his pro day workout helped his draft stock.
Tra Carson, RB, Texas A&M (5-11, 227)
Dealing with a right toe injury most of his senior season, Carson had surgery and was unable to be a full participant at the NFL combine. He was a full participant at the Aggies' pro day this past week and turned some heads with a 4.54 40-yard dash, 37-inch vertical and 7.10 three-cone. Carson has the size of a power back, but his film (and his testing numbers) shows he has the agility to be more than that.
Keenan Reynolds, RB/WR, Navy (5-10, 191)
One of the most productive players in college football history, Reynolds holds the FBS records for touchdowns from scrimmage (88) and rushing yards by a quarterback (4,559). He was the point guard of the Navy option attack, but he will need to switch positions for the NFL and performed well at his workout both as a rusher and receiver. He posted respectable numbers in the 40-yard dash (4.56), vertical (37.5 inches) and broad jump (10 feet) and did a nice job with his route-running from the backfield and in the slot. Reynolds has sterling intangibles and his workout might get him drafted in the later rounds.
Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas (6-5, 250)
Once Henry declared early for the draft, he was pegged as the top player at his position in a relatively weak tight end class. Some of that buzz wilted after a pedestrian combine, where he chose not to perform any of the testing or agility drills and put up only 13 reps on the bench in Indianapolis. However, Henry was able to regain some of that momentum at his pro day and made it clear that he is the best tight end this year. He ran 4.68 in the 40-yard dash and added a 1.60 10-yard split, 7.16 three-cone drill and 21 reps on the bench.
Tyler Higbee, TE, Western Kentucky (6-6, 249)
After a strong first half of the season, Higbee was plagued down the stretch with a knee injury that eventually required surgery in December. The rehab kept him sidelined for the Senior Bowl and combine and he didn't run the 40-yard dash or any other agility drills at the Hilltoppers' pro day. However, he did run routes for the scouts in attendance and impressed despite being only 75-percent healthy. Although he has flown under the radar due to injury, Higbee is an explosive player on tape who is worthy of top-100 consideration.
Tyrone Holmes, DE, Montana (6-3, 253)
Another notable combine snub, Holmes was the FCS Defensive Player of the Year as a senior with 24.0 tackles for loss and 18.0 sacks, producing an impressive film reel for NFL teams. And he backed up the tape with his pro day workout in front of the 18 NFL teams in attendance, recording a 4.62 40-yard dash, 1.62 10-yard split, 37.5-inch vertical leap and 4.28 short shuttle. He was already deserving of a mid-round draft pick based on the film, but the buzz among several scouts seemed to pick up after his workout.
Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron (5-11, 227)
One of the more notable combine snubs, Brown doesn't have prototypical size for the linebacker position, but his athleticism pops off the film. And that speed was on full display at the Zips' pro day as he ran a 4.44 40-yard dash, including a 1.53 10-yard split. Brown also jumped well (35.5-inch vertical leap and 10-foot-5 broad jump) and posted an impressive number on the bench press (33 reps). There is nothing he can do about his lack of height, length and growth potential, but Brown has the athletic traits that should make him at-worst a special teams ace.
Kevin Byard, FS, Middle Tennessee (5-11, 216)
The best defensive back to ever come out of the Middle Tennessee program, Byard had a productive week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, but he was overlooked for the combine and did not receive an invite. However, he shined bright at his pro day with a sub 4.5 40-yard dash with notable numbers in the vertical (38 inches), short shuttle (4.20) and three-cone drill (6.73). Byard has ball skills and instincts (school-record 19 career interceptions), and he impressed NFL scouts with his testing athleticism. He is in the conversation to be the highest drafted non-combine prospect in the 2016 class.
100% agree. I'd take back everything I've said about Cook if that happened.
