2017 Pro Day Recap: Week 1
By Tony Pauline,
Home | Draft Analyst
There was no rest for the weary as the pro-day schedule got underway the day following the final combine workout. And while there were several highlights over the past five days, the first week of workouts ended on a devastating note.
Washington had an odd Saturday pro day which was attended by every team in the league. The program has four projected first-round picks; three coming from the secondary. The big news coming from the workout was the devastating injury to Sidney Jones, the team's top prospect, graded as the No. 1 cornerback on a number of boards and a player expected to be a top-15 selection.
During a simple pedal-and-turn drill, the turf grabbed Jones' foot and he tumbled to the ground. The news is not good, as it is believed Jones tore his Achilles tendon, and the recovery time is expected to be six months. As a result of the injury, the first-round cornerback will likely fall into the early part of the draft's final day.
With that behind us let's look at some of the winners from last week:
Kevin King/CB/Washington: King capitalized on a terrific combine where he ran much faster than expected with a solid showing at pro day. Standing on his combine numbers, King looked terrific in position drills, displaying outstanding quickness and ball skills. His performance the past week plus the resultant injury to his teammate Sidney Jones likely pushed King into the late part of Round 1.
Darrell Daniels/TE/Washington: Daniels was another Husky who stood on his combine numbers, then looked terrific during pro day position drills. The athletic tight end ran solid routes and displayed soft, consistent hands. He's viewed as a legitimate downfield pass catcher at the tight end position and needs just a little more experience blocking.
DeAngelo Yancey/WR/Purdue: Yancey, a star during the week of practices leading up to the Shrine Game, was snubbed by the combine but got his revenge on pro day. The big-bodied receiver (6-foot-1 and 220 pounds) timed under 4.5 seconds on a number of watches, running as fast as 4.46 seconds in the 40. That time exceeded expectations. He also posted a vertical jump of 36 inches and touched 10-foot-1 in the broad jump. Scouts never questioned Yancey's pass-catching ability, but he answered their concerns about his athleticism during pro day.
Jordan Evans/LB/Oklahoma: Joe Mixon drew the headlines during the Oklahoma pro day, but Jordan Evans walked away the big winner. The underrated linebacker timed 4.51 in the 40, which was a full .3 seconds better than scouts expected! His 3-cone timed in at 7.03, while Evans clocked 4.28 in the short shuttle. His vertical jump of 38.5 inches bettered any linebacker who participated in combine workouts.
Jhajuan Seales/WR/Oklahoma State: Like Yancey and Evans, Seales was another non-combine invitee who ran much faster than expected. Measuring 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, Seales timed as fast as 4.37 in the 40 and touched 41.5 inches in the vertical jump. He also caught the ball well during position drills and will now get late-round consideration.
Rudy Ford/S/Auburn: Ford was unable to participate in the Senior Bowl due to a stress fracture in his foot and he did not run during the combine due to limited training. He ran during pro day and he ran fast. Ford, who completed 20 reps on the bench during the combine, timed in the 4.3s (4.33 and 4.36) during pro day. He's one of the more underrated safeties in the draft, and his pro day 40 sticks him in the middle rounds.
Samson Kafovalu/DL/Colorado: There were several brilliant performances during the Colorado pro day, as the program expects as many as six players on defense to be selected during the draft. Kafovalu, a prospect not even rated by scouts entering the season, was notable as he went from undrafted free agent to potential late-round pick. He measured 6040/299lbs, timed as low as 4.94 in the 40 and also completed 33 reps on the bench press. His other marks included 32.5 inches in the vertical jump and 8-foot-8 in the broad jump. Teams love his versatility to play inside in a four-man front or defensive end in a 3-4.
Read more at
2017 NFL Pro Day Recaps by Tony Pauline: WalterFootball.com
Read more at
2017 NFL Pro Day Recaps by Tony Pauline: WalterFootball.com