Wisconsin’s NFL pro day came on one of the wildest days in sports history. Luckily, it took place in the morning. On March 11th, eleven Badger hopefuls participated in drills that were put on for NFL coaches, scouts, and other team personnel. That night in Oklahoma City, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 and the NBA went into shutdown mode. Had the pro day been one day later, you never know if UW would have gone forward with it.
For players with established NFL Draft futures like Jonathan Taylor and Zack Baun, the pro day was a chance to improve their already solidified stock. Arguably more importantly, the luck of the timing allowed Badger prospects with larger draft questions to show out in Madison. If Quintez Cephus hears his name called at the 2020 NFL Draft, the results of the pro day could be a big reason why. The Badger wide receiver ran a 4.73 in his 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, a number that was a major red flag for NFL teams. In just a matter of weeks, the Georgia native improved that number to 4.58 at Wisconsin’s pro day. Had he not been given the chance, who knows what NFL team’s would be speculating about his 40-yard dash time.
For Chris Orr, the lack of a combine invite was a slap in the face after a phenomenal senior season. His 11.5 sacks in 2019 were not enough to get him to the combine, but he was able to put up solid numbers at Wisconsin’s pro day. The Badger ‘backer ran a 4.65 40-yard dash, to go along with a 36.5 inch vertical jump. For Orr, those numbers could be the difference at the NFL Draft.
Wisconsin’s pro day was one of the last sporting events to take place in the United States. We would never have completely known it at the time, but the Badger hopefuls were lucky they had the chance to ball in front of NFL teams.