Tag: pro day

Michigan State Spring Football practices, Pro Day not yet canceled due to COVID-19

Michigan State has not yet canceled their Spring Football practices or NFL Pro Day due to Coronavirus concerns.

In perhaps some of the most shocking and eye-opening news in recent sports history, the NCAA Tournament and Men’s and Women’s Conference Basketball Tournaments have all been canceled due to rising concerns over the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. While those basketball events are now off the board, along with all Big Ten athletic competitions, the Michigan State Football program has not yet announced a cancellation of their Spring Football practices or Pro Day which are still scheduled for next week. A representative of the football program has called the situation “fluid.”

The news was reported by Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press and Matt Wenzel of Mlive.com.

While it may seem insignificant to postpone or cancel these events, the Pro Day is still highly important for fringe NFL prospects looking for a chance to impress NFL teams. MSU tight end Matt Seybert took to Twitter to advocate for Michigan State to continue holding the event:

Spring Football practices are scheduled to start on Tuesday next week while the Pro Day is scheduled for Wednesday.

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Jets suspend travel as concerns over coronavirus grow

The Jets are among the NFL teams who pulled their scouts off the road amid the spread of the coronavirus.

Jets scouts and coaches won’t travel for the foreseeable future as the spread of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, continues to rise, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 

This comes less than a day after it was reported the Jets wouldn’t restrict their employees from traveling to draft prospects’ Pro Days. The team has yet to make a decision on amending their Top-30 prospect visit process, though, according to the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta. That would include prospects traveling to the team facilities for evaluation before the draft.

Schefter also reported that teams discussed shutting down training facilities, which would not only influence Top-30 visits but also how the league handles the beginning of the league year on March 18. However, the NFL said it is not currently planning to change the start of the league year.

Every team in the league had discussed safety measures for the coronavirus as early as Wednesday, according to Yahoo Sports. But only the Steelers, Eagles and Saints had limited travel for coaches and scouts until the Redskins, Giants and Jets suspended all travel Thursday.

There has been no word on if other offseason dates will be changed, but the league said in a statement Monday that it wasn’t planning on changing the offseason schedule – which includes April OTAs and the draft on April 23.

Things could easily change, though. Until then, lots of NFL teams will be in stasis as they get more information from the league and health officials.

Video: Best throws from Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts’ pro day

One player that could be a good developmental prospect for the Falcons is Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts, who looked good during his pro day. 

The Falcons elected to pick up backup quarterback Matt Schaub’s 2020 option after he played well filling in for Matt Ryan last season. While Schaub is a quality backup, at 38 years old, he’s merely a stop-gap for next year.

The team plans to let Kurt Benkert and Danny Etling battle it out for the No. 3 spot, but adding a quarterback in the middle rounds of the draft is still an option for Atlanta.

One player that could be a good developmental prospect for the Falcons is Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts, who looked good during his pro day.  Here are some of his best throws, as shared by the NFL’s Twitter account:

Hurts, who comes from the same program as the last two first-overall picks — Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray — put up some impressive numbers last season for the Sooners.

After transferring from Alabama, Hurts completed nearly 70 percent of his passes, while throwing for 3,851 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2019. He also added 1,298 yards on the ground and 20 rushing touchdowns.

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Tracking pro day attendance for the Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs will continue to attend pro days into April. We’re keeping track of the ones they’ve been to.

The Kansas City Chiefs are hard at work scouting players eligible for the upcoming 2020 NFL draft. They’ve been very active in the pro day circuit so far, despite reports that NFL teams are dialing back pro day attendance due to COVID-19 concerns.

Pro days feature many of the same measurable drills and on-field workouts as the NFL Scouting Combine. They aren’t quite as thorough as the combine, but the setting is a bit more intimate. Teams use this opportunity to gather information on both well-known and little-known prospects across the country. Much of this information will help them come to a final decision on their draft board.

Below you’ll find pro days where we’ve been able to confirm that the Chiefs had a scout in attendance.

School Date
Kansas Mar. 3
Kansas State Mar. 4
Illinois Mar. 9
Northwestern Mar. 10
Wyoming Mar. 10
Oklahoma Mar. 11
Stony Brook Mar. 11
Georgia Tech Mar. 11

Be sure to bookmark this page and check back often for updates as pro day season continues. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter, where we’ll post periodic updates. For a list of upcoming pro days, be sure to check out the gallery below.

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Bears among teams that attended Northern Colorado QB Jacob Knipp’s pro day

The Bears were one of 16 teams that attended Northern Colorado’s pro day to watch quarterback Jacob Knipp,

The Chicago Bears are exploring all avenues at the quarterback position, from in-house with Mitchell Trubisky to free agency to the NFL Draft.

Chicago was one of 16 teams that attended Northern Colorado’s pro day to watch quarterback Jacob Knipp, according to The Draft Network’s Jordan Reid.

Reid had this to say about Knipp: “From the cerebral mind to his natural leadership skills and his uncanny feel for the position, everyone has already recognized the potential that he possesses.”

One of the knocks on Knipp is his injury history. He hasn’t finished a season since his magical freshman year. In his six-year collegiate career, Knipp has suffered repeated injuries to his left, non-throwing shoulder that has prevented him from really living up to his potential.

But clearly he’s someone that the Bears are interested in, which makes sense given his potential and the fact that they’re in the market for a quarterback.

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Report: Saints step away from college pro day circuit, citing coronavirus precautions

The New Orleans Saints are one of two teams to alter travel plans ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft, recalling coaches amid coronavirus concerns.

The New Orleans Saints are one of two teams reportedly recalling coaches from the college pro day circuit ahead of next month’s NFL draft, per Eric Edholm and Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. The move is considered a precaution against the rising coronavirus pandemic spreading nationally and around the globe; keeping the coaching staff based in New Orleans would limit exposure to potential infections, which could spread rapidly throughout the team facility.

It’s a big departure from the norm. Coaches only really get involved in the pre-draft evaluating process at all-star games like the Senior Bowl and during interviews at the NFL Scouting Combine. These college pro days give coaches an opportunity to work out prospects through specific drills and meet one-on-one afterwards, scheduling future meetings and private visits at the team facility.

However, the Saints won’t be flying blind before April’s draft. Their scouts are expected to remain on the road visiting dozens of college campuses, working remotely as usual and filing daily reports digitally or through conference calls. Their ability to continue working away from the facility should limit potential chances of infection.

The Yahoo Sports adds that every NFL team has held meetings to address health and safety concerns, updating personnel on what they can do to stay safe with the virus still spreading. But the Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles are the only teams to have pulled coaches off the road, at least so far.

It’s unclear how these changes in travel plans will impact draft-day decisions, as well as the weeks of research that factor into them. Teams are allowed to fly as many as 30 prospects into their home cities for private meetings, interviews, and workouts, but they often supplement those official visits with informal meetings surrounding these pro days. It’s certainly a situation to monitor ahead of the April 23 draft in Las Vegas.

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Seahawks show interest in Oklahoma State’s Marcus Keyes

The Seattle Seahawks liked what they saw from Oklahoma State guard Marcus Keyes at his local Pro Day.

The Seattle Seahawks are expected to scout nearly every offensive lineman available in the 2020 NFL draft, and for good reason.

With Germain Ifedi, George Fant and Mike Iupati all set to hit free agency, this team will be undergoing a shakeup in the trenches, and adding more talent to an already young second unit seems like a great way to build cohesiveness for Russell Wilson and the rest of the offense to thrive behind.

Despite not participating in the NFL combine, Oklahoma State guard Marcus Keyes had a strong showing at his local Pro Day, impressing scouts from 30 different teams – including the Seahawks.

Keyes measured six-foot-four and 315 pounds with 33 5/8 inch arms. He displayed excellent flexibility and bend, along with strong hand punch at the point of attack.

The Seahawks were reportedly one of the most interested teams in the guard prospect, who may have performed well enough to find his way into the back half of the draft in April.

Keyes would be competing with D.J. Fluker, Jordan Simmons, Demetrius Knox, Ethan Pocic, Phil Haynes and Jamarco Jones for playing time at the two guard spots next year – although there is plenty of time for players to move around between now and training camp.

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2020 NFL Draft: Oklahoma State Pro Day attracts Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers national scout was in attendance for the Cowboys’ Pro Day.

The NFL Pro Day slate is in full swing, where hundreds of draft prospects are given the opportunity to work out in front of scouts, coaches and general managers to either improve their draft stock, or simply get on teams’ radars one last time.

Oklahoma State held their annual Pro Day. The Cowboys drew the attention of Chargers national scout Tom McConnaughey, according to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline.

Oklahoma State boasts a few prospects, but the main attraction there was cornerback A.J. Green.

Green, the 6-foot-1 and 197 pounder played primarily on the outside in Oklahoma State’s defense where he was used both in zone and man coverage. The Texas native played in 48 games, starting 39 of them.

In four seasons for the Cowboys, Green amassed 147 tackles, 21 passes defensed and six interceptions.

Green has the length to disrupt receivers, the turn-and-run ability to stay on the hip of the wideout along with adequate eye discipline and closing speed to make plays on the football, making him an ideal fit for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s zone scheme.

At his Pro Day, Green ran the 40-yard dash in the low 4.5’s, jumped 34 inches in the vertical jump and 9-foot-6 in the broad jump.

Green currently projects as a third or fourth-round selection.

Chiefs in attendance for Illinois pro day

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to make the rounds in the pro day circuit ahead of the 2020 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to make the rounds in the pro day circuit ahead of the 2020 NFL draft.

Area scout Terry Delp was in attendance for the University of Illinois pro day. This pro day was particularly important for fact-gathering as none of the Fighting Illini players were invited to the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

In 2019, Illinois put together one of their best seasons in recent history, becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2014. Their success came with trust in head coach Lovie Smith and the hard work of many upper-classmen. Those upper-classmen are now departing with hopes of building an NFL career.

It’s important to note that the Chiefs drafted former Illini offensive lineman Nick Allegretti in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL draft. He also wasn’t invited to the NFL Scouting Combine that season. Allegretti did, however, make an impression on the Chiefs after his performance at his pro day.

Several players from this draft class such as RB Reggie Corbin, LB Dele Harding and DE/LB Oluwole Betiku will have a chance to make a similar impression on NFL teams and get themselves drafted. Corbin and Harding were both participants in the 2020 East-West Shrine Game. Betiku declared as an underclassman but was a standout during the 2019 season with 13 tackles for loss and nine sacks in 10 games played. Others will make teams as priority undrafted free agents and those connections begin at the pro day.

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2020 NFL Draft: Pro day schedule to know this week

2020 NFL Draft: Pro day schedule to know this week including Wisconsin, Clemson, Michigan and Oklahoma

This week marks the first big week of college pro days for prospective NFL draftees. Players at several major college programs will take to the indoor practice facilities to show off for NFL GMs, coaches and scouts.

Browns GM Andrew Berry, head coach Kevin Stefanski and various assistants are poised to fan out around the country to attend different pro days. Since many take place at the same time, dividing and conquering is the way to go.

Here are the pro days this week, with a special spotlight on those with draft significance for the Browns:

March 10

Oklahoma State

Wyoming – The Cowboys have a middle-round LB prospect in Logan Wilson who very much fits the bill of what the Browns are looking for to replace Joe Schobert. He met with the team at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. If Berry makes the trip to Laramie, it’s a sign of major interest in Wilson.

March 11

Arkansas
Colorado

Oklahoma – The Sooners have several prospects who could join old teammate Baker Mayfield in Cleveland. Chief among them are LB Kenneth Murray, DT Neville Gallimore and QB Jalen Hurts, who could interest the Browns as a backup QB and special-package weapon in the middle rounds.

Oregon State

Wisconsin – LB Zack Baun played the exact same role for the Badgers that Schobert did, and he projects to make a similar transition in the NFL. WR Quintez Cephus had a horrible combine 40 time, but if he salvages some dignity in Madison he’s a viable late-round target for the Browns, too.

March 12

Clemson – The powerhouse program has scads of future NFL talents working out. Most notable is LB Isaiah Simmons, a likely top-10 overall pick with incredible athleticism and positional versatility. The Browns figure to have interest in WR Tee Higgins, CB A.J. Terrell and OT Tremayne Anchrum, among others.

Nebraska
Oregon
Princeton

Southern Illinois – The Salukis have a legit Day 2 safety prospect in Jeremy Chinn, whose game bears a strong resemblance to former Browns first-rounder Jabrill Peppers.

Tulsa

March 13

Georgia Southern

Michigan – I’ll be in Ann Arbor to watch the Browns watch several intriguing prospects. Two Wolverine offensive linemen merit special Cleveland attention: Center Cesar Ruiz and Ben Bredeson, who can play guard or right tackle. The Browns have met with both already during this draft season.

Portland State