Texas A&M’s annual Pro Day took place on Tuesday, providing ample opportunity for over a dozen participating players to impress NFL scouts. The four NFL Combine invitees led the charge: linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, safety Demani Richardson, offensive lineman Layden Robinson, and wide receiver Ainias Smith.
Also returning to College Station for the event, former starting quarterback Kellen Mond is looking to get his NFL career back on track after brief stints with the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns. While Cooper, Richardson, and Robinson could go through drills during the Combine earlier this month, Ainias Smith’s recently discovered left shin injury prevented him from going through drills and, most importantly, running the 40-yard dash.
Given the opportunity to finally show off his speed after a couple of added rest weeks, it was reported that Smith had run anywhere between a 4.4 and 4.5 40 times. That time is highly impressive, as Smith is sure to fully recover from his stress fracture by the time he enters training camp this summer.
With new head football coach Mike Elko preparing for his inaugural season at the helm, Smith provided his thoughts on what made the former Duke HC the right hire to help the program finally live up to the lofty standard bestowed upon it year after year:
“He established discipline. I feel like that was something that we were lacking and needed at A&M. And right now, I feel like this is the most disciplined team A&M has seen in a good little minute.”
Even though Ainias Smith will be taking his talents to the next level, he knows what it takes to bring a locker room together while consistently acting as a leader among men for the last five seasons. If you’re going to rust any opinion regarding Elko’s hiring, trust this one.
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