Pro day updates: Clemson DE Murphy sits again; LB Simpson sizzles … All 32 NFL had reps at today’s pro day workout at Clemson. Unfortunately, Tigers’ DE Myles Murphy, a top 10-20 prospect who didn’t run at the combine because of a hamstring issue, wasn’t able to participate again today. Murphy, along with fellow Tigers’ DE KJ Henry, will hold private work out for NFL teams on April 4th. Tigers’ LB Trenton Simpson also didn’t run today as he stood on his excellent 4.43 time from the combine. Simpson, though, did the rest of the workout and put on a show posting a 40.5-inch vertical as well as quick times of 6.89 in the 3-cone drill and 4.22 in the short shuttle. Somewhat surprisingly, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin was the only head coach in attendance; he was there with Steelers’ GM Omar Khan, one of only two GMs to appear along with Carolina’s Scott Fitterer. One wants to be a little careful reading too much into the attendance of Khan and Tomlin as the Steelers’ brass has historically attended far more pro days than any other team. However, they were the ones that took Simpson to dinner after the workout and it should be noted that the Steelers have reportedly never selected anyone in the opening round in the modern era from a team whose pro day their GM/HC did not attend. The Giants also appear to have some interest in Simpson as DC Wink Martindale was there along with the team’s LB and DB coaches; indeed, the Giants’ OL coach ran the positional drills. for the record, Baltimore DC Mike McDonald was the only other co-ordinator at Clemson today.
Interestingly, the Steelers were also out in force in Chicago for the Northwestern pro day where G/T Peter Skoronski was the featured attraction. Included in the Steelers delegation in Chicago was OL coach Pat Meyer who was there along with several senior scouting people. It shouldn’t be a huge surprise, though, that the Bears were also out in force at the Northwestern workout with a delegation that included GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus, along with the team’s OL coach who ran the positional drills, as well as many as 5 other staffers. Ever since the Bears sent the #1 pick overall to Carolina for a package including this year’s 9th pick there has been speculation that Skoronski would be very much in the Bears’ sites.
Out on the far coast 31 of the 32 teams had reps at the Oregon pro day. Strangely, the LA Rams were the one laggard team despite the proximity. For the most part, the Ducks’ top prospects stood on their combine numbers, but WR Chase Cota, who was not invited to Indy this year, had a decent day as he ran an unofficial 4.50 40 clocking with a 37.5-inch vertical at 6-4, 200.
