Pro day updates … All 32 NFL teams were represented at Alabama’s pro day on Wednesday, but its wasn’t the same star-studded celebrity crowd that has turned out to recent Tide workouts. Indeed, Giants’ GM Jerry Reese was the only GM who has been mentioned as attending, while there were no head coaches in Tuscaloosa today. That may be explained because Alabama just doesn’t have the marquee draft prospects they have had in previous years; plus, most of the Bama players already worked out at the combine rather than waiting for the pro day. The two Alabama playesr who did not wotrkout at the combine were OG Arie Kouandjio and MLB Trey Depriest, but neither ran particularly well at today’s pro day. Kouandjio, for example, reportedly ran the 40 in the 5.50 range, while DePreist was barely able to get under 5-flat. Same story for safety Nick Perry, who was not invited to the combine, as he was reportedly clocked in the 4.65-4.70 range. All 32 teams also had reps at Louisville’s workout including three head coaches: Bill Belichek of the Super Bowl champion Patriots, Marvin Lewis of Cincinnati and Mike Tomlin of Pittsburgh. Among former Cardinals’ who did not work out at the combine, safety Gerod Holliman reportedly had a tough day as he struggled to get under 4.65 seconds in the 40. On the other hand, RB Mike Dyer, who did participate in the combine, was not allowed to take part after he was suspended from the team’s bowl game because of academic issues. At Oklahoma, OT Tyrus Thompson who did not run at the combine clocked a 5.39 40 time. All 32 NFL teams also had reps at the Rutgers pro day where TE Tyler Kroft reportedly when a long way to re-establishing himself as a viable prospect at the position after not being able to work out at the combine because of an ankle injury that was aggravated during the medical exams as he posted numbers across the board that would have ranked among the top tight ends at the combine. In particular, Kroft ran the 40 in a reported 4.67 seconds which is very good for someone that size. Kroft also had a 10-0 long jump, a 3-cone time of 7.12 seconds and a short shuttle time of 4.22, each of which would have been among the top TEs at the combine. For good measure, Kroft also looking smooth running routes and caught the ball well. Meanwhile, not sure what is going over at Harvard, but there are reports that DE/OLB Zach Hodges has not impressed people at all through the evaluation process; he hasn’t tested well, in part because of a lingering knee issue, but also reportedly has interviewed well. As a result, a number of teams have moved him well down their boards and some have even reportedly taken him off entirely. At the USC pro day, all 32 teams were in attendance, including 3 assistant coaches from Tennessee which has the 2nd pick overall. Most of the attention was on DE Leonard Williams, who figures to be off the board within the first 3-4 pick; for the most part though, Williams sat on his combine numbers. The one former Trojan who did turn some heads at their pro day was WR George Farmer who reportedly blitzed the 40 in under 4.4 seconds running at 220 pounds. Farmer was never all that productive with USC, but that size/speed combo just doesn’t come along that often.
