Alabama Pro Day 2016: Live Results for Derrick Henry, Reggie Ragland and More
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. โ Jake Coker is hoping that his second major snub of the year works out as well the first.
That initial one, of course, was when the University of Alabama coaching staff decided not to start him against Ole Miss last season, which obviously worked out eventually as he came off the bench to secure the starting job before going on to win the Southeastern Conference and national championships.
Despite that, and finishing the 2015 season with the two best games of his career, Coker wasnโt among the 18 quarterbacks invited to last monthโs NFL combine.
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"Oh man, I don't wanna get started on that,โ he said. โIt's all good, man. It pissed me off, but hey, it didnโt change my work ethic or the way Iโve been working. It is what it is.โ
On Wednesday, Coker finally got his chance to build on his Senior Bowl performance when he was one of 18 former Crimson Tide players that participated in Alabamaโs annual pro day for NFL scouts and officials.
Among the most notable on hand were New England head coach Bill Belichick, Buffalo general manager Doug Whaleyย and both general manager Ryan Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano from Indianapolis.
Even after splitting the contingency into two groups for some drills to try to speed things up, the workouts still took nearly four hours to complete. And that was with most of the players who attended the combine not participating in individual events, just position drills.
For example, running back Derrick Henry only did receiving drills in hopes of showing off that part his game. Like usual, he was impressive.
"Did I look bad?" he asked reporters after having just one drop on a red-zone attempt near the end of the lengthy workout.
"I'm good with running anything to catch the ball," Henry said. "Anything to make myself more versatile, more useful, I'm all for it."
While Henry was trying to prove heโs worthy of being a first-round selection, most of the other players are hoping to be drafted at all, or at least put themselves into strong position to land a training camp invitation as a free agentโlike linebacker Dillon Lee.
โItโs hard to say someone has helped themselves out here, but I think, for instance, a kid like Lee, who didnโt get a combine invite, he comes out here and runs a 4.78,โ NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. โHeโs a big, athletic kid. Special teams coaches are out here taking note of it. To me, those kinds of things are more important than whether Derrick Henry, you know, whatever heโs going to do.โ
As for Coker, who does have the size and arm strength that NFL teams covet at the quarterback position, head coach Nick Saban had a theory for why he wasnโt invited to the combine.
โI think itโs because there were 97 juniors who came out [early],โ Saban said. โI think that's an issue and a problem we need to address with the NFL because it's unfair to some of the seniors because all those guys get invited and some of them are not ranked as high as some of the seniors who they know more about."
Although Alabama didnโt release any results, hereโs a quick look at how its former players fared during the school's pro day.
Jake Coker, Quarterback
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reported that Coker didnโt do any hard running because heโs having two screws in his foot removed next week, stemming from an injury he sustained last season.
Although Coker showed good arm strength and the ability to hit targets while on the move, he didnโt have many receivers to work with. Richard Mullaney was the only wide receiver, Michael Nysewander the lone tight end and other players had injury setbacks.
"Did some good things, did some bad things,โ Coker said. โI know we were pretty clean on the intermediate routes and there were a few slip-ups on the deep balls that I wish I had back. But it was fun throwing to these guys, and I wish we could do it again."
Coker has been working with quarterbacks coach David Morris, and his former teammates said the change was noticeable with more zip on the ball and quicker, more precise passes.
"Jake has got a lot of upside," said Saban, adding, โI think heโs going to need to continue to develop. Heโs got a great arm who can make all the throws. For his size he is very athletic, and I think a lot of people are going to like that.โ
Derrick Henry, Running Back
Although Henry didnโt hit his target time in the 40 at the combine, where his official time was 4.54 seconds, he declined to run again and concentrated on the receiving drills.
Among the few knocks on Henry coming into pro day were critics claiming he canโt change direction well, heโs too much of a one-dimensional back and not the kind of player thatโll work well with certain blocking schemes.
Henry responded, "All I need is a line and I'm good."
โI think when you look at Derrick Henry you have to get past the style points and style issue,โ Saban said. โHeโs a unique guy with a unique style. Heโs got great length, heโs got a great stiff arm, heโs really hard to tackle and heโs really, really fast. He can catch the ball. Heโs a really good receiver. And he can block.
โSo if you donโt have this sort of pigeon-hole perception of what a running back needs to be, and you can get past all that and just look at the production, youโll be wise in terms of how you look at Derrick Henry and what his performance will be for you down the road.โ
Cyrus Jones, Cornerback
Jones said heโs had โgreat feedbackโ after his strong performance at the combine, so his strategy at pro day was to try to build on that momentum.
โI think I did well,โ he said. โShowed my quickness, coming in and out of breaks, good fluidity in my hips. I think it was a good workout.โ
The teams Jones met with on Tuesday included the Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns and Patriots. He also has a private workout with a team scheduled for next week.
โIโm hearing anything from second [round] to early third,โ he said. โIโm not really worried about it. Iโm looking forward to the process and letting the chips fall where they may.โ
Ryan Kelly, Center
Like the other players who went to the combine, Kelly only did some position drills on pro day. Heโs quietly being hailed as a solid, no-risk pick during the first two days of the draft.
โI think Ryan Kelly might be in the late first round as a center,โ ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said during a teleconference with reporters on Tuesday. โRyan Kellyโs not a name youโre hearing a lot about but he could be the next Nick Mangold, Alex Mack. At worst a second-round pick, and I think Ryan Kellyโs going to play a long time in the NFL and anchor an offensive line for a number of years.โ
Incidentally,ย Mack reportedly signed a five-year deal with Atlanta on Wednesday, per ESPN.com.
Dillon Lee, Linebacker
Lee appeared to be one of the big winners on Wednesday.
โIt was a really big day,โ he said. โI didnโt go to the combine, so itโs kind of all-in on this one day. So I was kind of nervous. But once I did my vert, my broad and my bench back-to-back real quick it was just kind of another day after that.โ
Lee said his measurements were 6โ3โ, 240 pounds. He did 20 reps in the bench, 31 inches in the vertical jump and 113 inches in the broad jump. NFL.com reported his other scores as 4.83 and 4.77 seconds in the 40, 4.34 seconds in the 20-yard short shuttle and a three-cone time of 7.11 seconds.
D.J. Pettway, Defensive Lineman
The one player who wanted to improve on his combine numbers was Pettway, who most project to be a linebacker at the next level.
โI jumped another inch on my vert, I jumped 9โ2โ in my broad and I jumped 9โ0โ at the combine,โ he said. โI ran I think a 4.82 40 and I ran a 4.99 at the combine. I did 18 on bench and I did 17 at the combine.โ
NFL.com reported his 40 time at 4.89 seconds. Pettway weighed in at 271 pounds.
Reggie Ragland, Linebacker
After dropping his weight down to 247 pounds for the combine,ย Ragland showed that he could keep it off by tipping the scale at 248 on Wednesday.
โI'm just really trying to keep a great diet,โ he said. โI cook most of my food. I bake most of my food. A lot of asparagus and broccoli and carrots and that type of stuff.ย I can't be frying it; it'll kill me.โ
He got up just 13 reps in the bench press, and a scout asked him to run the three-cone drillย after skipping it at the combine, finishing in 7.5 seconds.ย
Ragland told reporters that he was meeting with the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings, but it was impossible not notice that Belichick conducted the linebacker position drills Wednesday.
Jarran Reed and AโShawn Robinson, Defensive Linemen
Their positional drills along with Darren Lake and Pettway drew the most attention, and their hand strikes, which help indicate a playerโs power, could be easily heard across the building.
โI love them,โ Mayock said. โTheyโre both in my top five (for their position group). Itโs the best interior line class Iโve ever seen, and both of those kids are going to play early and often and play for 10 years.โ
Both potential first-round selections have been working with veteran line coach Pete Jenkins in Baton Rouge, trying to improve their pass-rushing skills in particular.
โIt's nothing competitive,โ Robinson said. โIt's about pushing each other and getting each other better. It doesn't matter who goes first. We want the best for each other.โ
Other Players
โข Of the eight players who ran the 40 inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility, free safety Geno Matias-Smith appeared to have the fastest time in the 4.4-second range. โGenoโs been my roommate since my freshman year and weโre close,โ Jones said. โIt was good to see him come out here and showcase what he has to offer. Hopefully heโll get a shot.โ
โข Hamstrings were a bit of an issue, with running back Kenyan Drake declining to run and linebackerย Denzelย Devallย only running the 40 once. Tight end Tyย Flournoy-Smith grimaced after his second attempt.
โข AL.com reported that reserve cornerback Bradley Sylve suffered a torn Achilles tendon on Tuesday.
โข NFL.com reported that tackle Dominick Jackson ran the 40 in 5.4 seconds and had a good positional workout.
โข The only event reporters could hear the results called out for was the broad jump, led by Leeโs 9โ5โ, two inches better than Mullaney and cornerback Jabriel Washington.
โข Among the former players who attended were Josh Chapman, Marcell Dareus and T.J Yeldon.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Christopher Walsh is a lead SEC college football writer. Follow Christopher on Twitter @WritingWalsh.
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