6 Prospects That Raised 2024 NFL Draft Stock After Pro Day
Jockeying for draft position is a multiyear battle for NFL prospects.
For some, buzz surrounding their name is tangible out of high school, for others, interest fails to arrive until just weeks before the NFL Draft kicks off.
While some get the unique opportunity leading up to the process to compete at one of the premier draft showcases, or open eyes via athletic testing at the NFL Combine, the Pro Day circuit presents a neutral ground for each programs list of draft eligible prospects to raise their stock.
A reminder that as we get closer to April, a prospect raising eyebrows at a workout can, and does indeed hold weight for teams, but exceeding testing thresholds is only a sliver of the evaluation process as organizations attempt to finalize player reports.
From a few of college football's headlining Power Five programs, to lower level schools with players that have forced the attention of league evaluators, here are a few standouts from the Pro Day circuit varying from a projected top ten pick, to an under the radar defensive tackle out of the Missouri Valley Conference.
LSU WR Malik Nabers
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One of the premier prospects in the class, regardless of position, Malik Nabers all but etched his name in stone as a top ten pick following LSU's Pro Day.
An impressively built wideout at 6'0", 199 pounds, Nabers blistered in the 40-yard dash with an official time of 4.35 while jumping 42-inches in the vertical, confirming any potential doubts towards his athletic profile for scouts after not working out at the NFL Combine.
It's a loaded positional group at wideout with varying skillsets to fit varying roles, and Nabers could very well be the first pass-catcher taken in April after an eye-opening Pro Day workout to finalize his evaluation.
Northern Iowa DL Khristian Boyd
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Each and every year there are a few guys that make you say "where did he come from," a few years down the road. For the 2024 class of prospects, it could be Khristian Boyd.
An intimidatingly large and athletic prospect along the defensive line, it was a shock to many that Boyd didn't receive an invite to the NFL Combine after dominating competition at the Shrine Bowl.
In what was an opportunity for Boyd to show he can compete against more experienced, athletic and just flat out better football players than what he faced at the FCS level, the 6'2", 317-pound Boyd was simply unstoppable all week long in drills.
At Pro Day, Boyd increased his standing among scouts totaling a gaudy 38 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, a total that would have ranked second among all participants (Arkansas OL Beaux Limmer (39)) at the NFL Combine.
It was just last year that we saw combine snubs (and Shrine attendees) in DT Kobie Turner (Los Angeles Rams) and DT Brodric Martin (Detroit Lions) hear their names called in the top 100 selections, and it shouldn't surprise if Boyd were to follow a similar path.
Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley
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Expected to hear his name called in the middle rounds, Malachi Corley put on a show for the 31 NFL teams that sent representatives to Western Kentucky's Pro Day.
A versatile weapon whose drawn comparisons to 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel due to his big play ability after the catch and alignment versatility (along with his 5'11", 215 pound frame), Corley was clocked in the mid 4.4s in the 40, an eye-opening time at that size.
While teams across the league continue to search high and low for the next dominant 'X' wideout, the skill set of Corley as an inside-out threat that can also serve as a further extension of the run game should make a team extremely happy down the line.
The Jets, Cowboys, Steelers, Giants and Bengals were among the nine teams that sent their respective WR coaches to view Corley's workout.
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Memphis RB Blake Watson
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Seemingly each and every year there's an offensive chess piece to know out Memphis, and 2024 is no different.
Although Blake Watson isn't expected to hear his name called as early as former Tigers in Antonio Gibson (third round), Darrell Henderson (third), or Tony Pollard (fourth), combining his production and athletic profile has presented an extremely intriguing chess piece for teams in need of pop in the backfield.
Watson failed to receive an invite to the combine, yet his numbers at Pro Day would have ranked near, or at the top in a variety of categories.
An explosive, quick-twitch athlete, Watson's 4.40 40 would have ranked fourth among all running backs in Indy, along with a 41.5-inch vertical and 11'3" broad jump that would have ranked atop the positional board among those in attendance.
LSU DL Jordan Jefferson
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A transfer to LSU after four years at West Virginia, Jordan Jefferson has seen his draft stock rise significantly since the the turn of the new year.
You won't hear his name called, most likely, until Day 3 of proceedings in April, however, Jefferson shattered positional testing thresholds with a 4.91 40 at LSU's Pro Day with hand times ranging into the "4.8s." In short, the big man was flying at 316 pounds, further showcasing the type of explosiveness coiled up in his frame.
In what has been a busy few months following the Tigers' 10-win campaign, Jefferson's Pro Day put a bow on what has been an outstanding pre-draft process that included excellent showings at both the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.
West Virginia S Beanie Bishop
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It's been a lengthy football journey for Beanie Bishop after stops at both Western Kentucky and Minnesota, before finishing his career at West Virginia.
An alignment versatile prospect with over 700 snaps on special teams in his career, Bishop was a standout among the 137 prospects in attendance at the inaugural Big 12 Pro Day.
Among the nation's leaders in pass breakups last fall (14), Bishop's burst and acceleration were on full display after running a 4.39 40-yard dash, the fastest of any prospect in attendance. In addition, Bishop also recorded the fastest "flying 20", a mark that measures how fast an athlete runs in the final 20 yards of the 40, an indicator of their top end speed.
Multi-phase contributors are needed for each roster in football, and Bishop's versatility and ball production in a Power Five conference and athletic profile will present teams with a well-rounded prospect in the latter portions of the NFL Draft.
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