10 Players Who Can Boost NFL Draft Stock at Pro Day
With Super Bowl 49 in the record books, the NFL has officially shifted into draft mode. We’re less than two weeks from the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where coaches and executives from across the league gather to analyze, measure and interview the top prospects for May’s NFL draft. It’s the most high-profile scouting event of the NFL draft cycle, but it isn’t the only one.
For players who have questions about their games, are rebounding from injuries or are attempting a position shift, pro days are just as important as the combine. They’re a chance for scouts and coaches to focus more attention, dole out one-on-one time and perhaps take a closer view than they’re able to in the meat market that is the Indianapolis scouting combine.
Here are 10 players who can benefit from a big showing at their pro days, whenever they are.
Michigan WR Devin Gardner
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Devin Gardner’s senior season didn’t exactly go as planned. The Michigan quarterback hoped for a big sendoff in his final season in Ann Arbor running Doug Nussmeier’s new offense, but 2014 was more of a nightmare.
Gardner threw for 1,896 yards with only 10 touchdowns against 15 interceptions as the Wolverines finished 5-7, a record that got head coach Brady Hoke fired in favor of Jim Harbaugh. Gardner can hurt defenses in a number of ways, but much like Denard Robinson before him, he’ll need to switch positions to play in the NFL.
He is going through the draft process as a wide receiver, and he is an intriguing prospect at 6’4”, 216 pounds. Gardner played part of the 2012 season at wide receiver, catching 16 passes for 216 yards and four touchdowns. He has excellent size and athleticism and looks like a late-round pick, but he could improve his stock with a good effort at Michigan’s pro day.
Georgia TB Todd Gurley
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When Todd Gurley was on the field in 2014, he was special—the key, of course, being “on the field.” The Georgia tailback rushed for 911 yards and nine touchdowns on 123 carries, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. In the season opener against Clemson, he ripped what would turn out to be the nation’s No. 1 total defense for 198 yards and three scores on 15 carries, adding a 100-yard kickoff return score for good measure.
But he was suspended for four games by the NCAA for accepting payment for his autograph. Gurley returned in a big way against Auburn, carrying 29 times for 138 yards and a touchdown, but a torn ACL ended his junior season and his UGA career.
Despite the injury, he remains a late first-round draft pick. He won’t be ready to perform fully at the combine, but if he can flash his skills at Georgia’s pro day and prove he’s healthy, Gurley could see his draft stock skyrocket.
Louisville S Gerod Holliman
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Gerod Holliman had a 2014 season to remember. The Louisville junior safety broke out in a massive way, tying an FBS single-season record with 14 interceptions, winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and playing a key role in the Cardinals’ nine-win season.
So it was no surprise that he decided to forgo his senior season and declare for the NFL draft. That said, Holliman’s game still needs some polish. One scout told Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that Holliman is "horrible" and "can't make a tackle to save his life." His ball skills are better than his tackling skills, but he’ll need a more well-rounded game to succeed in the NFL.
He’ll have an opportunity to do so at the NFL Scouting Combine, but if Holliman struggles, the safety blanket of performing well at Louisville’s pro day could be a major motivator. Regardless, he’d be best advised to show his skills throughout the draft process and enhance his hopes of becoming a first-round selection.
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Michigan State WR Tony Lippett
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This fall, Tony Lippett emerged as one of the Big Ten’s top receivers. The Michigan State senior formed a profitable partnership with quarterback Connor Cook, catching 65 passes for 1,198 yards and 11 touchdowns, a key piece of the 12-2 Spartans’ offense.
As the draft cycle begins, Lippett is an intriguing prospect. He excelled at wide receiver but also played at cornerback late in the season at Penn State. That versatility could make him more valuable to NFL teams. He won’t be able to perform at both positions at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he could show his two-way status at the Spartans’ pro day.
If Lippett proves capable of going both ways, his draft stock could see a boost. That’s why getting an up-close look at him is very important.
Auburn CB Nick Marshall
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Nick Marshall enjoyed a tremendous two-year run at Auburn. Marshall led the Tigers to a surprising BCS National Championship Game appearance in 2013, and while the Tigers slipped to 8-5 in 2014, it wasn’t on Marshall’s shoulders. He threw for 2,532 yards with 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions and added 798 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
However, Marshall doesn’t project as an NFL quarterback, meaning he’ll have to shift positions to succeed in the professional game. He was invited to the Senior Bowl as a quarterback, but Marshall embraced his future, spending the week as a cornerback and even playing against Alabama quarterback and rival Blake Sims in practice.
USA Today's Jarrett Bell said Marshall's switch shows the harsh realities of an NFL transition.
"It's a hard job," Marshall told Bell regarding being a quarterback. "You're the face of the franchise, with a lot of responsibility. I know I can do that. I just like my chances at cornerback."
Marshall began his career at Georgia as a corner and has excellent athleticism. He might need time to develop as an NFL corner, but a closer look at Auburn’s pro day could convince teams that he’s worth the risk.
Texas A&M T Cedric Ogbuehi
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When Cedric Ogbuehi decided to return for his senior season of college football, it was greeted with celebration by Texas A&M fans. He was moving from right tackle to left tackle and expected to continue the Aggies’ strong run of NFL-ready left tackles.
It didn’t quite work out that way. Ogbuehi had his share of issues at left tackle, and near season’s end, he moved back to right tackle. In A&M’s bowl game, he suffered a torn ACL, which will make it impossible for him to compete fully at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Ogbuehi is regarded as a second-day selection, but if he can prove that he is healthy and capable of handling left tackle at A&M’s pro day, it could give his draft stock a big boost by May.
Oregon CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
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As the 2014 regular season wrapped up, Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu appeared to have validated his decision to return for his senior season of college football. He was a consensus All-American and a key leader for the Ducks defense, helping it to a Pac-12 title and College Football Playoff berth.
But while preparing for the Rose Bowl showdown with Florida State, disaster struck. Ekpre-Olomu suffered a serious knee injury, which kept him out of the game and made his road to the NFL that much tougher. Unbowed, he is rehabbing alongside Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, who also suffered a knee injury in his bowl game.
If Ekpre-Olomu can recover enough to show the skills that made him special at Oregon’s pro day, it’d be a huge victory for his draft stock. He isn’t currently projected as a first-round pick, but his stock could get a shot in the arm if he can show scouts that he is healthy and working his way back to All-American form.
Mississippi State TB Josh Robinson
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Mississippi State’s run from SEC West also-ran to an Orange Bowl bid was one of the best stories of college football’s 2014 season. Before faltering late, the Bulldogs spent a month as the nation’s No. 1 team. While quarterback Dak Prescott was a breakout star, tailback Josh Robinson received his share of attention, and with good reason.
Robinson rushed for 1,203 yards and 11 touchdowns and displayed power and a little speed, putting together four 100-yard games and making himself tough for opposing linebackers to tackle.
Regardless, Robinson doesn’t have a first-round grade and will need to improve his stock at the NFL Scouting Combine and Mississippi State’s pro day. If scouts get a closer look at Robinson and like what they see, his decision to leave school following his junior season could be validated.
South Alabama TE Wes Saxton
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South Alabama isn’t on many football fans’ radars. After all, 2014 marked the Jaguars’ sixth season of existence as a football program and only their third in the FBS ranks. 2014 was a big season for Joey Jones’ program: USA won six games and made its first bowl game, falling in the Camellia Bowl to Bowling Green.
Now, the Jags appear to be on the verge of their first NFL draft pick. Tight end Wes Saxton is firmly on pro scouts’ radars. Saxton stands 6’4”, 235 pounds and has excellent athleticism. He can be a mismatch for foes downfield in pass coverage with speed and athletic ability.
He had a down senior season, making just 20 receptions for 155 yards, but was coming off a 50-catch, 635-yard junior season. Saxton is projected as a late-round selection, but he could improve his stock greatly with a standout effort at the NFL Scouting Combine and at USA’s pro day.
Alabama QB Blake Sims
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When the 2014 season began, Blake Sims wasn’t exactly front and center among casual college football fans’ minds. The Alabama senior quarterback had spent his career as a backup to A.J. McCarron, and even though he was beginning the season as the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see Florida State transfer Jake Coker supplant him.
A funny thing happened on the way back to the bench: Sims never let go. He solidified his hold as the Tide’s starter, throwing for 3,487 yards and 28 touchdowns against 10 interceptions while leading Alabama to an SEC Championship.
As the draft process begins, Sims is fading to the background again. He isn’t a top quarterback prospect, but he’ll have multiple opportunities to improve his stock. One key chance will be at Alabama’s pro day, where he’ll likely be throwing to Amari Cooper, one of the draft’s top receiver prospects. If Sims can show he has a strong connection with Cooper and other wideouts, it could give his stock a bump upward.
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