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64 Top Performers at Pro Days | 2023 NFL Draft

64 Top Performers at Pro Days | 2023 NFL Draft

Roughly 330 of the top NFL draft prospects receive the opportunity to perform at the NFL Combine. But for thousands of other draft prospects, a Pro Day is their best opportunity to showcase their talents in front of NFL scouts.

In my NFL draft database I’ve compiled pro day testing data from over 2100 players, most of whom didn’t receive an NFL combine invite.

The players who put up big time testing numbers are automatically put on the NFL radar, so these are names you NEED to know ahead of the draft.

In this article, we’ll look at 64 players who were top performers at Pro Days. All of these players did not participate in athletic testing at the combine. Some may have received an invite but opted not to run their 40, while others simply weren’t invited.

If you’re interested in seeing more Pro Day data, head to the pro day tab of my spreadsheet.

The last thing to note before I list the players is that this article does not consider the positional drills portions of Pro Days, only the athletic measurables.

 

Quarterbacks

Adrian Martinez, Kansas State

The Nebraska transfer didn’t dominate during his year at Kansas State, but he put up some WR-caliber testing numbers while weighing in with a powerful 221 pound frame.

Height: 6’2″
Weight: 221
40 Time: 4.55
Vert: 36″
Broad: 115″
Shuttle: 4.21

 

Wide Receivers

Shedrick Jackson, Auburn

Shedrick Jackson is the nephew of the great Bo Jackson, and he clearly shares his great uncle’s athleticism. His 40 time was hand clocked as fast as 4.28 by some scouts, making him the fastest wide receiver in the entire draft class.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 193
40 Time: 4.31 (#1 of 309 WRs)
Reps: 13
Vert: 38.5″
Broad: 134″ (#4 of 299 WRs)
Cone: 7.10
Shuttle: 4.30

 

Charles Hall IV, Arizona State

Charles Hall IV is an intriguing prospect who had some buzz last year coming out of Virginia Union University. The small school prospect transferred to Arizona State this past year, and in his lone D1 season put up a modest 141 yards from scrimmage. You worry about the production, but the athleticism is as good as any player in the class. And it’s especially impressive given his 200 pound frame, which is above average in the class.

Height: 5’11”
Weight: 200
40 Time: 4.33 (#2 of 309 WRs)
Reps: 13
Vert: 40.5″ (#6 of 300 WRs)
Broad: 133″ (#8 of 299 WRs)
Cone: 7.02
Shuttle: 4.44

 

Colton Dowell, UT-Martin

Colton Dowell is an FCS receiver who exploded this season, totaling over 1000 yards in his first complete season since 2019. The big bodied receiver had a great 40 time, broad jump, and bench session, but really shined with his best-in-class vertical. Keeping in mind he’s 6’3″ 210+ pounds, the athletic abilities really stand out.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 212
40 Time: 4.42
Reps: 23 (#5 of 227 WRs)
Vert: 41.5″ (#1 of 300 WRs)
Broad: 133″ (#8 of 299 WRs)
Cone: 7.07
Shuttle: 4.17 (#24 of 290 WRs)

 

Sy Barnett, Davenport

Sy Barnett has played exclusively in Division II during his career, starting at powerhouse Ferris State before transferring to Davenport. His production shot up in his lone season at Davenport, and his pro day numbers were dominant across the board.

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 190
40 Time: 4.39 (#10 of 309 WRs)
Reps: 12
Vert: 40″ (#9 of 300 WRs)
Broad: 131″ (#13 of 299 WRs)
Cone: 6.68 (#5 of 285 WRs)
Shuttle: 4.13 (#13 of 290 WRs)

 

Cody Chrest, Sam Houston State

Chody Chrest is a 7th year receiver who has been on my radar since he was dominating the Ivy league back in 2018 and 2019 (playing for Harvard). Since transferring to Sam Houston state, Chest has had some effective years. SHSU isn’t the air raid scheme they used to be, and Chrest’s modest 548 receiving yards actually accounted for over 36% of his team’s total receiving yardage. The tape for Chrest is really solid, showing natural hands, a diverse route tree, and good underneath quickness.

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 193
40 Time: 4.38 (#7 of 309 WRs)
Reps: 16
Vert: 38″
Broad: 125″
Cone: 6.77 (#12 of 285 WRs)
Shuttle: 4.12 (#9 of 290 WRs)

 

Justin Marshall, Buffalo

Justin Marshall is another big receiver who would have turned heads at the combine. With comparable size to combine invitees Jalen Wayne and Malik Heath, Justin Marshall outperformed them in every measurable. He also is coming off a fairly productive season, totaling over 800 yards and 9 touchdowns for Buffalo.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 210
40 Time: 4.41 (#15 of 309 WRs)
Reps: 14
Vert: 38″
Broad: 126″

 

Xavier Malone, Henderson State

Xavier Malone is a Division II receiver with incredibly impressive tape. The blazing 40 time he ran was top 5 in the entire class, and that speed absolutely translates to the field. He totaled 1382 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns, and averaged over 20 yards per reception. The receiving yardage accounted for 53.4% of his team’s total, the highest mark in the class.

Height: 5’8″
Weight: 180
40 Time: 4.35 (#4 of 309 WRs)
Reps: 15
Vert: 36″
Broad: 125″
Cone: 7.31
Shuttle: 4.40

 

Running Backs

Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh

Like most other positions, this running back class is very undersized. Abanikanda doesn’t fit that trend. He is one of just two running backs who are 215+ pounds, faster than 4.50, and had 1000+ rushing yards this season. The other is Bijan Robinson. The athletic numbers are incredibly impressive for a between-the-tackles 216 pound back.

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 216
40 Time: 4.45 (7th of 131 RBs)
Vert: 41″ (2nd of 128 RBs)
Broad: 128″ (2nd of 127 RBs)
Cone: 7.14
Shuttle: 4.32

 

Xazavian Valladay, Arizona State

Xazavian Valladay doesn’t have the traditional build of a running back at 6’0″ 199, but he plays much stronger than his weight and maintains the burst and open field agility of a 199 pounder. The 6th year Wyoming transfer had no issues adjusting to PAC12 competition, totaling 1192 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on a solid 5.5 yards per carry.

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 199
40 Time: 4.46 (10th of 131 RBs)
Reps: 22 (10th of 113 RBs)
Vert: 40″ (3rd of 128 RBs)
Broad: 128″ (14th of 127 RBs)
Cone: 7.14
Shuttle: 4.32

 

Emari Demercado, TCU

Demercado was the #2 running back for TCU, but scouts always viewed him as a potential NFL pick regardless. He was one of the rare prospects in the class who actually weighed in heavier than his team-listed weight, putting him at a prototypical 5’10” 213 pounds. He still managed to put up numbers that rivaled many of the sub-200 pound running backs in the class. In fact his 4.44 was the fastest verified pro day time for running backs, despite being slower than 5 combine runners.

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 213
40 Time: 4.44 (6th of 131 RBs)
Reps: 19
Vert: 32″
Broad: 119″
Cone: 7.00 (11th of 116 RBs)
Shuttle: 4.15 (6th of 120 RBs)

 

Ike Irabor, Union

Ike Irabor was truly one of the biggest surprises of the pro day scene. Despite being a D3 running back, his physical traits fit right in with the top running back prospects. His stats and film were good but not nearly as dominant as you’d expect from someone making a D3-to-NFL leap, but an NFL will certainly give him a shot after his pro day workout.

Height: 5’11”
Weight: 204
40 Time: 4.45 (7th of 131 RBs)
Reps: 19
Vert: 36″
Broad: 127″
Cone: 7.05
Shuttle: 4.31

 

Andrew Clair, Northwestern

After starting his career at Bowling Green, Andrew Clair transferred to Northwestern and was a consistent contributor in 2021. But this past year, Clair was hardly used. Across 11 games he only carried the ball 18 times for 94 yards. Not in a game, all year. And yet here he is, after putting up a dominate pro day showing with a translatable build.

Height: 5’9″
Weight: 201
40 Time: 4.56
Reps: 24 (6th of 113 RBs)
Vert: 42″ (1st of 128 RBs)
Broad: 128″ (14th of 127 RBs)
Cone: 7.01
Shuttle: 4.31

 

Aidan Borguet, Harvard

Aidan Borguet is one of the more interesting players in the class. He was extremely productive this past season for Harvard, and the film shows an extremely powerful lower body who is hard to tackle and maintains a low center of gravity. He turned heads by truly dominating the bench press. I recorded 113 running backs who participated in the bench press this year, and Borguet led them all with an incredible 35 reps. For reference, 2nd most was 26. The mark of 35 would have also been the second best of ANY position at the combine, ahead of all but 1 lineman.

Height: 5’8″
Weight: 205
40 Time: 4.58
Reps: 35 (1st of 113 RBs)
Vert: 36″ (1st of 128 RBs)
Broad: 117″ (14th of 127 RBs)
Cone: 7.29
Shuttle: 4.37

 

Tight Ends / Fullbacks

Griffin Hebert, Louisiana Tech

Griffin Hebert played all over the field at Louisiana Tech, and will likely need to do the same in the NFL as a fullback/tight end hybrid. He’s been on my radar for a few years, having been a big play threat throughout his career thanks to his explosiveness in the seams.

Height: 6’2″
Weight: 239
40 Time: 4.58 (5th of 97 TEs)
Reps: 27 (2nd of 92 TEs)
Vert: 39.5″ (2nd of 99 TEs)
Broad: 122″ (10th of 98 TEs)
Cone: 6.95 (5th of 95 TEs)
Shuttle: 4.27  (6th of 95 TEs)

 

Ben Sims, Baylor

Ben Sims was one of my favorite non-combine players throughout the draft process, and he showed why during his pro day. He has prototypical NFL size at 6’5″ 250 pounds, making him one of just two players in the entire tight end class who ran sub-4.6 at 250+ pounds. The explosiveness was also solid, and keep in mind that he is significantly heavier than most of the other tight ends in this class.

Height: 6’5″
Weight: 250
40 Time: 4.59 (6th of 97 TEs)
Reps: 15
Vert: 36″ (9th of 99 TEs)
Broad: 122″ (10th of 98 TEs)
Cone: 7.46
Shuttle: 4.41

 

James Bostic III, Ohio

James Bostic was a big-bodied WR at Ohio who has started the process of adding weight to convert to TE at the next level. He’s already up to 233 pounds, but maintained the same explosiveness he saw as a 220 pound receiver this past year. The 6th year Vanderbilt transfer really only has 1 year of meaningful playing time under his belt, but has all the tools to develop into a legitimate NFL weapon.

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 233
40 Time: 4.56 (3rd of 97 TEs)
Reps: 20
Vert: 39″ (3rd of 99 TEs)
Broad: 133″ (1st of 98 TEs)
Cone: 7.38
Shuttle: 4.52

 

Kemore Gamble, UCF

The former Florida Gator has an up and down career that ended with a lackluster final year with UCF. His overall athletic profile isn’t elite, but the straight line speed surprised a lot of scouts. Among true tight ends (excluding Bostic who is converting from WR), he had the fastest verified pro day 40.

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 234
40 Time: 4.56 (3rd of 97 TEs)
Reps: 21
Vert: 29.5″
Broad: 115″
Cone: 7.26
Shuttle: 4.65

 

Derek Parish, Houston

Derek Parish is an incredibly interesting player, as he was an elite college edge rusher who plans to convert to fullback at the next level. He played both sides of the ball during the East-West Shrine Game, and has a little bit of offensive experience from college. He recorded 20.5 TFLs and 10 sacks over his final 17 college games, but now as a fullback he’ll be using that aggression and athletic ability to open holes.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 238
40 Time: 4.62 (2nd of 37 FBs)
Reps: 27
Vert: 37″ (2nd of 37 FBs)
Broad: 118″ (5th of 37 FBs)
Cone: 6.76 (1st of 36 FBs)
Shuttle: 4.07 (1st of 36 FBs)

 

Offensive Linemen

Jake Witt, Northern Michigan

Jake Witt’s story has become pretty well known. The D2 offensive lineman started his career as a basketball player, then became a tight end. He was forced into action at offensive tackle, a position he never played before, against the NCAA’s all-time TFL master Caleb Murphy and the powerhouse Ferris State Bulldogs. A year and a half later, he was dominating his pro day with impressive size and elite athleticism.

Height: 6’7″
Weight: 302
40 Time: 4.89 (1st of 243 OL)
Reps: 22
Vert: 37″ (2nd of 255 OL)
Broad: 123″ (2nd of 252 OL)
Cone: 7.44 (8th of 230 OL)
Shuttle: 4.62
NFL Position: Right Tackle

 

Joey Fisher, Shepherd

Despite being a D2 offensive lineman, Joey Fisher has had a fair number of opportunities to showcase his talents in front of NFL scouts. Fisher blocked for a future NFL quarterback (Tyson Bagent) who drew scouts throughout the season, and participated in both the NFLPA Collegiate bowl and Senior Bowl. His tape is pancake after pancake, and his athletic measurables suggest he can translate that to the next level.

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 292
40 Time: 4.96 (3rd of 243 OL)
Reps: 40 (1st of 232 OL)
Vert: 32″ (12th of 255 OL)
Broad: 112″ (12th of 252 OL)
Cone: 7.51 (14th of 230 OL)
Shuttle: 4.86
NFL Position: Right Guard

 

Trevor Reid, Louisville

I was really surprised when Trevor Reid didn’t receive an NFL combine invite. I’ve had a day 3 grade on him throughout the process due to his athletic ability, and he didn’t disappoint at his pro day. He also participated in the East-West Shrine game. Reid is a bit of a tweener, but his 34.62″ arms should help him stick outside despite being on the shorter side for an offensive tackle.

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 297
40 Time: 5.00 (10th of 243 OL)
Reps: 25
Vert: 38″ (1st of 255 OL)
Broad: 124″ (1st of 252 OL)
Cone: 7.34 (4th of 230 OL)
Shuttle: 4.58 (12th of 236 OL)
NFL Position: Left Tackle / Guard

 

Jaylon Thomas, SMU

Jaylon Thomas is another athletic offensive lineman who I expected to see at the combine. After starting for 4 1/2 years at SMU, Jaylon Thomas impressed at his pro day with elite straight line speed which led all interior offensive linemen. Thomas has enough size for the position, and has played extensively on both sides of the offensive line.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 304
40 Time: 4.95 (2nd of 243 OL)
Vert: 31″
Broad: 108″
Cone: 7.99
Shuttle: 4.89
NFL Position: Right Guard

 

Chandler Zavala, NC State

Zavala has shot up draft board in the past few weeks, and has a chance to be the rare Combine snub to be drafted on day 2. The 6’4″ 322 pound guard is still fairly new to football, but was one of the highest graded offensive lineman in the nation by PFF. While his ranks among the offensive line group weren’t particularly eye-popping, the fact that he put up those numbers at 322 pounds was.

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 322
40 Time: 5.11
Reps: 30 (14th of 232 OL)
Vert: 32″ (12th of 255 OL)
Broad: 103″
Cone: 7.58
Shuttle: 4.70
NFL Position: Left Guard

 

Alfred Edwards, Utah State

Alfred Edwards is an extra large left tackle at 6’7″ 327 pounds, yet the athletic testing numbers look the part of someone 30 pounds lighter. Edwards was a 5 year starter for Utah State, and earned 1st team All-Conference honors multiple times. Someone with his size and experience will always get attention at offensive tackle, especially after putting up solid testing numbers. The athletic testing wasn’t necessarily elite, but it was way better than you’d expect from someone of his size

Height: 6’7″
Weight: 327
40 Time: 5.07
Reps: 16
Vert: 32″ (12th of 255 OL)
Broad: 99″
Cone: 8.45
Shuttle: 4.89
NFL Position: Left Tackle

 

Anderson Hardy, Appalachian State

Anderson Hardy was one of the most prolific offensive linemen in the group of 5 this past season, and was rewarded with a trip to the Hula Bowl postseason. He has legitimate size and athletic traits for an offensive tackle, but is hurt by his 32″ arms. It’ll be interesting to see how much value the NFL places in his great speed and overall strength.

Height: 6’6″
Weight: 301
40 Time: 4.97 (4th of 243 OL)
Reps: 30 (14th of 232 OL)
Vert: 31.5″ (18th of 255 OL)
Broad: 110″
Cone: 7.72
Shuttle: 4.66
NFL Position: Left Tackle / Left Guard

 

Alex Pihlstrom, Illinois

Alex Pihlstrom wasn’t expected to test extremely well, but he then went out and put up numbers that belonged at the combine. Pihlstrom is a center who has also played extensively at left guard, and dominated this past season for Illinois despite having limited starting experience prior to the season. At 6’6″ 302 pounds he offers significant size for the position and surprisingly quick feet.

Height: 6’6″
Weight: 302
40 Time: 5.01 (12th of 243 OL)
Reps: 24
Vert: 28.5″
Broad: 108″
Cone: 7.52 (15th of 230 OL)
Shuttle: 4.81
NFL Position: Center

 

Defensive Linemen

Shakel Brown, Troy

Shakel Brown’s tape was significantly better in 2022, with improved hand usage and a more consistent ability to disrupt running lanes. At 6’3″ 295 pounds he has plenty of size to play on the interior of the line, and added a solid mix of quickness and power metrics.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 295
40 Time: 4.92 (13th of 157 DL)
Reps: 30 (10th of 137 DL)
Vert: 32.5″ (12th of 161 DL)
Broad: 105″
Cone: 7.58
Shuttle: 4.44 (4th of 156 DL)

 

Spencer Waege, North Dakota State

Spencer Waege exploded for NDSU this past season, playing primarily at edge while totaling 17.5 TFLs and 9 sacks. He combines his size with really quick feet and good burst.

Height: 6’5″
Weight: 295
40 Time: 4.91 (12th of 157 DL)
Reps: 23
Vert: 32″
Broad: 109″
Cone: 7.19 (3rd of 153 DL)
Shuttle: 4.66

 

Caleb Sanders, South Dakota State

Caleb Sanders was the Calijah Kancey of the FCS. Undersized yet extremely quick, flexible, and impossible to block. He was disrupting the QB almost every snap, and his lack of size was rarely ever an issue.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 287
40 Time: 4.99
Reps: 31 (6th of 137 DL)
Vert: 35.5″ (1st of 161 DL)
Broad: 108″
Cone: 7.27 (6th of 153 DL)
Shuttle: 4.54 (12th of 156 DL)

 

Jabari Taylor, Cincinnati

Cincinnati always seems to have an undersized yet quick interior defensive lineman, and this year it’s Jabari Taylor. The 6th year tackle is able to use his leverage well, while also being effective and striking directly on the ball and forcing fumbles. His 4.87 40 was the fastest among DL during Pro Days.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 278
40 Time: 4.87 (5th of 157 DL)
Reps: 21
Vert: 30.5″
Broad: 110″
Cone: 7.78
Shuttle: 4.94

 

LaTrell Bumphus, Tennessee

After starting his career as a tight end, LaTrell Bumphus made a name for himself in 2019 during his first season as a full time defensive linemen. Since then, he hasn’t really expanded on the hype. The physical traits are definitely there, and he had the chance to play at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in front of scouts.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 277
40 Time: 4.90 (9th of 157 DL)
Vert: 28.5″
Broad: 112″
Cone: 7.55
Shuttle: 4.58

 

TK McLendon, Eastern Kentucky

TK McLendon was a highly touted JUCO recruit who went to LSU in 2019 as a tight end. After barely playing in his 2 years, he transferred down to Eastern Kentucky and embraced the defensive side of the ball. After a mediocre year in 2021 while learning the position, McLendon exploded onto the scene this past year. He showed an ability to get sideline to sideline, and has a lot of scheme versatility thanks to his size and athletic ability.

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 275
40 Time: 5.04
Vert: 36.5″ (1st of 161 DL)
Broad: 127″ (1st of 160 DL)
Cone: 8.08
Shuttle: 4.76

 

Jacob Sykes, UCLA

Jacob Sykes was an early contributor during his time at Harvard, then transferred to UCLA for this past season. he was a solid contributor, but never particularly popped off on film. Despite this, the pro day results inspire a 2nd look.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 282
40 Time: 4.94 (14th of 157 DL)
Reps: 27
Vert: 32″
Broad: 110″
Cone: 7.45
Shuttle: 4.48 (6th of 156 DL)

 

Edge Rushers

Thomas Rush, Minnesota

Thomas Rush had an effective 2021 campaign as a rotational DE for Minnesota’s stingy defense, but he didn’t quite replicate that when given a bigger role in 2022. Never the less, Rush has good overall athleticism with decent bend around the edge. The 8 fastest edge rushers all ran at the combine, but Rush led all pro days with his 4.57 40.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 251
40 Time: 4.57 (9th of 156 EDGE)
Reps: 19
Vert: 35.5″
Broad: 123″
Cone: 7.04 (8th of 141 EDGE)
Shuttle: 4.22 (3rd of 138 EDGE)

 

Levi Bell, Texas State

I’m not sure where exactly you play Levi Bell, but that doesn’t change that he’s a big time athlete. The 6’0″ 262 pound defensive lineman can play inside or out, but doesn’t really have the length of an NFL edge rusher. The positive is that his game speed absolutely matches his 40 speed, and NFL teams can find a place to use that.

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 262
40 Time: 4.59 (13th of 156 EDGE)
Reps: 33 (1st of 137 EDGE)
Vert: 37.5″ (6th of 155 EDGE)
Broad: 127″ (6th of 154 EDGE)
Cone: 7.32
Shuttle: 4.40

 

Amir Siddiq, Charlotte

Amir Siddiq is an explosive an bendy edge rusher with a similar game to Will McDonald. The 6’3″ 239 edge is very active in the run game, with room to add a little more weight to his frame.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 239
40 Time: 4.61
Reps: 24
Vert: 39″ (2nd of 155 EDGE)
Broad: 115″
Cone: 7.08 (15th of 141 EDGE)
Shuttle: 4.40

 

BJ Thompson, Stephen F. Austin

BJ Thompson has been a popular name is scouting circles for a while now despite not having much production this past year. The 6th year outside linebacker has impressive length and a frame that’s able to put on more healthy weight. He’s extremely explosive and transitions speed to power very well. The former Baylor transfer is a toolsy prospect who will likely hear his name called in the 6th or 7th round despite being quite raw.

Height: 6’6″
Weight: 238
40 Time: 4.61
Reps: 13
Vert: 37.5″ (6th of 155 EDGE)
Broad: 125″ (11th of 154 EDGE)
Cone: 7.06 (9th of 141 EDGE)
Shuttle: 4.46

 

Matthew Jester, Princeton

Jester is a powerful edge with a lot of schematic versatility and a consistent ability to set the edge on run plays. He didn’t produce many sacks in his career, but shows the power moves and leg drive to get a chance at the next level.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 252
40 Time: 4.66
Reps: 27 (7th of 137 EDGE)
Vert: 37.5″ (6th of 155 EDGE)
Broad: 121″
Cone: 7.44
Shuttle: 4.24 (4th of 138 EDGE)

 

Linebackers

Ben VanSumeren, Michigan State

Ben VanSumeren was the talk of Draft Twitter for a week following his incredible pro day workout, and for good reason. His numbers exceeded those of Trenton Simpson, who is praised as the most athletic linebacker in the class. He only has 1 year of meaningful experience, and the inexperience was evident on tape. But with athletic numbers like these at 237 pounds, and some level of production at the Big 10 level, some team is bound to fall in love with him.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 237
40 Time: 4.45 (5th of 219 LBs)
Reps: 29 (8th of 193 LBs)
Vert: 42.5″ (1st of 216 LBs)
Broad: 131″ (6th of 213 LBs)
Cone: 7.10
Shuttle: 4.46

 

Maalik Hall, SE Oklahoma

As insane as the numbers were for VanSumeren, Maalik Hall from Division-II Southeastern Oklahoma wasn’t far behind. The 6’1″ 235 pound linebacker can play all over the field, with elite speed and decent play strength. He was able to routinely get into the backfield during college, but will need to get significantly better in coverage to hang at the next level.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 235
40 Time: 4.42 (2nd of 219 LBs)
Reps: 22
Vert: 38.5″ (7th of 216 LBs)
Broad: 127″ (13th of 213 LBs)
Cone: 7.45
Shuttle: 4.34

 

Trevor Nowaske, Saginaw Valley State

Trevor Nowaske put on a show. With an old school frame at 6’3″ 237 pounds, Nowaske has a well rounded game which included 98 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 11 passes defender, and 4 INTs this past year. Despite having very short arms, he’s able to use impressive underneath quickness and good anticipation to force incompletions, while using his speed to get in the backfield with consistency.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 237
40 Time: 4.50 (9th of 219 LBs)
Reps: 25
Vert: 34.5″
Broad: 122″ (3rd of 213 LBs)
Cone: 6.75 (4th of 206 LBs)
Shuttle: 4.20 (4th of 210 LBs)

 

Caleb Johnson, Miami (FL)

Caleb Johnson was a rotational player for Miami who never got a chance to really star, but showed some blazing speed at his pro day. His size is nothing special, but isn’t a red flag compared to the rest of the class. He’ll be able to contribute on special teams immediately.

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 228
40 Time: 4.44 (2nd of 219 LBs)
Reps: 25
Vert: 32″
Broad: 126″ (19th of 213 LBs)
Cone: 7.40
Shuttle: 4.35

 

Marvin Pierre, Kent State

Marvin Pierre started his career at Murray State before spending the past two season at Kent State. He’s a smooth athlete who likely like a safety, getting sideline to sideline with long strides. He’s got a thin build for a linebacker and will need to either bulk up or significantly improve in coverage to stick in the NFL.

Height: 6’2″
Weight: 222
40 Time: 4.57
Vert: 40.5″ (4th of 216 LBs)
Broad: 133″ (3rd of 213 LBs)
Cone: 7.31
Shuttle: 4.25 (11th of 210 LBs)

 

Mohamoud Diabate, Utah

Diabete is a long, rangy new age linebacker with the frame of a tall safety. After a couple of fairly productive years for Florida, he transferred to Utah and became particularly involved in blitz packages. He had a solid season collecting 13.5 TFLs, but his pedigree, athleticism, and production surprisingly didn’t earn him a combine invite. Once his pro day came around, he showed why he deserved one.

Height: 6’4″
Weight: 229
40 Time: 4.52 (11th of 219 LBs)
Reps: 20
Vert: 34″
Broad: 132″ (5th of 213 LBs)
Cone: 6.96 (15th of 206 LBs)
Shuttle: 4.25 (11th of 210 LBs)

 

Ian Swenson, Connecticut

Ian Swenson stuck it out all 6 years for UConn, where he was a consistent contributor for 4 years. The numbers never jumped off the page, especially considering he was one of the only decent players on the field. What was clear, however, was his straight line speed. At his pro day he showed a lot more than just that. I’m not sure where you play him given his size and overall frame, but he’d be a menace on special teams.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 217
40 Time: 4.57
Reps: 16
Vert: 41.5″ (2nd of 213 LBs)
Broad: 137″ (1st of 213 LBs)
Cone: 6.90 (9th of 206 LBs)
Shuttle: 4.28 (11th of 210 LBs)

 

Matthew Jackson, Eastern Kentucky

Matthew Jackson is an explosive athlete who filled up the stat sheet, dominated on tape, and commanded a fair number of accolades during his time at Eastern Kentucky. The problem? He’s 209 pounds. He always had a lean frame, and we’ll see if he’s able to get up to at least 220 to hold his own as a linebacker.

Height: 6’2″
Weight: 209
40 Time: 4.52 (11th of 219 LBs)
Reps: 17
Vert: 38.5″ (7th of 213 LBs)
Broad: 134″ (2nd of 213 LBs)
Cone: 7.01
Shuttle: 4.37

 

Safeties

Nico Bolden, Kent State

Not only is Nico Bolden one of the fastest and most explosive safeties in the entire class, he’s also one of the biggest. On top of that, he eclipsed 100 tackles on the season for Kent State. Aside from the tackles, however, he didn’t do much else. He’ll need to improve his ball skills and instincts when ranging deep, but the physical traits are absolutely there.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 208
40 Time: 4.44 (5th of 222 SAFs)
Reps: 11
Vert: 41″ (5th of 221 SAFs)
Broad: 127″ (14th of 222 SAFs)
Cone: 7.04
Shuttle: 4.33

 

Morgan Vest, Northern Arizona

Morgan Vest is a 7th year player who began his career at South Carolina. Vest exceeded 100 tackles in each of the last two seasons, but also totaled 10+ passes defended each of the past two years. He can be overaggressive at times, but it’s easier to reign a player in than it is to get more out of them.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 205
40 Time: 4.41 (1st of 222 SAFs)
Reps: 14
Vert: 38″ (19th of 221 SAFs)
Broad: 132″ (3rd of 222 SAFs)
Cone: 7.03
Shuttle: 4.28

 

 

Ty Okada, Montana State

Ty Okada is a versatile defender who lined up everywhere for Montana State, and the stat sheet reflects that. He’d get involved making tackles in the backfield, at the 3rd level, or breaking up passes. He’s a twitchy athlete with a quick reaction time and all the physical traits to translate his style to the next level.

Height: 5’11”
Weight: 193
40 Time: 4.47 (14th of 222 SAFs)
Reps: 15
Vert: 40.5″ (6th of 221 SAFs)
Broad: 129″ (9th of 222 SAFs)
Cone: 6.85 (11th of 211 SAFs)
Shuttle: 3.98 (1st of 217 SAFs)

 

Kenneth Merritt, Fayetteville State

Kenneth Merritt received a fair number of snaps at outside corner, in the slot, and at safety for D2 Fayetteville State. He was better at making plays on the ball this past year, but would really disappear at times during games. Still, he’s a better athlete than most of the safeties at the combine, and it’s a really weak class this year. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a team take a chance at developing him.

Height: 5’11”
Weight: 197
40 Time: 4.44 (5th of 222 SAFs)
Reps: 15
Vert: 39″ (13th of 221 SAFs)
Broad: 129″ (9th of 222 SAFs)
Cone: 7.85
Shuttle: 4.38

 

Christian Izien, Rutgers

I’ve always really liked Izien’s game. He’s undersized, and that definitely hurts his evaluation. But he’s a hardnosed, scrappy player who is willing to do anything. Having elite speed, quickness, and jumping ability in the athletic measurables also doesn’t hurt.

Height: 5’9″
Weight: 197
40 Time: 4.43 (3rd of 222 SAFs)
Reps: 20 (18th of 189 SAFs)
Vert: 41.5″ (3rd of 221 SAFs)
Broad: 119″
Cone: 6.81 (7th of 211 SAFs)
Shuttle: 4.25

 

Christian Morgan, Baylor

Morgan quietly had a nice career for Baylor, a school known for developing track athletes into football players. Morgan is exactly that. The 40 time is solid but not eye-popping, but it’s the burst metrics which are obvious. And that’s something you can see occasionally flash on tape.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 200
40 Time: 4.52
Reps: 17
Vert: 40.5″ (6th of 221 SAFs)
Broad: 131″
Cone: 7.18
Shuttle: 4.32

 

Kendell Brooks, Michigan State

Kendell Brooks is really interesting. A Division-II transfer, he barely played in his first season at Michigan State, totaling 5 tackles in 11 games as a special teamer. This past season, he randomly put up 100 tackles. He’s a scrappy, high-motor player, but ended up putting up better-than-expected athletic measurables.

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 206
40 Time: 4.45 (8th of 222 SAFs)
Reps: 17
Vert: 35.5″
Broad: 125″ (20th of 222 SAFs)
Cone: 7.27
Shuttle: 4.32

 

Cornerbacks

Kaleb Hayes, BYU

After getting early playing time at Oregon State, Hayes transferred to BYU in 2021 and was an immediate starter. His recovery speed is elite, with good length. His athletic profile is as impressive as any corner in the class, but his zero career interceptions is a bit worrying. While his ball skills and run support need some work, cornerback is traits-first position. And he has both prototypical size and elite athleticism.

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 194
40 Time: 4.33 (1st of 232 CBs)
Reps: 17
Vert: 40″ (9th of 229 CBs)
Broad: 128″ (20th of 223 CBs)
Cone: 6.88
Shuttle: 4.27

 

Isaiah Bolden, Jackson State

Bolden can play a few spots across the defensive backfield, but has all the traits needed to stick outside at corner. He’s one of the fastest corners in the entire class despite having an imposing 6’2″ 201 pound frame, with decent arm length and leaping ability. The Florida State transfer hadn’t done much in his career until this year, and also needs significant work on his ball skills to take the next step.

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 194
40 Time: 4.35 (5th of 232 CBs)
Vert: 38″
Broad: 129″ (19th of 223 CBs)
Shuttle: 4.63

 

Jarrick Bernard-Converse, LSU

Jarrick Bernard-Converse hoped to get that “DBU” boost when he transferred from Oklahoma State to LSU. He had a solid season, and eventually received an invite to the Hula Bowl and East-West Shrine Game. Consistency can be a problem with him, but he looks the part of an NFL corner, which is half the battle.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 197
40 Time: 4.40 (16th of 232 CBs)
Reps: 16
Vert: 42″ (1st of 223 CBs)
Broad: 126″
Cone: 6.94
Shuttle: 4.29

 

Ameer Speed, Michigan State

Ameer Speed was a rotational player at Georgia, but decided to transfer to Michigan State to get a chance to showcase his talents in a bigger sample size. He’s a big corner at 6’3″ 209 who can be a bit tight in the hips, but his straight line speed is legit.

Height: 6’3″
Weight: 209
40 Time: 4.34 (4th of 232 CBs)
Reps: 14
Vert: 32.5″
Broad: 123″
Cone: 6.99
Shuttle: 4.26

 

Christian Braswell, Rutgers

Braswell is an explosive athlete who had no issues with the uptick in competition after transferring from Temple to the Big Ten this past season. He’s lacking ideal length for an outside corner, but should have enough traits to stick outside thanks to his quick feet and instinctual play.

Height: 5’11”
Weight: 183
40 Time: 4.49
Vert: 40″ (9th of 223 CBs)
Broad: 132″ (10th of 223 CBs)
Cone: 6.82 (13th of 210 CBs)
Shuttle: 4.21

 

Starling Thomas V, UAB

Starling Thomas got a lot of attention with his 40 time, but official reports clocked him in at a 4.38. Original reports were in the super-blazing 4.2’s. Thomas was super productive in his career, and plays just as fast on the field as he did at his pro day.

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 194
40 Time: 4.38 (11th of 232 CBs)
Reps: 14
Vert: 37.5″
Broad: 125″
Cone: 7.29
Shuttle: 4.36

 

Ekow Boye-Doe, Kansas State

Julius Brents gets the headlines, and rightfully so, but Ekow Boye-Doe on the other side is a decent prospect as well. He has a lean frame and limited ball production, but he’s a fluid mover who mirrors well and has quick hips.

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 177
40 Time: 4.39 (14th of 232 CBs)
Vert: 37″
Broad: 123″
Shuttle: 4.22

 

Tre Hawkins III, Old Dominion

Tre Hawkins has the size and athleticism of a press man corner, while also having some experience at safety. He’s very active in run support and never takes a play off, while having decent hips for his size and solid footwork.

Height: 6’2″
Weight: 188
40 Time: 4.42 (19th of 232 CBs)
Reps: 17
Vert: 37.5″
Broad: 129″ (19th of 223 CBs)
Cone: 6.74 (8th of 210 CBs)
Shuttle: 4.22

 

Art Green, Houston

Art Green has had plenty of chance to impress NFL scouts. Unlike a few of the players on this list, his athletic traits are pretty clear on film. At 6’1″ 201 pounds, he has good fluidity, recovery speed, and was a steady player for Houston. He was tested early and often with some of those AAC air raid offenses, and was the most steady piece of any otherwise weak defense.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 201
40 Time: 4.36 (8th of 232 CBs)
Vert: 36″
Broad: 122″
Cone: 7.02
Shuttle: 4.26

 

Anthony Kendall, Baldwin Wallace

Anthony Kendall played his 5 seasons of college ball at a Division III school, but he still had some modest hype heading into his pro day after running circles around his competition all year. His pro day confirmed the tape, with powerful leaping ability and good overall speed.

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 180
40 Time: 4.44 (8th of 232 CBs)
Reps: 20
Vert: 39.5″ (15th of 229 CBs)
Broad: 133″ (6th of 223 CBs)
Cone: 7.01
Shuttle: 4.35

 

 

These are just a few of the top performers at pro days during the 2023 NFL Draft cycle. If you want to see more pro day results, checkout my free 2023 NFL Draft Database and click on the Pro Days tab.

Any questions or comments? Feel free to leave them below!

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