The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Pro Timing Day 2013
03.28.2013 | Football
March 28, 2013
Jackie LaPenta, Texas Media Relations
The University of Texas football team hosted their annual Pro Timing Day on Tuesday, March 26, where 14 former Longhorns were given the opportunity to showcase their talents prior to the NFL Draft next month.
Assistant AD for Strength and Conditioning Jeff "Mad Dog" Madden, Strength and Conditioning Head Coach for Football Bennie Wylie, and Associate Athletics Director for Football Operations Arthur Johnson and the Texas coaching staff worked to create an event mirroring the NFL Combine, which brought a crowd of over 50 NFL scouts and coaches this year.
"This was originally designed for two purposes," Texas head coach Mack Brown explained. "Number one, the guys that get to the NFL Combine and aren't happy with what they did, they get a chance to come home to a comfortable environment and redo it. And the guys that do not get a chance to go to the Combine come in here and it gives them a chance to have a Combine of their own."
Twelve seniors from the 2012 squad along with former Longhorns Vince Young and John Chiles performed in key strength, agility and position drills to prove their current skill set. Three of these athletes, Kenny Vaccaro, Alex Okafor and Marquise Goodwin participated at the Combine last month.
Nearly every NFL team was in attendance to evaluate the young men, including Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, NFL Hall of Famer and current Steelers scout "Mean" Joe Greene, Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and former Dallas Cowboys Vice President of Player Personnel Gil Brandt, who currently serves as a senior analyst for NFL.com.
Accompanying the NFL personnel to cover the results was a large media turnout comprised of both local and national media enterprises.
"It's a fun day when you have every pro team represented," Brown said. "A lot of people can't have a Pro Day - nobody will show up. We're so lucky every year to have each club here. We had a great crowd and really good media turnout. It shows our guys that if you're good enough you're going to get the recognition and you're going to get a chance to prove it."
While much buzz surrounded this year's event with a projected first-round pick in Vaccaro and with former NFL quarterback Young working out, Pro Day is especially important for the players who have not received as much coverage.
"When you have players of that caliber you get more NFL teams here, and it gives a chance to put the spotlight on guys that may have flown under the radar that may be late-round picks or undrafted free agents," said Longhorn Network anchor/reporter Lowell Galindo. "Last season a lot of the attention was on Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho, but Justin Tucker ends up winning the Super Bowl as an undrafted free agent, because people came out and ended up seeing him as well. David Snow ended up starting two games [for the Buffalo Bills] and people weren't immediately coming to see him, but they did see him."
A generous number of former Longhorns came to support their burnt orange family by offering encouragement and advice. Notables included Kansas City Chiefs linebacker and running back, Derrick Thomas and Jamaal Charles, respectively; Buffalo Bills cornerback Aaron Williams, Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin, newly signed Baltimore Ravens safety Michael Huff, Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas and Baltimore Ravens cornerback Chykie Brown.
"When I had my pro day here we had guys come back from ten-plus years ago, so it is a tradition here for all the guys who are in the NFL to come back and mentor the guys are trying to be where we are at right now," Williams said. "Tradition is always going to be that way, and it shows we are always going to be a family here at UT."
"It's not even a decision you have to think about. You want to go back and support your younger brothers," Denver Broncos safety Blake Gideon said. "Texas football is something that we give four or five years of our lives to. There is so much sacrifice involved with it that it becomes branded inside of you. It is always a blast to come back and see the guys."
Current Longhorns appreciated the support from the returning letterman and were overwhelmed by the turnout for the event.
"We have a bunch of league guys [attending]," said defensive end Alex Okafor. "Even just starting out here with Vince Young. Just to have him a part of the family again is great. Just seeing head coaches, lots of scouts, and lots of general managers - it is just humbling that they are interested."
Pro Timing Day led off in the weight room of the Dr. Nasser Al-Rashid Strength Complex where the athlete's physical dimensions were recorded and announced. Combine-replicated drills followed including the vertical jump, 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle run and the bench press.
"[The scouts] wanted to see certain things out of me, and I felt like I displayed it very well today," wide receiver Marquise Goodwin said confidently. "I ran routes, and I was real technical today coming out of my breaks, catching the ball, catching punts. I was able to show here what I wasn't able to show [at the NFL Combine]."
"I mainly focused on three things - getting a little bigger, catching balls and fielding punts," said wide receiver/running back D.J. Monroe. "I was expecting more [reps on the bench press], maybe like 16 or 18, but I'll take 15 since I doubled my weight. Overall, I felt like the lights came on, and I did what I had to do to get the scouts' attention."
The active players participating in Pro Day benefitted from both the fraternity of current and former Longhorns, and from friends and family members cheering them on throughout the day.
"[The senior class'] bond through this working process has grown really tight," tight end D.J. Grant said. "We have been pushing each other and motivating each other trying to keep each other locked in to do better and better.
"[The current NFL players advised me to] take every event one at a time and keep my mind on a straight tunnel. Don't worry about what happened at each drill, just leave it there and focus on the next thing. [They told me to] keep going hard and give it everything you've got."
After exercises in the weight room were complete, the program proceeded to the indoor practice facility at Denius Fields where NFL personnel conducted position drills. Offensive players were granted the special privilege of catching passes from former NFL quarterback and Longhorns legend Vince Young.
"We worked out with him several times before today, and he also told us what to do and what not to do, how he was going to throw it and where he was going to put it," fullback Ryan Roberson said.
"It was an extra boost and let teams know that we can catch the ball from NFL quarterbacks," tight end Barrett Matthews said. "He looked good, and he is back in the league after that show."
Longhorn Network provided an extra dimension of commentary at the indoor practice facility with a two-and-a-half hour live coverage show featuring two analysts with Texas ties; Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams and former Texas defensive coordinator and Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson.
"There are so many different dynamics that go on besides just the physical training," Robinson said. "[The NFL scouts] will put them through some different things to create some adversity for them and see how they react. They watch the way a person handles himself throughout the day and are just looking at everything."
Each player performed to the best of their ability and were given a moment after the exercises to arrange meetings with NFL teams and speak with the media in hopes of taking the next step toward playing at the next level.
"I have dreamed of this my whole life and wherever I go, I will help that team," safety Kenny Vaccaro said. "The scouts thought I did a great job. They said they were most impressed by me pushing through [with a nicked-up hip flexor] and working out by myself. I am so blessed, and I just thank God everyday that I have the opportunity to play this game."
The NFL has invited Vaccaro to New York City to attend the 2013 NFL Draft with the first round taking place on Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. CT. The draft will then continue on Friday with rounds two and three and conclude on Saturday with rounds four through seven.