The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
04.05.2016 | Football
Twelve Longhorns put their talents on display for NFL scouts
The path to the National Football League is a long and arduous process, and for draft eligible Longhorns, Wednesday, March 23, marked one of the final steps in that journey. Eleven seniors and one junior gathered at the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletics Center on the University of Texas campus early that morning to participate in Texas' annual Pro Day.
Junior DT Hassan Ridgeway joined seniors DT Shiro Davis, FB Alex De La Torre, OL Sedrick Flowers, RB Johnathan Gray, OL Marcus Hutchins, DT Desmond Jackson, LB Peter Jinkens, WR Daje Johnson, WR Marcus Johnson, PK Nick Rose, and CB Duke Thomas as they took the opportunity to showcase their skills as potential professional football players.
After recording heights, weights, and body measurements, the players made their way to Frank Denius Fields and the Longhorns' Indoor Practice Facility to perform drills in front of a myriad of professional scouts, reporters, and former Longhorn football players.
While most of the athletes that participated at Pro Day will continue to train this offseason, the Pro Day workout largely represented the last football activity the attendees would share as teammates. When asked, players explained that while Pro Day had been a pleasant experience, the day also sparked a bit of melancholy as well.
"It is one of those bittersweet moments," said offensive tackle Marcus Hutchins. "I will be back. But it is a bittersweet moment knowing that this is probably the last time I will put on cleats on this turf."
The fundamental objective of a pro day is to give players the opportunity to connect with NFL scouts and show their physical skills in the hopes of improving the odds that they may play at the next level. Although it may be distressing having to leave Texas, most of the players commented that they were looking forward to what the future has in store.
"I live for this. I grew up wanting to be in the NFL since I was a little kid. I looked up to my daddy who was in the NFL, so I've always had this drive of wanting to get there," said wideout Daje Johnson.
Linebacker Peter Jinkens, who was not able to participate in the drills as he is healing from an injury suffered against Texas Tech on Thanksgiving, echoed Johnson's comments when asked about taking the "next step."
"I've always wanted to play in the NFL," Jinkens said. "Just to be able to support my family and give back to them and everything they have done for me. This would be a nice experience for me."
While all of the Longhorns working out at Pro Day are hoping to at least get an invite to an NFL training camp to compete for a job, some, like Hassan Ridgeway, have a good chance at being picked early in the NFL draft on April 28, despite being just a junior.
Ridgeway explained why he felt he was ready now to take the next step in his football career.
"I honestly just had to feel comfortable doing it," Ridgeway said. "I talked to other players, seeing what they felt about me and my potential to be in the NFL, the grade that I got back from the advisory board and just being comfortable in feeling that I could go to the next level and play."
Analysts have Ridgeway being taken anywhere from the second to fourth round of the draft.
While some of the players admitted they were battling nervousness or anxiousness in the beginning stages of the day's drills, it helped to have such a large support group in attendance.
"There is no family like the Longhorn family," said senior defensive tackle Desmond "Tank" Jackson. "We had guys that were gone for three or four years that came back today to support us. The Longhorn family is very unique and very different from everybody else because we all care about each other. It was good having everybody's support out here."
Former Longhorns and current NFL players, including Carolina Panthers running back Fozzy Whittaker, New England Patriots defensive tackle Malcom Brown, and Detroit Lions cornerback Quandre Diggs, came to watch their once brothers-in-arms compete in their drills.
Former Longhorn linebacker Emmanuel Acho, who was at Pro Day providing commentary and insight for the Longhorn Network commented, "It is always fun to come back to Pro Day and it reminds you of when you went through it, when you were out here suffering by yourself."
When asked what he felt was most important to him when working at his own Pro Day, Acho said simply, "I think mostly, for me, just putting on a show."
Pro Day provides the players an opportunity to promote their positive aspects and a chance to make an impression on the scouts. Nothing will be decided right now, and Ridgeway reiterated that fact when asked if his performance improved his draft stock.
"Only ones that know that are the people in the front office. I can't say that, and we'll all find out on April 28," Ridgeway said.
Until the draft and the ensuing days leading up to training camp, no one will know for sure if or where these Longhorns will go professionally. But all of the players remain upbeat and are maintaining a positive outlook about their futures.
"The sky's the limit," said cornerback Duke Thomas.
