A few thoughts from Tennessee’s Pro Day on Wednesday morning:
Good turnout: I was somewhat surprised to see all 32 teams show up for what might be the worst crop of pro prospects UT’s had at its Pro Day in who knows how long. It wasn’t the heavy hitters we’ve seen in the past like the Mike Tomlins of the world, but at every team had at least somebody there. I think part of that was getting a good look at Justin Coleman, who is right on the cusp of getting drafted, but also partly scouts wanting to build a rapport with Tennessee coaches for future years when the talent level is higher.
Coleman limited: Justin Coleman only did the vertical jump (37 inches) in terms of tests after his strong combine performance. He also did on-field workouts as a DB. That was a good compromise of still competing to show scouts that he wasn’t a combine flash in the pan, but also letting a lot of his combine numbers stand.
Strong day for Darr: It’ll be a long shot for punter Matt Darr, but he’s giving his NFL dreams a shot. He told media that he participated in a combine for specialists recently, and he put on a decent show for scouts Wednesday, fighting off windy conditions to boom every punt over 50 yards with one exception. He also showed some good directional kicking and the ability to place the ball inside the 10.
It was interesting hearing Darr speak about the process. He noted that because punting spots are so competitive, there’s a lot of networking and targeting specific teams that may have a need in the next year or two at that position.
And while mostly irrelevant, his 21 reps on the bench press is crazy strong for a punter. For comparison, No. 1 overall pick and DE Jadeveon Clowney did the same number at last year’s combine.
Williams looking to make a name: You won’t see Jordan Williams pop up on any mock drafts, but he’s hoping that his versatility is enough to earn him a shot after transitioning down to a 4-3 defensive tackle his senior year after previously playing defensive end in the 4-3 and linebacker in the 3-4.
“Being about 280 or 290 [pounds], I could either go 3-4 end or come down inside and just play 4-3 defensive tackle,” Williams said. “I’m willing to play wherever.”
“My goal today, being under the radar, was just to get my name on the board somewhere so somebody would just look into it a little bit more. If they need somebody to come in, I’m the guy they call.”
Running back thoughts: Marlin Lane’s 40 time was (somewhat as expected) not too impressive at 4.75. He did look slimmed down a bit and showed some explosion in some of the other drills. Devrin Young tested really well – posting a 4.44 40 and top times in several other drills. His height (5-6) will be a major prohibitive factor for him getting an NFL look.
