A look at who had their stock rise, fall, or hold steady after Tennessee’s Pro Day on Wednesday:
Stock up:
• S Brian Randolph: Whoever thought Randolph wouldn’t test particularly well (confession: that’s me), was certainly wrong. The veteran safety who appeared in more game (53) than any other Vol in history, showed that he’s more than just a productive college player. He has some NFL-like athletic attributes. And that was most proven in the 40-yard dash, where he ran in the 4.4 range with one report putting him right at 4.40 flat. Those times are all considered unofficial, but regardless, he ran well. He also showed that he’s one of the stronger DB prospects in his class, benching an impressive 31 reps at 225 pounds – numbers normally reserved more for linemen. Wednesday didn’t suddenly transform him into an elite prospect, but scouts will at least want to take a longer look at him now.
• TE Alex Ellis: He’s probably not a guy that many associated with the NFL after playing a limited role at UT, but he’s worked incredibly hard this offseason at turning himself into a guy who could get a chance in an NFL camp. He had the best game of his career in the Outback Bowl (3 catches, 74 yards) against Northwestern, and he carried that momentum into Wednesday, running a 4.58 unofficial in the 40 and recording 26 reps on the bench. Those are more-than-adequate numbers for his position. Somebody should probably give him a shot, at least as an undrafted free agent.
• DT Owen Williams: Though he didn’t have a massively productive UT career, this is the area that Williams shines. And shine he did on Wednesday, posting a whopping 42 reps on the bench press – eight more than anybody at the NFL combine recorded last month, while running well too. He had several flashes of NFL-like upside during the 2016 season and he got much better from the time he arrived on campus in 2014 to the end of his senior season. He could be a sneaky late-round pick candidate that has a ton of upside.
Holding steady:
• OL Kyler Kerbyson: Versatility is the key for Kerbyson as he looks to at least get in an NFL camp and prove that he can bring value to a team because he truly could play all five spots on the offensive line. His numbers, including 32 reps on the bench press, were solid on Wednesday. He truly played out of position the past couple years at tackle, and better projects as an interior O-lineman. If somebody gives him a chance, he can be a guy you keep on the roster or practice squad because of that ability to move around and do different things.
• WR Marquez North: He was a standout at the combine last month, and he proved it was no fluke on Wednesday, again running in the 4.4 range (this time a bit faster at 4.42) at 6-foot-2, 223 pounds. It’s safe to say he’s proven himself as a physical freak. Then why didn’t he always play like it? That will continue to be the question on NFL teams’ minds, but the numbers he’s put up could very well be enough to make him a late-round pick.
Stock down:
• WR Von Pearson: An NFL draft analyst told me in early 2015 that there was a lot of buzz and intrigue around the league about Pearson as he came off his junior season at Tennessee. Much of that has seemed to die down, and Wednesday was not a great day as he ran in the 4.8 range unofficially while only putting up seven reps on the bench. He had some productive stretches at UT, but those numbers on Wednesday are not going to help him going forward.
• DE/LB Curt Maggitt: He didn’t necessarily perform poorly, Maggitt just hasn’t been healthy enough to show everything that he can do. His 22 reps on the bench Wednesday fall in line with other pass rushers from the combine, so there’s nothing wrong with that number. But he didn’t run the 40 or jump, so scouts will have to take a bit of a leap of faith to recommend him. He certainly has the film from 2014 to show that he can be a productive pass rusher, but there’s no guarantee that a team will feel confident enough to select him next month.
