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Fifteen former Colorado State football players participated in CSU’s Pro Day on Wednesday morning, working out in front of NFL scouts and personnel executives at CSU’s on-campus stadium and Indoor Practice Field. In total, 40 representatives from 31 NFL teams were on hand for the audition, many of them visiting CSU’s state-of-the-art new stadium for the first time and marveling at the new facilities.
Draft-eligible players who participated include OL Jake Bennett, DL Jakob Buys, WR Detrich Clark, LB Evan Colorito, RB Dalyn Dawkins, WR Michael Gallup, OL Zack Golditch, CB Shun Johnson, OL Trae Moxley, CB Kevin Nutt, Jr., LS Trent Sieg, QB Nick Stevens, CB Justin Sweet and DL Darnell Thompson. Additionally, Class of 2016 member OL Nick Callender participated after having last year’s Pro Day workout cut short by an injury.
A number of #NextLevelRams and recent graduates were in attendance, including Rashard Higgins, Shelley Smith and Tyree Simmons.
Players began the morning in the weight room where their height, weight, hand, arm and wingspan were measured, followed by standing vertical jump and bench press testing. From there, the event transitioned to the Indoor Practice Facility, allowing players to test their standing broad jumps, 40-yard dash, pro shuttle, and three-cone drill.
Callender led all participants with 26 reps at the bench press, and Johnson impressed with his 38-inch vertical–a figure that would’ve ranked fifth among all cornerbacks at last week’s NFL Combine. Despite being limited with a hand injury, Golditch put up a 32.5-inch vertical leap which would’ve ranked fourth among the offensive linemen at the combine.
Following the 40-yard dashes, QB Nick Stevens had the opportunity to throw for the scouts, with Clark, Dawkins, Gallup and 2016 graduate Robert Ruiz running routes. Stevens looked sharp and accurate, and showcased an increased passing velocity that he’s been working on this offseason with former CSU quarterback and head coach Steve Fairchild.
Last week, Gallup participated in the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, where he worked out in front of a national contingent of scouts, coaches and executives, and a worldwide television audience. Gallup chose not to participate in the bench press Wednesday, but made a noteworthy improvement in his 40-yard dash, cutting his 4.51-second time from the Combine down to 4.45. He also put up a 10-feet, 8-inch broad jump, which bested his Combine leap by six inches.
Gallup was looking forward to CSU’s Pro Day and reunited with his Rams teammates.
“I just wanted to have fun,” Gallup said afterwards. “This is the last time I’ll get to play with my boys, compete with my dogs again on our home turf. I just wanted to have fun out here and that’s what I did today.”
For many, putting Wednesday behind them is a relief, and now they can focus on continuing to train, talking with NFL teams and waiting for the NFL Draft, which will be held April 26-28 in Arlington, Texas. Colorado State has had six players chosen in the last four NFL Drafts, and numerous others sign to free agent contracts.
The Rams hopefuls know there are still opportunities to impress NFL teams between now and the draft.
“I’m making sure I am prepared for any workouts that I have to do either here or at a team’s facility but it is kind of a waiting game from here,” Stevens, who was a first-team all-conference selection last season, said. “Just going to kind of see where everything plays out and where you’ll land. I am excited and I think it is going to be a great process and definitely going to keep working and making sure I am at the top of my game for these workouts.”
The current Rams team will begin spring practice on Monday, March 19, following the school’s spring break next week. The team will take part in 15 practices during the spring, concluding with the annual Green & Gold Spring Game on Saturday, April 21.