Ducks Show Out At Pro Day
04/01/22 | Football
Oregon football held its annual Pro Day for NFL scouts on Friday afternoon, with nearly 60 representatives from across the league on hand as current and former Ducks aimed to improve their chances at competing at the game's highest level.
A lot of attention was paid to defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is looking to follow Justin Herbert and Penei Sewell as Oregon's third consecutive top-10 NFL Draft pick. Thirty one of the league's teams had one or more representives in Eugene, including at least three general managers.
Projected as high as a top-three pick in many mock drafts, Thibodeaux did not participate in every drill Friday after running the 40-yard dash and impressing on the bench press at the NFL Combine, but he put on a show during his defensive line drills while also doing the broad jump, pro shuttle, and three-cone L-drill.
"I think I did great," Thibodeaux said. "The coaches loved it. I got to do a lot of linebacker (drills), a lot of D-line, and it kept going so I was able to show my stamina, my footwork, my hands, and just everything we've put in over the last eight to 12 weeks to get to this point."
In all, 11 players participated Friday, with Johnny Johnson III, Verone McKinley III, CJ Verdell, Devon Williams and Mykael Wright joining Thibodeaux as Ducks who also competed at the NFL Combine. Anthony Brown Jr., Jordan Happle and George Moore were also on hand from the 2021 team, along with former Ducks Devon Allen and Nick Pickett.
Participants were put through extensive measurements before a handful took part in the 225-pound bench press, with Moore posting the top mark of the day with 26 reps and Johnson impressing with 18. Johnson had the best vertical jump at 35 1/2 inches – two inches better than his mark at the combine – and Williams had the long leap in the broad jump at 10 feet, 11 inches.
"I think I had a solid day," Johnson said. "Basically just showing that I'm healthy. That I'm not out there looking hurt and I'm doing things at full speed. Just wanted to look smooth and healthy overall."
Players then moved on to the 40-yard dash, where there was an audible gasp from scouts in attendance after Allen crossed the line. An Olympic track star in the 110-meter hurdles, Allen is attempting a return to football following what he hopes is a gold medal performance at this summer's World Championships at Hayward Field.
"That was kind of always the plan," Allen said of his football comeback. "When I had my last injury in the 2016-17 season, I decided I was going to focus on track through the next Olympics (before returning to football). It actually took longer than I planned because of COVID, but now we're here.
"I've been playing football since I was five years old, so it's almost more natural to me than running track because I've been doing it longer … Whether my (NFL) career is 10 years or just a short career, I've gotta at least try. I don't want to be 40-50 years old and be like, 'Man, I wish I would have tried.'"
Allen's 40-yard dash times provided from the head scout in attendance were 4.35 and 4.40, elite marks for anyone trying to make it in the NFL. Wright came in with time of 4.55 and 4.57, with Johnson, McKinley, Verdell and Williams all running in the 4.6 range.
Brown (4.21) and Johnson (4.25) posted the top times in the pro shuttle, and Wright (6.82) and Williams (6.96) were the top performers in the three-cone L-drill.
Thibodeaux was the first to go through positional drills, followed by Happle, McKinley and Wright in the defensive back drills. McKinley brought a lot of energy, as usual, both when going through his drills and when supporting his teammates.
"I wanted them to take away the fact that I'm fast, I'm explosive, and what they saw at the combine they also see here, it's not like a one-time thing," McKinley said. "Somebody that can do it consistently and do it at a high level.
"Also just keeping my energy up and supporting my teammates. I'm a good teammate, so somebody that's going to change the locker room as well."
Moore was up next in his offensive line drills, followed by Verdell in running back drills. Like Johnson, Verdell was looking to show scouts he is healthy and ready to play after suffering a season-ending injury in the fall.
"It's been a cool process, the whole thing since being hurt," Verdell said. "Just trying to get back on my feet and get back on the field doing drills and stuff. The whole thing has been a journey, but I feel like I've recovered pretty fast. It's been a blessing to be going through this process."
The day was capped by Brown throwing passes to Allen, Johnson and Williams, along with Verdell coming out of the backfield. After leading Oregon to a 10-win season and ranking first in the Pac-12 in yards of total offense to cap a long college career that featured multiple injuries, Brown is aiming to prove he can play quarterback at the next level.
"I did better than I was expecting to do," Brown said. "I'm just glad to get the opportunity, and make whatever I can of it … I feel like everything I did I improved on what I wanted to do, so I think that's a blessing in itself."
While the majority of attention will go to Thibodeaux as a projected top-10 pick, many of the Ducks participating on Friday seemed to have improved their stock as the 2022 NFL Draft approaches on April 28-30.
A lot of attention was paid to defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is looking to follow Justin Herbert and Penei Sewell as Oregon's third consecutive top-10 NFL Draft pick. Thirty one of the league's teams had one or more representives in Eugene, including at least three general managers.
Projected as high as a top-three pick in many mock drafts, Thibodeaux did not participate in every drill Friday after running the 40-yard dash and impressing on the bench press at the NFL Combine, but he put on a show during his defensive line drills while also doing the broad jump, pro shuttle, and three-cone L-drill.
"I think I did great," Thibodeaux said. "The coaches loved it. I got to do a lot of linebacker (drills), a lot of D-line, and it kept going so I was able to show my stamina, my footwork, my hands, and just everything we've put in over the last eight to 12 weeks to get to this point."
In all, 11 players participated Friday, with Johnny Johnson III, Verone McKinley III, CJ Verdell, Devon Williams and Mykael Wright joining Thibodeaux as Ducks who also competed at the NFL Combine. Anthony Brown Jr., Jordan Happle and George Moore were also on hand from the 2021 team, along with former Ducks Devon Allen and Nick Pickett.
Participants were put through extensive measurements before a handful took part in the 225-pound bench press, with Moore posting the top mark of the day with 26 reps and Johnson impressing with 18. Johnson had the best vertical jump at 35 1/2 inches – two inches better than his mark at the combine – and Williams had the long leap in the broad jump at 10 feet, 11 inches.
"I think I had a solid day," Johnson said. "Basically just showing that I'm healthy. That I'm not out there looking hurt and I'm doing things at full speed. Just wanted to look smooth and healthy overall."
Players then moved on to the 40-yard dash, where there was an audible gasp from scouts in attendance after Allen crossed the line. An Olympic track star in the 110-meter hurdles, Allen is attempting a return to football following what he hopes is a gold medal performance at this summer's World Championships at Hayward Field.
"That was kind of always the plan," Allen said of his football comeback. "When I had my last injury in the 2016-17 season, I decided I was going to focus on track through the next Olympics (before returning to football). It actually took longer than I planned because of COVID, but now we're here.
"I've been playing football since I was five years old, so it's almost more natural to me than running track because I've been doing it longer … Whether my (NFL) career is 10 years or just a short career, I've gotta at least try. I don't want to be 40-50 years old and be like, 'Man, I wish I would have tried.'"
Allen's 40-yard dash times provided from the head scout in attendance were 4.35 and 4.40, elite marks for anyone trying to make it in the NFL. Wright came in with time of 4.55 and 4.57, with Johnson, McKinley, Verdell and Williams all running in the 4.6 range.
Brown (4.21) and Johnson (4.25) posted the top times in the pro shuttle, and Wright (6.82) and Williams (6.96) were the top performers in the three-cone L-drill.
Thibodeaux was the first to go through positional drills, followed by Happle, McKinley and Wright in the defensive back drills. McKinley brought a lot of energy, as usual, both when going through his drills and when supporting his teammates.
"I wanted them to take away the fact that I'm fast, I'm explosive, and what they saw at the combine they also see here, it's not like a one-time thing," McKinley said. "Somebody that can do it consistently and do it at a high level.
"Also just keeping my energy up and supporting my teammates. I'm a good teammate, so somebody that's going to change the locker room as well."
Moore was up next in his offensive line drills, followed by Verdell in running back drills. Like Johnson, Verdell was looking to show scouts he is healthy and ready to play after suffering a season-ending injury in the fall.
"It's been a cool process, the whole thing since being hurt," Verdell said. "Just trying to get back on my feet and get back on the field doing drills and stuff. The whole thing has been a journey, but I feel like I've recovered pretty fast. It's been a blessing to be going through this process."
The day was capped by Brown throwing passes to Allen, Johnson and Williams, along with Verdell coming out of the backfield. After leading Oregon to a 10-win season and ranking first in the Pac-12 in yards of total offense to cap a long college career that featured multiple injuries, Brown is aiming to prove he can play quarterback at the next level.
"I did better than I was expecting to do," Brown said. "I'm just glad to get the opportunity, and make whatever I can of it … I feel like everything I did I improved on what I wanted to do, so I think that's a blessing in itself."
While the majority of attention will go to Thibodeaux as a projected top-10 pick, many of the Ducks participating on Friday seemed to have improved their stock as the 2022 NFL Draft approaches on April 28-30.
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