STARKVILLE — Nearly 40 NFL personnel watched Mississippi State players eligible for the 2016 NFL draft showcase their skills Thursday at MSU’s Pro Day at the Palmeiro Center.
Thirty of 32 NFL teams appeared at Pro Day, not including the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, who interviewed Bulldogs last month at the NFL Combine.
“It is a lot of fun because our guys are getting to try to fulfill their dreams of playing professional football,” MSU coach Dan Mullen said. “When you have been there with a lot of these guys, you take a lot of pride in what they have done. We treat them like they are our own kids, so it is a lot of fun.”
Defensive tackle Chris Jones, who has been projected as a late first round to early second round pick, improved his vertical jump to 29 1/2 inches and went through an individual on-field workout.
“I think it went well. I had great possession. I worked hard. I think that’s what (scouts) wanted to see from me today, to work hard and finish every drill. I think it went well.”
Quarterback Dak Prescott posted solid numbers at the NFL Combine and only went through a throwing session with some of his former teammates Thursday.
“It’s (Pro Day) grown over the last couple of years, but that’s also how the program has been changing with expectations,” Prescott said. “People want to come in and see what’s going on. We’ve got more players going to the NFL and making that transition. It’s important.”
Wide receiver De’Runnya Wilson improved on each of his tests, notching a 4.78 in the 40-yard dash, raising his vertical jump and recording 9 feet, 4 inches in the broad jump. At 6-foot-5, he was the tallest of the wide receivers at the NFL Combine. Wilson had 1,949 yards receiving and 22 touchdowns in the past two seasons.
“One of the main things I tried to do out here is remain focused,” Wilson said. “Whatever happens, don’t get down. Use whatever happens as motivation to push forward.
“I’m pretty satisfied. More satisfied than I was at the combine. The main thing is I was focused. I was at home. I was reliable. I felt my teammates pumping me up. I felt comfortable. Things went well for me.”
Cornerback Taveze Calhoun made the most of his day, posting a 35 1/2-inch vertical jump, up from his 33 1/2 at the NFL Combine, and recording a 9-8 in the broad jump. Linebacker Beniquez Brown improved his 40-yard dash time from the NFL Combine, clocking 4.71 Thursday. Calhoun and Brown went through positional workouts on the field with scouts.
Current NFL Bulldogs made their way back to Starkville to cheer on the future pros, including Super Bowl champion linebacker K.J. Wright of the Seahawks, Josh Boyd of the Green Bay Packers, and Preston Smith of the Washington Redskins. Smith led all NFL rookies in sacks last year.
The draft eligible Bulldogs will continue preparing for the 2016 NFL draft on April 28-30 in Chicago. MSU players can still have individual workouts with teams until the draft.
Eighteen Bulldogs have been chosen in the NFL draft under Mullen’s watch since 2010, including the most since 1995 with five last year.
“I think people are seeing that Mississippi State is developing players as well as any school in the country,” Mullen said. “It does not matter if you are a five-star or a two-star, you are getting developed to have an opportunity to go play at the next level. The number of players we are putting into the NFL really shows that compared to other schools.”
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