Streaking down the field for his final route of the day, Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald reached out his arms.
Seconds later, Fitzgerald let out an excited yell as he snatched a deep ball from one NFL scout.
Nearly 40 yards downfield, he paired the shout with a touchdown celebration-style spike.
“It was great that I could come out here and showcase I can do other things,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m completely fine and willing to go out and play another position and do whatever I’ve got to do to make the team.”
Fitzgerald and 18 other former Bulldogs performed a variety of drills in front of representatives from all 32 NFL teams on Wednesday as part of MSU’s Pro Day at the Palmeiro Center.
“The big thing, from a program standpoint, is that it shows a young man can make a decision to come to Mississippi State and achieve all of his goals,” head coach Joe Morehead said. “And if one of those is getting to the NFL, it can happen here.”
In addition to Fitzgerald, who ran a few tight end drills at the behest of double-digit teams according to one MSU staffer, senior tight end Justin Johnson and senior cornerback Chris Rayford did plenty to improve their perceived pro potential.
Johnson, who totaled just 357 receiving yards and three touchdowns in his four years, posted a blistering 4.56 second 40-yard dash –the second-best time of the day.
At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Johnson is a little undersized by NFL tight end standards. But running patterns across the field and in the red zone, Johnson showed a wide range of route running and pass catching ability.
As for Rayford, he notched the fastest time of the day in the 40 with an unofficial mark of 4.49 seconds.
Generally a special teamer at MSU, Morehead pointed to Rayford’s versatility as to what will make him stick in the professional ranks.
“Chris brings a lot of value,” Morehead said. “A guy who can play corner, a guy who can play safety, cover kicks, return kicks.”
Defensively, seniors Gerri Green and Montez Sweat impressed in positional drills.
After his record-breaking performance at the NFL Combine last month, Sweat limited himself to on-field work.
“I’ve still got everything to prove,” Sweat said of why he participated Wednesday. “I just talk about creating my own path, my own destiny. I’m not like all those other guys who sit out drills and stuff like that. I’m here to compete.”
Green flashed impressive hands in coverage drills. A defensive lineman by trade at MSU, NFL teams have pegged him as a viable option in the trenches or as a standup linebacker — inside and out.
Junior defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons partook in Wednesday’s session, as well.
After sustaining a torn ACL in early February during a training session in Boca Raton, Florida, Simmons has been limited to rehab. Yet the interior bruiser still notched 28 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press despite not having trained since the injury.
In the interim, Simmons has had to answer plenty of questions regarding his off-the field status in the pre-draft process. As a recruit, the Macon, Mississippi, native was involved in a domestic dispute that led to his not being invited to the NFL Combine this year.
Since the incident, players and coaches alike have sung Simmons’ praises, calling him a model citizen and leader.
“Jeffery is going to be one of the best people in the building at all times,” senior safety Johnathan Abram said. “He’s accountable, he’s a hard worker, he’s a great man — and that’s pretty much what you’re going to get when you get a guy from Mississippi State because we don’t allow anything else.”
The NFL Draft will take place April 25-27 in Nashville.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 39 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.