University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Shine At NFL Pro Timing Day
March 17, 2009 | Football
March 17, 2009
- Pro Timing Day Photo Gallery
Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- Approximately 50-60 NFL scouts, coaches and pro personnel gathered Tuesday in Chapel Hill to measure, test and conduct drills with 14 prospective North Carolina players hoping for a chance to play at the next level. No doubt many were in attendance to see first-round NFL Draft hopeful Hakeem Nicks, but the annual NFL Pro Timing Day is a chance for all of North Carolina's seniors to showcase their skills.
"This is a chance for our guys to show what they've learned over the last few years at North Carolina," said head coach Butch Davis. "This is their day in the sun. We had a much bigger class of seniors than last year. There's a lot of buzz about many of these guys, certainly Hakeem Nicks. What we've told our guys is that if you're one of the highest rated guys on our team, the ultimate way that you can be a team player and make sacrifices for your teammates, is to workout today. I'm really proud that Hakeem is here today. He's the draw that might help some of these other guys."
Among those other guys is wide receiver Brooks Foster, who clocked a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash, posted a 37-inch vertical and had a standing broad jump of 10-4. Foster is one of the strongest players on the team and benched press 225 pounds 27 times at the NFL Combine in February.
"He has a big ceiling," said Davis. "One thing that many of the scouts have been impressed with is his ability to play outside the position. If you're going to make it in the National Football League, then you're going to have to be a significant contributor on special teams. They like his willingness to do that."
In addition to his ability to catch the ball (30 receptions for 334 yards and two touchdowns in 2008), Foster was on nearly every special teams unit and was often the first player down on punt returns to make the tackle.
Tight end Richard Quinn is quickly moving up many NFL Draft boards with his prowess as a point of attack blocker and underrated pass catching ability. In workouts today, Quinn caught almost every ball thrown his way and reportedly ran a 4.77 40-yard dash.
One of the more intriguing stories leading up to the 2009 draft is the status of wide receiver Brandon Tate, who missed the final seven games of the season after tearing his ACL and MCL in the Notre Dame game. The Raleigh News & Observer named Tate the 2008 midseason player of the year before his injury, and the Burlington, N.C., senior could still be a first-day selection.
Although not able to participate at full speed, Tate jogged at the edge of the field while Carolina's receivers were running routes and catching passes.
"I just wanted to show scouts that I'm gradually making my way back," said Tate, the NCAA all-time leader in combined kick return yardage. "I'm just doing what the doctors tell me to do. I want to do more, but I just keep working hard in the weight room and training room."
Nicks did not run the 40-yard dash today after posting a 4.49 at the combine. Instead, the Charlotte, N.C., native focused on his route running and receiving ability.
"I felt good about it today," said Nicks, who had 68 catches for 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior last year. "I think I did what I needed to do. I just told the quarterbacks to throw it and I would catch it. It didn't matter where it was, I will catch it."
Other players that participated today were wide receiver Cooter Arnold, offensive guard Byron Bishop, punter Terrence Brown, offensive guard Calvin Darity, safety Trimane Goddard, safety Jabir Jones, linebacker Durell Mapp, offensive tackle Garrett Reynolds, linebacker Chase Rice and cornerback Kendric Williams.
Scouts from every team were on hand for today's workouts and many are expected to return for private sessions with Carolina's NFL prospects in the coming weeks. Because Carolina employs a pro-style offense and defense, pro personnel enjoy returning to Chapel Hill to evaulate players.
"Particularly now in the days of the spread and with option football, it sometimes makes it difficult to see players that I coach to evaluate guys, so it is nice to come here and see the pro-style John (Shoop) is running and that Butch wants to run" said Mike Shepherd, wide receivers coach for the Cincinnati Bengals. "It certainly helps me out because we see the routes that we run in the NFL and that's great."
