Pro Days are the last stop of the on-the-road scouting done by pro scouts before bringing all of the information gathered from on-campus visits, live game viewings, postseason all-star games and combines back into the building to begin to set their draft boards as they hash out discussions about prospects and information gathered all throughout the year.
For a lot of prospects, especially of the smaller-school variety, it's their final chance to impress enough to -- at least -- get the scouts to go back to their tape and give it another look. Oftentimes you'll see prospects from smaller schools show up at pro days of major programs, as they may be the only pro prospect on their team and thus not warrant an individual pro day.
Here is a list of draft prospects who are super talented and who are likely to shine in a pro day setting based on their football skills, athletic traits and versatility they bring to the table. Enough to make scouts and coaches go back to the tape.
Mike Hohensee, QB, NW Missouri State
Hohensee (6-foot-1, 213 pounds) is one of the more intriguing prospects in the class. He's a true dual-threat at the position and the type of QB I'd classify as a "chain-mover." He's constantly converting first downs, putting his team in position to score the ball on each possession. The former Bearcat finished his career with more than 6,500 passing yards and 63 passing touchdowns while completing 68% of his passes with another 630 yards and 15 scores on the ground.
Hohensee is coming off a solid week of work at the College Gridiron Showcase, where he was able to move the offense down the field during the scrimmage.
What is also intriguing about him is that he is an excellent punter as well. During his career at Northwest Missouri State, he averaged 38.8 yards per punt, downing 42 inside the 20-yard line and forcing 15 fair catches. So, whether it's at QB or punter, expect Hohensee to generate some buzz during the pro day circuit.
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Michael Herzog, RB, Hillsdale
Herzog (5-foot-8, 197 pounds) is such a talented and versatile tailback. He's got kickoff return experience, averaging 18.7 yards per return in his career. But toting the rock is his specialty, as he has fantastic footwork and agility to go along with above-average vision for the position. What he runs in the 40-yard dash will be big for him, as scouts were intrigued by his performance at the College Gridiron Showcase against upper-level competition. So whichever pro day he gets into, expect him to have a lot of interest.
Jordan Terrell, RB, Barton College
Grading Terrell's game, I feel like he's the Division II version of Nick Chubb. At 5-foot-9 and 210 pounds, he's compactly built and one of the stronger backs in the country. He's posted three straight 1,600-plus yard, double-digit touchdown seasons at Barton. This past year he ran for 403 yards against Erskine College. Obviously, the 40-yard dash will be big for him, but scouts will come away impressed with his work in the weight room.
David Wallis, WR, Randolph-Macon
Wallis (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) was excellent down at the College Gridiron Showcase, and what stood out to me the most while I was there was his tremendous burst and acceleration. Then when I went back and studied his game, it was obvious that this kid is a legit speed demon. Wallis averaged 21.5 yards per catch during his career. He was a legit deep threat for the Yellow Jackets, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him crack 4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash on the pro day circuit. With his kickoff return experience, combined with his speed, expect him to be in an NFL training camp this summer.
Justin Blazek, DE, UW-Platteville
The biggest question Blazek had to answer this offseason was pretty much answered at the College Gridiron Showcase, as he more than held his own against competition from upper levels. Blazek measured in at 6-foot-2 and 252 pounds, with 32-inch arms and an 81-inch wingspan. Very impressive for a prospect looking to be a rush end at the pro level.
Coming from Division III like the aforementioned David Wallis, it's about whether or not what you see on film is because of the level of competition or because the prospect is actually that good. Well, during the two days of practice the former UW-Platteville edge player showed the pass rushing repertoire he showed on film.
Also, he showcased his athleticism by dropping back in coverage and matching up 1-on-1 in coverage. These are the things scouts will want to get an extensive look at during his pro day.
Julius Wilkerson, LB, Davenport
What stands out about Wilkerson (6-foot, 232 pounds) is how his eyes and feet are operating in unison at all times. And once he "sees it," he triggers and gets to the ball in a blink of an eye. You can tell he was well-coached at Davenport, as his football I.Q. is off the charts. I would expect him to perform well on the whiteboard and in interviews with scouts, as he plays like an extension of the coaching staff out there on the field. He's another prospect who impressed many at the College Gridiron Showcase back in January.
Shon Stephens, CB, Ferris State
Excellent ball skills and ball awareness is what Stephens (5-foot-9, 170 pounds) brings to the table from a cornerback perspective. What scouts will want to see at a pro day is how much he weighs and how fast he runs. They got to see at the College Gridiron Showcase how he performed in 1-on-1s and 7-on-7s against FCS and FBS competition, so they know his football skills are where they need to be; what they want to see is if he's fast enough and big enough to meet their specific metrics on what it takes to play in the NFL.