EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan State football program hosted its annual Pro Day at the Duffy Daugherty Building on Monday.
Eight players from the 2018 team – offensive guard David Beedle, linebacker Andrew Dowell, cornerback Justin Layne, defensive tackle Gerald Owens, linebacker Jon Reschke, running back LJ Scott, tight end Matt Sokol and safety Khari Willis – auditioned in front of National Football League scouts and personnel in preparation for the upcoming NFL Draft. In addition, wide receiver Felton Davis III was also in attendance for meetings but didn’t participate in drills as he continues to rehab from an Achilles injury he suffered on Oct. 20.
Fifty-two personnel representing all 32 NFL teams and three CFL teams attended the event. In addition, credentials were issued to more than 30 media members.
“I thought it was a great moment for our guys,” said MSU head coach Mark Dantonio, who was on hand to watch his former players. “Every year you come and you see NFL guys work out our players, and the one thing that you notice is that you better be in great shape to work out at this level. I thought they did a nice job with themselves. It’s an opportunity for them to complete their circle and end their time here at Michigan State and look forward to their future.”
Michigan State has had seven defensive backs selected in the NFL Draft since Dantonio took over as head coach in 2007, the most of any position at MSU during that time period, including first-round cornerbacks Darqueze Dennard (Bengals, 2014) and Trae Waynes (Vikings, 2015). Several coaches and scouts watched the defensive backs drills with keen interest as Layne and Willis continued to showcase their skills they already put on display at the NFL Combine.
Layne kept his test numbers from the NFL Combine (4.50 seconds in 40-yard dash; 37.5-inch vertical; 11’2” broad jump; 6.9 seconds in 3-cone drill; 4.09 in 20-yard shuttle) and elected only to participate in position drills.
Willis ran the 20-yard shuttle and 3-cone drills, events he did not run in at the combine. In Indianapolis, Willis posted a 40-yard dash of 4.52 seconds, a vertical jump of 34.5 inches, a broad jump of 9’10” and 22 reps on the bench press.
Scott went through position drills at running back and ran the 40-yard dash, an event he did not participate in at the NFL Combine. He kept his other test numbers from Indianapolis (33-inch vertical; 10’0” broad jump; 7.27 seconds in 3-cone drill; 4.34 in 20-yard shuttle).
The Spartans had four players attend the NFL Combine – Davis, Layne, Scott and Willis – but for the other five seniors, it was their chance to show their potential at the next level.
Sokol, who played in the East-West Shrine Game, put up 23 reps on the bench press, which would have ranked second among tight ends at the NFL Combine. He also displayed his athleticism with a 30.5-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 9’4”.
“When I was at Michigan State, I was only focused on doing whatever I could to be the best while I was here, I wasn’t really thinking that far ahead of this process,” said Sokol. “I was really in the moment and wanted to be the best player I could be here. I put everything I had into that and once that was over against Oregon, I was in Southern California and I was focused on doing the best I could here and I’m happy with how I performed. I thought I showed people that I can run, I’m a pretty athletic person. I’m really happy with my performance. I think everyone did really well. It was a great opportunity for us today.”
Dowell, a durable outside linebacker who had 260 tackles in 51 career games, had the longest broad jump of the day at 9’10” and also posted the second-highest vertical at 31 inches. He put up 20 reps on the bench press.
Beedle led the way on the bench press with 26 reps of 225 pounds, while Reschke ranked second with 24 reps, which would have tied for sixth among linebackers at the NFL Combine. Reschke also had the highest vertical leap at 31.5 inches and the second-longest broad jump at 9’8”.
The 2019 NFL Draft is set for April 25-27 in Nashville, Tennessee. Michigan State is one of just five schools to have had at least one player chosen every year since the inception of the common NFL Draft in 1967. In addition, at least one Spartan has been selected in the NFL Draft since 1941, the third-longest streak in the FBS (78 straight). Twenty-nine Spartans have been chosen in the NFL Draft under Dantonio’s watch, including three consecutive first-round selections from 2014-16.
