STARKVILLE — Two weeks after a strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, defensive end Preston Smith had little to prove Wednesday at Mississippi State’s Pro Day.
Smith didn’t let that stop him.
Taking the field with 19 of his former MSU teammates, Smith put on a show for a group of professional scouts that represented all 32 NFL teams. After going through position drills and turning in a smooth showing, Smith, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound pass rusher, received a tip from several NFL team representatives who evaluated the players at the Palmeiro Center.
“They said that I look like a guy who could play linebacker in a 3-4 defense,” Smith said. “They suggested I do the linebacker drills, so I did. Anything extra I can do to make myself marketable to teams, I’m going to do it.”
Smith wasn’t alone in that regard. Seventeen members of MSU’s 10-3 Orange Bowl team worked out for scouts and coaches at the annual showcase for MSU’s seniors and draft-eligible juniors. Former Bulldogs Nickoe Whitley (safety), Tyler Russell (quarterback), and running back Ladarius Perkins also participated.
“It felt good to be back out here with the guys,” said Russell, the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder from Meridian who graduated from MSU with 42 touchdown passes. “I was hurt last year, so I couldn’t do this. To be able to come back out here, it was fun.”
Some, like Smith, showed up already having made an impression on the NFL draft circuit. Two weeks ago, Smith turned heads at the NFL Combine when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.70 seconds and finished in the top five among defensive ends in each position drill.
Benardrick McKinney, MSU’s All-SEC linebacker, did the same thing, running the 40 in 4.66. Both are projected to be early round picks, as McKinney is NFL.com’s No. 2-ranked inside linebacker and Smith is predicted to be a second-round pick, according to ESPN.com.
On Wednesday, it was all about putting on as much of a show as possible.
“I want them to see everything I can do,” Smith said. “If they want me to do linebacker drills, I’ll do that. If they want me to catch passes, I’ll do that. I’m trying to do whatever.”
Running to redemption
It wasn’t a sparkling combine for running back Josh Robinson. Six weeks after declaring for the NFL draft after a junior season that included 1,203 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, Robinson looked sluggish in Indianapolis, finishing his 40 in 4.71.
On Wednesday, Robinson turned in a 4.61.
“Being at home helped,” Robinson said. “Everybody wanted to talk about my 40 time and say whatever, but I know if you turn on the film, I’m not getting caught. It does feel good to put up a faster time, though.”
Perkins returned to Starkville after spending the 2014 season on the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Nick Griffin, a senior from Perry Central High, posted a team-best 26 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. He ripped off a 4.62 in the 40.
Love shines
To hear his teammates talk, former Aberdeen High product Jamerson Love was primed to be the standout of MSU’s Pro Day.
“He’s probably the fastest player on the team,” said fellow Pro Day participant Jay Hughes, a senior safety. “He’s going to wow some people with his speed.”
Love, who was a running back in high school who transformed into a cornerback in the SEC, tied for the day’s fastest 40 time, clocking in at 4.41. He also had a 35-inch vertical leap.
Despite his time in the 40, Love admitted he was a little disappointed.
“I thought I did good overall, but I was hoping I’d go faster,” Love said. “I know I can run in the 4.2-range, but I think the cleats I wore today slowed me down. I should have been even faster.”
Going to the Wells
Along with Love, MSU outside linebacker Matt Wells turned heads with his speed. At 6-1, 221 pounds, Wells tied Love for the team lead with a 4.41 in the 40.
“It was a great day for me,” Wells said. “I hope I was able to show everybody I have been overlooked. I just hope at least one team liked what they saw.”
According to Smith, that’s a no-brainer.
“He made some money today,” Smith said. “We all knew he was fast, the coaches knew he was fast. We wanted everybody outside this building to see that, and I think they did.”
Wells, like McKinney and Smith, was one of MSU’s most sought-after players by scouts in the immediate aftermath of Pro Day, as representatives from the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints talked with the Lawrence County High graduate at length.
For MSU coach Dan Mullen, the chance to watch his players take part in what was a job interview with NFL brass never gets old.
“This is a great opportunity for our guys,” Mullen said. “We have every NFL team represented here today, and it is exciting for all of them to come look at our prospects. Our senior class is walking out the door having been to four, and in some cases five, straight bowl games. Most of the guys that are here working out are college graduates and have earned their degree. This is a great opportunity for them to live a dream and move on to professional football.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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