Illinois will host its annual Pro Day on March 8, allowing players who did not get a chance to work or get measured at the NFL Scouting Combine to show off what they’ve got. Multiple Illini players did work out while at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, but not all of the players who are moving on from college football got that opportunity.
Players will have the chance to do some on-field drills, get measured and go through athletic exercises, such as the 40-yard dash. Almost every NFL team is expected to have some sort of representation in Champaign, and players will have the opportunity to speak with those representatives with the hopes of getting a call during the draft process.
At least 16 Illini players signed up for Pro Day, but not all of them are expected to compete. Defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, who is still recovering from an off-season foot surgery, is not going to be participating as he rehabs the injury. Offensive lineman Julian Pearl also missed out at the combine with an injury, so it is unlikely he will participate much.
Both Newton and Pearl are likely to have a Pro Day in early April to boost their draft stock. Newton will try to guarantee himself a first-round selection, which he has almost certainly earned after his standout Illini career on a later date.
The offensive players who are expected to participate are offensive linemen Isaiah Adams and Jordyn Slaughter, quarterback John Paddock, tight end Tip Reiman, who had an unbelievable showing at the NFL Combine, and receivers Isaiah Williams and Casey Washington. On defense and special teams, the expected participants are kicker Caleb Griffin; defensive backs Nicario Harper and Solomon Turner; defensive linemen Keith Randolph Jr., Denzel Daxon and Bryce Barnes; and linebacker Tarique Barnes.
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Not every player is going to be drafted, but each has a chance to prove themselves worthy of attention from teams. Plenty of Illini have gone undrafted in years past but still earned a shot, with no bigger name last season than quarterback Tommy DeVito, who became a leaguewide icon after becoming the New York Giants’ starting quarterback due to injuries.
For Williams, Friday is another chance to prove that he’s worthy of that draft choice, and he met with plenty of teams during the East-West Shrine Bowl as well as the NFL Scouting Combine. Williams led the Big Ten in receptions and was No. 2 in receiving yards; however, his results in Indianapolis left much to be desired, as he had the slowest 40-yard dash time (4.63s) out of any receiver at the Combine.
Reiman popped off the charts in Indianapolis, finishing No. 6 in the 40-yard dash amongst all tight ends (4.64s), tied for first in the 10-yard split at 1.55 seconds while recording 28 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press. A 9.93 was given to Reiman for Relative Athletic Scores, which measures how athletic a player is based on measurables for their respective position. It is hard to argue that any other Illini had a better Combine than the former walk-on turned team captain.
Regardless, Illinois’ Pro Day will start at 11 a.m. on Friday, and clips or highlights of the event will be shown on NFL Network as part of its offseason coverage. Coverage of the event will also be available on The Daily Illini after it ends.
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