How NFL prospects are preparing with teams banned from pro days
For former TCU safety Vernon Scott, the news was hard to hear when the NFL prohibited scouts and team executives from traveling to pro days across the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The league also prohibited teams from hosting top 30 visits where they fly in prospects for pre-draft visits. That meant Scott’s top 30 visit with the Green Bay Packers next month was canceled.
All of it has been difficult for Scott, as well as hundreds of other aspiring NFL players. They have spent the past several weeks preparing and training for pro day tests as well as the interview process with teams.
TCU hasn’t formally announced its pro day on March 27 is off, evaluating other possible options with how it could help its players, but a source said it’s “doubtful” at this point. Scott has accepted that pro day isn’t expected to happen.
“It’s hard news to hear, not being able to run the 40-yard dash and stuff like that,” Scott said. “It’s devastating, but I did have a Plan B. I ran a 40-yard dash last spring and I had a 4.47. So the NFL teams at least have a time to document.
“And with pro days being canceled, scouts are going to go back and really draft off film. I feel as a player, I have pretty good film.”
Scott finished last season with 44 tackles, two tackles for loss, seven pass breakups and one interception. He returned his lone interception 98 yards for a pick-six touchdown in TCU’s 28-24 loss at Oklahoma.
Scott also feels his film showcases his versatility, as he played special teams and lined up at a number of different positions in the secondary.
In the meantime, Scott is among several players who will go through pro day-esque tests in the coming days at APEC (Athlete Performance Enhancement Center), the Fort Worth-based gym where he’s been training.
Other notable players training at APEC include TCU’s Anthony McKinney and Shameik Blackshear; Alabama’s Jedrick Wills, a possible top 10 selection; and Arizona State’s Ryan Newsome, the former Aledo standout.
APEC founder Bobby Stroupe doesn’t see the NFL postponing the draft or pro days, so any player at his gym who hasn’t already gone through a pro day such as Scott is tapering off with the mindset of going through pro day tests soon.
“We’re going to taper guys this week and do evaluations because doing that gives your players a better chance,” Stroupe said. “The later you are, the harder it is for teams. We’re going to do it as soon as possible.
“In the unlikely event they clear things up before the draft, our guys will be ready to do it again if they need to. But I have no confidence in postponed pro days or postponing the draft. I just don’t see it happening.”
For Stroupe, the notion that pro days are being canceled is difficult news. After all, he and his staff put in a number of hours getting these players ready to shine in various drills.
Some players training at APEC have already been afforded that opportunity such as Wills, who was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine last month. Southern Illinois cornerback Madre Harper had his pro day last week, posting a 40-inch vertical and running a 4.41-second 40-yard dash.
Oklahoma cornerback Parnell Motley ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash after being projected to run in the high 4.6-second range at OU’s pro day.
“Those are the things you want to happen at a pro day,” Stroupe said. “With the TCU kids and some of our other guys, we obviously want them to get their opportunity because they’re well prepared and working hard. They deserve to be evaluated properly and deserve to have the same opportunity as their peers.
“At this point, though, we’ve got to put together a database that scouts can look at and take the information. We’ve got to provide video evidence as best we can knowing teams can’t rely on it with how easily videos can be manipulated these days. There’s going to be trust factors.
“But we’re going to be proactive and try to get that stuff out there as fast as possible and leverage our relationships with some scouts and teams in order to get guys the proper evaluation as soon as possible.”
Stroupe made it clear that he supports the NFL’s decision to essentially cancel pro days in the midst of the coronavirus threat. He’s taken extra measures at his gym to ensure the players are training in as sanitary environment as possible.
And, in what may come as a surprise to some, Stroupe is actually on board with more evaluation being film-based in the long run. Even though he’s the one who is training players for the combine and pro day tests, he knows it isn’t preparing them for their future.
“This whole process is to help kids who didn’t do what they should’ve done at the school,” Stroupe said. “The evaluation should be done largely on film. I know that sounds strange coming from someone like myself, but I don’t think it’s what’s best for the kids to prepare for this for too long of a period. What’s best is to prepare for their career.
“There’s a point where they need to switch their training and switch their mindset to being ready to play football. They’ve got to get ready to compete at OTAs. They’ve got to get their body ready to play football, which is completely different than getting their body ready to maximize the numbers on these tests. There’s a fine line. If you stretch this out too far, it’s not what’s in the best interest of the players and the teams.”
