Insider notes on Rutgers, Michigan State, Tennessee Pro Day: Top prospects to look out for ft. Tyreem Powell, Nate Carter
Several Big Ten schools had their pro-day workouts Wednesday, including Rutgers and Michigan State. Here’s a report on those workouts, plus an update from Tennessee from Monday.
Insider Notes on Rutgers Pro Day
All 32 teams were on hand for the Rutgers workout Wednesday, though it was primarily scouts, as most position coaches were in Georgia for the Bulldogs’ workout.
Linebacker Tyreem Powell, who Sportskeeda interviewed before the combine, had a tremendous day.
Powell, who measured 6-foot-4.5 inches and 239 pounds in Indianapolis, timed as fast as 4.69 seconds in the 40 and then looked terrific in position drills. That time is much faster than anyone expected and marks a heroic return from Powell, who has recently struggled with injuries, including a torn Achilles one year ago.
Teams project Powell as a Mike linebacker and he is drawing a lot of interest from the Dallas Cowboys.
Running back Kyle Monangai sat on his numbers from the combine, but he did position drills. He looked good, especially catching the ball, after dropping a pass in Indianapolis. The New York Jets ran Monangai’s workout.
Cornerback Robert Longerbeam also stood on his numbers from the combine, though he did run the short shuttle and timed 4.18 seconds. He also looked solid in position drills, which were run by the New York Giants.
Teams like Longerbeam’s versatility to be used in different coverages and packages at the next level. He cemented himself as a Day 3 pick.
Insider notes on Michigan State Pro Day
For the first time in a while, the Spartans had no players at the combine, and pro day was the only opportunity for the team’s prospects to showcase their skills to scouts. Two significant combine snubs were included in Wednesday’s group.
Offensive lineman Luke Newman, who participated in the Shrine Bowl, put together a terrific workout. He timed the 40 anywhere from 5.00 to 5.06 seconds and hit 35 inches in the vertical jump and 9-foot-2 in the broad. His short shuttle time came in at 4.58 seconds, and his three-cone at 7.70 seconds.
He also completed 29 reps on the bench with arms that measured 32 inches for some reason. His arm length at the Shrine Bowl came in at 30 and ¾ inches.
Newman looked terrific in position drills and spent extensive time snapping the ball. That’s important, as Newman, who played tackle at Holy Cross before being moved into guard at Michigan State last season, is projected at center for a lot of teams. The Los Angeles Rams and New York Jets have shown a lot of interest in Newman throughout the process.
Running back Nate Carter had a tremendous day. He measured 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds then clocked 4.37 seconds in the 40…twice! His other marks included 40 inches in the vertical jump, 10-foot-8 in the broad jump, and 23 reps in the bench. Carter looked good in drills, especially catching the ball.
That’s what teams wanted to see, as Carter only had 18 receptions last season. The Miami Dolphins ran the pass-catching drills and have shown a lot of interest in Carter, as have the Rams and Arizona Cardinals.
Carter is the highest-rated non-combine running back on my board with a sixth-round grade.
Insider notes on Tennessee Pro Day
Running back Dylan Sampson stole the show during Tennessee’s pro day Monday. He was “officially” timed in the 40 at 4.42 to 4.47 seconds, though some scouts on hand had him as fast as 4.35 seconds. Remember, unlike the combine, there are no official times during pro day, and scouts report what they see on their watches.
Sampson met with the New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints during pro day. On Thursday, March 13, he has an official 30 visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who just lost Najee Harris in free agency.