Insider notes from Washington State, South Dakota State, Mississippi Pro Days: Isaiah Davis impresses as teams line up for RB
2024 Washington State Pro Day
Safety Jaden Hicks, who presently holds a third-round grade on my board, checked off multiple boxes Wednesday during the Cougars pro day. The explosive safety tipped the scales at 215 pounds, four more than his weight at the combine, then timed the 40 from 4.47 to 4.50 seconds. There were lots of 4.4s on watches, erasing concerns about his speed. Hicks ran the shuttles at the combine, clocking 4.37 seconds in the short shuttle and 6.88 seconds in the three-cone.
The Los Angeles Chargers had their defensive backs coach on hand for Hicks and his teammate cornerback Chau Smith-Wade, who sat on his numbers from the combine.
Pass rusher Brennan Jackson, who has had a terrific predraft process, completed 26 reps on the bench, five more than his number from Indianapolis. Jackson also timed the short shuttle in 4.34 seconds and the three-cone in 7.47 seconds. He ran through defensive line drills afterwards.
2024 South Dakota State Pro Day
Scouts and coaches from 27 teams showed up at the delayed South Dakota State pro day, as the Jackrabbits have six players who will be drafted or signed as PFAs in a month.
Offensive tackle Garret Greenfield and guard Mason McCormick, both Shrine Bowl and combine participants, looked good in drills. Eagles assistant offensive line coach T.J. Paganetti put the blockers through a workout that lasted almost 45 minutes.
Greenfield had his arms measured three times. When the initial measurement came in at 34 inches, one-half inch longer than the recorded length at the combine, scouts measured his arms twice more to ensure the mark was correct, and it was. The big tackle prospect rested on his numbers from Indianapolis and spent 45 minutes with Paganetti when the workout was complete.
McCormick, whose arms measured 33 7/8 inches, completed 32 reps on the bench press. The belief from those on hand was that McCormick made himself some money Wednesday and affirms what teams saw on film as well as his outstanding numbers from the combine. Besides the Eagles, he’s been receiving a lot of interest from the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets.
Running back Isaiah Davis, who was at the Senior Bowl and combine, timed 4.27 seconds in the short shuttle then stood on the remainder of his marks from Indianapolis. He looked exceptional catching the ball Wednesday and was very smooth in ball-carrying drills. The Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and Denver Broncos have shown a lot of interest in Davis.
Earlier I tweeted that the New York Jets had their running backs and assistant offensive line coach on the attendance sheet. Many of the coaches were unable to attend the workout due to weather conditions. The Jets have expressed an interest in individually working out Davis prior to the draft.
2024 Missippi Pro Day
It was a mostly defensive workout in Oxford as approximately 50 scouts and coaches showed up for the Rebels pro day.
Linebacker/pass rusher Cedric Johnson looked terrific. Johnson is an imposing figure who measured 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds at the Combine then timed 4.63 seconds in the forty and touched 38 inches in the vertical jump. At Mississippi pro day the New York Jets put him through linebacker and pass rushing drills and the feedback was terrific.
Cornerback Deantre Prince, who timed the forty in 4.38 seconds at the Combine, touched 37.5 inches in the vertical jump, three better than his Combine mark of 34.5 inches. Prince met with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers yesterday.