Syracuse's Pro Day was held yesterday, giving a lot of Orange players the chance to show their stuff for NFL scouts (26 teams in all) prior to the upcoming draft. Durell Eskridge and Sean Hickey were the only former Orange players who received invites to NFL Draft Combine, and both also participated in Tuesday's Ensley Athletic Center event as well.
With so many players involved, it's tough to cover EVERYTHING from a busy pro day. That said, we try to grab everything we can regarding your favorite former Syracuse athletes below:
Durell Eskridge, Safety
Eskridge spent time on Tuesday defending his decision to go pro, and dismissing criticism from ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. He felt he improved his overall performance in comparison to the NFL Draft Combine, and is getting interest from about half of the league right now. Syracuse strength and conditioning coach Will HIcks also expressed some doubts about Eskridge leaving.
Sean Hickey, Offensive Tackle
Hickey was trying to quell fears about his health -- after missing timed drills at the Combine due to a hamstring injury, he was getting over a stomach virus on Tuesday. Still, he was able to go out there and put up solid numbers, in particular in the timed drills where he'd yet to be measured by pro scouts. He's going on several more individual team workouts between now and the April 30 NFL Draft. The tackle has already been on five to this point.
Dyshawn Davis, Outside Linebacker
Davis's Tuesday was used to prove his versatility and speed, even making a play to line up at the strong safety position in the NFL. Overall, the linebacker put up a decent 40-yard dash time (estimated between 4.5 and 4.8 seconds), and marketed himself as a jack-of-all-trades who could shift between OLB and defensive back, depending on the package. It's a smart strategy for a player that's seeing some late-round/undrafted projections right now.
Sam Rodgers, Long Snapper
Rodgers is a late riser who could potentially find his way on a roster due to some smart work with long-time NFL/college special teams coach Gary Zauner. And based on what he did on Tuesday, he's put up some quality pro numbers and has high character marks as well. Will be interesting to see where he ends up come draft day.
Jarrod West, Wide Receiver
On Tuesday, West caught 11 of 12 passes from current New York Giants (and former Syracuse) QB Ryan Nassib, whom he's well-versed in playing with. He's also put up solid numbers in the 40-yard dash and vertical jump. He needed a big day and an ability to catch NFL throws to start getting on some more radars as a likely post-draft free agent, so this helps quite a bit.
Cam Lynch, Outside Linebacker
Lynch's day went well, as he ran the shuttle with some quickness and showed leaping ability. While Lynch's lack of size seems to give some pro scouts pause, you'd have to assume his body of work at Syracuse should at least bring teams in for a look (or have him come to them).
Brandon Reddish, Cornerback
Reddish did well in position drills, which was expected. No times to report, however, as he didn't request them.
Darius Kelly, Safety
As reported by Will Hicks, it seems that Kelly had one of the better days of everyone on Tuesday. A mid-4s 40-yard dash time, in particular, is really going to help him stand out.
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And that's everyone there was some sort of report on. Great to see so many guys have great days when it was most needed.
Good luck to all as we get closer and closer to the draft!