With no Combine this year, pro days have become even more important. For many prospects they can be make or break affairs. Those who test well surge up draft boards, whilst others can find themselves off them altogether. Here are eight prospects who saw their draft stock take a hit on the back of their pro day performance.
Paris Ford | S, Pitt
| Metric | Measurable | Percentile |
| 40-yard dash | 4.85 seconds | 7th |
| Vertical | 28.5″ | 6th |
| 3-Cone | 7.44 seconds | 9th |
| Broad jump | 9’2″ | 11th |
No draft prospect saw their stock plummet as a result of their pro day as much as Paris Ford. Prior to his workout, Ford was widely considered to be a second or third round prospect. Since then he has fallen to potentially being a UDFA. His numbers were bad across the board, with a 40-time that ranks as the fourth worst by any safety since 1999. Ford didn’t rank above the 22nd percentile in any metric, with the exception of his 10-yard split (88th). It makes you wonder what happened after he opted out mid-season to prepare for the draft.
Gregory Rousseau | EDGE, Miami
| Metric | Measurable | Percentile |
| Vertical | 30″ | 32nd |
| 3-Cone | 7.5 seconds | 34th |
| Short shuttle | 4.45 seconds | 57th |
| Broad jump | 9’7″ | 63rd |
Entering the 2020 season, Rousseau was widely regarded as the top edge rusher in this year’s class. His decision to opt out and his pro day numbers might now see him fall out of the first round entirely. Whilst Rousseau was never regarded as a polished edge rusher prospect, he could seemingly rely on having some of the best athletic tools in the class. His numbers were totally underwhelming, and with the exception of his 4.72 40-yard dash, he did show anywhere near the explosiveness that many expected. His 30″ vertical was the most disappointing drill. For context, Ryan Fitzpatrick posted a 30.5″ vertical as a prospect.
Brevin Jordan | TE, Miami
| Metric | Measurable | Percentile |
| Shuttle | 4.62 seconds | 15th |
| Bench press | 17 reps | 40th |
| Vertical | 31″ | 40th |
| Broad jump | 9’8″ | 67th |
Jordan was another Miami prospect to have an underwhelming pro day. As an undersized tight end, he has built his reputation on being an explosive pass catcher with speed to stretch the field. Whilst he hit the benchmark with a 4.69 40-yard dash, he underwhelmed everywhere else. His 4.62 short shuttle was particularly poor. For context, Notre Dame offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg, who is not known for being a standout athlete, ran a 4.57. An undersized tight end with average athletic ability is a very tough sell at the NFL level.
Tre Walker | WR, San Jose State
| Metric | Measurable | Percentile |
| 3-Cone | 7.75 seconds | 1st |
| Vertical | 28″ | 2nd |
| Short shuttle | 4.47 seconds | 15th |
| 40-yard dash | 4.59 seconds | 45th |
After an impressive four-year career at San Jose State, Walker was planning on transferring to Mississippi State for the 2021 season, but was informed that he was not eligible and must declare for the draft. The delay in that decision can partly explain his poor pro day numbers, but it is difficult to ignore how terrible they were. His 3-Cone time is the slowest of any receiver since at least 1999. His 28″ vertical wasn’t much better. Only five receivers with sub-29″ verticals have been drafted in the last 20 years. His best number came in the 10-yard split and he still only ranked in the 51st percentile. For a 5’10” and 178 lbs receiver, these were bad numbers.
Jalen Mayfield | OT, Michigan
| Metric | Measurable | Percentile |
| Broad jump | 8’0″ | 18th |
| Shuttle | 4.91 seconds | 25th |
| 40-yard dash | 5.31 seconds | 47th |
| 3-Cone | 7.68 seconds | 51st |
Despite a lack of tape at Michigan, Jalen Mayfield has established a reputation as a fringe first round tackle prospect. He is undoubtedly raw, but it was a supposedly freakish combination of size and athletic ability that made him such an appealing prospect. He didn’t test as many expected at Michigan’s pro day. His explosiveness seemed lacking, and his 8’0″ broad jump was particularly disappointing. Unlike some prospects on this list, Mayfield didn’t have a single positive drill. His best result was his 1.81 second 10-yard split, and that ranks in just the 69th percentile.
Shakur Brown | CB, Michigan State
| Metric | Measurable | Percentile |
| 40-yard dash | 4.64 seconds | 23rd |
| Broad jump | 9’8″ | 27th |
| 3-Cone | 7.08 seconds | 41st |
| Shuttle | 4.25 seconds | 52nd |
Brown didn’t put together a tonne of tape, but he showed promise at Michigan State. Whilst his pro day numbers don’t change that, they cast doubt on his future at the next level. Brown played as a boundary corner for the Spartans but measured in at just 5’9″, two inches below his 5’11” listed height. One of the concerns on tape had been his long speed, and he didn’t help matters by running a 4.64 40-yard dash. His agility drills were underwhelming too, raising questions about whether he could even hold up as a slot corner in the NFL. The one positive was his 17 reps on the bench press, ranking in the 84th percentile.
Jalen Twyman | IDL, Pitt
| Metric | Measurable | Percentile |
| 20-yard split | 3.19 seconds | 3rd |
| 40-yard dash | 5.4 seconds | 11th |
| 3-Cone | 8 seconds | 24th |
| Broad jump | 8’8″ | 52nd |
Twyman might not be the most obvious candidate for this list. After all, he made headlines with his 40 bench press reps, five more than former Pitt star Aaron Donald managed in 2014. The rest of his testing wasn’t as impressive though. He clocked an eight second 3-cone, which ranks in the 24th percentile. His 40-yard dash was particularly poor, as was his 20-yard split. Twyman ran a 5.4 second 40 at 6’1″ and 301 lbs. His 20-yard split was 3.19 seconds. Those numbers rank in the 11th and 3rd percentile respectively. Twyman has the size and power you want in a defensive tackle, but lacks the explosiveness you need to translate to the NFL.
Justin Hilliard | LB, Ohio State
| Metric | Measurable | Percentile |
| 40-yard dash | 4.81 seconds | 40th |
| Broad jump | 9’6″ | 46th |
| Shuttle | 4.39 seconds | 47th |
| 3-Cone | 7.21 seconds | 53rd |
Hilliard is a tricky prospect to evaluate. A former five-star recruit, his time at Ohio State was disrupted by injuries. Whilst he was never going to rank amongst the freakiest athletes in this class, he needed good numbers to counter-balance his injury risk. He didn’t manage it. 4.81 40-yard dash ranks amongst the worst in the linebacker class and his 4.39 second shuttle was equally disappointing. To make matters worst, Hilliard is a little undersized for the position at 6’0″ and 229 lbs. His 27 bench press reps were the only real positive, ranking in the 93rd percentile. That said, an injury-prone linebacker with sub-par testing numbers isn’t going to be drafted highly.
