Nearly three dozen NFL scouts from most of the league’s teams came out to San Diego State on Thursday for SDSU’s Pro Day.
According to an SDSU spokesman, a dozen former SDSU players participated.
From the 2020 team were long snapper Turner Bernard, punter Tanner Kuljian, offensive linemen Jacob Capra and Kyle Spalding and defensive backs Darren Hall, Dwayne Johnson Jr. and Tariq Thompson.
From the 2019 team were offensive lineman Daishawn Dixon, punter Brandon Heicklen, tight end Parker Houston, linebacker Kyahva Tezino and defensive back Kyree Woods.
The SDSU spokesman said 34 scouts from 29 teams came out to gather information for the 2021 NFL Draft, which takes place April 29 to May 1 in Cleveland.
SDSU’s most highly rated prospects are the three defensive backs from the 2020 team.
“I’m just enjoying the process,” Hall said in a post-event Zoom call with media. “This is new to me, new to my family. We’re going in there with open arms, bright smiles.”
SDSU’s Pro Day was canceled last year in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.
This year’s event was closed to the media and public because of COVID-19 restrictions, although about two dozen family members and friends and a few football players watched from hundreds of feet away. They were able to gaze out from the parking structure that overlooks the SDSU practice field without being chased off.
At the typical Pro Day, measurables are taken in the weight room and outside players are timed in the 40 before doing a series of drills.
No results were provided. They usually aren’t without asking a player what he did. And, in fact, some seemed reluctant to provide specifics.
“I would say it went very well,” Hall said. “Every drill they had us do went very well. … There were some questions about my speed. You know, if I could run with faster receivers or if I could just run downfield. I feel like I answered those questions, for sure.”
Asked what he clocked in the 40, Hall said: “We’ll see.”
Do you know?
“I may know,” he said with a laugh.
Johnson said it was important to have this opportunity — which the 2019 Aztecs did not — in front of the scouts.
“I’m a 215-216 (pound) safety, so everyone wants to see what I really look like,” Johnson said. “I’m not the average 205 safety. So they wanted to see my body build. They wanted to see how I move at this weight and things like that.
“It was them getting to see, does he match the eye test? Is he explosive like we need? Things like that.”
Houston was among the five Aztecs from last year who got their Pro Day a year later than expected.
“It not only hurts your opportunity, it hurts you on the inside,” Houston said. “We worked so hard for that one day and to give us that one opportunity. To have it all taken away really (stunk).”
Houston got a look last year as undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals, but he was cut in late July during training camp.
Like the other 2019 Aztecs, Houston is hopeful he caught someone’s attention this time around.
“Having (Pro Day) last year, I think I would have had a better chance than I do this year,” Houston said. “I’m hoping they look at it like he’s had another whole year of not playing football to keep his body healthy and to develop himself.”