On Friday, Georgia Tech held their annual NFL Pro Day at the John and Mary Brock Indoor Practice Facility to give players a chance to impress scouts before the upcoming draft. Each of the 32 NFL teams had scouts on the scene to analyze the talent pool coming out of Georgia Tech.
A total of 11 former Tech players participated in the Pro Day, including Synjyn Days, Isaiah Johnson, Zach Laskey, Shaquille Mason, Quayshawn Nealy and Darren Waller. Receiver DeAndre Smelter, who is also declared for the draft, did not participate due to his recovery from a torn ACL, however he was in attendance to support his teammates.
The Big Stories:
Darren Waller the next Megatron?
Darren Waller is a 6’6″, 238 lb. wide receiver who has played for Georgia Tech for 4 season. Waller was invited to participate in the NFL combine and posted a 4.46 in the 40 yard dash. Since Waller worked out at the NFL combine, he only participated in catching drills during the Pro Day. After 16 passes were thrown to him, Waller only dropped 2 and showed scouts that his hands were not an issue.
Waller is a great blocker and has the size to excel in the NFL as an elite receiver in the right system. With Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas excelling in the NFL as elite WR’s, Darren Waller is poised to become the next GT receiver to make a splash in the league, if teams give him a chance.
I’d give Waller a 3rd-4th round grade in this years draft.
What role will Shaq Mason play?
After playing 2 full seasons as a right guard for Georgia Tech and their triple option offense, Shaq Mason worked out during his Pro Day for at least 10 teams as a center. Many of the scouts in attendance feel like Mason will be drafted as a center and will be able to be a started in the NFL very soon. Other teams feel like Mason could play right guard in the NFL as well.
With his below average height and weight, I would give Mason a 5th round grade. However, whatever team drafts Mason will have a player with a feisty mean streak, great motor and a copious amount of blocking skills.
The Battle Of The Running Backs
Two running backs to watch out of Georgia Tech are Synjyn Days and Zach Laskey. Both raised their draft stock a little after nice showings at the Pro Day.
Laskey ran a 4.58, which helped put him in a nice spot among the other RB’s in the draft. Laskey showed that he could catch, not dropping any pass thrown to him in the drills.
Scouts see Laskey as a 3rd down back, with blocking abilities and the ability to catch out the backfield. In college, Laskey was Tech’s 3rd down back in short yardage situations and always converted, holding a record for never being stopped for a loss in 2014.
Days is a complete overall back, with speed and flashy footwork. Days ran a 4.6 in the 40 but put up impressive work in catching drills, in addition to benching 22 reps on the press. Days was a workhorse his last season at Tech, scoring 3 touchdowns in the ACC Championship, in addition to 21 carries for 171 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Orange Bowl.
The results of all players that participated are listed below.
Name | 40 | Vertical | Broad | 3 Cone | Short | Long | Bench |
S. Days | 4.63 | 31 | 9’8 | 6.99 | 4.33 | 11.78 | 22 |
I. Johnson | 4.55 | 34 | 10’4” | 6.98 | 4.13 | 11.70 | 14 |
Z. Laskey | 4.58 | 35 | 10’4” | 6.94 | 4.17 | 11.20 | 19 |
S. Mason | 4.98 | 32 | 9’2” | 7.53 | 4.57 | N/A | 25 |
Q. Nealy | 4.65 | 35.5 | 9’8” | 7.17 | 4.34 | 11.89 | 20 |
O. Smith | 4.53 | 35 | 10’1” | 7.01 | 4.24 | 11.22 | N/A |
For more photos from Tech’s Pro Day, check them out here.