Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Ex-Hogs attempt to prove they’re pros
FAYETTEVILLE — The home turf inside the Walker Pavilion was kind to the former Arkansas Razorbacks who went through pro day Wednesday for several NFL scouts.
The former Razorbacks who ran the 40-yard dash at both the NFL Combine earlier this month and Walker Pavilion on Wednesday all improved their times, while receiver Dominique Reed ran 4.37 seconds in the event and added a 40-inch vertical jump and an 11 feet, 4 inches broad jump.
Receiver Cody Hollister, who is on the mend from a broken toe, pushed up 225 pounds for 29 reps on the bench press to make an impression with his upper-body strength.
Tight end Jeremy Sprinkle, who is in the running for first ex-Razorback off the board during the NFL Draft from April 27-29, said he hopes his discussions with NFL personnel regarding his arrest on a shoplifting charge at the Belk Bowl have helped him move past the incident.
“I’ve got to learn from it,” Sprinkle said. “I feel like I handled it well, and also, you know, just learned. I mean it’s obviously not the right thing to do, and I’m just trying to get past it.
“They wanted to know the story. I just had to be up front and honest with them.”
Receiver Drew Morgan said the incident that got him ejected from the Razorbacks’ 35-24 loss to Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl, when officials said he spit on an opposing player, was not a large topic of conversation at the NFL Combine.
“No, everybody was just kind of over that,” he said.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville had eight players invited to the combine and 17 players participating in Wednesday’s work, with the offensive skill players catching passes from former Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen.
There doesn’t appear to be a lock for someone to be taken within the first three or four rounds.
Defensive linemen Jeremiah Ledbetter and Deatrich Wise could compete with Sprinkle for first ex-Hog drafted. They were asked to stay after their position drills to work individually with a scout from the Tennessee Titans.
Ledbetter said he heard from a scout that he recorded a 4.68 time for his 40, which was a jump from his 4.84 time at the combine in Indianapolis.
“I improved my 40 time, my vertical and my broad jump,” Ledbetter said. “That’s what I came in to do. So that went according to plan and everything went well.”
Wise, who put up solid numbers in Indianapolis, did not participate in the 40 and the other events, sticking to only position drills. Receiver Keon Hatcher, who ran a 4.64 in the 40 at the combine, did not go through the drills or the workout because of a lingering hamstring issue.
Morgan said he was timed at 4.6 on Wednesday after running a 4.7 at the combine.
“I would say I hit an A-plus today and a C at the combine, just on testing,” he said. “But routes and everything, catching the ball, I didn’t drop one there and I didn’t drop one here.”
Linebacker Brooks Ellis said he felt much better about his workout Wednesday compared to the combine.
“It went a lot better so I feel really good about it,” Ellis said. “My 40 was a lot better … so I was off to a good start.”
Ellis had a 4.79 in Indianapolis. He said he heard scouts mention a 4.65 on Wednesday.
Cornerback D.J. Dean, who battled injuries his last couple of seasons, said he turned in a 4.5 in the 40.
“Once you get done, you always think you could do better,” said Dean, who added that he felt completely healthy for the first time in a long while.
The players involved in Wednesday’s pro day were defensive backs Jared Collins and Dean; linebackers Ellis and Josh Williams; receivers Hollister, Morgan and Reed; defensive linemen Taiwan Johnson, Ledbetter, JaMichael Winston and Wise; offensive lineman Dan Skipper; tight end Sprinkle; running back Walker; punter Toby Baker; kicker Adam McFain; and long snapper Matt Emrich.