Jackets count on versatility for NFL shot

Players work out at different positions to impress at pro day.

Former Georgia Tech linebacker Victor Alexander had been planning for his NFL pro day for a while.

Last season, a few NFL scouts, including one from the Falcons, asked him if he could play fullback and work on some special-teams assignments.

“I’ve been working at fullback and doing special-team things in the offseason to try to get prepared for (pro day) as well as trying to get my special-teams film together to send out to them as well,” Alexander said Tuesday.

Alexander, who played in 47 games and started 17 games over his career at Tech, was fine with the move.

“It was pretty easy,” Alexander said. “I felt like I had some running back and fullback abilities from in my past life in high school and Pop Warner and stuff like that. I had to awaken those skills.

“I feel like it was pretty simple. It came back pretty naturally.”

Alexander, listed at 5-10 and 237 pounds at Tech, was not the only player the NFL scouts wanted to see at multiple positions.

Safety Jalen Johnson was looked at as a hybrid NFL safety/linebacker, and Anree Saint-Amour either as a defensive end or linebacker by some teams. Quarterback TaQuon Marshall is trying to make the conversion to NFL wide receiver.

“That’s where a lot of people were telling I’d be a best fit — a hybrid position,” Johnson said. “I did safety drills and linebacker drills. I knew that coming in, so I prepared for both.”

Playing closer to the line of scrimmage is fine with Johnson.

“It’s more physical,” Johnson said. “I weighed around 218 today, and (a scout) said to play with us (I’d need to be) around 225 or 230. I’ve been 225 before.”

Marshall showed his elusiveness in the open field while running the triple-option at Tech. But can he catch the ball?

“I thought I showed that I can transition very well from the quarterback position in college to playing receiver,” Marshall said. “I didn’t drop any balls on the live routes, so I thought I had a pretty good day catching the ball.”

Marshall picked up tips on how to get in and out of his routes from Tech receivers, including Brad Stewart.

“He’s just so smooth,” Stewart said. “He’s an athlete. His transition from triple-option quarterback to a receiver, he’s made tremendous leaps and bounds.”

Saint-Amour, who had a strong showing at a regional combine in Kansas City over the weekend, injured his left hamstring while running the 40-yard dash. He was not able to complete the drills.

“I was really just trying to show that I can do all of those numbers again or even better,” Saint-Amour said. “Just go out and do the (defensive) line drills, but unfortunately I couldn’t do those. I wanted to just show them that I’m a hard worker, have the techniques as well as athleticism.”

With no projected draft picks, it was a light NFL turnout at Tech. However, the Falcons were represented by coach Dan Quinn, general manager Thomas Dimitroff, assistant general manager Scott Pioli, linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich and scouting assistant Penial Jean.