The Florida Gators just wrapped up their annual Pro Day, and NFL executives, coaches and scouts were out in full force to see what Gainesville had to offer.
Florida had 16 prospects performing for a shot to make it to the NFL, but it’s safe to say that heading into the day that group was highlighted by three names: Kyle Pitts, Kadarius Toney and Kyle Trask.
GatorsTerritory takes a look as some of the top storylines of the day and what you can take away from them.
Kyle Pitts solidified himself as one of the top prospects in the draft and a surefire top-10 pick
Going into the day, a lot of eyes were on Pitts to see how he would test, but probably the most anticipated part of his workout was the 40-yard dash.
There was a video that surfaced on social media showing Kyle running a 4.46 during a training session and he certainly backed that up. According to an NFL scout in attendance, Pitts clocked a 4.44 on both attempts.
With his performance, I don’t see any way that Pitts falls passed pick No. 6 to the Miami Dolphins, but there is smoke that the Falcons could be looking to draft him with their pick at No. 4. If they were to do so, Pitts would become the first Gator to be drafted top five since Dante Fowler Jr. was taken No. 3 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015.
Marco Wilson stole the show
After a much maligned final season with the Gators, Wilson put on a show at Florida’s Pro Day from start to finish. It started with an eye-popping 43.5 inch vertical leap that had players, scouts and observers alike in awe. It didn’t stop there though, as Marco threw up 26 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, which was good for second on the day only behind defensive tackle TJ Slaton, who logged 27 repetitions.
Then came the 40, where he was the fastest guy in the building after clocking an impressive 4.37 on both attempts. For anyone who has watched Marco since he was a high school recruit, you knew he was a superb athlete, but I don’t know if anyone, including myself, expected him to put up the kind of numbers he did.
Although his film from this last year leaves a lot to be desired, after a performance like that, I think Wilsonm will definitely get drafted and have a shot in the NFL.
Kadarius Toney is both quick and fast
Anyone that has watched the Gators over the last few years knows just how elusive Kadarius Toney is, but when he got into the open field, it didn’t really look like he would pull away from defenders by demonstrating straight-line speed.
Well, he debunked that notion after clocking a 4.41 and then a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash, according to pro scouts in attendance.
I had Toney pegged as a high 4.4, low 4.5 guy, so needless to say I was surprised when I heard the time. With those times and his film from this last year showcasing he is a complete wide receiver, I think he’s done enough to get himself drafted in the latter part of the first round.
Shawn Davis’ day gets cut short
Davis was well on his way to a solid Pro Day, having already posted solid numbers in the vertical (39.5”), broad jump (10’8”) the bench press (17 reps).
When Davis came to the line to run his first 40, he got out to a great start (1.59 10-yard split) and was about three quarters of the way through when his left leg buckled, which caused him to fall and come up limping. That unfortunately would be the end of the day for Shawn, as his pulled hamstring would not allow him to participate in the remainder of the tests and on-field drills.
Davis is projected as a late-round pick but could have likely helped his draft stock had he been able to complete a solid Pro Day workout.
TJ Slaton is faster than Kyle Trask
While nobody expected Trask to set the world on fire with his times and measurables, I don’t think anyone expected the 330-pound Slaton to clock a faster 40 time.
Kyle blazed the turf with a time of 5.10 on his first attempt, which proved to be his fastest, while Slaton just beat him out with a 5.09 on his fastest attempt. I wouldn’t say Kyle is a statue in the pocket because he does a lot of the little things well, like sliding in the pocket to avoid the rush, but he’s also not going to wow scouts with his athleticism.
Slaton on the other hand is a plus athlete for a guy of his size and should get a chance on an NFL roster because of it, whether he gets drafted or not.