March 25, 2009
Nineteen former Gamecock football players worked out for the NFL scouts on Wednesday, as the annual Pro Timing Day was held on the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia. Each player worked out in hopes of catching the scouts’ eye prior to the 74th NFL Draft, which is set for April 25-26.
The list of tryout candidates included Yvan Banag, Jasper Brinkley, Jamarial Brown, Emanuel Cook, Jared Cook, Mike Davis, Marque Hall, Dustin Lindsey, Jordin Lindsey, Kenny McKinley, Jamon Meredith, Captain Munnerlyn, Marvin Sapp, Justin Sorensen, Ryan Succop, Carlos Thomas, Jonathan Williams, Stoney Woodson and Syvelle Newton. Scouts representing approximately 26 teams were on hand for the day’s activities.
The group went through a battery of tests and measurements in the weight room, including height and weight, the standing broad jump, vertical leap and bench press, then, due to the weather, moved to the indoor practice facility where they were timed in the 40-yard dash, shuttle and three-cone drills, and took part in individual drills.
“I wanted to prove that I could keep my size,” said McKinley. “I weighed in at 189 at the Combine and came in today and weighed 190. I’ve been eating well and training hard, so I’ve been able to stay up there in the high 80s and 90s. I believed I came in and showed them I can run great routes and have good hands. I let my stuff on the field speak, so hopefully somebody will pick me up. I believe I’ve done everything I could do to go as high as I could go (in the draft).”
“I just came with a mindset to be the best,” said Jared Cook of his outstanding performance at the NFL Combine. “I knew that my hard work from the past three months would pay off. I told myself I would come out and have fun. I think I did pretty well (today). Hopefully that will boost me up a couple points. Anything can happen on draft day. It’s so unpredictable. I wouldn’t say that I’m the best (tight end in the draft), but I know I’m competing with the best.”
“I definitely feel like I did a good job,” said Brinkley following the workout. “I showed that I could get my hips down and open up and run and keep my weight down. I weighed in at 249. After the injury, I never really had a chance to get my weight down. I feel great.”
