Another Pro Day is in the books, and there was a buzz in the air at Dempsey Indoor Center. With most of the current Husky roster and scouts from 28 of the 32 NFL teams in attendance, all eyes were on former Husky cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon. Both guys are projected to be among the top five corners off the board when the NFL Draft gets underway on April 28th.

Tight end Cade Otton and offensive lineman Luke Wattenberg are also expected to be among the 256 selections in the draft, but did not participate in any of the athletic testing on Tuesday. Wattenberg did participate in on-field drills towards the end of the day, while Otton notably spent most of the day talking with a scout from the Dallas Cowboys. Let’s take a look at Gordon and McDuffie, and then get into some of the buzz from Tuesday morning.

Trent McDuffie

McDuffie, who I’ve heard is ranked by scouts as high as CB2 in this draft (behind Cincinnati’s Sauce Gardner), didn’t do much on Tuesday. He recorded a 38.5-inch vertical jump, and while the announcement was never 100% clear because of all the commotion in the room, it sounds like his broad jump was 10’8″. That was all he participated in, but it was really all he needed to do. There was no point in running another 40-yard dash and risking injury, and since he participated in all the on-field drills in Indianapolis.

“One of the smartest players in the entire draft. McDuffie does all the little things right from instincts, awareness, and form tackling. He has excellent eyes for zone coverage and a quick twitch body to make plays on the ball. Despite his size, he can handle starting on the outside at the next level, but offers versatility for any DB room,” a scout told me. McDuffie said that two teams that seemed to have the most interest in him were the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals, to which the scout called Buffalo, who holds the 25th overall pick, “a perfect fit” for the Husky corner.

Kyler Gordon

Gordon is arguably the best athlete among all the defensive back prospects in the 2022 draft, and he proved it in a big way with his short shuttle time in particular. I had him timed at a 3.59 and a 3.84 unofficial split on his two attempts, and while the 3.59 is (probably) a little fast and would be the best score ever at the combine by a very wide margin, the 3.84 on his second attempt would still put him tied for third-best all time.

His vertical jump, which came in at 39.5 inches, was three inches shorter than his measurement at the last Husky combine, but it seems that he’s added about 10 pounds since that jump. Like McDuffie, he also recorded a 10’8″ broad jump. Stacking their numbers up with the rest of the numbers from the 2022 NFL Combine, the broad jumps would be tied for the third-best results at cornerback, and Gordon’s vertical would have been tied for second in Indianapolis.

Gordon was also the defensive back to participate in the on-field drills, and he showed off the athleticism and fluidity that is going to make him a very high selection in the draft. A scout from the Jacksonville Jaguars was hanging around with him a lot towards the end of the day, and if he’s still on the board at #33 overall, that could be a possible landing spot for the former Husky corner.

“Gordon is a ball of clay at the cornerback position that can see his production explode if it all comes together. He’s got adequate size, competitive fire, and deep recovery speed in coverage. Unlike his teammate Trent McDuffie, his overall instincts and awareness are still a step behind. He’s not a reliable tackler but shows the agility to get to his target on time. Coaches will love his aggressive nature, on-tape athleticism and potential ball skills to develop into a high-end starter. He’s a projected top 50 selection,” the same scout said of Gordon.

Notes and Buzz

The big winner of the day was Idaho State wide receiver Tanner Conner, who ran a 4.37 40 yard dash, and recorded a 39.5-inch vertical jump, which caused most of the Husky roster to explode in cheers as they looked on. He worked out at both receiver and tight end during the on-field drills, and could be a steal for someone on day three of the draft.

While Cade Otton is still recovering from a late-season ankle injury, it doesn’t seem like his draft stock is taking as big of a hit as some might expect.

“A big-bodied target with a rare level of starting experience, Otton fits the mold of the modern-day tight end. He can handle in-line duties as a blocker, but also does an excellent job working the middle of the field as a pass-catcher. He’s a reliable short-intermediate target with soft hands and maximizes his catch radius. There is room on his frame to add mass and overall strength, but he’s an instant contributor as a move blocker in the run game. He should be off the board by the end of round three in a deep tight end class,” the scout I spoke with said. He also went on to compare Otton to Cowboys’ tight end, Dalton Schultz.

Brendan Radley-Hiles had a chance to impress on Tuesday, and while I believe he could’ve benefitted from participating in some of the on-field drills, his 4.53 and 4.55 40 yard dash attempts were definitely good enough to get him some looks from NFL teams. He referenced a relationship with former Husky and current Patriots defensive back Myles Bryant during his media availability, and he could end up seeing a similar path to the NFL. He’s a seventh-round/priority UDFA kind of player, and with the mentality, leadership, and skills that he brings to the field, he’s going to find a home in the NFL.