SAN ANTONIO – UTSA football held its annual Pro Day on Wednesday, allowing 12 former UTSA football student-athletes a chance to impress NFL teams.
It was also the Roadrunner’s first Pro Day held at the RACE facility (Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence), which opened in August 2021, and it certainly caught the eyes of NFL scouts. While entering the weight room at the RACE, two scouts walked by and said, “Wow.”
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The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals were the only NFL teams that did not attend. Houston Texans General Manager Nick Caserio made the trip and even got involved in running back agility drills by holding a football dummy for the backs to avoid.
Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio watching OL Spencer Burford at UTSA Pro Day. #BirdsUp #210TriangleOfToughness #KSATsports pic.twitter.com/D1Oi6tMwJQ
— Larry Ramirez (@LRam2) March 23, 2022
Having 30 NFL teams in attendance is just what the players needed, especially those who were not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine because this is likely their last chance to shine in front of NFL teams.
“I was happy for our kids,” Head Coach Jeff Traylor said. “Privately, there’s certain scores each one of them want to hit, and pretty much all the way across the board, our guys got what they wanted to get done. That’s always a good feeling when you’re a coach because that’s my job to help them to be the best they can.”
Former UTSA linebacker Clarence Hicks, who told the media his 40-yard time was 4.47 seconds, knows Pro Day can make a big difference in getting drafted or not hearing his name called.
“This is a very important day,” Hicks told the media. “Pro Day or the Combine can make you from a free agent to a third-rounder. When scouts see that speed, they really like that, so I was glad to be able to show them I’m really that fast.”
For players Spencer Burford, Tariq Woolen, and Sincere McCormick, who were all invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in early March, Wednesday gave them the opportunity to improve numbers in areas they see fit. And it gave them a chance to root for some guys they played college football with at UTSA.
“I had even more of a great time cheering on my teammates,” Burford said. “Just seeing everybody come out here and support was a great feeling.”
15 players were originally scheduled to participate in UTSA Pro Day, but three players had to cancel.
The 2022 NFL Draft is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from April 28–30.