March 19, 2010
Photo Gallery
Nashville, Tenn. – Fourteen Vanderbilt seniors looked to improve their NFL draft status Friday, working in front of more than 30 professional scouts during the team’s Pro Day activities.
The former Commodores, including recent NFL Combine attendees Myron Lewis and Thomas Welch, were put through a two-hour regiment of measurements, skills and agility testing, and position drills. Scouts representing nearly 22 of the 32 NFL teams watched the workouts.
Besides Lewis, an All-Southeastern Conference cornerback from south Florida and Welch, an offensive tackle from middle Tennessee, the roster of former Commodores participating included quarterback Mackenzi Adams, linebacker Patrick Benoist, defensive tackle Greg Billinger, tight end Justin Green, safety Ryan Hamilton, offensive guard Eric Hensley, receiver Chris Reinert, defensive ends Broderick Stewart and Steven Stone, linebacker/safety Brent Trice, center Bradley Vierling and punter Brett Upson.
Several current NFL players who starred at Vanderbilt, including former first-rounder Chris Williams of the Chicago Bears, Jovan Haye of the Titans, Marcus Buggs of the Buffalo Bills, and D.J. Moore of the Bears, attended Pro Day. Moore and recent St. Louis Rams practice squad receiver Sean Walker even participated, running pass routes as receiving targets for Adams.
Two Commodores who missed much of their final year to injury, Hamilton and Stone were impressive in their workouts. Hamilton, who played an entire quarter at LSU with a torn pectoral muscle that eventually cost him the last 10 games of the season, ran a 4.62 40-yard dash, completed 18 repetitions in the 225-pound bench press, and looked sharp in all the position drills required of defensive backs. After measuring at 6’5″ and 270 lbs., Stone showed excellent form with a 35-inch vertical jump and 9’10” broad jump, then benched 225 pounds 18 times.
“Today was extremely important for me because of the injury. I needed to show (the scouts) that I was healthy and that I’ve been working hard,” said Hamilton, who met one-on-one with several team representatives after the event. “I’m pleased with how everything went.”
“I really wanted to take advantage of this opportunity, and I think I accomplished that,” Stone said, “I’m trying to impress as many scouts as I can.”
After running sub 4.5 for the 40-yard dash at the combine, Lewis limited his activities to the 20-and 60-yard shuttles, three-cone drill and position techniques. One of the biggest cornerbacks in the upcoming draft at 6’2″ and 200 pounds, Lewis impressed observers with his range and hands in the position drills.
“I thought I did pretty good. You can always do better, but it was pretty good,” Lewis said. “I have several visits scheduled coming up and I’m looking forward to teams getting to know more about me. I’m getting more excited as the draft gets closer.”
Welch, among the top 10 offensive linemen in the bench press, vertical jump and broad jump at the combine, dropped his 40-yard dash time to 5.38 and impressed scouts during a 15-minute position workout with Vierling and Hensley.
Stewart, the Commodores’ top sack specialist for the last two years, ran 4.70 in the 40-yard dash and posted a vertical jump of 34 inches.
