It was very convenient for some of the top NFL brass to visit Tempe for ASU’s pro day on Wednesday. With the NFL owner’s meetings being held at the Biltmore this week, it was an easy drive for all 32 NFL teams to be in attendance for a group headlined by wide receiver N’Keal Harry, defensive lineman Renell Wren, quarterback Manny Wilkins and NAU wide receiver Emmanuel Butler.
It’s almost as if the Sun Devils head coach has ties to the NFL…
“Ther’s always a plan to the madness, right?” ASU football coach Herm Edwards said. “Last year, I had known the owners meeting was going to be here. I said, ‘Why don’t we plan our pro day around the owner’s meeting? I’m pretty sure I know some people there, they’ll probably show up.’ They showed up.”
The day started at ASU’s weight room, where players were measured and did the bench press and tested their vertical leaps. From there, the contigent moved to the Dickey Dome where field drills began.
The wide receivers were the last group to go, and Harry made plays that Sun Devil fans have become used to.
He did have two drops on underthrown passes but walked away happy with his performance.
“I would give myself a B+,” Harry said. “I feel like a lot of the scouts wanted to see me get in and out of my breaks. I think I did a fairly good job of that today. There’s always room for improvement, but it was a fairly good day.”
Butler, who played his prep football at Mountain Pointe High School, wanted to prove he could perform next to his Power 5 counterparts working out.
“I was trying to come out here and be the best version of me I could be,” Butler said. “Go out there, run the best routes I can. Go in the rooms and put on a show. Show them I’m a smart football player. I know the game, I understand the game, I understand situational football. Show them I’m a great guy on and off the field, I’m a great teammate, a great person and that I can come in and contribute and do what it takes to help you guys win football games next year.”
The 2019 NFL Draft will be held from April 25-28th in Nashville, Tennessee.
