Weber State’s Pro Day Protégés

Wildcat safety Desmond Williams bench presses for the scouts. Using a 225 lbs weight, Malone recorded 21 reps.

To give a chance for seniors to perform in front of NFL scouts, Weber State University’s football team held their Pro Day on March 22 at the Marquardt Fieldhouse.

“It was nerve-wracking but really fun to be back at Weber,” Wildcat wide receiver Ty MacPherson said. “I felt like I did what I could.”

The senior Wildcats at the event included MacPherson, tight end Justin Malone, running back Josh Davis and safety Desmond Williams. The Las Vegas Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers were among the teams analyzing the players.

Using a 225-lbs. weight, scouts had players record their max amount of reps on the bench press. Williams recorded the most with 21 reps.

Recovering from injuries received during the Wildcats’ last season, Williams was unable to compete in the rest of the Pro Day drills.

After bench presses, the scouts began to measure verticals. Davis recorded the highest vertical at 38 inches. MacPherson came in second with 35 inches, and Malone third with 34.5 inches. Players then left the weight room and headed to the field.

Giving each player a few attempts, scouts had the seniors record their long jump. Davis finished first by jumping 10 feet and three inches. MacPherson came close to Davis, jumping 10 feet and two inches and Malone jumping nine feet and 10 inches.

Recording speed, players then ran the 40-yard dash. While official times weren’t announced, MacPherson appeared to have finished best with an unofficial time of 4.57 seconds. Davis recorded an unofficial time of 4.63 seconds and Malone 4.7 seconds.

After the 40-yard dash, players were asked to run a drill called the 20-yard shuttle, an exercise where participants line up between two cones, run to a cone 5 yards to their right, a cone 10-yards to their left and then back to their starting point.

Next was the three-cone drill, an event MacPherson felt confident doing, where players run around cones in the shape of an L, looping around the last cone.

“I was a little upset with my time, but they had me at a good time,” MacPherson said. “I thought I could run a little faster. That was the one I knew coming in that I was going to be good at.”

Following the drills, Wildcat quarterback Kylan Weisser stepped onto the field with head coach Mickey Mental to run passing routes.

Fans were not allowed to spectate at Pro Day. People close to the players, however, were able to view from the sideline, including MacPherson’s wife and newborn daughter.

“That’s my team,” MacPherson said. “When you’re doing Pro Day, unfortunately it’s mostly for yourself. Obviously, you have the guys you’re doing it with, and you’re representing your school, but at the end of the day, it’s my future. So that’s my team. There’s my wife and my daughter, and that’s the most important team you can have.”

After scouts recorded the information they needed, they talked with the players briefly. MacPherson said that scouts told players to be patient and that they’d stay in touch. One scout from the Raiders appeared to have handed the wide receiver a business card during conversations.

No official announcements from NFL teams regarding Weber State players have been made at this time.