QUOTES | UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

Sixteen Baylor hopefuls went through one of the biggest job interviews they will ever experience Wednesday. But instead of the suit, tie and dressed shoes, they were decked out in shorts, T-shirts and cleats.

Baylor's Pro Day workout attracted a record 61 NFL personnel representing all 32 teams, including head coaches Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Bill O'Brien of the Houston Texans, as the players went through a battery of testing that included the 225-pound bench press, 40-yard dash and vertical jump.

Head coach Art Briles compared this year's Pro Day to the 2012 workout that produced a pair of first-round picks in Robert Griffin III and Kendall Wright and three other draft choices.

"We had a bunch of people here watching (in 2012), but this certainly ranks up as one of the top two. It's a big day," Briles said. "We had five draft choices that year. I suspect we'll have a minimum of five this year. I think we might be a little deeper now than we were then."

The prospects ranged from wide receiver Corey Coleman and defensive tackle Andrew Billings, who are projected to go in the first round, to probable draft picks like defensive end Shawn Oakman, offensive tackle Spencer Drango and cornerback Xavien Howard, to longer shots like deep snapper Jimmy Landes, linebacker Grant Campbell and 6-7, 405-pound offensive lineman/tight end LaQuan McGowan.

Coleman, a unanimous All-American and the 2015 Biletnikoff Award winner, said he should be the first receiver taken in April's NFL Draft. "Now it's time for April to see where everyone ends up."

Briles also didn't hesitate when reporters asked if Coleman should be the No. 1 receiver taken.

"Of course, that's an easy answer," he said. "You look at production on the field over a three-year period . . . his production has been pretty much unmatched over the last three years. If not the first, he'll be the first or second (receiver drafted)."

After skipping the 40-yard dash at last month's NFL Combine in Indianapolis while rehabbing from sports hernia surgery, Coleman had an unofficial clocking of 4.37 by one of the scouts.

"Especially coming off sports hernia surgery, I was pretty happy with that," he said. "I'm about 90 percent, but I can do everything."

Coleman was one of three Baylor juniors who entered the NFL Draft a year early, joined by Billings and Howard.

"Selfishly, as a coach, you'd love for them to be around," Briles said. "But when you look at the big picture, if they can go out and take care of themselves and their family, then we're all in, we're all for it and really happy for them. It really benefits everybody. It benefits our program and our brand for recruits, and it benefits them for their families."

The 6-2, 310-pound Billings helped himself with a personal-best time of 4.92 in the 40, knocking .13 off the time he ran at the Combine.

"I didn't want 5.05 to be my last 40 time," he said. "That was the fastest I've ever run."

It didn't surprise Briles, though, who has "seen him chase down people before."

"He's unbelievable. It's who he is," Briles said of the All-American defensive tackle. "He's extremely talented."

Oakman, Drango and Howard have been projected as middle-round picks -- somewhere between the second and fifth rounds -- but the confident Howard says he is "the best corner in the draft." He certainly helped his cause with a 4.38 clocking in the 40 after running 4.53 and 4.56 at the Combine.

Although he was given a fourth- to fifth-round draft grade, and a recommendation to stay in school, Howard said he felt "coming out was the best decision" for him. "I feel like I did a lot here at Baylor."

A two-time All-American for the Bears at offensive tackle, the 6-6, 320-pound Drango posted good numbers at the Combine and only did position drills with the rest of the offensive line prospects that included Jarell Broxton, Desmine Hilliard, Blake Muir and McGowan.

Drango said he still hasn't heard much about his draft stock, but "it's still pretty early."

"I know it seems late, but free agency is still going on," he said. "It was pretty crazy early on. So once free agency settles down, I'll get a better feel for what teams need what and where I can fit in best."

Like Billings, the 6-8, 289-pound Oakman was hoping to improve on his 40 time from the Combine, and did just that with a personal-best 4.78 clocking.

"You always have standards for what round you think you should go," Oakman said. "But that's not up to you. Being able to help my family, provide for my family, that's the major goal that I can control myself."

Briles said if he was an NFL general manager or head coach, "and they're walking five guys by me and (Oakman is) one of them, I'm saying, `Pick that guy.' You can coach people, but you can't make them look like that."

Maybe on the outside looking in coming into Wednesday, guys like receiver Jay Lee and linebacker Grant Campbell helped themselves with strong Pro Day showings. Campbell had a 37-inch vertical, did 25 reps on the 225-pound bench press and ran a solid 4.6-second time in the 40.

"I feel like it was a great day to showcase your abilities and talent," Campbell said. "The most important thing is looking fluid out here and smooth and confident."

The 6-3, 220-pound Lee posted back-to-back 40-yard times of 4.53 and 4.51 and showed off his pass-catching skills, with former quarterback Nick Florence throwing to the receivers.

"To come out here and perform in front of all these scouts and NFL teams, it's wonderful," Lee said. "I've got a couple visits lined up here in the next two weeks. I'm getting ready for those. It's like another job interview."

One of the more intriguing prospects is McGowan, who had a 24-inch vertical and was clocked at a personal-best time of 5.39 in the 40. Briles says he still sees the big man, who made a beautiful one-handed catch, as more of an NFL tight end or H-back than an offensive lineman.

"You can find linemen, but you can't find linemen who can do the things he can do from an athletic standpoint," Briles said. "It's only been 40 years, but he's the most intriguing athlete I've ever been around."

Asked if he could see an NFL team taking a flyer on McGowan, Briles said, "You've got to have somebody who is pretty creative, who knows how to use somebody with that athletic ability with their scheme . . . because athletically he deserves to be in the NFL, no doubt."

Also going through the Pro Day workout were defensive backs Terrell Burt and Miles Johnson, defensive end Jamal Palmer and tight end Gus Penning.

Baylor football continues its spring drills with a workout at 3 p.m. Thursday, followed by the "Friday Night Lights" showcase scrimmage at 7 p.m. Friday at McLane Stadium. Gates open at 6 p.m., with all fans asked to sit on the west side of the stadium.