With the NFL Draft clock ticking, Wednesday’s pro day circuit saw future stars solidify their stock and sleepers emerge from the shadows. While a dozen potential draftees at Texas A&M commanded a large crowd of scouts, it was a lesser-known tight end at Nebraska who may have made the biggest leap on pro day.
TEXAS A&M
A large crowd attended TAMU’s pro day, as the Aggies have a dozen players expected to be drafted next month, with three potential first-round picks.
Defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim timed the 40 in 4.92 seconds after not running at the combine and looked sharp in drills, which were run by the New England Patriots. Onyedim is drawing comparisons to Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike, a Texas A&M alum. He met with the Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Jets on Thursday, then sat extensively with the New Orleans Saints after the pro-day workout.
Running back Le’Veon Moss, who is still not 100% after recently having a tight rope procedure on his ankle, ran the 40 in the mid-4.5-second range, a decent mark all things considered. Moss is an explosive back who received third-round grades, yet he has struggled to stay healthy at Texas A&M, missing time over the past three years with assorted injuries. He could be a steal on the final day of the draft if he shows any durability moving forward. Moss had dinner with the Dallas Cowboys and met extensively with the Miami Dolphins.
Tight end Nate Boerkircher, who jumped onto the scouting radar during the season after being a non-entity last summer, timed the 40 in the 4.7s after limited testing at the combine due to a calf injury. He then caught the ball well in drills. Boerkircher had dinner with the Dallas Cowboys the night before pro day and met with the Bengals after the workout.
NEBRASKA
Except for a few running backs coaches, most of the NFL people on hand for Nebraska’s pro day were scouts.
Running back Emmett Johnson was timed between 4.46 seconds and 4.51 seconds in the 40, then stood on the rest of his numbers from the combine. He looked good in drills, especially catching the football. The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints had their running backs coaches on hand for Johnson.
Safety DeShon Singleton timed the 40 anywhere from 4.52 to 4.55 seconds after not running at the combine. He hit 39.5 inches in the vertical jump and 10-foot-10 in the broad jump. Singleton looked good in defensive back drills. A large defender at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Singleton is being looked at solely as a zone or strong safety by the league, with no talk of bulking him up to play linebacker, something he initially told me at the combine.
The Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, and Tennessee Titans have shown a lot of interest in Singleton, who also participated in the Senior Bowl. The Titans are interesting, as new head coach Robert Saleh was with the New York Jets when they drafted Jamien Sherwood in 2021, a then-oversized safety from Auburn who has become an outstanding linebacker for the team.
Tight end Heinrich Haarberg had an outstanding workout, timing 4.51 seconds in the 40 and 4.15 seconds in the short shuttle after measuring just under 6-foot-4.5 and 237 pounds. He also touched 38 inches in the vertical jump and 10-foot-8 in the broad jump. A quarterback who turned into a tight end, Haarberg is a freak athlete and developmental prospect at the position. He’s getting looks from the Buffalo Bills at present.
