Pro Day provides an opportunity for NFL hopefuls


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Trojan football’s annual Pro Day will take place Wednesday, where hopeful NFL prospects will be given the chance to demonstrate their athletic ability and positional skills for NFL scouts. Leading this year’s class of Trojans is junior hybrid linebacker and safety Su’a Cravens, who is considered the top prospect out of USC.

Known for his playmaking ability and tenacious ball pursuit, Cravens hopes to impress scouts mostly in athletic measurements such as the 40-yard dash, which he did not compete in at the NFL combine, the broad jump (114”), the vertical jump — (27”) and the bench press (16 reps). For the linebacker position, his measurements were in the top 10 at the NFL combine, and if he hopes to make the expected switch to strong safety in the NFL, Cravens will need to post better measurements.

Joining Cravens as a potential low-round draft pick is redshirt senior quarterback Cody Kessler who will also work out for the scouts, hoping to impress in positional drills. Known for his accuracy and low interception rate, he boasts the USC record for completion percentage at 67.49 percent. However, he has a penchant for an unexciting playing style, rarely airing out the ball and begins to struggle when forced out of the pocket.

Redshirt senior tailback Tre Madden looks to silence his critics who claim that he lacks pro-level explosiveness and playmaking ability. He hopes to post  physical measurements and explosive times in positional drills, as he did not complete any physical measurements in the NFL combine, save for bench press in which he was tied for fifth among running backs at 24 reps.

Senior center Max Tuerk hopes to post his first complete workout in some time, after suffering a season ending knee injury in October that decimated his otherwise solid first-round draft grade. Provided he posts solid numbers in his workout, he should be able to regain part of his lost stock.

Senior cornerback Kevin Seymour, redshirt senior fullback Soma Vainuku and redshirt senior defensive tackle Antwaun Woods round out this year’s participants at Pro Day.