BOONE, N.C. — App State Football had 13 participants for its Pro Day event Thursday.
To have that many pro prospects from one Group of Five program is impressive enough, but double that figure to reach the eye-opening number of NFL teams that were represented in Boone.
Twenty-six NFL franchises had a scout or coach visit Kidd Brewer Stadium and the Sofield Family Indoor Practice facility for a series of measurements and drills in advance of the 2022 draft, which begins April 28. They were on hand to observe and meet with, in alphabetical order,
Madison Cone (DB),
Thomas Hennigan (WR),
Baer Hunter (OL),
D'Marco Jackson (LB),
Shaun Jolly (DB),
Kaiden Smith (DB),
Caleb Spurlin (DL/FB),
Chandler Staton (K),
Xavier Subotsch (P),
Corey Sutton (WR),
Demetrius Taylor (DL),
Jalen Virgil (WR) and
Malik Williams (WR).
App State went 52-14 with three Sun Belt Conference championships, an additional Sun Belt East Division title and four bowls in the last five seasons thanks to the contributions of those players. The Mountaineers won 10 regular-season games last year under the direction of head coach
Shawn Clark.
"The most fun I had was watching my teammates going out there and doing what they do," said Hennigan, who started immediately as a true freshman in 2017 and set an FBS record with 65 career starts. "Seeing how far we've all come through this process and this program is really cool to watch."
Seven of the 13 pro day participants were involved in postseason all-star games, with Jackson tying for the team lead in tackles at the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., before appearing at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Jolly was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl and Sutton played in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, while the Hula Bowl (Virgil, Taylor) and FBS All Americans Tropical Bowl (Hennigan, Hunter) included two Mountaineers apiece.
Like he did in Mobile and Indianapolis, Jackson showed off the skills, athleticism, intelligence and personality that have made him a coveted linebacker prospect.
"I feel pretty ready and pretty confident in myself and my abilities," Jackson said. "I still have the type of mentality to keep your head down and go to work and not getting caught up in the stats, not getting caught up in the media or all that different type of stuff. Just do what you've got to do. Nobody can tell me what I can't do. I'll show you wrong — that's my mentality."
Staton kicked extremely well in difficult outdoor conditions, making field goals from 55 and 60 yards before coming up short just on a 63-yard attempt with a cross wind. Jolly matched Virgil by posting a crowd-pleasing vertical leap of 36.5 inches, and Hunter knocked out 25 bench-press reps at 225 pounds before Taylor totaled 27.
Virgil had 19 reps, an impressive total for a receiver, but that shouldn't come as a surprise given his four appearances on The Athletic's "Freaks List."
He delivered a 10-foot, 10-inch broad jump and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds Thursday. More importantly, in receiver drills with Hennigan (school record for career catches, No. 2 in career receiving yards) and Williams (No. 5 in career yards and catches), Virgil displayed improved route running and made a shoestring catch on a deep throw.
"I'm pretty pleased with what I got accomplished," Virgil said. "I trained pretty hard for the last couple months just trying to put the best version of myself on the field and in the weight room. I tried my best, and I'm pretty pleased with today."
Virgil, Hunter, Smith, Spurlin and Staton were the Pro Day participants who arrived in Boone six years ago and were part of 62 college victories. A starting defensive end and touchdown-scoring H-back in goalline situations, Spurlin showed good hands and natural offensive skills while running routes in the same group as Virgil, Hennigan and Williams — Spurlin did play six positions in high school.
For fellow veterans like Smith, it was fulfilling to work out in front of pro scouts, especially considering he suffered a torn Achilles tendon last April but still started the final 10 games of the 2021 season.
The NFL franchises present Thursday were the 49ers, Bears, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Chiefs, Colts, Commanders, Cowboys, Dolphins, Eagles, Falcons, Giants, Jaguars, Jets, Packers, Panthers, Patriots, Raiders, Ravens, Saints, Seahawks, Steelers, Texans, Titans and Vikings.
"Being here, I'm sure afterward I'll have more reflection in the grand scheme of things," Smith said, "but even your name being in these coaches' mouths and them thinking about you as a player they could potentially pick up is something you dream about since you've been a kid."
