All 32 NFL Teams Attend MSU Pro Day

STARKVILLE, Miss. (MSU Athletics) – Scouts and coaches from all 32 NFL teams watched seventeen Mississippi State Bulldogs from the 2018 team and two more who wrapped up their college careers in 2017 showcase their skills Wednesday at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex and Palmeiro Center for the school’s annual Pro Day.

Just six weeks after surgery to repair an ACL injury, All-American defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons recorded an impressive 28 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press. Simmons, who measured in at 6-4 and 305 pounds did not participate in drills.

“Jeffery has been a model student-athlete on and off the field,” MSU head coach Joe Moorhead said. “His academics, his community service endeavors, his performance on the field, his leadership, the way he treats other people, have all been exemplary.”

After shattering a modern NFL Combine record by a defensive lineman with a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at Lucas Oil Stadium earlier this month, All-American and projected first-round selection Montez Sweat checked in at 6-6 and 260 pounds with an 85.5-inch wingspan Wednesday.

Sweat, defensive end Gerri Green and All-American safety Johnathan Abram tested well at the NFL Combine earlier this month and participated in just the field workouts Wednesday. The trio, along with Simmons, were among 10 participants who helped lead the nation’s No. 1 total defense this past season.

“We represented that today with all the guys in here,” Green said. “We needed everybody that was on the field last year and we couldn’t have done it without anyone. If I could do it again, I wish I had another two years, but with everything we did, we had fun doing it.”

Abram is proud of his time as a Bulldog and said MSU has readied him for the next step in his career.

“Overall, this is probably the best decision I’ve ever made in coming here,” Abram said. “It prepared me mentally and physically … On our defense this year, one [NFL] coach said it was like defending every blade of grass that’s behind you, which was true. We take pride in that. A lot of NFL coaches see that, and they have a lot of success with Mississippi State players because they’re healthy coming out of college, hard workers and really good men.”

Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald worked out on the field and also improved his vertical leap of 29.5 at the NFL Combine to 30.0 on Wednesday.

Center Elgton Jenkins ran a 5.09 in the 40-yard dash after not running at the NFL Combine.

Tight end Justin Johnson put up solid numbers with 22 reps on the bench, a 34 inch vertical leap, a 10 foot broad jump and a 4.56 in the 40-yard dash.

Cornerback Chris Rayford had a strong showing, clocking a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash and logging 24 reps on the bench, a 4.18 20-yard shuttle and a 6.8 3-cone with a 33.5 inch vertical, and 9-10 broad jump.

Cornerback Jamal Peters bettered his time in the 40-yard dash from the NFL Combine, posting a 4.53 on Wednesday, while safety Mark McLaurin also improved in the 40 with a 4.69 and jumped a 9-7 broad.

Defensive tackle Cory Thomas turned in a strong 40 time of 4.98.

Former Bulldogs Donald Gray and Lashard Durr, who were members of the 2017 roster, also participated in Pro Day.