Spring Break
Scouts flock to Pro Day
Brown, Beatty, Butler all possible first round picks
Russell Blair
Issue date: 3/26/09 Section: Sports
Prior to yesterday, UConn's Pro Day was hardly an immense affair. In the six years since the Huskies moved up to Division I BCS in 2002, UConn has had only five NFL Draft picks.
After Wednesday's Pro Day, the Huskies hope to have six draft picks in 2009 alone, with the potential for three to go in the first two rounds. UConn has yet to have a player be selected on the first day of the draft. Its highest ever pick, Alfred Fincher, was selected with the 18th pick of the third round, 82nd overall.
In front of scouts representing 20 NFL teams, Donald Brown, William Beatty and Darius Butler all cemented themselves as definite first-day selections. Butler, whose 4.46 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine was tied for first among defensive backs, improved upon his time dramatically, running a 4.38 yesterday at the Shenkman Training Center.
"Pro day is a lot more laid back, you're on your own turf and you don't have to run every drill so you have some time to sit back and relax," Butler said. "I know I'm heading into a league with the best athletes in the world and that pushes me to keep myself in shape."
By comparison Leodis McKelvin, the first defensive back off the board in 2008, ran a 4.38 in the Combine and was taken with the ninth pick of the draft.
coach Randy Edsall was visibly excited at the buzz and coverage his team was seeing from NFL scouts. In addition to the scouts being there to see Brown, Beatty and Butler, they caught a glimpse at some of UConn's talented seniors who didn't get to make the trip to the Combine or have been furiously working in the off-season, tremendously improved from when they last took the field in Toronto on Jan. 3.
"We give them an opportunity with their degree but now they're taking advantage of the opportunity they have with their athletic ability," Edsall. "That's the great thing, because of the attention of Donald, Darius, Cody Brown and Will more people get to see Dahna Deleston, Julius Williams and Keith Grey. I think what we're going to showcase today is not just those four but we have a lot of talented kids here."
After Wednesday's Pro Day, the Huskies hope to have six draft picks in 2009 alone, with the potential for three to go in the first two rounds. UConn has yet to have a player be selected on the first day of the draft. Its highest ever pick, Alfred Fincher, was selected with the 18th pick of the third round, 82nd overall.
In front of scouts representing 20 NFL teams, Donald Brown, William Beatty and Darius Butler all cemented themselves as definite first-day selections. Butler, whose 4.46 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine was tied for first among defensive backs, improved upon his time dramatically, running a 4.38 yesterday at the Shenkman Training Center.
"Pro day is a lot more laid back, you're on your own turf and you don't have to run every drill so you have some time to sit back and relax," Butler said. "I know I'm heading into a league with the best athletes in the world and that pushes me to keep myself in shape."
By comparison Leodis McKelvin, the first defensive back off the board in 2008, ran a 4.38 in the Combine and was taken with the ninth pick of the draft.
coach Randy Edsall was visibly excited at the buzz and coverage his team was seeing from NFL scouts. In addition to the scouts being there to see Brown, Beatty and Butler, they caught a glimpse at some of UConn's talented seniors who didn't get to make the trip to the Combine or have been furiously working in the off-season, tremendously improved from when they last took the field in Toronto on Jan. 3.
"We give them an opportunity with their degree but now they're taking advantage of the opportunity they have with their athletic ability," Edsall. "That's the great thing, because of the attention of Donald, Darius, Cody Brown and Will more people get to see Dahna Deleston, Julius Williams and Keith Grey. I think what we're going to showcase today is not just those four but we have a lot of talented kids here."
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