March 20, 2018
Pro Day Results
UNIVERSITYPARK, Pa. - Penn State football hosted its annual Pro Day today, welcoming NFLScouts and a total of 21 Nittany Lions for drills, testing and workouts. Themorning started in the Lasch building weight room before moving over to HolubaHall for the rest of the afternoon.
Wecaught up with a few Nittany Lions who returned to campus to check in on theirPro Day performance as well as look back at their trip to Indianapolis, Indianafor the NFL Combine.
SteveSmith Sr. called Penn State All-Americanrunning back Saquon Barkley a "create-a-player" on Madden following his NFLCombine performance. Although Barkley did not participate in the full set oftesting, drills or workouts today, being back in Happy Valley was still a highlight,especially as media members packed the inside of Holuba Hall.
"Tobe able to see Pro Day and how much bigger it got since my freshman year, youtruly, truly have to give credit to coach Franklin and those guys on the field,"Barkley said.
Whileit's bittersweet for the Nittany Lion to be back at Penn State but no longersuiting up in the Blue and White, there's still plenty look forward to.
"It'sbeen fun. I have a lot of things that came my way, I was able to announce that Isigned with Nike, which was a dream of mine. I was able to do a little videoshoot with Nike also," Barkley said. "It's everything I've dreamed of and I'mjust blessed I've had to opportunity to be in the position I am today.
Tightend Mike Gesicki placed first in his position with four different NFL Combineperformances, capping a successful showing in Indianapolis.
"Thecombine is obviously something I've been dreaming about ever since I was littlekid, I've been watching it on TV," Gesicki said.
SafetyTroy Apke turned all kinds of heads at the NFL Combine running a 4.34 40-yarddash before registering a 41-inch vertical jump.
Widereceiver DaeSean Hamilton did not bench or run the 40-yard dash at the NFLCombine, instead opting to train specifically for the 40 at Pro Day. Thisafternoon Hamilton clocked in at an official 4.52 in the 40-yard dash, a timehe was pleased with.
"Ifeel like I did pretty good, I obviously got my adrenaline running for both of thoseevents that I did today so really just let all my training take over and justrely on all the things I've been working for the past two and a half months andgetting out here and able to perform those two events and do well at them I feltpretty good," Hamilton said.
LinebackerJason Cabinda was also limited at the NFL Combine, noting that it was all themore crucial for him to be able to come out with a strong Pro Day performance.
"Ithink the broad jump really shows how explosive you can be and stuff and obviouslynot being able to run the 40 today, I knew I needed to really put up numbers inthe broad jump so jumping 10-9, I felt good about that, I PR'd, so that wasreally good," Cabinda said.
Fora majority of the Nittany Lions with the NFL Combine and Pro Day now checkedoff, it's all about waiting until the NFL Draft. In the meantime, most willspend time working out, awaiting any calls from teams for private workouts andprepping for the next step.
Perhapsone of the most pressing questions of the day though all came down to who has betterhands, Barkley or Gesicki. We'll let the two of them break it down.
Wealso caught up with Barkley's agent, Kim Miale, of Roc Nation Sports for acloser look at what it's been like working with the Nittany Lion and the mostunique request she's received so far.