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Christopher Mogollon was on location at the Carrier Dome in Syrcause, New York at the Orange's Pro Day. While they did not drum up the hype that Matt Ryan and Dan Connor did on the same day, the likes of Dwayne Davis and Taj Smith made everyone who made the visit happy they did.
On Tuesday, March 20th , while the Carrier Dome staff was setting up for the men’s NIT game, the Orange football team was getting ready to host its pro day. It was an opportunity for the players to impress the scouts and coaches before draft day after a very disappointing 2007 season (2-10). It was also a chance for Joe Fields and Dowayne Davis to prove themselves after not being invited to the NFL combine, and for Jameel McClain and Taj Smith to improve on their combine performances. For the other seniors who aren't on many draft boards, it was a chance to shine and impress the right people to get an invite to a camp.
The main event of the day was the 40-yard dash. Nearly thirty Syracuse football players attended the event and were front and center to see their senior teammates run. As Dowayne Davis came up to the line to run, most of the SU players were ready with their cellphones to time his run for themselves. There was a hush over the group followed by collective Ooo's and Ahhh's as Davis clocked a 4.4 on his first run. For his second, Davis changed into his “waffle bottom” sneakers but his time did not change.
“It was an amazing day, all my expectations were met,” Davis said afterwards. Davis was clearly a bit disappointed about his missing out on the combine but proclaimed, “You have to take the good with the bad”. He didn't have an explanation for the non-invite but understood that there was nothing he could do to change it.
The Bronx boy was happy with his entire day, particularly his performance in the position drills at the end which were run by a New York Giants coach. He made sure to mention that he loves the safety position because of his ability to hit and vocalize on the field. When it comes to draft day, Davis said he will be watching every minute of it as he does every year but confesses it’s a little more special because he hopes to be a part of it. He also admits that while he is hopeful, the most important thing is he just wants to play football. He was sad that he was leaving his SU family but is looking forward to what the future brings.
Syracuse's Strength and Conditioning coach, Will Hicks, said he was, “proud of all his guys today” and said the pro day was an opportunity for “Taj and Jameel to improve and Davis and Joe to be noticed”.
 Credit: College Press Box
He was especially happy with McClain’s ability to improve on every drill on the day. McClain, who mostly played defensive end, is moving to inside linebacker and is down to 240 lbs. Coach Hicks jokingly said, “We made sure Jameel de-swelled”. Jameel said “Today's game plan was to improve on the 40 time and the vertical jump, and remain strong on the other drills”. McClain improved his Indy time from 4.76 to the 4.5 range and his vertical jump from 26 inches to 32 1/2. He admitted fatigue was definitely a factor in Indianapolis, saying he felt “rushed”. He also said his better numbers may have been a result of being “comfortable with the Carrier Dome and knowing the surface”. Jameel will be heading back to Philadelphia to work with his trainer and prepare for his workout with the Eagles on either April 9th or 10th. He added that he is looking forward to working out with this favorite NFL team.
Fields came into the day bothered by a quad injury from the Hula Bowl and the flu. Fields said he has been sick all week suffering from a fever which reached 102 degrees on Wednesday. Joe said “this was the biggest audition of my career, it was my chance to get noticed and I did what I had to do”. Fields was happy with his 40-time which was in the 4.5 range, impressive for a safety. “They wanted to know if I could move and I showed them I can,” he stated. Fields’ vertical was 33 inches and his broad jump was an impressive 10’1”. He admitted that he used not the NFL combine snubbing as motivation, saying “It was a blow to my pride”. Fields is being looked at the safety position and special teams. He also joked about his old days behind center and claimed he would only play quarterback in Miami. Fields added that he is staying in Syracuse to finish his student teaching. The Physical Education major acknowledges that coaching could be in his future.
Maybe the most impressive pro day came from wide receiver Taj Smith. In his first try of the day Smith ran a 4.39. In his second run, the scouts had so much disparity when they compared times they made Smith run a third time. Smith rose up to the occasion and ran a 4.4 flat.
Even Smith was a bit surprised with his great times. Coach Hicks worked with Smith on improving his first ten yards on the 40-time, which he said is the most important part of the run. Hicks practiced with Smith on distributing his weight with his feet. Smith said he was happy with what he did. The Newark, NJ native feels confident when comparing himself to other receivers around the country, and is happy with the way he can run routes and catch the ball.
There were a total of sixteen Syracuse players who participated in the Pro Day including Ian Hammond, Jawad Nesheiwat, Larry Norton, and Jeremy Sellers. Wide Receiver Rice Moss also participated saying, “This was my last chance to impress people and show what I can do”.
Moss--no relation to Randy, Santana or Sinorice--was planning on hitting the weight room and is looking forward to his workout with the Washington Redskins.
The New York Giants had two representatives, a scout and a Defensive Backs Coach. Other teams who had scouts in attendance were the Colts, Jets, Buccaneers, Falcons, Ravens, and Steelers.
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