Chris Conley performed well in position drills

Conley showcased his skill during position drills, running a variety of routes and catching passes from former Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason.  The 6-foot, 2-inch wideout from Dallas, Georgia, said his focus at Pro Day was on consistency and backing up his combine performance.

“I had to prove that I can continue to get better,” he said. “Some guys relax after the combine and drop weight or aren’t ready to perform in position drills. I want to show these guys that I’m going to continue to work.”

Conley opted out of the measurement portion of Pro Day, choosing instead to stand on his historic numbers from the NFL combine in February at Lucas Oil Stadium.  He was one of five Georgia athletes to receive an invitation and set multiple combine records during his standout performance.

Conley ran the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds to begin his combine appearance.  He then recorded a 45-inch vertical jump, the best ever for a wide receiver and one inch short of Donald Washington’s combine record. Conley set another record for wide receivers and tied the overall combine record with a broad jump of 11 feet, 7 inches.

“He definitely earned himself some money,” Mason said of his teammate’s performance.  “He improved his stock.  If there’s anyone the world should know about, it’s Chris Conley.”

Prior to his showing in Indianapolis, Conley was largely thought to be a late-round draft pick or undrafted free agent. He was listed as the 37th wide receiver in his draft class. by nfldraftscout.com. He moved into the 21st spot after the combine and is now projected to go in the fourth or fifth round.

Since Georgia’s season ended, Conley and Mason have continued to practice and train together.  So far they have worked out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and have scheduled a session with the Dallas Cowboys for next week.

Representatives from all 32 NFL teams attended Georgia Pro Day, including Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien.  Conley said he spoke with O’Brien prior to the event and spent time talking to various scouts after his drills.

During his four seasons with the Bulldogs, Conley had five games with 100 receiving yards and averaged five touchdowns per season.

In his senior year, he led the team with 657 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.  Conley has also been the recipient of numerous awards and honors for his academic achievements and community involvement.  He received the UGA Coaches’ Leadership Award in 2014.

After his position drills, Conley was calm and pleased with Georgia’s overall performance.

“At the end of the day, it’s playing football,” he said. “This is our element, this is our game day.”

Conley said he looks at football as his job and will continue working to show NFL teams that he can compete at a higher level.

“This is our internship,” he said. “This is our work study. This is our job interview.”

The 2015 NFL Draft will take place from April 30 to May 2 in Chicago.

The Grady Sports Bureau is part of the sports media program at the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.