With the NFL scouting combine cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, the league is about to hit a dead spot before the college Pro Days get started in March.
The combine was held Feb. 23 through March 1 last season in Indianapolis. The league sent a memo January to teams to notify them of the canceled event. With no combine, the college Pro Day workouts become more important for draft analysis for the NFL teams.
The Falcons, under new general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith, were on hand for Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s individual Pro Day workout on Friday. Lawrence, the projected No. 1 overall pick, scheduled his Pro Day early so that he can have surgery on his left shoulder. Clemson’s Pro Day is set for March 11th.
Georgia Tech’s Pro Day is set for Tuesday, March 16, while Georgia’s is set for Wednesday, March 17.
All interviews and psychological testing will be virtual and there will be limited in-person medical exams for the draft prospects.
The NFL plans to work with the colleges to make sure the drills and testing are consistent.
Also, each NFL team will have access to the video of the workouts. The league will also ask schools to conduct virtual media availabilities with players who would have attended the combine to help promote the 2021 NFL draft, which is set for April 29 through May 1 in Cleveland.
The quarterback evaluations will be key for the Falcons. Even if the Falcons elect not to select a quarterback, they could be in a position to trade their pick to amass more picks from a team that wants one of the top available quarterbacks.
Lawrence, a former AJC Super 11 pick in 2017 from Cartersville, is considered the top quarterback in the draft. North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance will have his Pro Day on March 12. BYU quarterback Zach Wilson’s Pro Day is March 26 and Ohio State’s Justin Field is set for March 30th.
Here are some of the other Pro Day dates:
March 5: Kansas
March 9: Kansas State
March 10: Arkansas
March 11: Clemson, Nevada
March 12: North Dakota State, Oklahoma
March 16: Georgia Tech
March 17: Georgia, Pittsburgh
March 18: Auburn, Buffalo, Louisiana Tech, West Virginia
March 19: Memphis, Texas Christian
March 22: Colorado State, Florida State, Iowa, Toledo
March 23: Alabama, Central Michigan, Iowa State, Nebraska-Lincoln, Purdue
March 24: Michigan State, South Carolina
March 25: North Texas, Ole Miss, Penn State, San Diego State, Southern Methodist, Massachusetts, Western Michigan
March 26: Boston College, Brigham Young, Michigan, South Dakota, Virginia Tech
March 29: Duke, Louisiana at Lafayette, Miami, Miami (Ohio), North Carolina
March 30: Ohio State, Louisville, Washington
March 31: Boise State, Florida, Kentucky, Notre Dame
April 1: North Carolina at Charlotte, Oklahoma State, South Florida
April 7: Texas Tech
April 9: Houston
Top five picks
1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2. New York Jets - Ja’ Marr Chase, WR, LSU
3. Miami Dolphins (via Houston) - DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
4. Falcons - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
5. Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
SECOND ROUND
35. Falcons - ILB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame
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