Albert Wilson and Ulrick John seemed to solidify their spots Friday as the two former Georgia State players most likely to be drafted by an NFL team this year.
Wilson, a wide receiver, and John, an offensive tackle, were two of 13 former Panthers at GSU’s Pro Day. They worked out for scouts from 23 NFL teams and one team from the Canadian Football League. Dexter Moody, a one-time Georgia signee and Georgia State player, was one of several players from other schools who also worked out on a cold, wet day at the team’s practice facility.
“Teams were telling me that they are interested in me and that they think I can play at the next level,” John said.
After Wilson’s solid showing at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month, John may have had the most to gain Friday.
He measured at 6-foot-5 and 294 pounds. He posted a vertical leap of 30 inches and a broad jump of 8-7, which he wasn’t happy with because they were less than what he did at an NFL regional combine March 1 in Tampa, Fla. He did 20 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press Friday. That total was five less than the best mark he posted during previous workouts.
But John also has been limited for the past two years by a shoulder injury that prevented him from working out for much of that time. He said he is mostly healthy.
Because they were being hand-timed, some of the measurements in the speed drills varied. John’s times in the 40-yard dash ranged from 4.96 to 5.08 seconds, which is good for an offensive tackle. He performed the three-cone drill in 7.2 seconds on his first attempt and 7.38 seconds on the second attempt, according to one scout’s sheet.
“I’m happy with today,” John said.
John talked with a scout from the Browns after the event. He will participate in an NFL Super Regional Combine on April 12 in Detroit. He also has an interview scheduled with the Seahawks on April 16. John said he wants to improve his bench and his jumps before Detroit.
A scout from one NFL team, who wished to remain anonymous because of the secrecy leading to the draft, said he likes John’s football smarts, how he moves and his body frame. He said he would like to see him put on weight and shave some time off his 40-yard dash. The scout said he likes him and thinks he could be a backup lineman.
Wilson didn’t participate in any of the running drills after his performance in Indianapolis, highlighted by his 4.43-second time in the 40, but did go through the position drill. He caught every pass that could be caught during blustery conditions. He was measured at 5-9, 202.
“I improved on the things I’ve been working on, which is getting out of my routes and catching the ball clean,” Wilson said.
Wilson has workouts with Tampa Bay and San Francisco lined up.
The scout who evaluated John said he can see Wilson as a returner and slot receiver in the NFL because he has toughness and courage in the middle of the field. He said he liked Wilson’s “suddenness” in his routes. Wilson gained 6,235 all-purpose yards (receiving, returns and rushing) during his Georgia State career.
Moody, who spent the past two years at Albany State, said he thought he did well Friday. He measured 6-0, 209 and ran the 40 in 4.45 seconds and 4.4 seconds. His agent said he is being projected as a safety and a special-teams gunner.
