Georgia State’s football pro day was Friday at the team’s practice facility.

There were approximately 20 scouts in attendance to watch several Panthers seniors participate in a variety of drills.

Here are the top performances, and how those distances, times or repetitions would have compared to those done and available at the scouting combine in Indianapolis: (Note, I was on my way back from the Sun Belt basketball tournament in New Orleans, so I don't have all of the times or measurements from all of the drills)

Tarris Batiste, safety

40-yard dash: 4.6 seconds. (seventh)

Bench press: 18 reps of 225 pounds. (tied for third)

-

Bruce Dukes, cornerback

40-yard dash: 4.48 seconds. (13th)

Broad jump: 11 feet, 6 inches. (first)

Vertical jump: 39 inches. (tied for fourth)

Three-cone drill: 6.9 seconds. (seventh)

20-yard shuttle: 4.13 seconds. (10th)

-

Donovan Harden, wide receiver

40-yard dash: 4.5 seconds. (tied for 11th)

Vertical jump: 37 ½ inches. (tied for sixth)

20-yard shuttle: 4.19 seconds. (tied for ninth)

-

Dartez Jacobs, safety

20-yard shuttle: 4.3 seconds. (ninth)

-

Melvin King, linebacker

Bench press: 19 reps of 225 pounds. (tied for 13th)

-

Nate Paxton, defensive lineman

Bench press: 23 reps of 225 pounds. (not among top 15)

-

Joseph Peterson, linebacker

40-yard dash: 4.7 seconds. (tied for 10th)

Vertical jump: 34 ½ inches. (tied for sixth)

Bench press: 25 reps of 225 pounds. (third)

-

Joel Ruiz, tight end

Bench press: 20 reps of 225 pounds. (tied for third)

-

Nyiakki Height, wide receiver

Broad jump: 10 feet, 5 inches. (tied for 11th)

Vertical jump: 38 inches. (tied for fifth)

40-yard dash: 4.58 seconds. (not among top 15)

-

Wil Lutz, kicker

Bench press: 12 reps of 225 pounds.

Field goals: 8/8 from 30-61 yards, long of 61.

Kickoffs: 5/6 out of the end zone. Two kickoffs against the wind were 4-5 yards deep into the end zone.

-

Completed 54 of 60 throws.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Former Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Norman Arey died Oct. 11, 2025 at the age of 84. In addition to sports writing, Arey also co-wrote the popular "Peach Buzz" society column. (Courtesy of the Arey family)

Credit: Courtesy of the Arey family

Featured

Corbin Spencer, right, field director of New Georgia Project and volunteer Rodney King, left, help Rueke Uyunwa register to vote. The influential group is shutting down after more than a decade. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2017)

Credit: Hyosub Shin