Jalen Camp’s nerves were, in his words, “at a peak.” The former Georgia Tech wide receiver said that, going to bed Monday night, “I don’t think I slept an ounce, just because I knew everything that was on the line for me (Tuesday).”
It might be too much to say his hopes for playing the NFL were in the air at Tech’s Pro Day workout Tuesday, but it might not be too far from the reality. After a senior season in which he led the Yellow Jackets in catches, receiving yards and touchdown catches but did not distinguish himself statistically from his peers nationally, Camp needed a workout that would wow NFL teams with his physical tools and invite them to take a longer look at him.
After weeks of training with his father, Richard, a personal trainer and owner of a gym in Cumming, Camp did it. Running without a shirt to show off his chiseled 226-pound frame, Camp ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds, a blazing time. He also rose 39.5 inches in the standing vertical jump and pumped out 30 bench-press reps at 225 pounds. According to a Tech news release, the 30 reps would have broken the record at the NFL combine for wide receiver prospects.
At last year’s combine, only six of 46 wide receivers jumped higher than 39.5 inches, and only seven clocked a faster 40 time of the 45 who ran.
Tuesday’s demonstration of explosiveness and strength, along with his game video showing off his ball skills as well as his contributions on special teams, figures to get him a longer look than he might have received before Tuesday.
“Really proud that a lot of NFL teams got to see what we see every single day,” coach Geoff Collins said.
After the workout, Camp said, a couple of scouts told him “that I had a great workout,” Camp said. “They liked my size, my speed, everything that I was trying to showcase (Tuesday).”
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