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It was Pro Day in the Plains on Monday.
Safety Blake Countess, the grad transfer from Michigan who started all 13 games for the Tigers last season, recorded the fastest time in the 40-yard dash with an unofficial 4.49 in one of his two runs. The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder also recorded the best vertical leap of any of the 10 participants at 36 1/2 inches.
Receiver Melvin Ray surprised many with a good showing. He had the best broad jump (10’5”) and had the 2nd-best performances in the vertical jump (35 1/2”) and 40-yard dash (4.57).
Linebacker Justin Garrett did very well on the bench press. He had 28 reps of 225 pounds, which would’ve ranked 2nd only to Clemson’s B.J. Goodson among linebackers at the combine.
Meanwhile, receiver Duke Williams fared poorly in several events. He averaged a 4.71 in the 40 in his two runs, virtually identical to the 4.72 that he posted in the NFL Combine. The only wideout to register a slower time in Indianapolis was Mississippi State’s De’Runnya Wilson.
He also failed to improve much with his vertical. Williams only managed 30 1/2” after his 30” ranked 3rd-worst among receivers in Indy.
Running back Peyton Barber didn’t clock a time that will turn heads. Nonetheless, his 4.59 and 4.60 were better than his 4.64 at the combine.
Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.
