Big numbers at UW pro day

LARAMIE – If you have NFL players, it’s only reasonable to assume you’ll have NFL scouts at your pro day workouts.

The University of Wyoming had plenty of both Thursday in Laramie.

Thirteen Cowboys with professional aspirations worked out for 29 NFL scouts at the Indoor Practice Facility. UW had players ranging from likely NFL draft picks Brian Hill and Chase Roullier to players looking for a free-agent deal go through the normal tests (40-yard dash, standing high jump, bench press, etc.) while also doing individual workouts for their positions.

Thursday represented the last major chance for the former Cowboys to impress the scouts prior to the NFL draft April 27-29.

“It’s definitely been a big job interview in my eyes,” said Hill, who is a running back. “I try to come in and be as professional as I can and attack every drill that I do 100 percent.

“I don’t want any scout saying, ‘He’s lazy’ or ‘He doesn’t finish right.’ My goal was to finish every drill and everything that I do.”

Hill and Roullier, an offensive lineman, both attended the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last week.

Both players said it was a terrific chance to not only show their ability at their respective positions, but also the intangibles that NFL teams often look for in a draft pick.

“It was quite the grind. People don’t really know what we go through the few days before we’re actually out on the field,” Roullier said. “It’s hours and hours of medical stuff and interviews, which I feel I’m good at. It was a great experience, being able to compete in front of all those scouts and coaches from the NFL teams.”

Hill has spent his time since the end of UW’s season working on catching the football. The Cowboys’ all-time leading rusher and touchdown scorer said he didn’t drop a single pass at the NFL Combine and only had one drop Thursday.

“Teams wanted to see if I could catch the football,” he said. “In the past few weeks, I went out and showed them I’m a natural with my hands. I also showed them I can talk on the (chalk)board and that I know my plays.”

In addition to Hill and Roullier, other Cowboys at the pro day included Du’Ryan Ebbesen, Jordan Ellis, Tanner Gentry, Jacob Hollister, Jake Maulhardt, D.J. May, Ethan Patrick, Eric Nzeocha, Brendan Turelli, Lucas Wacha and Ethan Wood.

Maulhardt, who is hoping to make it the next level as a tight end, said the tests and drills go faster than he expected.

“You practice (the drills) for eight weeks going into this, but you don’t account for the nerves, the adrenaline and how fast it was,” he said. “This was really quick.”

Another reason for so many NFL scouts may have been that junior quarterback Josh Allen participated in the passing drills for the receivers, tight ends and running backs. While scouts were looking at how Gentry, Maulhardt, Hollister and Hill ran routes and caught balls, they were also getting a look at Allen, who could be one of the top quarterbacks in the draft next year.

Most of the UW players said they’ll stay around Laramie, training for the next week to six weeks leading up to the NFL draft. Some will likely get individual workouts with teams.

“I wish I could say it was going to be relaxing, but I’ll be out here (today) working,” Hill said. “I’ve connected with a couple running back coaches across the league, but there are 32 teams across the league, and you never know where and when you’ll get taken.

“I know on draft day anything can happen.”

Roullier said the biggest difference now is not being a student-athlete anymore. While his former Cowboys teammates still have to worry about school and classes in addition to getting ready for spring football, Roullier’s only job is to prepare for his career as an NFL player.

“It’s been different, a definite change in my life,” he said. “It’s weird hearing guys say they have to do homework and I’m just sitting here training. It’s been fun getting to concentrate on doing what I love.

“I love football, and I’m talking about football all the time. It has been a fun process, for sure.”