How Teams Use Pro Days to Finalize Their Draft Boards

20 April 2025

The NFL Draft process is like dating—you scout, you analyze, and then you hope you don’t get catfished by bad tape. While the Combine steals most of the spotlight, Pro Days are where teams take their final deep dive into potential draft picks. But what exactly happens at these events? And why do NFL teams treat them like a last-minute cram session before finals?

Buckle up, because we’re about to break down how Pro Days help teams finalize their draft boards and (hopefully) avoid picking the next big bust.

What Exactly Is a Pro Day?

If the NFL Scouting Combine is the Super Bowl of player evaluation, Pro Days are like an exclusive VIP after-party—only invited guests get in. These events are held at a player's college campus, where scouts, coaches, and general managers roll in to get a closer look at potential draft picks.

Unlike the Combine, where players perform under the watchful eyes of league-wide evaluators, Pro Days allow them to work out in a familiar setting with their college coaches running the drills. It’s essentially their second chance to prove they're worth millions of dollars.

Think of it as a job interview, but instead of wearing a suit and talking about "synergy," you’re bench pressing 225 pounds and running a 40-yard dash while grown men with stopwatches judge every move.

The Main Purpose of Pro Days

So why do teams care so much about these workouts? Simple:

- Fact-Checking the Combine – Some players have a rough day at the Combine (hey, we all have bad days). Maybe they were nervous, or their hamstring wasn’t feeling it that morning. Pro Days give them a chance to show that their real speed, strength, and skill weren’t properly represented in Indianapolis.
- Evaluating Non-Combine Players – Not every prospect gets invited to the Combine. Pro Days allow those overlooked players a chance to showcase their talent in front of scouts. Sometimes, this is where hidden gems and late-round steals make their first real impression.
- Close-Up Interaction – Teams don’t just watch from the stands. They interact with players, conduct interviews, and sometimes even run position-specific drills to see how a player responds to coaching on the fly.

It’s like meeting your online date in person for the first time—you need to confirm that they’re just as good in real life as they were on paper.

The Key Drills and Evaluations

Pro Days aren’t just a repeat of the Combine. Sure, they feature many of the same drills—40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump—but teams also customize workouts to focus on specific skills.

Here’s a look at some of the most critical evaluations:

1. The 40-Yard Dash (Because Speed Kills)

NFL teams are obsessed with speed. It’s why someone will watch a 300-pound lineman run a 4.8-second 40 and suddenly declare him the next Aaron Donald.

At Pro Days, scouts get their own timing rather than relying on the Combine’s electronic timing. This often leads to unofficial (and mysteriously faster) times. Ever wonder why Pro Day 40 times always seem a little quicker? Turns out, home cooking is real.

2. Position-Specific Drills (Show Us What You Can Do)

Teams aren’t just looking for a track star. They want football players. This is where position drills come in. Quarterbacks throw to familiar receivers, linemen go through footwork drills, and defensive backs show off their backpedal.

For QB prospects, this is a golden opportunity. At the Combine, they throw to random receivers they’ve never played with before. At their Pro Day, it’s a choreographed show—timing routes with their own college teammates. It’s basically like setting up an easy layup instead of a half-court shot.

3. The Bench Press (For Those Who Love Weightlifting)

While speed gets the most attention, strength plays a huge role too. The bench press (225 pounds for as many reps as possible) helps teams gauge upper body strength. Offensive and defensive linemen, in particular, need to show they’re strong enough to compete in the trenches.

But let’s be real—it’s also an ego contest. If a guy pumps out 35 reps, scouts start drooling. If he barely gets to 10? Yikes.

4. The Interview Process (The Ultimate Job Interview)

Drills are great, but teams want to know what’s going on inside a player's head. They’ll sit down for interviews and ask everything from football IQ questions to personal background checks. Some prospects even hear bizarre questions like:

"If you were a fruit, which one would you be?"

Teams swear there’s a method to this madness, but sometimes, it just feels like a weird psychological experiment.

The Importance of Pro Days for Draft Stock

A great Pro Day can skyrocket a player’s draft stock. A bad one? Well, let’s just say teams have short memories of what you did in college if you run a 4.9 instead of a 4.5.

1. Rising Stars (The Draft’s Biggest Movers)

Every year, we see players catapult up the draft board because of an eye-popping Pro Day. Maybe they ran a ridiculously fast 40, nailed every drill, or simply gave a great impression during interviews. Suddenly, teams are reconsidering their whole scouting report.

Think of it like a reality show contestant who wasn’t getting much screen time but then pulls off an insane stunt in the finale—now they’re the fan favorite.

2. The "Uh-Oh" Moment (The Draft Stock Freefall)

On the flip side, a poor Pro Day performance can tank a player’s draft stock. If scouts see sloppy technique, poor conditioning, or a surprisingly slow 40, it raises red flags.

It’s kind of like seeing a hyped-up movie that turns out to be a total letdown—you start second-guessing your excitement.

Do Pro Days Really Matter?

NFL teams love collecting data. Pro Days are just another piece of the puzzle. While a few jaw-dropping performances can shift draft boards, these workouts aren’t the be-all and end-all.

At the end of the day, teams go back to the film. If a player was a beast on Saturdays but had an off Pro Day, chances are they’re still getting drafted pretty high. But if a guy was mediocre in college and had a rough Pro Day? Yeah, that’s a recipe for "undrafted free agent" status.

Final Thoughts

Pro Days are like an NFL Draft cheat sheet. They give teams one final look at prospects before decision day. Some players will boost their stock with jaw-dropping performances, others might raise concerns, but ultimately, it's just one piece of the puzzle.

For teams, it’s all about minimizing risk and making sure they’re not falling for a hype train that’s bound to derail. After all, no one wants to be the team that drafts a workout warrior who looks great in shorts but can’t play football worth a damn.

So as we inch closer to Draft Day, keep an eye on those Pro Day performances. Because in the NFL, every little detail counts—even something as simple as shaving a tenth of a second off your 40-yard dash.