With LSU’s pro-day happening last Wednesday, March 27, the football world was looking towards Baton Rouge with players like Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers, and Maason Smith taking the field. However, over in Moscow, Idaho, Washington State held a joint pro-day with the University of Idaho, Eastern Washington, and Central Washington.
Going into the day, there were more than a few prospects who’ve been on NFL scouts’ radars. For instance, from Washington State there was safety Jordan Hicks, edges Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson, and cornerback Chau Smith-Wade. From Idaho, scouts have been intrigued by WR Hayden Hatten.
Nevertheless, while scouts may have came to look at these players, for me, there were others who stole the show.
Image: University of South Dakota Athletics
Tre Thomas, LB, Idaho
A graduate transfer from South Dakota, Thomas arrived in Moscow to take advantage of his extra year of eligibility thanks to the COVID pandemic. From his pro-day, it’s clear that Thomas is an athlete. Although he’s a LB, he ran some pass drop and footwork drills with the DBs. It was during these initial drills that you could see firsthand how athletic Thomas is. He has extremely good feet for a LB, he gets out of his breaks well, he flips his hips smoothly, and he attacks the ball in the air well.
While his strength could be better, having only posted 16 reps on the bench, he’ll have time to add strength given he’ll begin as a special teamer should he be drafted or sign as a UDFA. While it isn’t expected he’s drafted, Tre Thomas should definitely be a priority UDFA for a team needing help either at LB, on ST, or both.
Image: University of Idaho Athletics
Jermaine Jackson, WR, Idaho
Another transfer, Jermaine Jackson began at the College of San Mateo before moving up north. Jackson is by no means a sizable wideout, as Idaho only has him listed at 5’7” 170 pounds. However, he’s strong and is extremely explosive having posted 17 reps on the bench and a 35-inch vertical at his pro-day.
Although his size is worrisome, Jackson is explosive off the line and in and out of his breaks. He runs smooth routes from both the inside and out wide and does a good job high pointing the football. Besides being an inside-outside threat, Jackson has the speed and experience to be a ST threat as he’s comfortable catching punts and kickoffs.
He isn’t expected to be drafted, but Idaho’s Jermaine Jackson could be a phenomenal UDFA signing.
Image: Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Tylen Coleman, DL, Idaho
Another undersized transfer, Tylen Coleman began his career at Western New Mexico University and is listed by the Vandals at 6’0” 265 pounds. Because of this, Coleman is likely suited for a defense with a 4-3 base. Despite his size, Coleman is a strong, fast, and explosive lineman. On the bench he posted 32 reps while also measuring 30 inches on his vertical and just below 4.8 seconds on his 40-yard dash. He can play a little top heavy and his feet can be clunky, but he shows good change of direction with how he drops his hips into turns and has naturally powerful hands that generate a good slap on his pass rush.
Image: Washington State University Athletics
Sam Lockett III, S, Washington State
Sam Lockett was arguably the most impressive Wazzu player, in my opinion. While he isn’t the athlete Hicks is at safety, Lockett has a natural feel for the game of football. He isn’t the biggest or strongest, but his speed and explosiveness are good enough to be dependable in the NFL.
Going backwards in his backpedal and dropping into coverage, Lockett is extremely smooth. His hips are a bit stiff, but his acceleration and speed make up for it coming out of his break. Furthermore, Lockett also displays very good ball skills when the ball is in the air.
Image: The Seattle Times
Cam Lampkin, CB, Washington State
Cam Lampkin is another Washington State standout from last Wednesday. He isn’t the biggest corner listed at 5’11” 173 pounds, but he isn’t afraid to come down and hit. He has good hips and choppy feet that allow him to violently explode downhill. However, with how short his feet were moving, it almost felt like he was trying to game the drill. This can be seen in his film where Lampkin appears to bait the QB into certain throws in zone coverage. While they work out for the Wazzu product sometimes, other times they don’t.
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