Apparently, former Jackson State football players experienced one of the worst pro days in recent memory.
According to the website NFL Draft Diamonds, several NFL hopefuls, including some who played on the Jackson State football team, were unable to complete workouts in front of scouts after reportedly failing to perform well during the 40-yard dash.
Jackson State University, the prestigious black college, turned their players away after they did not perform a fast enough forty.
The weather was 28 degrees and after all the players ran their forty only one player was able to perform drills in front of the scouts. Get this, the player was not even from Jackson State.
Linebacker Ariane McCree and wide receiver Tobias Singleton were scheduled to participate in the workout on Thursday before being dismissed after the 40-yard dash.
Clarion-Ledger Jackson State beat writer Ros Dumalo, who chronicled pro day activities, published a few tweets that seemed to corroborate the NFL Draft Diamonds account.
Unofficial 40s: Ariane McCree 4.84, Tobias Singleton 4.72, Antonio Sutton 4.6. #jsu #proday
— Ros Dumlao (@rosdumlao) March 5, 2015
After the 40, NFL scout called together all the prospects. Said everyone was cut except one, Stephanio McNair. #proday
— Ros Dumlao (@rosdumlao) March 5, 2015
Following the pro day, NFL Draft Diamonds seemed to point the finger at school and chided the entire process in a series of tweets.
I am willing to put them on blast, yes it was a Black College, the school today was @JacksonStateU Pretty sad #AlreadyFacingAdversity
— NFL Draft Diamonds (@DraftDiamonds) March 6, 2015
It is very difficult to come from a black school and make it to the Pros. But Walter Payton’s school? Really?
— NFL Draft Diamonds (@DraftDiamonds) March 6, 2015
Regardless of talent, you have to do better than that. Jackson State is a bery prestigous school. Those kids deserve better
— NFL Draft Diamonds (@DraftDiamonds) March 6, 2015
To make things worse, after the Jackson State pro day, NFL scouts went into a room and ate boxed lunches #JSU
— NFL Draft Diamonds (@DraftDiamonds) March 6, 2015
People are trying to say we are stiring things up w/ #JSU but I am not stiring things up Im defending their players. Something they didnt do
— NFL Draft Diamonds (@DraftDiamonds) March 6, 2015
It seems to be an unfortunate break for players to be told their NFL dreams were dead on arrival after the 40, but the these athletes have learned that professional sports can be cut-throat, unforgiving business.
“They were cutting people after the 40, so I guess if your time wasn’t perfect, they were cutting you,” Singleton told the Clarion-Ledger.
“I was looking forward to doing everything. I thought it was going to be a regular pro day.”
“It’s a business,” said Singleton, who clocked an unofficial best 4.6 and had several of his family members attend. “You can’t go into every situation looking for something to be good. It’s an eye-opener. Now I know what I have to do.”
These Scouts sound lazy and were looking for a way to cut the day short by denying these guys a full workout. It’s a good thing Jerry Rice or Richard Sherman didn’t have to workout for these moronic scouts, both of them ran a 4.6 at the combine, that means these idiots would have cut them after their 40. I say fire the scouts, they aren’t doing their jobs properly
if they aren’t good then why would scouts waste time? They are lucky They even got a chance. This happens at many schools the only reason it’s news is because they are an HBCU. I promise it has happened at other schools with white guys trying out too. Our country just likes playing the race card right now because it is a way to make white people look bad
Prestigious ?
Yes, Jackson State is a prestigious black college.
Being a former scout…this has nothing to do with the school…NFL draft diamonds is basically reporting false info. The scouts have a job to do…and I bet you every kid thinks they are NFL pros…but its not the case. I don’t think people understand how fast these players really are. At Jackson state where the level of comp isn’t great…if you aren’t wrecking the league you aren’t going to make it at the next level. Period…Its for the best of the best(For the most part). I guarantee you some of the players who were booted weren’t from this years draft class. We don’t have time to workout 30 players at a pro day. We work out the best players or the players deemed as prospects prior to even coming into the school. We have lives, family, work and traveling to do, can’t spend 6 hours working out guys who don’t realistically have a shot. Just being honest. The school had nothing to do with it…its the scouts there who made a decision…that they will work out the guys that everyone wanted to see and anyone else who had a standout 40 yard dash…if you didn’t sorry…
I agree with rick….not mention its not like they cant go to another pro day….calm down….the person that got to workout didnt even attend JSU