FOOTBALL

Nittany Lions save best work for Pro Day

By Jeff Rice

UNIVERSITY PARK — Asked how one of his newest clients had performed for the professional scouts, Chafie Fields smiled as if the answer were a foregone conclusion.

Maybin

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“Aaron Maybin is just a freak, a freak of nature,” said the former Penn State wide receiver, who is currently representing the former Penn State defensive end. “Guys like him don’t come around every day. Today is only solidification that he’s a freak.”

Maybin’s abilities led to some impressive numbers Wednesday at Penn State’s Pro Day in Holuba Hall. The 6-foot-4 defensive end, a projected first-round pick in April’s NFL Draft, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds, recorded a vertical leap of 40 inches and a broad jump of 10 feet, 10 inches — besting what were solid numbers posted at last month’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis in every category.

“You always have something to prove,” Maybin said. “I didn’t necessarily come in here saying, ‘I had to do this, I had to do that,’ but I know my athletic ability, I know what I’m capable of. I just wanted to come out and put some numbers on the board that were indicative of the type of player I am.”

Maybin, who led the Big Ten in sacks during a breakout sophomore season in 2008, carried no more than a few ounces of body fat while playing at about 235 pounds this past fall, but he looked positively sculpted after weighing in at 250 Wednesday morning. NFL teams have discussed with him the possibility of playing him as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme or as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.

“It just depends on the scheme,” he said. “I can be anywhere from 255 to 265 with my weight; it pretty much does what I want it do now with the diet and training I’ve been on.”

Several other Nittany Lions improved their numbers before a group of scouts and other NFL personnel that included representatives from all 32 teams. John Fox of the Carolina Panthers was the only head coach present.

Wide receiver Derrick Williams ran a 4.37-second 40 and bench-pressed 225 pounds 18 times, bettering his combine numbers in both categories.

Williams had suffered from a bad case of the flu in Indianapolis — and was hospitalized the day after he competed — but had thought he “could will it out” despite pleas from his father and Fields, who had the medical records in tow Wednesday, that he skip the event.

“I wanted to get everything over with so today I’d just be able to do position drills,” Williams said.

That was the strategy employed Wednesday by center A.Q. Shipley and wide receiver Deon Butler, who both had already turned in impressive combine workouts.

Shipley performed offensive line drills with Rich Ohrnberger, Gerald Cadogan and Mike Lucian and did “board work” — fielding questions about different schemes and formations from scouts.

“I’ve heard from about 10-12 offensive line coaches who said they’d love to have me,” said Shipley, who visited the Pittsburgh Steelers last week and has visits with Chicago and Philadelphia lined up as well.

Butler limited his participation to running the short shuttle (he shaved “a few tenths” off his time) and catching passes from Paul Cianciolo, who also threw to Williams and Jordan Norwood.

“His arm got a workout today,” Butler said.

Norwood weighed in at 184 pounds Wednesday, nearly 20 more than his playing weight this past season. He will join Butler and Williams in a workout with the Eagles later this week but isn’t worrying much about his draft prospects.

“I’ve been told that I’m a guy that’s a late-round draft pick, and told by a couple teams that if I don’t get drafted, I’m on their team,” Norwood said. “And that’s exciting in itself because all I want to do is play football. I’m not really worried about draft position or anything because hopefully 10 years down the road I’m still playing football and that all doesn’t matter.”

Defensive end Maurice Evans, who decided to pass up his senior season then had a poor showing at the combine, reestablished some momentum Wednesday. He ran a 4.7-second 40, shaving three tenths off his combine time, and increased his bench press total from 17 to 22.

“I knew I had the second chance to come out here and kind of erase that thought,” Evans said, “and I think I did that today.”

Most of the Nittany Lions were back on campus for the first time since departing for the Rose Bowl in December. They will go their separate ways again, whether that means returning home to train, to visit NFL teams or, in Butler’s case, to spend a few more weeks in the shadow of Beaver Stadium.

“That’s everyone’s dream — college with no classes,” Butler said. “It just doesn’t get any better.”

Notes: Safety Anthony Scirrotto injured his right leg and did not participate in the running drills. Lucian injured a hamstring during one of his early runs. ... Kevin Kelly kicked several field goals for scouts, with a group of 5-6 “right on top of me.” ... Cadogan did not participate in the running or lifting drills but added four inches to his broad jump (8-3).