Bulls Audition for Next Level at USF Pro Day

Gallery: (3/29/2019) USF Pro Day 2019

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– Bulls with big dreams of playing pro football got their opportunity to audition for the next level Friday morning at the Morsani Complex.A healthy contingent of NFL teams were joined by scouts from the Canadian Football League and the Alliance of American Football to evaluate the Bulls' talent at USF Pro Day. The program also got strong support from a large group of USF football alums, including current rising NFL stars Marlon Mack,andTwelve of the Bulls who went through a job interview like no other were a part of USF's 2018 team that helped extend the program's current run of four straight bowl game appearances. Pro day participants from that squad were wide receiversand, defensive backsand, defensive linemen/linebackersand, offensive linemanand kickerPro day also featured 2017 USF standout safetyand punterduring an action-packed morning of jumping, lifting, sprinting and position drills."Just going here, you see those guys come out every year. You see these scouts come out and then it's your turn," Hoggins said. "You're like, 'Wow, it's already here.' Those four years went by so fast and now that I'm here it's just amazing. I just tried to take advantage of the opportunity."Hoggins definitely seized his chance to shine, leading the group in the three-cone drill (7.03 seconds) and the shuttle run (4.16 seconds) along with clocking in at 4.58 seconds in the 40-yard dash. The versatile defensive back who played all over the USF secondary in 41 career starts also opened up scouts' eyes with a broad jump of 10 feet, 1 inches and a 36-inch vertical."I jumped, I looked up and I said, 'Dang, that's 36," said the 5-foot-8 playmaker. "That was pretty good."After racking up 111 tackles in 2018, all-conference pick McGee used his wheels to run the 40 in 4.50 seconds while tying McCants' shuttle run time of 4.47 seconds. McCants pumped out 18 bench press reps of 225 pounds, showed he can go up and get it with a vertical of 34 inches and looked smooth in receiver drills after trimming down to 232 pounds."Overall, I just think I had a good day," said McCants, who ranks fourth all-time at USF with 127 receptions, third in receiving yards (1,856) and hauled in the second-most career TD catches with 16. 'I'm happy about it and I'm ready for the future."Brown led the Bulls on the bench with 23 reps of 225, followed by Bronson's showing of 22. That type of strength helped Brown, a Tampa native, post nearly half of his 9.5 career sacks last season."I just got in my zone, starting talking to myself a little bit and started pushing," he said.Wilkins was happy to "smash" his DB drills Friday and he's confident about his USF career game film that featured the cornerback producing 110 tackles, 22 passes defended (three interceptions, 19 pass breakups). After that, the Tampa native intercepted a pass in the East-West Shrine Game and couldn't help getting a little emotional on the way back to USF for pro day."Driving here this morning, I broke a tear. From where I've come to now, nobody would have thought it," Wilkins said. "It felt good, but it's a stepping stone. I'm just trying to get better every day."Receivername is all over the USF record books and now he's ready to show what he can do in the pros, wherever that may be."I had a couple teams talk to me – NFL, some Canadian teams," he said after pro day. "I'm just open for anything. I just want to go out and play, no matter where. I'm open for anything."In the process of getting ready for the call, McCants is moving down the field even faster now that he's down to 232 pounds and his athleticism could be used at a number of different positions."A lot of (scouts) say slot, running back, fullback," he said. "I'm just open for anything. Wherever they want try me out at, that's something I'll do and do to the best of my ability."USF football welcomes back former players with open arms and several took the Bulls up on their invitation on Friday.The all-star cast of USF football alums in attendance included current NFL players Marlon Mack,and. USF all-time leading tackleralso was shown lots of love from current Bulls along with Sam Barrington,andamong others back on campus."It's good to have those guys that are close to you come back where you don't have to go searching for somebody,"said. "They come back and they help us out."Mack, now a starting back for the Indianapolis Colts, even got to share a special moment with head coachafter rushing for 1,102 yards in his second NFL season, including 194 yards in two playoff games."It's a great feeling to be back and see a couple guys I played with go out here and show their stuff in front of the scouts," Mack said. "It's great to be back today."Sharing the same sentiment was Valdes-Scantling, who averaged 15.3 yards per reception and started 10 games in his rookie NFL season with the Green Bay Packers. The St. Petersburg native was drafted in the fifth round and he's making the most of his pro opportunity after setting USF's single-season receiving yards record in 2017."This is a university that's put out countless guys (in the pros). We're build different down here," he said. "Whoever gets on a team, it's going to be great because I know that they're going to go out and work hard."Senat joined Valdes-Scantling in last year's draft class, going 90overall to Atlanta before playing in 15 games (two starts) at defensive tackle for the Falcons in 2018. Always humble, Senat was appreciative of the program for always keeping the door open for him and other former USF players."I ask Coach Strong to let me work out at the facility still. Those things mean everything to me because some teams don't really do that," said Senat, who also likes to attend USF practices. "I'm proud to be a Bull. I'm proud to be here. I'll come back anytime."In just its 22season of football, and 19at the FBS level, the USF football program has earned 10 bowl appearances, including a current run of four straight, and owns a record of 6-3 in bowl games. The Bulls have appeared in the national top 25 rankings in each of the past three seasons, including a program record run of 20 straight weeks in the top 25, and in 2018 reached the program's 150win faster than any FBS program in state of Florida history. USF has posted a pair of 10-plus win seasons in the last three years, including a program-record 11 wins (11-2) in 2016, and logged 15 winning seasons overall. Since first taking the field in 1997, the USF program has reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings (2007), seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and 29 earn first-team all-conference selection.Follow @USFFootball on twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF Football program.