Jim Connell

JCONNELL@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Dylan Cole is almost certainly headed to an NFL roster.

He showed why on Wednesday morning, passing virtually every test in a high-stakes job interview on the football field at Plaster Stadium.

The Logan-Rogersville High and Missouri State graduate was put through the paces at the MSU Pro Day, working out with representatives of 14 NFL teams watching intently and recording his every move.

Cole, with MSU teammates Riley Shantz and Zac Hoover, were measured and lifted weights in private, then took to the field and put up their best efforts in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump, along with other agility and football drills.

The entire time, they had 14 sets of eyes, ears, stopwatches, pens and paper judging every move.

"They want to know that you’re confident in yourself," Cole said. "The jump from college to the pros is a pretty big jump. The amount of money I got in college compared to the amount of money I can get in the NFL is substantial. You’ve just got to show that you can do it and you’re confident in yourself.

"I feel like it’s something I can do, that I have the mental capacity and the physical capacity."

Cole showed he has the physical capacity, with performances that met or exceeded those put up by fellow linebackers at the NFL Combine last month.

The NFL Combine is an annual invite-only event in Indianapolis, with the top 330 or so college players invited to go through a rigorous set of drills, both physical and mental, for all 32 NFL teams.

Cole didn’t get an invitation.

He went through those same physical drills on Wednesday, though.

In the 40-yard dash, he ran an unofficial time of 4.52 seconds. That would have ranked second among linebackers at the combine, behind only Jabrill Peppers of Michigan, at 4.46 seconds.

In the bench press, where players put up 225 pounds as many times as they can, Cole finished with 32 reps. The best at the combine was Michigan’s Ben Gedeon, with 27.

The vertical jump was the same story: Cole checked in at 39 inches, and the combine best was 37.5 inches, by Houston’s Tyus Bowser.

In the standing broad jump, Cole had a best of 10 feet, 5 inches. That would have tied for fifth at the combine – the best was Wisconsin’s T.J. Watt, at 10 feet, 8 inches.

All in all, it was a successful morning’s work.

“I think I turned some heads and impressed them, and I think I did what I needed to do to show them what I have, show my athleticism and show my speed and all that good stuff,” Cole said. “I feel pretty confident right now.”

Cole graduated in December with a degree in sales management, and he’s spent time since then in Denver, working out with Landow Performance, in preparation for this Pro Day. After this comes the NFL Draft on April 27-29 in Philadelphia, where he'll almost certainly be selected and start his professional football career.

“You train for about two or three months for two or three hours,” Cole said. “It’s what you’ve got to do, I guess. It wore me out, but it’s worth it.

“I’d rather do that from 8 to 5 than sit at a desk from 8 to 5. I love every minute of it. No matter how exhausted I am, this is what I want to do, and what I want to do for a long time. I’m enjoying it right now.”

There were representatives from 14 NFL teams in attendance – Arizona, Washington, Kansas City, Jacksonville, Denver, Philadelphia, Carolina, L.A. Rams, Miami, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Detroit, Oakland and Seattle – tying it for the most highly attended MSU Pro Day ever.

“This is potentially the start of the rest of my life,” Cole said. “So we’ll see what happens.”

“I’ve been playing football since I was 6 or 7, and telling my mom that I was going to go to the NFL since I was 6 or 7. I never thought I was going to be here, but it’s absolutely surreal. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for my entire life.”

Cole was joined at the Pro Day by Shantz, an offensive lineman, and receiver Zac Hoover.

Hoover appeared to tweak a hamstring and had to end his day shortly after the 40-yard dash.

Shantz, a Glendale High grad, is a 6-foot-4, 304-pounder who started all 21 games he played in as a junior and senior. He’s versatile enough to play multiple positions on the offensive line, and he has been working on his long-snapping to add another dimension to his resume.

“I’m just trying to show them that a 300-pound man can run a little bit,” Shantz said. “I think I proved my point and ran pretty well for them. We’ll see what happens.”

Shantz ran the 40 in an unofficial time of 5.1 seconds, had 24 reps in the bench press and had a 28-inch vertical jump. He went through additional work, both snapping the ball in a shotgun set and long-snapping, plus some lineman-specific footwork and blocking drills.

He’s more likely to get a chance as an undrafted free agent, which doesn’t bother him.

“Whatever they want to do, I’m cool with it,” Shantz said. “As long as I get a chance to prove myself and compete, I’ll be happy doing that.”