By Blake Dowson
The 2017 Iowa football Pro Day was a bit busier than the 2016 version.
Last year, in a Rose Bowl season, Iowa had only a few borderline NFL players. Austin Blythe was the only Hawkeye who ended up getting drafted, and even he had to sweat it out until the final few picks of the seventh and final round.
This season, however, a number of Hawkeyes stand to be drafted. Four Hawkeyes are all but locks to hear their names called during draft weekend, and a few others could also get a shot through the draft.
George Kittle — tight end
Kittle has earned the title of workout warrior. At the NFL combine, he ran a 4.52 40-yard dash, good enough for third among his position group.
The Oklahoma native is one of the best blocking tight ends in the draft, and he can hurt a defense in the passing game as well.
His 38.5-inch vertical jump at Pro Day stood out, showcasing his athletic ability once again.
“It’s the way we do it at Iowa, man. We come in, we work every single day, and you’re rewarded by the end of it,” Kittle said. “I try to work every single day, and I feel like my hard work’s being rewarded.”
Kittle will no doubt hear his name called during the draft, barring any setbacks.
C.J. Beathard — quarterback
Beathard has been hampered a bit because of an injury he suffered during the Outback Bowl.
He hasn’t been able to run the 40-yard dash, and his other measureables don’t stand out above the rest of the class, but according to Beathard, the numbers don’t matter all that much.
“The biggest thing for my position is throwing and looking good dropping back. It felt good doing all of that,” he said.
Beathard will more than likely hear his name called on the third day of the draft.
Desmond King — defensive back
King, once seen as a potential top-15 pick, has seen his draft stock decrease this year due in part to questions regarding his speed.
The Detroit product put those questions to rest at Pro Day, running a 4.5 40-yard dash while dealing with a hip and abdominal injury.
“A lot of guys wanted to know what I would run,” King said. “It’s a relief now that I’ve got it out of the way; now, I can just relax, and recover, and get ready for football.”
King could go toward the end of the first round, but the second round seems more likely for the Jim Thorpe Award winner.
Jaleel Johnson — defensive tackle
Johnson benefited from a good week at the Senior Bowl, and he follows a similar path as former Hawkeye defensive tackle Carl Davis took to the NFL.
Davis, like Johnson, got scout’s attention at the Senior Bowl and got drafted in the second round by Baltimore in 2015.
Johnson’s 40 time (5.08) is slow, but his instincts should get him drafted somewhere in the second to fourth round.
Riley McCarron — wide receiver
McCarron was the surprise of Pro Day.
The former walk-on, who had a more prominent role his senior season because of injuries at wideout, killed his workouts.
McCarron ran a 4.36 40-yard dash and jumped 40.5 inches in his vertical. His 40 time would have placed him third at the combine behind John Ross (who set the combine record with a 4.22), and Curtis Samuel. Both of those guys are potential first-round picks.
McCarron won’t sniff the first round, but his numbers may get him a look from some pro scouts.
LeShun Daniels Jr. — running back
The knock on Daniels has always been that he’s too slow. Running a 4.5 flat 40-yard dash should hush that talk.
Daniels is built like an NFL running back at 220 pounds, and the speed checks out now. The thing that could keep Daniels from getting drafted is his health history; he had only one healthy season at Iowa.
