Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson didn’t want to do it, but his friends and quarterbacks coach thought it would be funny.
After a session in which Thorson allowed the ball to hit the ground only once in 50 throws Tuesday at Northwestern’s pro day, he and his receivers lined up in the victory formation.
In front of representatives from all 32 teams, including Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner, Thorson took a knee on the last snap.
‘‘I told them throughout the day, ‘We’re not doing that,’ ’’ Thorson said. ‘‘But, sure enough, they did that. It’s fun.’’
Thorson’s session was the most important showing at a Northwestern pro day since 2014, when then-Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo earned a guest invitation and wowed scouts on his way to a second-round selection.
After strong outings at the NFL Scouting Combine and the on-campus pro day, Thorson might be worthy of a second-day selection, too.
Thorson, who pulled out of the Senior Bowl in January because of a high-ankle sprain, moved with ease while performing drills run by his private coach, former Bears offensive coordinator Terry Shea. He didn’t run the 40-yard dash, however, after declining to do so at the combine because of his ankle concern.
A four-year starter, Thorson touted his experience. His 53 starts are a Big Ten record for a quarterback.
‘‘I think the last two years, I wasn’t surprised with anything the defense threw my way,’’ he said.
The film speaks for itself, Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald said.
‘‘I don’t think there’s anything that’s unknown,’’ Fitzgerald said. ‘‘If I were a team getting ready to take a quarterback, I think that would help me sleep well at night.’’
