Notes From Notre Dame Sports Information Department on Notre Dame’s Pro Day
NOTRE DAME, Ind. Safety David Bruton was the main attraction for NFL
scouts Thursday as Notre Dame held its annual Pro Day but it was cornerback
Terrail Lambert that probably boosted his stock the most.
Lambert, who was not invited to the NFL Combine last month in Indianapolis,
raised eyebrows among all the scouts as he was timed at 4.37 and 4.36
seconds, respectively, in his two attempts at the 40-yard dash. Those times
would have ranked first and second among all defensive players at the
Combine as safety Chris Clement turned in the fastest time of 4.41 seconds
in Indianapolis. Lamberts time of 4.07 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle
would have tied him with projected first-round picks Vontae Davis and
Malcolm Jenkins for fifth-fastest among cornerbacks at the Combine while
Lamberts 11.24-second clocking in the 60-yard shuttle would have ranked
third among cornerbacks last month.
Bruton turned in stellar performances at the Combine last month and only
participated in position-specific drills.
Among the highlights from other Notre Dame players participating in Pro Day
were fullback Asaph Schwapp and defensive tackle Pat Kuntz in the bench
press. Schwapp benched 225 pounds 33 times while Kuntz recorded 31
repetitions. Only three players (all offensive linemen) at the Combine
recorded a higher total than Schwapp and Kuntz would have tied for eighth
with projected first-rounder Brian Orakpo among defensive players last
month.
Here are notes and quotes collected by Associated Press reporter Tom Coyne
from Notre Dame Pro Day:
– David Grimes didn’t workout because he’s still recovering from back
surgery. Safety David Bruton let his numbers from the combine stand, but did
take part in the position drills.
– 21 teams had scouts at the pro day. No head coaches or general managers
were in attendance.
– Players worked out in groups. Lambert drew an “ooooo” from Notre Dame
players watching the workout when he made a one-handed catch with his left
hand when in one drill he was running with backwards, spun around and
someone from the other direction fired a pass at him.
– Also working out were former Irish tight end Marcus Freeman, St. Francis
defensive back Paul Carter and Valparaiso offensive lineman Ryan Kozy.
Quotes from Pro Day
CHARLIE WEIS
(can you talk about Terrail Lambert)
“I think similar to Bruton at the combine, he had measurable that went
through the roof. He ran two 40s in the 4.3s. They have a three-cone drill
they do and he nailed that. The 60-yard shuttle, he nailed that. That and he
weighed in at 5-10 and just under 190. So now as their doing workouts he got
everyone’s attention just like David did when he went down to the combine.”
(how much can a day like today help?)
“He got everybody’s attention. Because what happens is all the scouts
share these times. So within a couple of hours all 32 teams will know those
times and that automatically gets everyone’s attention.”
(so overall a good day)
“He helped himself today.”
(David continue to be on the radar)
“He’s out there working out now and he’s having a nice workout. When you
nail the combine like he did, you don’t do the measurable again. So today
for him, he’s been supportive of all his teammates and now he’s just going
through the position specific stuff.”
(You mentioned Kuntz and Asaph, they had a pretty good day?)
“When you’re an interior defensive lineman or a fullback, the thing
they’re looking for is how strong you are. Asaph put up 33 on the bench and
Kuntz put up 31 on the bench. To be honest with you, that’s almost a magical
number when you get that number in the bench in the 30s. It automatically
gets everyone’s attention.”
(maybe numbers this year aren’t the same as the last couple of years, do
you think maybe a couple guys are moving up a lot in terms of draft picks)
“I’ll use an example. Besides Lambert, who we just talked about, a guy
like Asaph, Asaph is a guy who maybe marginal for some teams, but any team
who is looking for a blocking fullback _ you have to be looking for a
blocking fullback _ but any team looking for a blocking fullback can get
somebody like Asaph. Because instead of having a veteran for $800,000 or
$900,000, you can get a guy for a third of the money to do the exact same
thing. So anytime you see a guy 250 go ahead and throw 33 on the bench, it
gets everyone’s attention.”
(how is Maurice Crum doing?)
“He’s out there in this workout too. He must have got their attention
because after he ran two 40s they asked him to run a third one.”
(Is that a good sign?)
“It’s not a bad one. It means they had inconsistent numbers. So it means
they wanted an extra look.”
(How about Justin Brown)
“He actually ran under 5 in the 40s and weighed in in the high 260s. So
he’s going to have to go to a team that fits what he does, that’s a 4-3 type
of team that’s not looking for those 280-pound defensive ends. It will be
enough to have him in a camp somewhere where he’ll have a chance.”
(Mike Turkovich?)
“Turkovich didn’t run real fast but he weighed in at 316 pounds. What
happens with offensive linemen, especially second-day offensive linemen,
everyone’s there looking. Because you can’t find enough big guys out there,
they want to get a good look at them. Forties aren’t usually what these big
offensive linemen make their money on. It’s how they do in the drill work.”
(How many do you think will be drafted)
“I don’t know how many of them will get drafted. I do know there are guys
like Bruton who days like today help some guys a lot more than others. Like
Asaph Schwapp won’t be able to show people what he can do in a day in
shorts. Because days in shorts don’t help him. The best thing he could do
besides running the 40 in a manageable time, which he did, the most
important thing he could do is show everyone how strong he is. That’s the
type of thing he did.”
(probably not a lot of first guys here)
“I’d say one. Because the first day now is the first and second round.
It’s not three rounds anymore. David just kind of put himself where a lot of
people had him in the mid-rounds. I think now you’re talking about a guy who
could get into the bottom of the second round. I don’t know that, but I’m
saying he could get into the bottom of the second round because the arrow
with everybody with him is pointing up.”
(I’m guessing this will be you’re worst draft here)
“This will be the last class that will have this low a volume. I’m not
going to say it’s worse because I’m rooting for them. When they talk to me
about the kids for next years, they asked me about roughly 15 different
guys. Even back up guys here were people they were asking about. They didn’t
ask that going into this year.”
TERRAIL LAMBERT
“I ran around a little bit, felt pretty good. My muscles were loose. I
just tried to make an impression on these coaches that were out here for pro
day.”
(how much do you think you helped your status)
“I think I improved it a considerable amount. Pretty much everyone I
talked to said good job. They liked what they had seen. It’s a good
situation, I think.”
(On his 4.3 times)
“I was hoping to get a 4.2, but I kind of slipped at the start. But I’ll
take a 4.3. It’s cool.”
(faster than times at the combine)
“That’s new information for me, so thank you.”
(what do you think is your biggest selling point for the NFL)
“The fact that I can run with pretty much anybody. Aside from speed, just
overall toughness. I feel like I play a little bigger than your average
little corner. I know some may see me as undersized, but I think I play
bigger than that. So those two points, I sold myself.”
(what are you expecting on draft day)
“I’m just saying wherever I end up, God put me there for a reason. I’m
willing to accept that and just go from there. I don’t mind going through
the back door to the NFL as long as I get there. And once I get there, I
plan on staying there.”
“Whoever wants to take me. Home is home.”
DAVID BRUTON
(good day)
“Yes, very good day. I kind of wanted to go out there and run some 40s
with the guys and do some drills.”
(didn’t want to do it to mess up your times at Indy?)
“I don’t feel like I would have messed it up, but coach Weis advised me
not to do anything. I’m going to let my combine numbers stand. Because even
if I a better 40 out this time it would still be considered the second
fastest at the combine.”
(what did you think when you say Terrail’s time, did you want to run)
“I wanted to. I said Terrail, ‘Me and you should race. We’re going to
finish this right now. Maybe week him and me will race.”
(how happy were you for Terrail)
“To see my old teammate and see him do well out here and have somebody to
fool around with while I’m doing drills is great.”
(what are you hearing about your draft status)
“I’m hearing my stock’s on the rise. Wherever I fall would depend on what
team’s need and what they’re looking for and how they evaluate me on the
film and pro day and at the combine.”
(hoping first day)
“I’m hoping first day. If I don’t go first day it’s not the end of the
world. But it would be great to go first day and see my name announced that
very first day and my whole family just going nuts with me.”
Bruton said his time in the 40 at the combine was 4.46
(what is your biggest asset)
“Smart player. I communicate well. I make calls. Basically I’m always on
top of my game when it comes to that. And my range. Being able over the top
of corners in case they want to jump up.”
PAT KUNTZ
“I got robbed (on the 31 bench presses)
(how’d you get robbed)
“I shorted a few of them in the beginning, four, so they ended up
counting 31. So do the math, it’s around 35.”
(how do you feel about how you did today)
“I thought it went pretty well. I could have done a little bit better in
the 40, but I’m not too upset about it. I thought my shuttles and everything
like that was good. I thought position drills went real well.”
(how much do you think you improved your draft status)
“I think I did a lot. Before this, I felt like I was under the radar a
little bit. I think after my performance today I’m going to be back on
people’s standings and I think they might recognize they might have
forgotten about me a little bit.”
(any idea on where you expect to go)
“I think it’s more like a late-round pick or a free agent. Where just
going to see how the draft goes. But I’m pretty positive and pretty
optimistic in thinking I’m going to be picked up late.”
(what do you think is your biggest selling point)
“The way I play. I think a lot of people try to focus too much on the
combine and stuff like that and they forget about the game film. I think
once people watch that and see how I go every second, they’re going to like
what they see.”
MAURICE CRUM JR.
(what were you happiest with)
“Just how I felt. I felt I was under control. Not wild in what I was
doing. My body felt good going through the drills and I was moving well.”
(how’d you feel about your 40 and bench press)
“I felt I could have done better.”
Crum up to 235. Weighed 225 at the end of the season.
(what are you expecting on draft day)
“I’m just hoping for a phone call. I feel like I’m a draftable player.”
(what do you think are your biggest assets)
“I think I make the players around me because I’m a smart player. I’m an
extension of the coaches on the field. I don’t know if you can find a better
team player than me. I’ll do whatever I have to do for the sake of the team.
I don’t know how many guys like that there are out there.”
(so you’re ready to play special teams if necessary)
“I’m ready to sell popcorn. Whatever the teams needs me to do.
Among the Notre Dame players there watching: Armando Allen, Jimmy
Clausen, Michael Floyd, Kyle McCarthy, Nate Montana, Sam Young, John
Goodman, Ethan Johnson, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Sergio Brown, Kerry Neal, Darius
Fleming, Harrison Smith, Trevor Robinson, Brandon Walker
Player Performance Lists
Justin Brown
40-Yard Dash 4.84, 4.82
Pro Agility 4.51
3-Cone Drill 7.57
60-Yard Shuttle Did not attempt
Vertical 33 inches
Broad Jump 9-3
Bench Press 23
David Bruton
Only participated in position drills
Maurice Crum Jr.
40-Yard Dash 4.87, 4.87
Pro Agility 4.64
3-Cone Drill 7.37
60-Yard Shuttle 12.08
Vertical 28 1Z2 inches
Broad Jump 8-9
Bench Press 18
David Grimes
Still recovering from back surgery
Pat Kuntz
40-Yard Dash 5.07, 5.05
Pro Agility 4.37
3-Cone Drill 7.37
60-Yard Shuttle Did not attempt
Vertical 32 inches
Broad Jump 8-7.5
Bench Press 31
Terrail Lambert
40-Yard Dash 4.37, 4.36
Pro Agility 4.07
3-Cone Drill 6.85
60-Yard Shuttle 11.24
Vertical 35.5 inches
Broad Jump 10-4
Bench Press 15
Asaph Schwapp
40-Yard Dash 5.07, 5.10
Pro Agility 4.48
3-Cone Drill 7.61
60-Yard Shuttle Did not attempt
Vertical 30.5 inches
Broad Jump 9-3
Bench Press 33
Mike Turkovich
40-Yard Dash 5.59, 5.51
Pro Agility Did not attempt
3-Cone Drill Did not attempt
60-Yard Shuttle Did not attempt
Vertical 28.5 inches
Broad Jump 8-8.5
Bench Press 23
Marcus Freeman
40-Yard Dash 4.79, 4.75
Pro Agility 4.27
3-Cone Drill 7.14
60-Yard Shuttle 12.20
Vertical 32.5 inches
Broad Jump 9-7
Bench Press 22