BOULDER — For 19 Colorado players looking to continue their football careers at the next level, Tuesday's Pro Day offered an opportunity to impress scouts from nearly every NFL team.
Offensive lineman Xavier Hill likely boosted his draft stock the most with strong showings in the 40-yard dash (4.99 seconds) and vertical (30 inches), but wide receiver Sincere Brown and defensive back Preston Hodge also turned heads. Still, the Buffs aren't guaranteed to have a player selected in the NFL Draft later this month.
Thirteen Pro Day participants spoke with the media afterward, including former Buffs wide receiver La'Vontae Shenault. Here's what they had to say:
"Coming into the offseason, my biggest priority was putting on some muscle, putting on some mass, putting on some weight. I spent the last eight weeks, however long, getting in the weight room, putting a little bit of muscle on."
Wide Receiver Sincere Brown
"I didn't get a lot of short balls during the season like that. I really wanted to show the scouts that I'm 6-(foot)-5 and I can come out of my breaks like a 5-8 receiver. That's kind of what I wanted to do. That's what I wanted to show today, first and foremost."
"I wanted to show that I can change direction, especially coming down, blitzing, being that type of linebacker, being in space and changing direction. I feel like I showed that today."
"The process has been nothing but a blessing. It's a new aspect of life that I'm trying to chase in my career. It was just a great process. I'm still working, still trying to chase the goal of being in the NFL. Today was a decent day for me."
"I was hoping to prove that I'm able to be a football player and play on Sundays. Simple as that. They expected me to test well, and I feel like I did. Now it's more just interviewing and seeing my personality."
"There's always definitely some nerves heading to the next level and having scouts look at you, critique you, but I feel like I came in here with confidence and knew I could do my best. I knew that my best was gonna get it done."
"I feel confident in my ability as a football player and what scouts think about me as a football player. Today, I wanted to focus on the details and what I've been working on to improve my testing and keep it simple."
"You're gonna get a guy that's coming to work, gonna put his head down and love the grind of football. No trouble. I'm just a guy that loves to play football. You're getting a hard-nosed football player."
"I was trying to showcase that I'm available, that I'll be an agile and fluid guy. I feel like I did that today."
Offensive Lineman Xavier Hill
"Most of the scouts I've talked to, they see me somewhere on the interior, whether I have the ability to snap and play center, or either of the guard positions,"
Wide Receiver La'Vontae Shenault
La'Vontae Shenault, the younger brother of former Colorado wide receiver and second-round NFL Draft pick Laviska Shenault Jr., began his college career in Boulder before transferring in 2021.
"I've been through a lot. My journey has been ups and downs, so being able to come back here and have a full circle, they say not to really pat yourself on the back, but I'm gonna pat myself on the back today. It's been a long journey for me."