Mizzou held its Pro Day for 20 recently graduated (or departed for the draft, in the case of Armand Membou) Tigers Saturday morning in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams and at least one Canadian Football League team.
Luther Burden and Armand Membou did not participate after strong performances at the NFL Combine, while Brady Cook and Theo Wease, Jr., took Pro Day as an opportunity to further bolster their draft stock.
Meanwhile, players like Johnny Walker, Jr., Kristian Williams and Marcus Bryant that did not receive a combine invite got the chance to showcase their abilities in front of every team for the first time. Here are some notable quotes and pieces of information from early Saturday at the Stephens Indoor Facility.
**Johnny Walker, Jr.**
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* After surprisingly not being invited to the NFL Combine, Walker got an opportunity to show scouts his athleticism and complete some drills at Mizzou’s Pro Day.
* 40-yard dash: 4.79 seconds
* Vertical jump: 32 inches
* Short shuttle: 4.58 seconds
* Broad jump: 10 feet
* **On not getting the Combine invite:** “I was kind of disappointed at first, but there’s nothing I can really do about it. It’s just looking forward to Pro Day, that’s all that really mattered.”
* **On how Pro Day went:** “I think my numbers could be a little better, but I’m satisfied.”
* **On what he’s working to improve before draft day:** “All I know is to work on me, work on my craft. Work on my body and my flexibility, small things like that.”
* **On how his training has gone:** “There have been some ups and downs during training. I’ll keep that private, but I think training went \[well\]. I got my body right, I got my body fat really low. I got my weight up, so I’m happy about that.
* Walker said that he’s met with more than half of NFL teams during the draft process.
* **On having Pro Day surrounded by teammates and coaches:** “These are my brothers, man. They give me confidence, I give them confidence. That’s how we rock.”
* **On what he’ll bring to NFL teams:** “Sooner or later I’ll bring leadership and competition to the room. I think I was born to compete, I feel like I can compete with almost anyone.”
**Kristian Williams**
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* 40-yard dash: 5.07 seconds
* Vertical jump: 27.5 inches
* Short shuttle: 4.75 seconds
* Broad jump: 9.01 feet
* Bench press: 31 times
* **On his draft process so far:** “The last three months have been exciting. I’ve got an opportunity like this and I get to do it with a bunch of great guys here. It’s just a matter of going from working with a lot of guys to a couple of guys, so everything’s been more individualized, but it’s been fun, man. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
* **On being in Columbia and around the program prepping for pro day:** “You’ve got guys here finishing up with the spring practices, so just to be there and still be able to mentor them and also train for Pro Day, it’s a win-win for me.”
* **Continued:** “Everything I need is here, so why would I leave? Why would I not train with the guys that know my body much better? So it’s just a matter of sacrificing and not going anywhere, but just staying present.”
* **On his Pro Day performance:** “I feel like I did alright, I could have been better. A lot of small, minute things like a little slip or just tap the line instead of pressing my hand into it.”
* Williams mentioned that he’s talked to the Los Angeles Rams, Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers among other teams
* **On what the rest of his process looks like:** “In the next couple of months I’m going to still grind, still do what I’ve got to do to be present in the moment, but also just take into the mind that I’m starting to transition to something bigger. At the end of the day, I’m going all of this for a purpose bigger than myself, so I just need to try to stay big in my faith and also at the same time rely on my support.”
* **On what Walker will bring to an NFL team:** “You’re going to get a player that can pass rush and stop the run - he can do whatever, he’s great. I feel like he’s a very efficient player.”
**Brady Cook**
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* Cook put together another impressive throwing performance in his follow up to the combine, only underthrowing a few balls and making some eye-popping throws that impressed scouts. Cook continues to build a strong draft profile with his performance in some key pre-draft settings like senior bowls, the combine and now Pro Day.
* **On the combine:** “I had a great day at the combine, man, it was a lot of fun. Lucas Oil is awesome, it’s an incredible experience. Honestly, it’s what you dream about as a kid watching it on TV and stuff. I’ll never forget that day.”
* Cook said that he and Theo Wease, Jr., went 18 of 18 on completions in his throwing session. Wease said 17 of 17, but I’m sure he wouldn’t object to Cook’s number.
* **On his Pro Day performance:** “It went smooth, I thought it went to plan. Not a lot of balls on the ground, clean, kind of spun it pretty good.”
* **On what he learned at the Shrine Bowl and Hula Bowl:** “The biggest thing I probably took away from it was just the opportunity to learn installs for a week, get that exposure with NFL coaches. Sit in those meeting rooms, learn the playbooks, the verbiage, the concepts, and obviously practice throughout the week.”
* **On what’s next for him before the draft:** “I’m gonna spend most of my time in Columbia. I’ll be training here and really just refining, continuing to improve as a passer, honing down my mechanics and just making sure my body’s ready to go.”
* **On his draft day plans:** “I’ll be in St. Louis and really just chilling with my family.”
* **On some of Mizzou’s recent NFL graduates returning for Pro Day:** “It just shows the brotherhood that we built here. And it’s great those guys want to come back, they want to be here to support us. It definitely means a lot to me.”
* **On the growing number of Tigers in the NFL:** “The better seasons we have in college and better success we have in Faurot, you’re going to see that trend continue to get bigger and bigger, and that’s the goal. I think we’ve got a lot of guys in this year’s class that can play at the next level, and we’re excited to keep showing everybody.”
* Cook said that he’s met with the Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets and New York Giants, among other teams, so far.
**Theo Wease, Jr.**
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* Short shuttle: 4.30 seconds
* **On participating in the combine:** “It was a blessing. I always dreamed of going to the combine at a young age. Being there around those guys \[and\] going through the interview process and everything. I’d do it all over again.”
* Wease said he believed his Pro Day went well, though he’d have liked a faster time in the short shuttle.
* **On catching passes from Cook again and having teammates and coaching around:** “I’m glad me and Brady out on a good note, we went 17 of 17 (on completions). Being back at Mizzou, getting all the love from my teammates, my coaches, it was like I couldn’t be nervous.”
* Wease said he felt today really showed his ability as a route runner.
* **On what NFL teams would get if they draft him:** “They’re gonna get a playmaker, a born leader, somebody that’s willing to listen and learn and somebody that’s gonna work hard.”
* **On what NFL teams would get if they draft Cook:** “You’re going to get a real soldier. You’ll get everything you ask for in a quarterback. Brady will go out there with a broken hand, broken leg, it doesn’t matter. Ss long as he can play, he’s going to go play, and that’s exactly what you want in a quarterback.”
* **On his draft day plans:** “I’m going to be with my family, kicked up on the couch, chilling. Good vibes.”
**Armand Membou**
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* Membou did not participate in any Pro Day drills but was in Columbia to watch his teammates. He also took a few questions.
* **On what the pre-draft process has been like:** “It’s been pretty smooth. I’ve been back at Mizzou working out and just trying to stay in shape, and then this next month I’ll be taking visits to teams.”
* **On his decision to declare for the draft:** “I really had good season so I thought I was ready, and I just felt it was time for me to go to the next level.”
* Membou said he believed he had a good combine but was aiming even higher, wanting a sub-4.8 40-yard dash and to possibly add another inch to his vertical. As a reminder, Membou put together maybe the best combine performance among all offensive linemen this year.
* **On his yelling/screaming while running the 40-yard dash at the combine, which went viral:** “I didn’t mean to scream, it kind of just happened.”
* **On his ability to play both tackle and guard:** “I’ve heard from a lot of people that the more you can do in the league, the longer you can stay in the league. So it’ll definitely help me.”
* **On his preference between positions:** “I think I’m a tackle, but I just want to get on the field.”
* **On his former high school and college teammate, Cayden Green:** “He’s gonna be in the league eventually, it just depends on when he wants to come out.”
Several former Tigers will find their future teams this year during the NFL Draft, which takes place from April 24 to 26 in Green Bay. And if recent mock drafts are any indication, Mizzou has a legitimate chance to have two players drafted in the first round this year. This would be the first time the team placed two Tigers in the opening round since 2011.