Several months of hard work turned into two hours of sweat and opportunity for the Nebraska football team's NFL draft hopefuls on Tuesday.
As NFL scouts looked on, 14 former Husker players had their measurements taken and ran through on-field drills inside the Hawks Championship Center.
The list: Jahmal Banks, Bryce Benhart, John Bullock, Brian Buschini, Thomas Fidone II, Isaac Gifford, Tommi Hill, Nash Hutmacher, Rahmir Johnson, Micah Mazzccua, Isaiah Neyor, Ty Robinson, Ben Scott and MJ Sherman.
Of that group, only Hill — an NFL Combine invitee — did not take part in any on-field work.
Two former Huskers who spent 2019-22 on the team, defensive back Noa Pola-Gates and offensive lineman Brant Banks, also participated in Nebraska’s Pro Day.
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The player who might’ve drawn the most attention from the scouts, Robinson, spent much of the morning in the background. Wearing a red cutoff sweatshirt, Robinson watched his former teammates take part in the 40-yard dash, three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle.
Robinson didn’t need to take part in the drills after already having worked out at the NFL Combine less than a month ago.
“I represent Nebraska through and through,” Robinson said. “I’m proud to say that I played at Nebraska to all these scouts that I talk to; I make them aware of how great Nebraska is.”
Robinson did participate in position-specific defensive line drills alongside Sherman and Hutmacher, who had a point to prove with his Pro Day performance.
Despite strong NFL draft stock, Hutmacher wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine — and that meant Tuesday was his only chance to impress the scouts.
“I wanted to be there and wanted to be able to go do it, but I didn’t get the opportunity,” Hutmacher said. “Not getting the invite definitely kinda puts a chip on your shoulder.”
The program’s final two NFL Combine participants, Neyor and Fidone, also did not test as they instead participated solely in pass-catching drills.
Quarterback Dylan Raiola, fresh out of a morning practice that briefly overlapped with the Pro Day, was tasked with supplying the passes — including a diving catch from Fidone in the corner of the end zone.
“I thought it went really well, I thought I showed a lot of speed, looseness in my routes and some savviness,” Fidone said of his Pro Day performance. “… Just being able to take the opportunity to show my athleticism in front of these scouts was what I wanted to do, so that’s kind of why I just did the field workout.”
Another of Nebraska’s top NFL draft hopefuls, Fidone hasn’t been shy about his dreams of playing professional football ever since he arrived in Lincoln. Two season-ending injuries might’ve changed his path, but Fidone feels the destination hasn’t changed at all.
After undergoing questions, examinations and tests galore at the combine, the tight end feels right where he wants to be physically.
“They don’t expect me to do as well as I do with two ACLs and my history, so I enjoy when teams ask me to do extra stuff and show explosiveness,” Fidone said.
Since ending their season in late December, the former Husker players have spread out across the country to train and accomplish their goals.
Running back Rahmir Johnson, the MVP of Nebraska’s bowl game win, took a week off to recover then immediately set up shop in Minneapolis over the last two months.
After adding over 20 pounds to his frame, Johnson was happy to put up 19 reps in the bench press while still running a strong 40-yard dash.
“I left it out on the field; the resume’s out so now it’s up to the scouts to see if they like it or not,” Johnson said.
MJ Sherman, meanwhile, spent his time training at the Exos location in Canton, Georgia.
It was a different type of work than the notoriously difficult mat drills that preceded Sherman’s two seasons as a Husker — and that’s why he felt well-prepared for the Pro Day workouts.
“When I was training in Georgia, I’d often think about that in the times I’d get tired,” Sherman said. “If I’d feel like I was in a rut or a little bit frustrated, I’d always think, ‘Well, I could be doing mat drills.’”
Others have remained in Lincoln, where Fidone and Robinson plan to spend their remaining weeks this spring ahead of next month's NFL draft.
“There’s no better place to train than what Nebraska’s got to offer,” Robinson said.
From the players who’ll move on to the next level to those who fall just short, Tuesday’s Pro Day marked the end of an era for all.
As the former Huskers worked out indoors, Nebraska practiced for the second time this spring on its outdoor fields. Players began trickling in by noon, some still wearing their shoulder pads, as they observed the drills.
Head coach Matt Rhule also shared smiles and hugs with his former players.
For many of them, Tuesday’s Pro Day will have marked the final time they could wear the ‘N’ while officially representing the Husker football program.
The NFL awaits for some and a new chapter for others.
“I just thank God every day that my legacy ended up here at Nebraska,” Sherman said. “… They got the best out of me.”
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