BROOKINGS — As the 10 athletes in attendance for South Dakota State football Pro Day lingered near the starting blocks for the 40-yard dash, Aerosmith's 1973 classic "Dream On" played softly over the speakers in the SJAC.
It felt appropriate.
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More than 20 NFL scouts were in attendance, and for the competitors hoping to impress them, this was where their dream of playing professional football would either gain momentum or die on the vine.
Unlike in past years where standouts like Dallas Goedert, Jordan Brown, Pierre Strong, Tucker Kraft, Isaiah Davis and Mason McCormick were certain draft picks looking to improve their stock, it's most likely that nobody from South Dakota State will be taken in next month's draft.
But the NFL is littered with former FCS and Division II standouts who were not drafted, signed as rookie free agents and worked their way up the ladder to an NFL roster, and that's a path those competing Wednesday are prepared to take.
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Adam Bock of SDSU competes in the vertical jump during Pro Day on Wednesday, March 26 2025 at the SJAC in Brookings.
Matt Zimmer/Sioux Falls Live
"Wherever I go I'm gonna scratch and claw to make the most out of any opportunity," said linebacker Adam Bock. "Whether it's in the draft or in free agency, whoever picks me up is gonna get somebody who works hard, is very consistent and will make the most of every opportunity he gets."
That mindset was shared by all who competed on Wednesday.
Bock, running back Amar Johnson, cornerbacks Dalys Beanum and Steven Arrell, center Gus Miller, defensive tackle Jarod De Priest, H-back Kevin Brenner and offensive tackle Marcus Hicks were the SDSU participants, along with former O'Gorman receivers Canyon Bauer and Zach Norton. Bauer began his career at SDSU and finished at Augustana while Norton had 251 career catches at NAIA Morningside.
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SDSU tight end Kevin Brenner runs the 40-yard dash at Pro Day on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at the SJAC in Brookings.
Matt Zimmer/Sioux Falls Live
None of these athletes had the kind of eye-opening performance of, say, former USF linebacker Dennis Gardeck, whose legendary 2018 Pro Day performance took him from unknown to the Arizona Cardinals (for whom he still plays today). But most of SDSU's contenders ran well, and did some good things in other events to likely have them on several teams' lists of guys to call after the draft is over.
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Bock is perhaps the most well-rounded of the group.
A five-year starter for the Jacks, the 6-0, 225-pounder did 23 reps of 225 pounds on the bench and ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.6 seconds while clearing 32 inches in the vertical jump.
"I felt like I had a solid day," Bock said. "Everything can't be perfect. There are a few things I think I could've done better but overall a solid day, I thought. It's a lot of work leading up to one day and one shot so there's always a little bit of nerves. You just want to be at your absolute best and perform the best you can."
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SDSU offensive tackle Marcus Hicks performs the broad jump during Pro Day on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at the SJAC in Brookings.
Matt Zimmer/Sioux Falls Live
Johnson had a good day as well. The 5-10, 205-pounder rushed for 1,222 yards and 14 touchdowns last year, and on Wednesday ran a 4.4 in the 40, did 21 reps on the bench and reached 32 inches in the vertical.
"I just got to give it to God — I prayed about this every day and I knew it would be in the small details that would make me run faster," Johnson said. "Eating right, trusting in my agent — it's kind of hard going somewhere and then you're not training for football, you're training for speed, and trusting people you don't even really know that they're gonna get you to the right place. I just trusted that for three months straight and put the work in day in and day out and it showed today."
Johnson, of course, spent most of his career sharing carries with Isaiah Davis and Pierre Strong, who are now both in the NFL. Johnson took advantage of his one season as the primary ballcarrier, and Strong and Davis' success at the next level certainly bodes well for Johnson as he tries to follow in their footsteps.
"That gives me a lot of confidence, seeing guys from the FCS work hard and get to the NFL," said Johnson, who also took reps at punt returner, knowing he'll have to show special teams acumen to get a chance. "For a guy like me from the FCS you got to prove yourself even more. At the end of the day special teams is a way to stay on the team. I'm giving the team all I got in whatever they need me to do so I can establish myself on the team and work my way up to (running back)."
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SDSU cornerback Dalys Beanum is measured by an NFL scout for the vertical jump during Pro Day on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at the SJAC in Brookings.
Matt Zimmer/Sioux Falls Live
Beanum ran a 4.4 in the 40, though his six reps in the bench press is a potential red flag. He was one of the most consistent cover corners in the FCS throughout his career and one of the team's most steady leaders. SDSU coaches like his chances of impressing a team if he gets a shot.
Arrell and Hicks both did well in the vertical, with Arrell clearing 36 inches and Hicks 34.5, which is among the highest of any offensive line prospects.
Arrell and Hicks both played sparingly, but have tools that could make them attractive. Arrell is a 6-3 corner who also ran a 4.6 40, while Hicks is a former Oklahoma Sooner with impressive strength and athleticism. DePriest and Miller also had a strong all-around day, while Bauer showed impressive athleticism, which included a 38-inch vertical.
The draft is set for April 24-25 in Green Bay. Rookie free agent offers will begin to trickle in soon after the draft ends. That means these guys have a month to stay in shape and continue working so they're ready if an opportunity presents itself.
"The other (Jackrabbits) who have made it, that kind of puts us on the map a little bit," Bock said. "I really look up to those guys and that gives me a lot of confidence that I know I can do this, I know I can play with the best of the best. All it takes is an opportunity."
Matt Zimmer
By Matt Zimmer
Matt Zimmer is a Sioux Falls native and longtime sports writer. He graduated from Washington High School where he played football, legion baseball and developed his lifelong love of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. After graduating from St. Cloud State University, he returned to Sioux Falls, and began a long career in amateur baseball and sports reporting. Email Matt at mzimmer@siouxfallslive.com.