Prospect Update: Boston College DTs

Per the AssociatedPress.com:

"B.J. Raji and Ron Brace gave three NFL talent evaluators a close look at what Boston College opponents had to handle: two of the best defensive tackles in college football.

In the bubble that covers the school's football field during the winter, they were the top players among about 40 from New England schools working out for scouts and assistant coaches for pro teams on Thursday.

"It's going to be great on April 25 to see both of us go" early in the draft, Raji said.

He is considered the top defensive tackle in the draft and could go as high as No. 4 to Seattle, which had the third-worst defense in the NFL last season. He almost certainly will be taken in the top half of the first round.

Brace figures to be chosen in the second round, giving a school known for turning out offensive linemen another strong position in the draft.

"That shows the prestige of our school, our linemen," Brace said.

Both attended the NFL combine in Indianapolis last month. Their workout Thursday was just a small part of their evaluations and lasted about 25 minutes, with the players running, displaying their footwork and rushing at a tackling pad held by Cleveland Browns defensive line coach Bryan Cox, a former NFL linebacker."

Boston College Pro Day

Per NFL Prospect analyst Gil Brandt:

One of the most interesting prospects at Boston College’s pro day was LB Brian Toal. At 6-0 1/4, 228 pounds, he probably doesn’t have the size to play linebacker at the pro level, but he is a good athlete. He worked out at both safety and fullback and is the kind of player who belongs on the field, he just has to find the right position. He ran a 4.65 and 4.67 in the 40, had a 37 1/2-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot broad jump, a 4.45 short shuttle, a 7.03 three-cone drill and 15 bench press reps.

He and the rest of the prospects ran on the game field under a bubble. Twenty teams were there, including three defensive Line coaches and also Jets assistant GM Scott Cohen. Ten players worked out from B.C. and 25 players worked out from Boston-area schools.

Here are the notable prospects:

DT B.J. Raji (6-1 1/4, 330 pounds) kept everything from combine, did positional drills.

DT Ron Brace (6-2 3/4, 331 pounds) ran 5.55 and 5.51 in the 40, kept everything else from the combine and did position workouts.

LB Kevin Atkins (6-2, 219 pounds) ran 4.76 and 4.73 in the 40 and kept everything else from the combine. He was worked out as a safety.

TE Ryan Purvis (6-3 3/4, 254 pounds) ran 4.95 twice in the 40, had a 4.61 short shuttle, a 7.25 three-cone drill, a 29-inch vertical, an 8-foot, 7-inch broad jump and put up 19 lifts.

Robert Fancios (6-2 1/4, 244 pounds) ran 4.61 and 4.59 in the 40, had a 35 1/2-inch vertical, a 9-foot, 10-inch broad jump, a 4.34 in the short shuttle, a 7.11 three-cone drill and kept bench press from combine.

Brian Toal — Real interesting guy. LB, 6-0 1/4, 228. 4.65 and 4.67 in the 40. 37.5-inch vertical, 10-0 broad, 4.45 short, 7.03 cone and 15 bench presses. They worked this guy out as a fullback, safety. He’s a good player that you have to find a position for.

Central Washington Pro Day

As per NFL Prospect analyst Gil Brandt:

Central Washington’s contingent of two players at the combine doubled the number of players from the University of Miami (Fla.) at the combine — and they doubled the number of NFL scouts that came to see them at pro day. Due to heavy snow, there was just one NFL scout on hand — the one who happened to get to town the night before! Prospects ran on an indoor rubber track with spikes (fast), and did drills on the basketball court.

Mike Reilly, a 6-3, 212-pound QB, ran the 40 in 4.74 and 4.75, had a 32 ½-inch vertical jump, and 9-foot long jump.

Jared Bronson, a 6-3 7/8, 254-pound TE, stood on his 40 times at the combine, had a 33-inch vertical jump, 9-foot, 8-inch long jump, and 21 reps in the bench press.

Prospect Update: B.J. Raji

Per NFL.com:

Former Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji was the latest NFL Draft prospect to visit the studios at NFL Network on Wednesday.

Raji chatted it up with NFL.com readers from the infamous Green Room, and he looks the part of a prospect who is right in the middle of the rigorous and non-stop stretch between the end of his college season and April’s draft. It’s a marathon, and the aspect of keeping in shape for the Combine and Pro Day workouts while traveling extensively is difficult. Raji has been preparing for the Scouting Combine and his Pro Day workout with other NFL hopefuls at Velocity Sports Performance in Southern California since early January. He’s wrapping up his training this week — his Pro Day is March 12.

Raji said he has no preference of whether he plays tackle in a 3-4 defense or end in a 4-3 scheme; he played several positions at BC and feels he can do either. Trying to pry out of him several times what team he really wants to play for, he said he just wants to be picked as high as possible. Understandable. Raji did echo the sentiments of many other prospects about the interview process at the Combine — it’s tremendously difficult to get a true indication of which teams are really interested in you.

Here’s the way Raji breaks down among some of our NFL experts: He’s the top-rated defensive tackle and No. 11 overall prospect on Mike Mayock’s top-20 list; NFL Network analyst Charles Davis has him going to Denver at No. 12; NFL senior writer Steve Wyche pegs him at No. 4 overall to the Seahawks; Pat Kirwan also has him slated at No. 12 overall to the Broncos.