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Nebraska Pro Day: Woodhead impressive for scouts in Lincoln
BY NICK RUBEK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
LINCOLN — The kid who never got his crack at playing for Nebraska at Memorial Stadium returned Wednesday as a man and put on a show right next door.
Former Chadron State running back Danny Woodhead was one of about 20 players who worked out on Nebraska's pro day Wednesday at the Hawks Center. The two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner was the talk of the afternoon, stealing the show from Huskers like Sam Keller, Maurice Purify and Zack Bowman.
Woodhead turned in between a 4.33 and a 4.38 40-yard time, according to his agent, Chris Gittings. He also registered a 38½-inch vertical jump and a pro-agility time of 4.03 seconds. His 40 times would have put him in the top five for all running backs at last month's NFL Combine — an event Woodhead wasn't invited to.
"That wasn't a crush to me," Woodhead said. "To be honest, I haven't been invited to a lot of things my whole life. I was happy with how I did (Wednesday)."
Gittings said the all-time leader in career rushing at the college level could have moved himself into a position to be picked next month at the NFL draft.
"I think an NFL team will give him a shot," Gittings said. "I can't imagine a scenario where an NFL team doesn't want Danny."
For Woodhead, who did not receive a scholarship offer from Nebraska, Wednesday was more about showing what he could do than proving any points. He even mentioned twice that there were "no hard feelings" between himself and NU.
And he apparently impressed some scouts. Former Husker Ben Eisenhart, who also worked out Wednesday, said scouts were turning and looking at each other with impressed looks following Woodhead's 40s.
"I was happy with how I did," Woodhead said. "I just came out and had some fun. I felt like I've gotten a little bit more explosive, a little bit faster."
The measurables that may keep him from getting drafted, however, are his height and weight. Woodhead checked in at 5-foot-7¼ and 197 pounds on Wednesday, down about eight pounds from his weight at the end of the season.
Woodhead said he was nervous Wednesday morning and wasn't able to eat much. So what can he do on a full stomach? Gittings believes that some NFL team should take a chance and find out.
"If there's a team that's not interested in Danny, you've got to wonder how much stock they're putting into the fact that he's 5-7," Gittings said. "He might be one of those guys where everyone thinks he's a free agent and then we have 25 teams fighting for him as a free agent. And that's crazy. If he's that good, he ought to be drafted."
BY NICK RUBEK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
LINCOLN — The kid who never got his crack at playing for Nebraska at Memorial Stadium returned Wednesday as a man and put on a show right next door.
Former Chadron State running back Danny Woodhead was one of about 20 players who worked out on Nebraska's pro day Wednesday at the Hawks Center. The two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner was the talk of the afternoon, stealing the show from Huskers like Sam Keller, Maurice Purify and Zack Bowman.
Woodhead turned in between a 4.33 and a 4.38 40-yard time, according to his agent, Chris Gittings. He also registered a 38½-inch vertical jump and a pro-agility time of 4.03 seconds. His 40 times would have put him in the top five for all running backs at last month's NFL Combine — an event Woodhead wasn't invited to.
"That wasn't a crush to me," Woodhead said. "To be honest, I haven't been invited to a lot of things my whole life. I was happy with how I did (Wednesday)."
Gittings said the all-time leader in career rushing at the college level could have moved himself into a position to be picked next month at the NFL draft.
"I think an NFL team will give him a shot," Gittings said. "I can't imagine a scenario where an NFL team doesn't want Danny."
For Woodhead, who did not receive a scholarship offer from Nebraska, Wednesday was more about showing what he could do than proving any points. He even mentioned twice that there were "no hard feelings" between himself and NU.
And he apparently impressed some scouts. Former Husker Ben Eisenhart, who also worked out Wednesday, said scouts were turning and looking at each other with impressed looks following Woodhead's 40s.
"I was happy with how I did," Woodhead said. "I just came out and had some fun. I felt like I've gotten a little bit more explosive, a little bit faster."
The measurables that may keep him from getting drafted, however, are his height and weight. Woodhead checked in at 5-foot-7¼ and 197 pounds on Wednesday, down about eight pounds from his weight at the end of the season.
Woodhead said he was nervous Wednesday morning and wasn't able to eat much. So what can he do on a full stomach? Gittings believes that some NFL team should take a chance and find out.
"If there's a team that's not interested in Danny, you've got to wonder how much stock they're putting into the fact that he's 5-7," Gittings said. "He might be one of those guys where everyone thinks he's a free agent and then we have 25 teams fighting for him as a free agent. And that's crazy. If he's that good, he ought to be drafted."
