Future Knights Under Lights: Greg Schiano speaks about 14 Rutgers football participants at Pro Day
It was a day that they were all anticipating. Pro Day.
On Thursday, ahead of the 2024 draft, 14 players on the Rutgers football team showcased their talent to 40 NFL personnel from 30 teams in the Bubble across from SHI Stadium on Busch campus. These players participated in the usual drills: 40-yard dash, vertical jump, positional work and more.
Among those players participating were senior defensive backs Kessawn Abraham, Charles Amankwaa, junior defensive back Max Melton, senior defensive linemen Mayan Ahanotu and Isaiah Iton, senior tight ends Shawn Bowman and Johnny Langan, senior linebackers Deion Jennings and Dominick Williams, senior offensive lineman Ireland Brown, senior wide receivers JaQuae Jackson and Isaiah Washington, senior placekicker Jude McAtamney and junior defensive back Trevor Yeboah-Kodie.
Only Melton took part in the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. So, for the 13 other players, this was a huge step in their football careers as scouts watched.
Head coach Greg Schiano's advice for his players before Pro Day was simple.
"The reality is, all you can do is the best you can do," Schiano said. "If you've prepared, if you paid the price, go out and let it fly. The chips are gonna fall where they're gonna fall anyway, so why fret about it?"
Schiano spoke about Washington and Jackson, two young receivers who showed their potential in front of scouts on Thursday.
"I think they have an opportunity to really climb as they show what they can do," Schiano said. "Isaiah really played his best football in the last year of his career, and (Jackson) ... I think he's going to be a guy (who) can play in this league — he's just gonna have to get more repetitions."
Another pass catcher looking to play in the NFL is Langan, whom Schiano commends for his versatility.
"I think he can do a lot of things. I think he's a very viable tight-end, off-the-line guy, move guy. I think he's an excellent special teams player. It's really unfortunate that the injury has kept him (out). He had the surgery and he's recovering, but he's not quite ready to go do this stuff yet," Schiano said. "I know he loves football, and I know that he'll be persistent with it. He's going to help somebody's team."
Recently, the Scarlet Knights have produced a lot of talented and accomplished defensive backs including Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty, Logan Ryan and Christian Izien. The next big name at that position coming out of Rutgers appears to be Melton who has shot up draft board projections recently.
Schiano briefly discussed what makes the Knights a university that sports NFL-worthy defensive backs.
"I coached the secondary my whole life, so I probably put more emphasis on it than other positions," Schiano said. "We've been blessed to have a lot of really fine players come at that position to Rutgers, but there is a tradition of (Rutgers) defensive backs playing in the league."
These 14 players' dreams could have been decided by their performances at the Pro Day. If their names are called in the draft, it will be an incredible milestone in their lives.
"It only takes 1 of the 32 teams to think that this guy is a worthy pick at that slot," Schiano said.
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