Pro Days Arrive In Volunteer State

By Larry Stone March 15, 2010

NFL scouts and front office personnel will make their way to the Volunteer State this week as pro days continue.

The busiest day of the week comes Wednesday when pro day activities take place in Knoxville. Tennessee safety Eric Berry and defensive tackle Dan Williams are both considered top 20 selections.

At last month's NFL Combine, Berry ran a 4.47 40-yard dash and completed a 43-inch vertical leap. He weighed in at 211 pounds on a 5-11 1/2 frame.

"I feel like I'm the best player in the draft because I bring a lot to the table," Berry said. "I can do pretty much anything the coaches ask me to. I can play free or strong, or nickel corner. You don't have to bring in the nickel package for me because I can cover up the slot based on regular personnel. There's pretty much a lot I bring to the table. If you want to compare the big playmaking ability, I did it all throughout my college career. As soon as I stepped foot on campus, I was a starter for three years. Never missed a game due to injury. Never missed a snap."

In the earliest mock drafts, Berry looked to be a top three pick. As team needs were more thoroughly integrated into player grades, Berry has fallen. In the latest mock drafts, Berry goes as early as number five to the Chiefs, according to ESPN's Mel Kiper, seventh to Cleveland, according to Peter Schrager of Fox Sports, or to Jacksonville at number ten, according to Pat Kirwin of NFL.Com.

Williams, who weighed in at 6-2, 327 pounds last month, generally rates only behind Gerald McCoy and Ndamukong Suh at defensive tackle. His stock has risen after totaling 61 tackles in his senior season.

"I can’t really control who says who is better," Williams said. "All I can do is perform. If you want to say who is better, you can put Dan Williams’ film against
anybody’s film. That is my resume and that is what I can go by."

A total of 19 University of Tennessee prospects are draft eligible. NFL Draft Scout Dot Com ranks four Volunteers among its top 150 prospects: Berry, Williams, quarterback Jonathan Crompton, and running back Montario Hardesty.

On the way to Knoxville for Wednesday's workouts, scouts will visit Eastern Kentucky Tuesday and Carson Newman Wednesday. Middle Tennessee State will host its pro day Thursday. Friday, scouts will attend Pro Day at Tennessee Tech and Vanderbilt.

NFL Draft Scout Dot Com ranks cornerback Myron Lewis and offensive tackle Thomas Welch as top 225 prospects. At the combine, Lewis ranked among the top ten cornerbacks in the broad jump, with a jump of 10'6". Lewis weighed in at 203 pounds on his 6-2 frame.

Welch used an injury to another player as an opportunity to show scouts what he could do at the Senior Bowl. Welch, 6-7, 307, ranks among the top 20 prospects at offensive tackle.

"My coaching staff at Vanderbilt got me prepared for the system that I think I am going to run at the next level and physically I got a lot bigger and stronger since I was at Vanderbilt," Welch said.