Pro Day Watch: Michigan, BYU, Virginia Tech, more

In the wake of the cancellation of the NFL Scouting Combine, the focus has turned to college “pro days” for scouting for the 2021 NFL Draft. Here is a breakdown of Friday’s Pro Days.

Michigan

Michigan is known for producing NFL talent. And there is a large class of prospects from the Wolverines who could be on the Giants radar.

One commonly projected to the Giants’ 11th pick is defensive lineman Kwity Paye. Paye checked in at 6-foot-4, 261 pounds on Friday and ran a blistering 4.54 40-yard dash.

Much like fellow Big 10 defensive end prospect Jayson Oweh, however, Paye’s production raises some questions. While 100 total tackles with 23.5 for a loss over four seasons is nothing to scoff at, his 11.5 sacks in that same time frame is not what you would expect from a top-15 player in the draft. He only had two sacks all of last season as well. He is certainly very talented and athletic, but would the Giants take the gamble at 11?

Another prospect to watch is tackle Jaylen Mayfield. At 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, he has the prototype size for an NFL lineman and could be served well playing on the interior.

Wide receiver Nico Collins and cornerback Ambry Thomas are players who could interest the Giants on Day 2 or early on Day 3. Here is how they tested.

For all Michigan results: https://michigan.rivals.com/news/pro-day-results-released-for-several-of-the-wolverines-in-action-today

Virginia Tech

Following the news of Caleb Farley’s surgery, the name to watch in Blacksburg is tackle Christian Darrisaw. At 6-foot-5, 313 pounds, Darrisaw has the physical components of an NFL tackle. Earning First Team All-ACC Honors in 2020, Darrisaw has showcased tremendous growth and looks to be a starting-level player on Day 1. In the same area as a guy like Rashawn Slater, Darrisaw could be an interesting option for a team in the mid-first round.

BYU

Now, of course, the main draw at BYU today is QB Zach Wilson. Projected by some to go No. 2 overall to the Jets, Wilson won’t impact the Giants.

However, Wilson’s blindside protector Brady Christensen has been showing out today in front of the NFL (including the Giants).