National Football League

Jaelen Strong, Damarious Randall make good of ASU football pro day

Published Mar. 6, 2015 4:54 p.m. ET

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TEMPE, Ariz. -- While the timing results of Arizona State football's mini-combine on Friday were only as accurate as one's finger to a stopwatch can be, it did give a good feel for where several Sun Devils stand as the NFL Draft approaches.

It's hard to imagine a poor performance at such a pro day would hurt a player like Jaelen Strong, who is projected to go in the first-round. But it is an opportunity for others like Marcus Hardison or Damarious Randall to help their stock. Even more so, it was important for a player like quarterback Taylor Kelly, who was not invited to the NFL Combine, to show his skills in front of scouts from every NFL team.

Here's how they did, what they said and how they looked.

After a strong NFL Combine performance quieted detractors of Strong's biggest question mark (his speed), the physical receiver got in some drills Friday and also worked with Taylor Kelly during a throwing portion of the pro day. Strong did well (4.19 seconds) on a 20-yard shuttle drill that timed back-and-forth speed. He finished the 3-cone drill at 7.33 seconds, but nothing that occurred Friday will likely shake up his stock.

Where he excelled: Strong said he wanted to "get in and out of breaks" well during his route-running on Friday.

What's his stock looking like: The 40-yard dash of 4.44 seconds at the combine settled that mystery and likely pushed Strong into the first round. The other knock, his unpolished routes, was addressed at ASU's pro day. "The biggest thing for me was speed. I knew what I was going to go out there and do at the combine," he said.

What's next: Strong will spend a little more time with his family now that he's well-positioned in the draft. Making it to the NFL will be emotional. "Watching Vince Young go, watching Reggie Bush go, I remember all that," Strong said. "It's a big thing for me. To actually hear my name called and see my name pop up on the screen, I might shed a tear."

Kelly doesn't have prototypical NFL quarterback measurables, but he was set on showing what made him a winning player in three seasons for the Sun Devils. Kelly's speed stood out, as did a modified release, though he missed on a few throws working with Strong.

Where he excelled: Kelly ran a 40-yard time somewhere in the 4.5- to 4.6-second range. He also did well in the agility drills, but he believes some questions were answered about his arm as well. "My throwing mechanics, I can throw any route that they have in the NFL," he said. "The deep posts, the comebacks, the in-cuts -- I thought we did that pretty well with the guys that we had."

Since the Sun Bowl, Kelly worked on his throwing mechanics for eight weeks. The motion is now more circular. "I was really just lifting the football, and now I'm just dropping it and making a circle and getting more velocity on the football," he said.

What's his stock looking like: Kelly could be a late-round pick or an undrafted free agent because of the many questions about his arm strength.

What's next: Kelly will head home to Idaho and expects to have a draft party when the time comes. First, he has a visit with the Arizona Cardinals on Monday.

Of any ASU player eligible for the draft, Randall has likely seen his stock increase the most since the end of the season. The defensive back could be used as a big cornerback, free safety or nickel. His NFL Combine performance, which included a 4.46 40-yard dash and a 38-inch vertical, helped his cause. He put in a 35-inch vertical Friday -- without stretching, he might add -- but otherwise did corner workouts.

Where he excelled: A healthier diet -- while staying away from the typical college fare of noodles and snacks -- has resulted in a 14-pound weight gain since the end of the season. "With me weighing 198 pounds, that just shows I can carry the weight and I can play nickel," he said.

What's his stock looking like: Randall said he's heard talk of him being a second-rounder because some teams might rank him as the No. 2 safety on the board.

What's next: Eleven teams will visit with Randall, and seven to nine will fly him to their facilities before Day 1 of the draft. Super Bowl participants New England and Seattle are among the teams he'll meet with. What will Randall do on draft day? "I'm probably going to be playing FIFA (video soccer)," he said. "I'm just going to be taking in the process and enjoying the moment."

Hardison likely did the most to boost his draft stock on Friday. He put in a 25.5-inch vertical jump and an 8-foot-11 broad jump, per NFL.com.

Where he excelled: For weighing in at 305 pounds, Hardison looked both fast in the 40-yard dash -- clocked between 4.80 and 4.90 seconds -- and agile in drills. "I think I kind of had personal records out here today," Hardison said. "I'm over here complaining to one of the scouts. He's trying to play me said I ran a 4.92, I said, man, that's a 4.8."

What's his stock looking like: Hardison could be solidifying a place as a middle-round pick. His versatility along the defensive line should pay dividends, but he said his stock took off in the Senior Bowl, when scouts liked him playing the 3-technique, the quicker defensive tackle in a four-man front. "I don't really pay attention to it, to be honest with you," Hardison said. "It only takes one team to like you. I'll be honored if I get drafted."

What's next: Working out to prepare for the football field rather than the combine drills is next on Hardison's list.

Douglas didn't like where he was at the combine, and his pro day allowed him to reset some of his agility numbers, especially in the 3-cone drill (7.73 seconds) and the shuttle (4.58 seconds). "I improved on some things since the combine," he said.

Where he excelled: Showing his versatility was most important, especially in the NFL, where teams expect their offensive linemen to be capable of filling in a multiple positions because of roster-size limitations. "Versatility, athleticism, show them how explosive I can be," Douglas said.

What's his stock looking like: A projected middle- to late-round selection, Douglas expects that he will ultimately be positioned at guard. He's gained about 10 pounds since the season. "You know, up-tempo offense, you can't really get too heavy in Coach (Todd) Graham's offense," he said. "To be honest, around 315, I think I would be good around there."

What's next: The Bengals, Cardinals and Lions are among Douglas' five scheduled visits.

Bench press: OL Tyler Sulka (18 reps)

Standing vertical jump: Damarious Randall (35 inches)

40-yard dash: Former ASU DB LeQuan Lewis (unofficial 4.40 seconds)

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