Senior tight end Matt Sokol runs a drill during the annual Pro Day at the Duffy Daugherty Building on Monday, March 18, 2019. (Nic Antaya/The State News)
On March 18, the Duffy Daugherty Football Building was teeming with a lot of potential for the future of eight former Michigan State football players. There were eight participants who performed in front of NFL scouts that included the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Detroit Lions, the Oakland Raiders and the Tennessee Titans.
The four participants who were invited to the NFL Combine — cornerback Justin Layne, wide receiver Felton Davis III, running back LJ Scott and linebacker Andrew Dowell — got a lot of attention. But the four players without an invite — defensive tackle Gerald Owens, tight end Matt Sokol, linebacker Jon Reschke and offensive guard David Beedle — said they felt proud of their workouts Monday.
“It was good to see our guys work out and I thought that they all did a nice job,” head coach Mark Dantonio said. “I think they all have an opportunity. I think Matt Sokol did a nice job out there, he ran crisp routes, caught the ball really well."
Something else worth noting was the amount of time the Detroit Lions worked with Owens, Sokol and Beedle. The Lions spent close to a half hour with the three players and about ten more minutes of drills with Beedle.
“I’ve been working out my feet and offensive line stuff for awhile,” Beedle said after spending most of the season battling injury including sitting out the month of October and most of November before playing in the home finale against Rutgers. “I think the biggest thing was just to show them that I’m healthy all the way around, showing them my arm’s healthy, showing them that I can bench and all of the things they are looking for. I think I did a decent job.”
Reschke said Pro Day was a chance to complete his career at MSU. In 2017, he was kicked off the team for using a racial slur in a text, then suffered an ACL injury the same week. The team and coaches voted to fully reinstate him in July 2018 after the NCAA granted him a sixth year of eligibility, though his scholarship was revoked.
“It’s a blessing to be able to finish my career like this. … At one point, I never thought I would be able to do that, so it’s a relief, ultimately it’s a blessing from God,” Reschke said. “I’m very appreciative to do this workout. Just being able to finish the season with those guys, with my brothers. It’s just a blessing.”
Dantonio spoke about Reschke and the improvements, both mentally and physically, he displayed during the 2018 season.
“He came back after two significant injuries, hadn’t played football for a year and a half," Dantonio said. “If you look at end tape, end of the season tape on him, I think there’s positives there on him as well. He’s a great athlete and a very good player for us.”
Sokol finished the 2018 season on a high note, but was not invited to the NFL Combine and decided to take advantage of Pro Day.
“I just wanted to come out here and give it everything I have and leave everything out there. I’m happy with how I performed. I thought I showed people that I can run,” Sokol said about the chance to work out in front of NFL scouts. “(I have) some interviews coming up later in this process that I’m looking forward to having.”
The 2019 NFL draft will start on April 25 and end on April 27.
