K-State draft hopefuls showcase skills for 25 NFL teams, including Chiefs, at Pro Day
Having no attendees at the NFL Scouting Combine proved no problem for Kansas State’s Pro Day.
Scouts from 25 NFL teams converged Wednesday morning in Manhattan to put a group of 13 draft hopefuls, which included KSU running back James Gilbert, wide receiver Dalton Schoen, offensive lineman Nick Kaltmayer, tackle Scott Frantz and punter Devin Anctil, through measurements, timed drills and individual position drills.
For the players participating in the event, the large number of scouts, including a Chiefs representative, showed the school has plenty of talent for NFL teams to consider for the 2020 NFL Draft.
“I think it definitely shows we had a great class last year and we got some really good talent here,” Kaltmayer said. “I think it shows that there are a lot of guys at Kansas State, the program as a whole — that really you can be looked at and sometimes get overlooked. But it was good to have all those scouts here. They saw that we have talent here.”
Schoen agreed.
“I think we have a great group of guys,” Schoen said. “It’s cool for me because this is our senior class, the guys we came in with five years ago. … We’ve been working for this for five years as a group, so it was a really cool moment. I’m glad to see all the scouts out here.”
The talent on display Wednesday helped the Wildcats to an 8-5 record in 2019, and 15 KSU players earned All-Big 12 honors. Anctil and Frantz garnered second-team selections, while Gilbert, Kaltmayer and Schoen received honorable mentions.
Still, none of the K-State players received an invitation to Indianapolis to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine, which this year drew 337 draft prospects from around the country.
While the players appreciated Wednesday’s opportunity to showcase their skills in front of NFL teams, the combine snubs provided some extra motivation.
“I felt like I knew what I could do,” Schoen said. “I’ve had people around me telling me that I could do it, and so that for sure adds a little chip on your shoulder not being invited to one of those Senior Bowl-type games or not being invited to the combine. It really makes you want to go out and show you belong and you can do it, too.
Gilbert agreed, and he has personal reasons as a native of Indianapolis and a Ball State transfer.
“It would’ve been a dream come true to be at the combine in my hometown, but it is what it is,” Gilbert said. “I kept working hard. I knew that Pro Day was coming and this was going to be my combine day. So, I prepared well and it was a good process.”
Gilbert’s preparation paid off as one scout clocked him with a 4.59 time in the 40-yard dash and he received an invitation to participate in the Colts’ local Pro Day workout in early April.
Schoen turned heads with a 4.47 time in the 40-yard dash, a mark that would’ve tied him with Mississippi State’s Stephen Guidry, TCU’s Jalen Reagor and Virginia’s Joe Reed for the 15th-fastest time among wide receivers at the combine.
The Blue Valley Northwest grad finished his college career averaging a healthy 17.1 yards per catch and exceeded his personal goal of a 40-yard dash time.
“I was hoping to run low 4.5s, maybe touch 4.4, but I put in a lot of work training here with our strength staff,” Schoen said. “They did an awesome job and I knew when I came out that my rep felt smooth. Then, I heard all my boys who were out here watching started screaming and running towards me because they were all timing on their phones, so I knew it was real good.”
With their Pro Day in the books, the K-State draft prospects now turn attention to the month and a half leading to the NFL draft. They’ll continue training in the next month while hoping to get invited for pre-draft visits with teams or personal workouts.
Whatever happens between now and the draft, the players felt they did their part during K-State’s Pro Day to be on teams’ radar when the annual selection process kicks off in late April.
“I put up some numbers in the weight room I was pretty pleased with,” said Kaltmayer, who knocked out 18 repetitions on the bench press. “I thought it went well when I went out here during the drills.”
“Overall, I think I did good position work,” Gilbert added.
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
