Fresno State football hosts 2024 Pro Day
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno State football played host to another pro day in front of scouts from 20 different NFL teams Monday morning.
Eleven draft-eligible Bulldogs got a chance to show off their skills through weight training evaluations and on-field drills, but nobody may have been happier with their performance than Sanger High grad Morice Norris Jr.
When asked what grade he would give himself, the former Bulldog defensive back did not hold back.
"A++," Norris Jr. said.
The former Sanger Apache basketball standout turned Fresno State nickelback led all players with a 38" vertical and a 10'4" broad jump.
"I be dunking on people, I'm telling you," Norris Jr. said.
Norris Jr. said the Philadelphia Eagles have shown some love for his athleticism, liking his ability to play multiple defensive back positions.
"Philly's a nice place to play, man," Norris Jr. said. So if they want to come grab me, they can. They saw what I did out here today."
Bulldog defensive end and Modesto native Isaiah Johnson also had a solid day.
"I feel like a big weight is off my shoulders right now," Johnson said.
The 6'2, 236lb DE ran an impressive 4.33 shuttle drill -- .02 faster than Bulldog WR Jaelen Gill.
"I change direction pretty well. I think I showcased that," Johnson said.
Johnson added that over the past few months, he's worked on expanding to outside linebacker drills.
"When I was here at Fresno State, I played a lot more defensive end," Johnson said. I just kind of wanted to fine-tune my backer drills, drop and open up my hips, and I think I did a pretty great job of that."
Last season's starting linebacker and defensive captain, Levelle Bailey, was disappointed with his unofficial 4.7-second 40-yard dash.
"Feel like I'm faster than that, but numbers never lie," Bailey said.
Bailey said the San Francisco 49ers liked his regular-season tape in coverage, in which he grabbed three interceptions during the '23 season.
"They were saying they liked that about my game," Bailey said. "They're a linebacker-based team."
The biggest question of the day - what would cornerback Carlton Johnson run the 40-yard dash in?
As the only Fresno State invite to this year's NFL combine, Johnson did not run the 40 in Indianapolis due to hamstring issues this offseason.
"The main thing I learned was availability was the best ability," Johnson said.
Johnson said he tweaked his hamstring during Monday's drills.
"Imagine stepping into an interview knowing you don't have all your supplies, but you still gotta do it," Johnson said. "So, probably feel every emotion that you can imagine."
Despite being unable to finish all the drills, Johnson churned out a blazing 4.28, 40-yard dash to lead the field.
"Injuries are injuries as a ballplayer," Johnson said. "You gotta battle through them."
Round 1 of the NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 25th in Detroit.
You can watch the broadcast starting at 5:00 pm PT right here on ABC30.
Fresno State hosted representatives from 20 NFL teams on Monday: Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers (two representatives), Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Washington Commanders.
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