Maryland and Western Michigan Pro Days report: Taulia Tagovailoa struggles to make an impression, OL prospects stand out

Maryland is known for producing standout offensive linemen.

The last major individual pro day of the year took place on Friday, with prospects from Maryland showcasing their skills for NFL scouts. The Big 12 pro day is ongoing, and the following week will see Yale players demonstrating their abilities for scouts, marking the conclusion of the 2024 schedule.

Highlights from Maryland Pro Day

The Terrapins showcased all their players for scouts on Friday, and it is expected that at least six of them will be drafted or signed as PFAs after the seven rounds are over.

The Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, and New England Patriots all had their offensive line coaches present to observe Delmar Glaze and Gottlieb Ayedze. While the players opted not to repeat their combine numbers, they did participate in the shuttles and position drills.

Scouts were highly impressed with Glaze, recognizing his versatility on the offensive line. He is capable of playing both tackle and guard positions, and even center. Although he did not snap during Friday’s workout, it is believed that Glaze has the intelligence and skills to excel at the pivot position. In contrast, Ayedze is seen as a specialist in zone-blocking and is best suited for the guard position.

Following the workout, the teams were convinced that Glaze had a chance to be selected in the later rounds of Day 2, although it is more probable that he will be chosen in the fourth round. On the other hand, Ayedze is expected to be picked in the latter half of Day 3.

Glaze has three official-30 visits scheduled on his upcoming calendar, one of which is with the Baltimore Ravens.

Despite facing challenges with a hamstring injury since the Senior Bowl and an additional oblique injury, safety Beau Brade managed to record times of 4.63 seconds in the 40, 6.89 seconds in the three-cone, and 4.23 seconds in the short shuttle. He also completed 15 reps on the bench.

Despite being snubbed from the combine, cornerback Ja’Quan Sheppard managed to clock in at 4.52 seconds in the 40-yard dash before experiencing a hamstring injury during his second attempt. He also recorded a 10-foot-1 broad jump and persevered through position drills, which were led by the New York Giants. Sheppard has also been invited for official-30 visits with both the Green Bay Packers and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Despite throwing for scouts, quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has received lukewarm reviews. According to witnesses, Tagovailoa lacked significant arm strength and his longer throws lacked speed and were even described as wobbly. Additionally, the quarterback, who did not receive an invite to the combine, did not participate in any testing on Friday.

Highlights from Western Michigan’s Pro Day

There is a new front-runner in the clubhouse. As I mentioned earlier this week, I reported on Khristian Boyd, the defensive tackle from Northern Iowa, who I confirmed has received 15 official-30 visits.

WMU pass rusher Marshawn Kneeland has surpassed that number with 16 visits already scheduled on his calendar. This is a remarkable amount, especially considering he also participated in the combine and Senior Bowl.

Kneeland has already visited or plans to visit several teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Bucs, Indianapolis Colts, and Washington Commanders.

Upon examining the list and considering Kneeland’s ideal weight of 275 pounds, it appears that the majority of teams view him as a potential 4-3 defensive end.