2025 USF Pro Day Recap

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Another key pro day for the NFL Draft process is in the books!

On Wednesday morning, the University of South Florida held its annual Pro Day for its draft-eligible players. Whether on the defensive or offensive side of the ball, the Bulls had plenty of prospective pros ready to show off their abilities one more time to the scouts in attendance for the event.

However, USF football players were not the only ones participating.

In addition to the Bulls, players from the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program participated in today’s festivities. Ranging from a variety of countries, these players bring a good amount of untapped potential and upside to prospective NFL teams. It is no surprise, then, that all 32 NFL teams, along with some CFL teams, had scouts in Tampa on Wednesday.

With boots on the ground at the event, I was able to watch the vast majority of athletic testing and positional work from the day. If you are wondering about standout Bulls, IPP players, or just overall thoughts from the event, you are in the right place. Follow along as we recap today’s University of South Florida Football Pro Day!

Testing Observations

Regarding testing, there were some eye-popping performances across the various workouts on Wednesday.

On the USF side, the Bulls had a few key performers in their linebacker room. DJ Gordon and Jamie Pettway both registered numbers of over 20 reps on the bench press; Gordon put up 24 reps, while Pettway finished just behind him at 23. Both players had broad jumps just under 10 feet, with Gordon having a 9’9 and Pettway having a 9’7. Pettway also registered a solid 7.18 3-cone drill and a very impressive 36-inch vertical jump.

On the offensive side of things, running back Nay’Quan Wright posted an impressive 21 reps on the bench press and a blazing 4.38 in the 40-yard dash. Not to be outdone by his teammate, wideout Michael Brown-Stephens jumped out of the gym(or fieldhouse) with a 36.5-inch vertical and 10’6 broad jump.

For the NFL’s IPP participants, the testing numbers were just as impressive, if not even more so.

EDGE Mapalo “Maz” Mwansa, who hails from the United Kingdom and Zambia, had one of the best overall testing performances of the day. He posted 25 reps on the bench, a 38.5-inch vertical, and a 10’5 broad jump. The numbers show elite explosiveness and athleticism that could be unlocked by the right organization.

Outside of Mwansa, TJ Maguranyanga of Zimbabwe posted 26 reps on the bench press, while Germany’s Leander Wiegand posted a ridiculous 38 reps on the bench press. He also notched an 8’10 broad jump and a 32-inch vertical jump, an impressive number for his size and position.

Additionally, Jordan Petaia of Australia and Joachim Trouabal of France posted broad jumps of 10 feet or more; Petaia hit 10’4, while Trouabal hit 10 feet directly on the nose.

On-Field Standouts

Testing can tell one part of the story about a player; between achieving certain thresholds or putting up eye-popping numbers, they can help the naked eye determine if someone “looks” like a professional football player. However, a second key aspect to this equation is on-field testing. At USF’s Pro Day, there were a good handful to talk about.

On the offensive line, I was a big fan of how RJ Perry Jr. moved and performed in the drills. It is one thing for an offensive lineman to show power and no footwork, but Perry is not that. While not the best straight-line mover, he was the best lateral mover out of the three players in his group. Perry showed powerful hands, good mirroring ability, and even flashed some speed once he got downhill.

Additionally, Leander Wiegand was a good performer in the drill work. The German showed some solid movement skills and footwork, keeping up with the other two players in his group. However, Wiegand made some noise with his power, and not just metaphorically. The lineman’s hands created a very loud pop whenever he hit the bag, showing that his bench press translates to on-field work.

The edge rushers, however, may have been my favorite group of the entire day.

For USF, Jason Vaughn was simply phenomenal during the drill work portions of the Bulls’ Pro Day. The edge rusher had impeccable footwork, good speed, and high-level change of direction. Once it came to pass-rushing drills, Vaughn showed good skill with hand placement and very nice power to pop the bags with. In short, he was one of the best players on the field today.

Internationally, some testing champions were able to translate their explosiveness onto the field.

TJ Maguranyanga(number 5), Paschal Ekeji Jr (number 11), and Mapalo “Maz” Mwansa (number 2) all had great performances during their drill work. Even with some stumbles involved, the three International Player Pathway Program products flew through bag work. Their feet were fast and efficient, not wasting any movement in the slightest.

In the pass-rushing drills, Maguranyanga and Mwansa showed surprising hand usage and power. They looked like players who, with some more coaching, could make an impact on a defense playing in space.

Linebackers and defensive backs worked together during on-field drills, which ended up producing some more standouts. USF’s Jamie Pettway translated his good testing day onto the field for the entire portion of his workout. He was smooth and controlled in his movements while also displaying the explosiveness and twitch necessary to play linebacker at a high level.

At defensive back, France’s Maceo Beard jumped out immediately as one of the more natural movers on the entire field. While Maguranyanga and Mwansa showed off great movement skills once again, Beard had a level of precision with his movements that made up for any athletic shortcomings. He was lightning-quick in and out of his breaks, showed great ball skills, and was fluid in everything that he did.

Finally, we arrive at the pass catchers. I had two main standouts from this group, along with some players that caught my eye at times.

In terms of the standouts, Aaron Sexton from Ireland and Sean Atkins from USF were my two favorite wideouts on the day. I am a big proponent of route-running and the nuances that go into it; in my opinion, it is one of the key things that can determine if a player can succeed at the next level. Both Sexton and Atkins displayed a high-level of feel and skill in this area on Wednesday; there were no false moves, and every move they took was intentional. Additionally, both players showed off nice hands, body control, and speed during their drill work.

Here are the other players that caught my eye during the final portion of the USF Pro Day:

  • Ta’Ron Keith: He showed nice shiftiness and speed as a receiver, along with good route running out of the backfield.
  • Kelley Joiner: On top of the speed, Joiner showed great hands throughout the on-field drills.
  • Nathaniel Salmon: The young tight end was a smooth route runner, showed great hands, and flashed some upside as a blocker. He is someone I am keeping an eye on going forward.

Final Takeaways

The 2025 USF Pro Day was very fun and exciting, whether due to the environment or the players’ performances. But in summation, here are my overall “winners” of the day:

  • Jamie Pettway, LB
  • Nay’Quan Wright, RB
  • Michael Brown-Stephens, WR
  • Jason Vaughn, EDGE
  • RJ Perry Jr., OL
  • Sean Atkins, WR
  • Mapalo “Maz” Mwansa, EDGE/LB
  • TJ Maguranyanga, EDGE/LB
  • Leander Wiegand, OL
  • Paschal Ekeji Jr, EDGE
  • Maceo Beard, DB
  • Aaron Sexton, WR

Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2023 with a Communications Degree, a concentration in Multimedia Journalism, and a minor in Broadcasting. Received an M.A. in Communication from Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2024. Wrote for Jets Insider for two years, previously hosted a Knicks podcast for Let's Talk Knicks, and contributed to Inside the Iggles. Currently a writer for Jets X-Factor. Avid movie watcher, gym goer, music listener, and MMA fan.

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