Insider notes on Oklahoma, Kentucky, Western Michigan pro days: Top prospects on display ft. Maxwell Hairston

Tuesday saw three major programs participate in pro days, as Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Tennessee prospects displayed their skills for scouts. Here’s the latest on the Wildcats and Sooners pro days, as well as some additional notes from Monday’s workout at Western Michigan.

Insider notes on Oklahoma Pro Day

In the past, the Oklahoma pro day was a mini-combine attended regularly by coaches and general managers, but not Tuesday. It was primarily scouts on hand, and only a pair of teams, Dallas and New England, sent more than just a single representative to the workout.

The team has three draftable prospects, and two of them, linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman Jr., stood on all their results from the Indianapolis.

NFL: Combine - Source: Imagn

Both players project as Day 2 picks, and Bowman did meet with the Buffalo Bills, a team that’s in the market for a safety, on Monday night.

Defensive end Trace Ford had a really good workout, timing under 4.6 seconds in the 40 and hitting 36 inches in the vertical jump and 10-foot-2 in the broad. Ford was a player who caught my eye as a draftable prospect three years ago when he played for rival Oklahoma State.

TCU v Oklahoma - Source: Getty

Since 2021, he’s struggled with injury as well as inconsistency and has looked like a fraction of his former self. Still, Ford is a terrific athlete with good size, and Tuesday’s workout will surely increase the interest in him.

Insider notes on Kentucky Pro Day

Like Oklahoma, the Wildcats have three draftable prospects, yet they have at least a handful of players teams will sign immediately after the seven rounds are complete.

Cornerback Maxwell Hairston stood on all his tremendous marks from the combine, including his fast 40 time of 4.28 seconds. There is talk that he could slide into the late part of Round 1.

Ohio v Kentucky - Source: Getty

Defensive tackle Deone Walker continues his drop down draft boards and did not look good Tuesday. Walker, who failed to meet expectations in 2024 and then looked horrid during two days of Senior Bowl practice, ran the 40 in times that ranged from 5.28 to 5.39 seconds.

He completed just 22 reps on the bench press. During the combine, Walker touched 25 inches in the vertical jump and 8-foot-8 in the broad jump. Both marks were the second-worst of all the defensive tackles on hand who participated in the jumps.

NFL: Combine - Source: Imagn

Entering the season, Walker was almost universally graded as a first-round prospect, and with good reason. He was dominant in 2023 and could not be stopped. Now, many believe he won’t come off the board until the third round. The Carolina Panthers have shown a lot of interest in Walker.

Linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson, who was one of several players disallowed from working out at the combine after failing a stress reaction test, which happens often, had a terrific day.

Kentucky v Tennessee - Source: Getty

He timed under 4.6 seconds in the 40 with clockings that ranged between 4.54 to 4.57 seconds. He hit 37.5 inches in the vertical and 10-foot-6 in the broad, then looked terrific in position drills. Dumas-Johnson is building a buzz for himself amongst teams, as he’s a no-nonsense tough guy on the field and a leader in the locker room.

Offensive tackle Marques Cox had a disappointing day. He timed just under 5.30 seconds in the 40, touched 29.5 inches in the vertical jump and nine feet in the broad.

Cox also completed 23 reps on the bench. Once a highly rated tackle who transferred from Northern Illinois to Kentucky, Cox looks very athletic on the field and was projected as a zone-blocking prospect. These numbers will have scouts rethinking that opinion.

Insider notes on Western Michigan Pro Day

Two updates from Monday’s WMU workout.

First, those on hand included Chicago Bears Assistant Director of College Scouting Francis Saint-Paul, Indianapolis Colts Director of Player Personnel Kevin Rogers, and Las Vegas Raiders Player Personnel Assistant Kyrell Michael.

Second, one small-school standout who participated in the workout was Northwood safety Stephen Douglas.

The defensive back, who played in just five games last season due to a groin injury, measured 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, timed 4.44 in the 40 and hit 41.5 inches in the vertical jump and 10-foot-4 in the broad. He also completed 16 reps on the bench.

He is receiving interest from the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona Cardinals.