Insider Notes on Penn State, Maryland, and Towson Pro Day: 30 NFL teams eye top Terrapins prospect, Eagles meet Penn State DT, and more

Penn State, Mississippi, and Maryland highlighted the final big pro-day workouts on the calendar. For Penn State, a team with a pair of players expected to land in the top half of Round 1, it was an anti-climactic affair. Meanwhile, a pair of underrated prospects stood out during the Maryland workout.

Insider Notes on Penn State Pro Day

NFL: Scouting Combine - Source: Imagn

Despite having a pair of players that will be taken in the first round next month, the Penn State pro day was lightly attended. In fact, I was told there were more NFL people at the Rutgers pro day than in State College on Friday.

Part of the reason is that the program’s top two prospects, Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren, did not work out. Neither participated in the combine.

Carter’s decision was publicly announced by his agent earlier this week, stating that he’s still rehabbing from the shoulder issue that bothered him late in the year, but he may still do a workout for teams in mid-April.

#1. Tyler Warren

NFL Scouting Combine - Source: Getty

Warren’s choice to stand on the sidelines was something I’ve been privy to for a few weeks now. I was told the tight end is focusing on a handful of teams and will showcase his talents for them before the draft.

The New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and Indianapolis Colts were three of the teams named. Since then, I’ve been told the New Orleans Saints and both LA teams have seemingly joined the mix.

Warren is a bit of an acquired taste, and not everyone has him as the top tight end in the draft. He’s the No. 2 player at the position on my board after Colston Loveland. One team told me Friday that Warren is the fourth player at tight end on their board.

One of Warren's main attractions is that he’s a very safe pick at the tight end spot.

#2. Coziah Izzard

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 31 CFP Quarterfinal Vrbo Fiesta Bowl - Penn State vs Boise State - Source: Getty

One Nittany Lion who did stand out today was defensive tackle Coziah Izzard, someone who has been on my board for three years. Measuring 6-foot-1 and 298 pounds, he timed as fast as 4.79 seconds in the 40 after hitting 34 inches in the vertical jump.

Izzard also completed 26 reps on the bench and has met with the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Philadelphia Eagles in the lead up to pro day.

Size is a limiting factor, as Izzard is solely a one-gap, three-technique defensive tackle, yet he’s woefully underrated.

Insider Notes on Maryland Pro Day

#1. Tai Felton

NFL: FEB 28 Scouting Combine - Source: Getty

I’m told 30 teams were on hand for Maryland’s pro day, and the program’s top prospect, receiver Tai Felton, looked terrific based on everybody I spoke with.

The Day 2 prospect stood on his combine numbers, which included 4.37 seconds in the 40, a vertical jump of 39.5 inches, and 10-foot-10 in the broad jump after measuring just over 6-foot-1 and 183 pounds.

Felton was outstanding in position drills, catching the ball well, and he was both fast as well as sudden.

Despite not getting a lot of talk outside the scouting community, teams feel Felton is assured of being a Day 2 pick.

He comes off of a career season after catching 98 passes for 1124 yards and nine TDs. Seven receivers coaches were on hand for the workout, and over the past two days, Felton met with the Saints, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, and Washington Commanders.

#2. Jordan Phillips

Defensive lineman Jordan Phillips ran the three-cone drill, and his times came in between 7.55 and 7.65 seconds. Phillips, a powerful gap occupier who displayed pass-rush ability during Shrine Bowl practices, met with the Dallas Cowboys, who had their defensive line coach on hand.

#3. Ruben Hyppolite II

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: JUL 25 2024 Big Ten Football Media Days - Source: Getty

If you’re looking for a sleeper at the off-ball linebacker spot, check out Ruben Hyppolite II. The athletic linebacker timed the 40 in 4.45 seconds, though some watches had him faster.

Hyppolite, who measured 5-foot-11.5 inches and 240 pounds at the Hula Bowl, recorded 60 or more tackles in three of the prior four seasons. The only year he failed to reach that mark, Hyppolite was injured and played in just nine games.

He already had an official-30 visit with the Detroit Lions, and the New England Patriots previously worked him out.

Insider Notes on Towson Pro Day

Twenty-six teams were on hand for the Towson pro day, as the program has just one legitimate prospect, Carter Runyon, the former receiver turned tight end who displayed a lot of ability during Shrine Bowl practices.

#1. Carter Runyon

Towson's Carter Runyon

Runyon measured 6-foot-4.5, 244 pounds, and put in some terrific testing numbers. He hit 36.5 inches in the vertical jump and 10-foot-3 in the broad jump and completed 22 reps on the bench press.

His 40 timed 4.62 seconds, his three-cone 7.01 seconds, and his short shuttle 4.21 seconds.

He spent time with the Ravens, Eagles, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, and tight end-needy Los Angeles Chargers. Runyon is a terrific developmental prospect who’ll start off as a move tight end as he develops into a three-down player at the position.