NFL scouts and other team representatives descended on Charlottesville Tuesday for the University's Pro Timing Day.
Similar to the NFL combine held in Indianapolis in February, Pro Timing Day gives draft-eligible players a chance to be measured both physically and athletically.
Among the players that worked out from the Cavaliers were D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Marques Hagans, Kai Parham, Brennan Schmidt, Brian Barthelmes, Ottowa Anderson, Kwakou Robinson, Wali Lundy, Connor Hughes, Kurt Smith and Bryan White.
After being measured for height, weight, hand size and arm span, players began the tests. Schmidt put up 225 pounds 28 times on the bench press, the most of all players participating.
After the press, broad and vertical jumps were measured, followed by the 40-yard dash, shuttle run and positional drills.
Hagans ran the fastest time in the 40-yard dash, posting a 4.55 in his second run. That time bested his performance at the combine by 0.12 seconds. Parham also improved his 40-yard time, running it in 4.93 seconds. He ran a 5.03 at the combine.
As Parham and Hagans demonstrated, Pro Timing Day allows players to work out in their home facilities where many athletes believe they will perform better. For NFL reps, though, it is simply another opportunity to see the players work and talk to them in person.
"It's just another part" of the process, said A.J. Smith, San Diego Chargers general manager. It's "just gathering as much information as you can."
Many scouts in attendance were most interested in seeing Ferguson workout. The offensive lineman is projected to be one of the top picks when the draft begins on April 29.
Ferguson even attracted the interest of Smith, who came to Virginia largely to see the Freeport, N.Y. native perform.
"Even though he's a top pick and we're [19th in the draft], he's a tremendous player," Smith said.
As much importance as many prognosticators place on the individual workouts, Virginia coach Al Groh believes that a player's biggest asset is what he has done on the field.
"The greatest thing a player has going for him is the body of work of three to four years of competition," Groh said.
Lundy, the ACC's all-time leader in touchdowns, participated only in the positional drills. After a terrific performance at the combine last month, Lundy was content with those numbers.
"He had a very good combine in all events, and given the surface here, he decided to let that stand for itself," Groh said.
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