Pro Day experience 'so fulfilling and so rewarding' for Arizona Wildcats

The past, present and future of Arizona football gathered at Casino Del Sol Stadium and the Davis Sports Center Wednesday for the program's Pro Day, which returned after the Big 12's short-lived attempt at a league-wide Pro Day. 

The past: Tetairoa McMillan and Tyler Loop — two Wildcats who just finished their first season in the NFL — and UA staffers Joe Salave'a, Ronnie Palmer, Brandon Sanders and Ricky Hunley. 

The present and future: the entire Arizona football team, including early enrollees and transfers. Some of them would chirp unofficial 40-yard dash times for their former teammates participating in Pro Day.  

The roughly 20 participants at Arizona's Pro Day: defensive backs Genesis Smith, Treydan Stukes, Dalton Johnson, Ayden Garnes and Michael Dansby, running back Ismail Mahdi, wide receivers Javin Whatley, Luke Wysong and Kris Hutson, tight end Cameron Barmore, center Ka'ena Decambra, guard Chubba Maae, left tackle Ty Buchanan, linebackers Riley Wilson and Max Harris, defensive linemen Deshawn McKnight and Malachi Bailey, kicker Ian Wagner and long snapper Avery Salerno. 

Arizona had 29 NFL teams attend its Pro Day. The only teams to not attend were the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams.

"It was a super fun experience, just being back in the building and being around the guys again," said Stukes. "Everyone did a fantastic job and put in that work and showcased our abilities out here. I think it went well for me and I'm happy for everyone that participated." 

Johnson said the experience of the NFL Scouting Combine-esque event at Arizona was "so fulfilling and so rewarding when you see all of your buddies and guys who've been putting in work for three months and see it pay off."

Buchanan had the most bench-press reps (28), with Decambra (26), McKnight (20) and Harris (20) right behind. Bench press was one of the first tests at Arizona's Pro Day. 

The featured event is the 40-yard dash,"the biggest thing I was focusing on today," Smith said.

Smith had one of the fastest 40-yard dash times of Arizona's Pro Day. Smith didn't run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine last month because he was still recovering from a fractured foot injury he suffered in Arizona's win over Oklahoma State last season. 

Smith unofficially clocked 4.48 seconds in his 40-yard dash. Wysong unofficially had a 40-yard dash time of 4.32 seconds, which was the fastest time at Arizona's Pro Day, with Whatley and Garnes both recording high 4.3s. 

"I felt like I had a good time," Smith said. "I was shooting for the 4.4 (seconds) range and I did that. I was satisfied with that."

Bailey, who now weighs 285 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.71 seconds, which would've been the fastest time for defensive tackles at the NFL Scouting Combine.  

"I've been working on the 40-yard dash a lot, and I feel like it showed up today," said Bailey, who projects as a "tweener" at defensive tackle and defensive end. "A lot of different scouts had good numbers for me. ... I felt like I was rolling. I'm putting this behind me. I'm ready for the next step." 

Leading up to the NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Day, training and conditioning is similar to track runners, according to Smith and Harris. 

"I ran track in high school and the workouts were pretty much the same," Harris said. "We're training like sprinters. We have to do the 40, so we're doing short things and moving weight fast."

Stukes and Johnson didn't run the 40-yard dash time since they both ran it at the NFL Scouting Combine last month. Stukes had the third-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.33 seconds) among safeties — second-fastest 10-yard split (1.50 seconds). Johnson tied for the seventh-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.41 seconds) for safeties.

The notable standout at Arizona's Pro Day, which was capped by individual position drills at Davis Sports Center, was Wysong, who not only had the fastest 40-yard dash time, but posted a 39-inch vertical, 17 reps on bench press (one more than Stukes and Smith) and a 10'10" on broad jump — the same measurement as Smith. 

Wysong's performance at Pro Day, along with his versatility as a punt returner, a special teams contributor and receiver, could make the New Mexico native an enticing undrafted free agent, if he's not selected in the NFL Draft. 

Former Arizona safety and 2023 Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP Gunner Maldonado was a part of Arizona's Pro Day. Maldonado, who finished his career at Kansas State, had 18 bench-press reps and unofficially ran the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds. 

"It was cool seeing him back here," Smith said of Maldonado. "Glad he came back. We had a reunion with all the boys from the 2023 team."

Stukes said sharing the field with Maldonado "felt like old times."

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Added Johnson: "We have a brother bond. It was great to be on the field with him again and play with him in the field. I'm so excited for him and happy that he was able to come to Pro Day."

Stukes said he's met with 24 NFL teams so far, with the draft just under a month away. Johnson has met with around 15 teams, and Smith lost track of the teams he's met with, "but it's a good amount." 

Smith, who had another year of eligibility remaining at Arizona, said he "felt like I was ready."

"I talked to my agent, talked to my family about it, and I felt like it was the best thing for me to do," Smith said. 

Smith and Stukes are projected as Day 3 and potential Day 2 draft picks, while Johnson will likely fall on the third day (Rounds 4-7). 

Arizona "did a fantastic job" developing Stukes and Johnson, said Stukes. 

"We got a chance to work with multiple coaches and coordinators," Stukes said. "We got to learn from some high-level football coaches. They know what they're talking about, they've given us drills and things that we can focus on that are going to help us succeed at the next level." 

Added Johnson: "We've been through some coaching changes and they've all had different schemes, so when we're in meetings with NFL coaches, we've already seen that scheme. It's just a bonus at the end of the day. I'm super grateful for it."

The coaching staff, "everyone has had a huge role in my development, and it's a true blessing to have them in my corner," Smith said of Arizona. 

The next step? Draft day. Being in a position to be drafted and have an NFL career "means the world," Smith said.

"It's something you've dreamed of since you were little," Smith added. "Seeing my name on the screen is going to be crazy."

Said Stukes: "That's the moment every young football player dreams of. I've already said I'm going to try and not get emotional at the time, but it'll probably be out of my control.

"It'll be such a blessing. All that work we've put in up to this point, to see it pay off like that and start from the bottom again, it's going to be great."

Pro Day extra points

– Stukes compares himself to Minkah Fitzpatrick "He's a really good football player and I'll have to do a lot of work to reach his status, but that's a comparison I've heard a good amount of."

– Johnson compared himself to Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre and Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker, "who's not the biggest, but you know he's out there every time," Johnson said.

– Smith said his NFL comparison is either Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, Houston Texas safety Calen Bullock or Detroit Lions safety Kirby Joseph. Said Smith: "Those are all guys I model my game after." 

– McKnight said his NFL comparison is Ed Oliver or Aaron Donald. Bailey models his game after Chicago Bears defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. 

– The Berlin Thunder, a German team in American Football League Europe, had a scout at Arizona's Pro Day. The Tucson Sugar Skulls, which kicks off its season on Sunday at Tucson Arena, attended Arizona's Pro Day. 

– Former Arizona wide receiver and quarterback Jamarye Joiner was at Arizona's Pro Day, along with Mike Stoops-era defensive tackle Willie Mobley. 

– Former Arizona defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Duane Akina attended Pro Day. 

– Current UA players to likely participate in Arizona's Pro Day next season: quarterback Noah Fifita, wide receiver Chris Hunter, right tackle Tristan Bounds, running back Kedrick Reescano, linebacker Taye Brown and linebacker Chase Kennedy, among others. 

Photos: University of Arizona football pro day