Pro days with something to prove

(STATS) – A pro day is one of the final opportunities for a player to impress teams before the NFL draft, and they’re especially big for FCS players who always feel they have to do more than their FBS counterparts.

With early round talents all but picked out, the mid- to late-round prospects are still jockeying for position – ready to go through NFL combine-type testing on friendly campuses rather than cavernous Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The next month of pro days will keep NFL scouts, coaches and executives busy leading toward the April 26-28 draft at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Here are 10 FCS prospects with something to prove about their potential spot in the draft:

Andrew Ankrah, OLB, James Madison – Whether the CAA Football defensive player of the year is physical enough off the edge is the question for NFL teams. He’s relied on older brother Jason, who spent time on the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans rosters in 2014 and ’15. (pro day: March 16)

Jeremiah Briscoe, QB, Sam Houston State – The two-time STATS FCS Walter Payton Award winner had a subpar East-West Shrine Game, without an NFL scouting combine invite to make up for it. He tends to be a lightning rod for critiques. (pro day: March 26)

Nick DeLuca, ILB, North Dakota State – Coming from the national championship program is a plus, but DeLuca needs better results than a 4.85-second 40-yard dash and 18 reps on the 225-pound bench press – his numbers at the Combine. (pro day: March 29)

Elijah Marks, WR, Northern Arizona – Marks (6-foot-1, 175 pounds) needed to bulk up some after his senior season. He has NFL skills, including return ability, but has slipped through the cracks in a deep wide receiver class. (pro day: March 13)

Ed Shockley, ILB, Villanova – At 5-11, Shockley doesn’t have prototypical NFL size. But he was one of the best players at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and wants to keep that momentum going. (pro day: March 23 at Temple)

D’Montre Wade, CB, Murray State – His ability to play press coverage at the next level was hurt by a relative lack of speed and power in the combine tests. It brings pause to a corner who excelled the last two seasons. (pro day: March 30)

Justin Watson, WR, Penn – Generally regarded as a priority free agent, the underrated Watson is a physical, productive wide receiver who still has to check off the boxes that he’s draftable. (pro day: March 19)

Jake Wieneke, WR, South Dakota State – Wieneke had one of the most productive careers ever for an FCS wide receiver, but he’s coming off a disappointing combine, where he clocked 4.67 in the 40 and had only nine reps on the bench press. (pro day: March 30)

Brett Taylor, ILB, and Jaelon Acklin, WR, Western Illinois – The two All-America teammates have taken to social media to complain about their lack of postseason invitations. Pro day is their best opportunity to prove the doubters wrong. (pro day: March 13 at Northwestern)