Temple Football hosted 12 former Owls and 13 players from around Philadelphia at the Amarak Star Complex on Monday for its annual pro day in front of 25 NFL scouts.
Jordan Magee and other former Temple linebackers Yvandy Rigby and Layton Jordan, tight end David Martin-Robinson and defensive backs Tywan Francis and Elijah Clark all stood out in the event.
Offensive lineman Richard Rodriguez was announced as one of the participants but did not take part in the showcase.
The festivities started with athleticism drills, including the long jump, 40-yard dash and the three-cone drill. The offensive and defensive players were then split up, and individual positions worked in positional drills in front of the scouts.
“I feel like I came out and showcased what I needed to,” Francis said. “I left some stuff out there, but for the most part, I feel like I put on a good show.”
Magee was the main storyline heading into the day after his stellar performance at the NFL Combine on Feb. 29. The linebacker ran a 4.55-second 40-yard dash, the fifth-fastest linebacker time in Indianapolis.
The linebacker only participated in the 20-yard shuttle and three-cone drill. Magee wasn’t going to do the positional drills before an Eagles linebacker coach convinced him to work with the other linebackers. Magee then stayed after the pro day to work out with the New England Patriots and has visits scheduled with the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans in April.
Magee’s performances in Indianapolis and Philadelphia could help Temple secure its first player selected in the draft since former Owls center and newly-signed Philadelphia Eagle Matt Hennessy in 2020.
“It would be a blessing,” Magee said. “Especially for recruits coming in, to show them that you can make it from Temple, whether it is an undrafted free agent or being drafted. These last couple of weeks are a testimony to how hard I worked, and the work I put in at Temple.”
Jordan also left an impression on the scouts in attendance. He had a down season in 2023 after being named to the second all-American Athletic Conference team in 2022. He had just 2.5 sacks and 24 tackles in 2023 but earned Defensive MVP at the Tropical Bowl on Jan. 24 to boost his stock. He had some nerves Monday but felt good about his workout.
“I did good, could have done better,” Jordan said. “There is always room to work. I did an eight [out of 10] today.”
Quarterback Quincy Patterson was listed as a tight end at the beginning of the day after attending Northwestern’s pro day on March 6. The graduate student earned a camp invite with the Chicago Bears for his performance there.
Patterson was going to do the same in Philadelphia before changing his mind. He participated in all the throwing drills, showcasing his arm while running a 4.85 40-yard dash. Patterson came a long way after not even knowing if he wanted to participate in the day.
“When I started the whole pro day process, I wasn’t really expecting anything,” Patterson said. “It was more so that I’d hate if 10 years from now I was like, ‘I didn’t do pro day because whatever.’ I did it just to do it, and it’s been working. It’s fun to see my money and hard work paying off.”
Rigby and Martin-Robinson both had strong showings in front of the scouts. Rigby almost matched Magee by finishing the 40 in 4.62 seconds. Martin-Robinson has also drawn eyes after his performance at the Hula Bowl on Jan. 25.
Both players have been talking to other teams and scouts, as Rigby met with the Carolina Panthers after running his 40. Martin-Robinson had the chance to talk to NFL coaches at the Hula Bowl and took the pro day to work on showing teams his route-running skills.
Many of the players that participated could go undrafted and not even make a roster. However, most players seemed confident about what they were able to do in front of the scouts. The prospects are now one step closer to their dreams of an NFL career, but still have work to do to get there.
“It’s a dream come true,” Magee said. “I haven’t done anything yet. I still have to get drafted and go through rookie mini-camp. I still got to make the 53-man roster. I just take it with a grain of salt, I’m just going to continue to work.
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