FAYETTEVILLE — The strangest pro day the University of Arkansas football program has ever staged produced some of the most insightful commentary from the participants Wednesday.
A small group of ex-Razorbacks worked in front of NFL personnel representing 29 teams adhering to covid-19 spacing guidelines at the Walker Pavilion, with minimal assistance from UA strength and conditioning coach Jamil Walker and his staff and a video crew that provided the feed to the NFL.
Current UA coaches and players were inside, but they were cordoned to the edges, not ringing the competition areas like normal. Instead of a crowd of scouts gathered at the finish line of the 40-yard dash track, they were spaced out.
Seniors from the 2020 team presented a diverse group of candidates, led by quarterback Feleipe Franks and defensive tackles Jonathan Marshall and Xavier Kelly, as well as tailback Rakeem Boyd and cornerback Jerry Jacobs, who each opted out during the season.
Kicker Connor Limpert, who finished his record-breaking career in 2019, and running back Devwah Whaley, who finished up in 2018, also participated. Franks brought in a couple of buddies to catch passes for his workout.
Boyd and Jacobs both offered perspective on their decisions to step away from competition that had not been heard publicly.
“My mind wasn’t there,” Jacobs said. “I was losing it. Honestly, it was me. I don’t want to say no covid or nothing. It was my decision. I should have talked to someone before I made it.”
Jacobs played in four games, with three starts, and had 17 tackles before pulling the plug.
“100%, sure I regret it,” Jacobs said regarding his decision to opt out. “If I can go there again and change my life, change that decision, that would be one that I did.
“I didn’t talk to nobody. I talked to Coach [Sam] Pittman, but he gave me a lot of reasons why I should have stayed. I probably wasn’t just hearing it at the moment. I feel like I regret it 1,000%. Live and learn.”
Boyd, a 1,313-yard rusher in 2019, had rotator cuff and labrum issues earlier in his career and dealt with a bone bruise that hounded him last season. He made six starts and rushed for 309 yards and 3 touchdowns, including 100 yards in a 42-21 loss at Texas A&M, but he opted out with three games remaining.
“I was dinged up the whole season, just trying to be tough … and get out there,” Boyd said. “Then after that my roommate got covid. I didn’t have covid, but I had to miss games. I wasn’t too fired up about that. That’s when I decided, ‘Hey, let’s go get ready for the pros.’ ”
Boyd said making his decision to leave was hard.
“It was tough because I feel I have relationships on that team that will never be broken like Feleipe, Trelon Smith or anyone,” Boyd said. “Me and Trelon Smith go way back. I had no hard feelings.”
Boyd, who trained in Frisco, Texas, during the winter, said he is now 100% healthy.
“People know what I can do healthy,” he said. “Y’all saw fall camp. You know. Not to be cocky or anything, but I was a 1,000-yard back, and in the year before I almost hit 1,000 yards.
“I felt like I already showed that I had enough film and I could step up for that level. I was ready for that level already.”
Franks had a better final-year experience, but he also had injuries to overcome. He completed his rehab from major ankle surgery after transferring from Florida, then had a rib-cage injury that kept him out of the second-to-last game at Missouri and slowed him for the finale against Alabama.
The 6-7, 230-pounder passed for 2,107 yards against SEC-only competition, with 17 touchdowns and 4 interceptions and a school-record 68.5% completion rate.
Franks, who trained in Carlsbad, Calif., said it was great to be back around former teammates and coaches, as well as the community.
“Fayetteville has treated me so nice,” Franks said. “I mean, I came back Saturday and I don’t know how many people I’ve bragged to about the state of Arkansas. The people in Fayetteville.
“I’ve been treated tremendously and more than I could ever imagine. Not only the people and sports staff here at Arkansas, the players, media and everybody, it’s been a blessing, everybody has treated me so good. I feel like I owe it back when I come back."
Marshall was the lone 2020 senior who played his entire career with the Razorbacks. He put up 36 reps on the 225-pound bench press, had a 32 1/2 vertical jump and a 9-6 broad jump.
He said the experience of being a senior team captain last year was a good cap to his career.
“Honestly, I think it helped me a lot,” Marshall said. “Just the improvement every year, and this year with all the stuff that I learned, I feel like it’s been very helpful.”
Marshall led the Arkansas defensive line with 35 tackles, had a team-high 4 hurries and was tied for second with 6.5 tackles for loss.
Marshall said opting to turn pro was a difficult decision.
“It really wasn’t me leaving Arkansas,” he said. “Basically, my time was up. I’ve been here five years. It was a tough decision to make because there was an extra year to be here, but I feel like it was best for me to move on.”
Kelly, a graduate transfer like Franks, had eight tackles and a sack in mostly reserve duty after coming over from Clemson.
“My experience was really great here,” Kelly said. “I definitely got better with my hands. It was little things I had to work on, my footwork, they sharpened all those little intangibles that I didn’t have. They definitely sharpened me as an overall player.”