The eyes of scouts from every NFL team were fixated on 15 outgoing Pitt players Thursday, as the Panthers hosted their annual pro day at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side.
Of those 15, only linebacker Kyle Louis is considered a lock to be selected at the upcoming NFL Draft, to be held April 23-26 in Pittsburgh.
For Louis’ former teammates and current NFL hopefuls, Thursday constituted a last — and, for some, only — opportunity to get in front of professional evaluators, who watched participants go through the bench press, vertical jump, 40-yard dash, broad jump and several additional positional and individual drills.
“You, obviously, want to hit (personal records) in everything,” said defensive end Joey Zelinsky, Thursday’s leader with 26 bench reps. “But, at the end of the day, it comes down to the tape. If you’re athletic, you’re athletic. Numbers are numbers, but if you show it on tape, that’s the biggest thing. I’d rather be the best guy on the field than the best guy in these drills.”
Zelinksy and Louis were joined by safeties Javon McIntyre and Kavir Bains-Marquez, cornerbacks Rashad Battle and Tamon Lynum, punter Caleb Junko, tight ends Justin Holmes and Jake Overman, tailbacks Desmond Reid and Jalynn Williams, receivers Poppi Williams and Deuce Spann, defensive end Blaine Spires and offensive tackle Jeff Persi.
Louis and Reid were the only two invited to the NFL combine from Feb. 26 to March 1 in Indianapolis.
While there, Louis seemed to solidify his draft credentials, but Reid was largely a non-participant in any on-field drills.
As a result, Thursday carried high stakes for Reid, who ran the 40-yard dash in front of scouts for the first time, taking part in the vertical jump, as well.
When it was all said and done, Reid, who had been recovering from a high-ankle sprain suffered last season, was far from pleased with his 4.55-second time in the 40.
In a rhythm and at full health, Reid said he has been clocked as fast as 4.3 seconds.
“I wasn’t really happy with it, but this was my first time really back out here running for real,” Reid said. “Wasn’t really happy about it, but just blessed to be here. Got to do other things, showcase my routes, showcase my quickness, and I was proud of myself for doing that.”
Heading into the draft, Reid will lean into his All-American 2024 campaign at Pitt and versatility he brings out of the backfield as a pass-catcher, on top of his experience as a punt and kick returner.
Spann might have been the biggest winner Thursday. The 6-foot-4 wideout, who played only one year at Pitt after three seasons at Florida State, returned kicks for the Panthers and made just 13 catches last fall.
But after recording the fastest 40-yard dash of the day (4.37 seconds) and best vertical jump (38 inches), Spann now could be on some NFL teams’ radars.
“I feel like I opened a lot of eyes today,” Spann said. “Put the work in, trusted God and just came out here and tried my best. I feel like I did good.”
Others, like Spann, hoped to craft some momentum Thursday heading into the draft.
Bains-Marquez, a former walk-on at UC Davis of the FCS, proved his mettle with Pitt after transferring in 2025, becoming a full-time contributor in the defensive backfield.
Undersized, at 5-8 and 169 pounds, Bains-Marquez now hopes to trade on his confidence and physicality in plotting a course to the next level.
“I demonstrated versatility,” he said. “I can play safety, nickel. I can play linebacker at times and be in the box. So, just versatility and having that dog being at my weight and my size to play in the box.”
Bains-Marquez wasn’t alone in having a solid season in his first and only year with Pitt.
Holmes joined Pitt following three total seasons at Kent State and Marshall, where he wasn’t utilized much outside of the run game.
At Pitt, Holmes flourished as a pass-catcher, finishing third on the team in receptions (28), with 301 yards and four touchdowns.
“I got to come in, prove myself right away and got put in an actual tight end role, not just blocking,” Holmes said. “Got to catch some touchdowns. (Quarterback) Mason (Heintschel) did a good job all season to all the tight ends. It was really fun and my best season yet.”
Louis was the only participant Thursday to forgo remaining collegiate eligibility to declare for the NFL Draft, while Battle’s six seasons at Pitt ranked as the most among the pro day crowd.
In the end, the players’ journeys differed considerably, as did their careers at Pitt and professional prospects going forward.
On top of the bonds they forged as teammates, they’re united in a singular goal to make it to the NFL.
“Good day, good numbers, some good times out there,” coach Pat Narduzzi said. “One last hurrah to go out and represent the University of Pittsburgh. That’s their job. I think they did a great job today representing.”