BROOKINGS — Without Dallas Goedert, Dennis Gardeck might not have had an NFL career.
Gardeck, now a six-year veteran linebacker with the Arizona Cardinals, was a little-known pass rush specialist at Division II West Virginia State University, but Gardeck's coach at WVSU, John Anderson, He transferred to USF for his senior season when he took the Cougars job.
During his one year at USF, Gardek led the NSIC in sacks, and the 6-foot, 230-pound prospect was scheduled to attend South Dakota State's pro day in March 2018.
Pro Day is essentially a localized version of the NFL Draft Combine. Universities invite NFL scouts to watch their best players perform and compete in many of the same tests and drills at the invitation-only combine. Other position-specific drills include the 40-yard dash, bench press, and long jump.
When SDSU hosted running back Zach Zenner's pro day in 2015, four NFL teams sent representatives. Three years later, with Goedert establishing himself as a blue-chip prospect, NFL teams flocked to Brookings to keep an eye on the star tight end.
And Gardeck took advantage of that. He ran a 4.56 in the 40-yard dash, which was great for a linebacker, but he really turned heads when he repped 225 pounds 31 times on the bench, more than anyone else in the event.
Although he went undrafted, Gardek signed with the Cardinals as a rookie free agent after the draft and is now in the seventh year of a successful and profitable career. Goedert was drafted by the Eagles in the second round and is now one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL.
SDSU will host its 2024 Pro Day on Wednesday morning. Offensive linemen Mason McCormick and Garrett Greenfield and running back Isaiah Davis are the headliners, all of whom were invited to the combine earlier this month. They are the main attraction and could potentially drive the stock price up again. But for the lesser-known Jackrabbits and the USD, Augustana and Northern State grads who competed in Vermilion on Monday, Gardeck's story is a blueprint and his pro day is a roadmap.
Former Jackrabbits Goedert, Tucker Kraft and Pierre Strong were drafted in the second, third and fourth rounds, respectively, but most of the dozen or so players who have made it to the NFL from South Dakota colleges in recent years. was a fringe player who had to be drafted. Achieving a dream is a long road, one that Jackson and guys like Jadon Janke, Zach Hynes, DeSean Gales, John O'Brien, Isaiah Starbird and Jason Freeman are willing to take. It's the road.
“If you’re not invited to the combine, go to the pro day.” teeth said former SDSU quarterback Chris Oladokun, who was drafted by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2022 draft and has been on the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad for the past two years. This guy had to go to the combine and this guy didn't go, but for me, not being invited was the motivation. I remember seeing him on TV while he was working out in Tampa. I watched every pitch, every 40th inning, everything they did, and it was almost validation to watch it. I was like, yeah, I should have been there, but now I'm going to go for pro day. show Everyone I should have been there for. ”
He did it. Oladokun, who spent a year at SDSU as a stopgap while Mark Gronowski was injured and led the Jacks to the FCS semifinals, was outstanding at his pro day, making nearly every pitch he pitched. After practice, then-SDSU quarterbacks coach Zach Lujan predicted that Oladokun would be drafted, and he was.
“There are benefits to not being invited to the combine because depending on when your pro day is, you can have a few more weeks of preparation for certain practices and maybe how well you need to perform. Because it gives us a good idea of what's going on,” Oladokun said. . “We're not going to get the same media coverage and scouts that we've had in the past, but we can't blow it off.”
Zenner agreed. He is now an agent and will be at Brookings on Wednesday. Zenner went undrafted despite a record-setting career at SDSU, but he signed with the Lions as a rookie free agent just minutes after the draft ended and enjoyed a five-year career. Like Oladokun, he said pro day is very important for top prospects, but the long road to getting on the radar starts long before and continues long afterward.
“When you're on that edge, you have to decide if you really want to go for it,” Zenner said. “You have to put in a lot of effort with no guarantee of pay. What's changed is that SDSU is essentially viewed as an FBS team in some scouting circles. Still, if you're going to be successful, you're going to be an NFL team. is” “
There is reason to believe SDSU's talent will perform well on Wednesday. The trio that went to the combine all did well there. McCormick, in particular, was one of the most talked about players. The remaining players competed in various showcase bowls and events in January and February and are certain to have their names on scouting lists ahead of Wednesday. But Zehner said there is also a movement in the scouting world to de-emphasize some of the events at the combine and pro day and place more emphasis on how well players actually performed in the game in college. This is similar to the Moneyball strategy made famous by the Oakland Athletics (emphasizing production over potential), but how it affects FCS players is debatable. . For example, Mr. and Mrs. Janks have this movie. they have numbers. However, it is against a less competitive opponent.
Unsurprisingly, Kraft, who just came off a promising rookie season with the Packers, said his year in the league has made him even more confident that his former teammates should wear an NFL uniform.
“I'm in the NFL now and I've seen what you're up against,” Craft said. “It's not about size, it's about toughness and speed.
“Hines really helped himself in the Shrine Bowl, I know that,” Kraft added. “(Davis) is going to eat up his competition. (Greenfield) has all the physical ability to be a starter, and Mason is the meanest (gun) son of a guy I've ever played against. Period. I'm I'm excited about all of that.'' Everyone. “
Once pro day is over, more training will follow until draft day. Those acquired, which could include Coyotes cornerback Myles Harden, are all but guaranteed a spot on the roster. At the very least, they'll likely be on the team's practice squad. For the undrafted players, the work is just beginning.
Some players are offered free agent contracts, and teams sometimes even bid against each other to acquire top undrafted players. Other teams that have not signed a contract may be offered an invitation to their team's rookie minicamp, but this is essentially an invite-only tryout. These are the longest goals, but teeth How former Augustana Vikings fullback CJ Hamm fit in with the Minnesota Vikings. He has now spent eight seasons in the NFL and is a two-time Pro Bowler. It's possible. But Ham's story is unique.
“My advice to undrafted players is to understand that your journey is going to be different,” Zenner said. “The lead is much shorter. There's less chance to make a mistake. Teams don't want to cut players they spent draft picks on. Cutting (undrafted players) costs less. So there's room for bad results. If you want to be successful as an undrafted player, you better be a hard worker if you're not a hard worker. I don't care who you are or what you think of yourself. If you want to be successful as an undrafted player, you're going to get reps in these situations:
The same goes for Oladokun when he was with the Steelers, not giving up many innings in preseason games and rarely giving up in practice. Once established with the Chiefs, Oladokun learned that his practice squad was his ticket to an NFL job, but even that can be tough.
“You have to know where you are in that scenario,” Oladokun said. “When you go into training camp, you might have four or six players competing for a spot on the practice squad, but you're not just competing against players in your position group. He might be competing against the No. 6 cornerback or some other guy.'' The last offensive lineman. But if he's successful, the practice squad is a great situation. It's a great way to prepare yourself. In just a few moments he will be on the 53-man roster. For me in Kansas City, I'm like, “You're playing against a first-team defense every day. It's an opportunity and you have to take advantage of it.''
Last year, 15 players from South Dakota State or South Dakota State colleges were named to NFL rosters. In 2022, 17 companies participated. It is not yet known how many people will participate in 2024, but it could be a large influx. It begins Monday (Harden impressed, as expected) and continues Wednesday. The Jacks' NFL alumni will also be rooting for them.
“There's no doubt in my mind that they can do it,” Oladokun said. “They come from the best program in the FCS. They have to believe in it. They can't keep doubting themselves. They go in thinking they belong. Their scouts have a reason. be.”