Jalen Tolbert came into South Alabama’s Pro Day with his status as a 2022 NFL draft pick already secure. Devin Rockette was among several of Tolbert’s former teammates hoping to add his name to the list.
Tolbert and Rockette were among nine former Jaguars players who worked out for representatives of more than 20 NFL teams on Thursday at the Jaguar Training Center. Joining them were offensive tackle Ja’Chai Baker, running back Kareem Walker, linebackers Chris Henderson, Shawn Jennings and Jamal Brooks and defensive backs Tré Young and Kwameh Lewis, along with West Florida wide receiver Rodney Coates and West Alabama defensive end Rodney Terrell.
Tolbert — the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 — ran only the short shuttle drill on Thursday after participating in both the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile in early February and the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last week. He elected to stand on his Combine numbers, which included a 4.49-second 40-yard dash.
Tolbert also ran pass routes for scouts, with former Jaguars quarterback Jake Bentley throwing to him. Bentley, whose 2021 season was cut short by a knee injury, is now a graduate assistant coach at Florida Atlantic.
Tolbert is looking to become the third South Alabama player drafted in the program’s 12-year history, following tight end Gerald Everett (2nd round, Los Angeles Rams, 2017) and wide receiver Kawaan Baker (7th round, New Orleans Saints, 2021). Most pre-draft projections have the 6-foot-1, 193-pound Tolbert going somewhere in the second or third round.
With the Senior Bowl, Combine and now Pro Day in the books, there’s not much left for Tolbert to do but wait. The Mobile native has been training in South Florida, but said he might stick around his hometown until at least draft week.
Former South Alabama cornerback Devin Rockette ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the Jaguars' Pro Day on Thursday. (Mike Kittrell/AL.com)
Rockette was not invited to any all-star games or the combine, so Pro Day was his only shot to impress NFL scouts. The 5-foot-9, 193-pound cornerback led the Jaguars in several drills, including the broad jump (10 feet, 10 inches) and the vertical leap (38.5 inches) and tied for most reps at 225 pounds on the bench press (15).
But speed is the biggest part of Rockette’s game, and he lived up to his name at Pro Day. He ran the 40 in 4.44 seconds, easily the best among those who participated on Thursday.
Rockette look need no further than South Alabama last season to see a player who bounced an excellent Pro Day performance into a spot on an NFL roster. Baker was not even on most teams’ boards before his Pro Day showing last year, when he clocked a 4.41 40 and a 39.5-inch vertical leap.
Baker was taken very near the end of the draft by the Saints, and spent most of the 2021 season on the practice squad before being activated late in the regular season. He played in New Orleans’ final two games, mostly on special teams.
Coates, a Grove Hill native, also had a fine showing, running the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds, and turning in a 10-2 broad jump and a 7.1-second 3-cone drill. Terrell, from Pensacola, did 20 reps on the bench press.
Here are the standouts by category from South Alabama’s Pro Day:
Bench press (225 pounds): Devin Rockette, Chris Henderson — 15 reps
40-yard dash: Devin Rockette — 4.44 seconds
Short shuttle: Kareem Walker — 4.18 seconds, Jalen Tolbert — 4.24, Devin Rockette — 4.33
3-cone drill: Kwameh Lewis — 7.23 seconds
Broad jump: Devin Rockette — 10 feet, 10 inches; Kareem Walker — 10-0
Vertical leap: Devin Rockette — 38.5 inches; Jamal Brooks 35.5
Tolbert and Rockette were among nine former Jaguars players who worked out for representatives of more than 20 NFL teams on Thursday at the Jaguar Training Center. Joining them were offensive tackle Ja’Chai Baker, running back Kareem Walker, linebackers Chris Henderson, Shawn Jennings and Jamal Brooks and defensive backs Tré Young and Kwameh Lewis, along with West Florida wide receiver Rodney Coates and West Alabama defensive end Rodney Terrell.
Tolbert — the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 — ran only the short shuttle drill on Thursday after participating in both the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile in early February and the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last week. He elected to stand on his Combine numbers, which included a 4.49-second 40-yard dash.
Tolbert also ran pass routes for scouts, with former Jaguars quarterback Jake Bentley throwing to him. Bentley, whose 2021 season was cut short by a knee injury, is now a graduate assistant coach at Florida Atlantic.
“I just wanted to show change of direction on routes, speed into routes, make it all look the same,” Tolbert said. “So my goal to come out and continue to take a step forward toward my goal. I just tried to get 1% better, whether that was running a dig route or a slant, whatever it may be.”
Tolbert is looking to become the third South Alabama player drafted in the program’s 12-year history, following tight end Gerald Everett (2nd round, Los Angeles Rams, 2017) and wide receiver Kawaan Baker (7th round, New Orleans Saints, 2021). Most pre-draft projections have the 6-foot-1, 193-pound Tolbert going somewhere in the second or third round.
With the Senior Bowl, Combine and now Pro Day in the books, there’s not much left for Tolbert to do but wait. The Mobile native has been training in South Florida, but said he might stick around his hometown until at least draft week.
“I’m going to talk with my agent (Pat Dye Jr.) and see if I have some team visits or workouts scheduled,” Tolbert said. “If not, I’ll probably end up staying around here and go over to (QB Country) and train with David Morris, catch some balls, run some routes and just stay ready for when the day comes.”
Former South Alabama cornerback Devin Rockette ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the Jaguars' Pro Day on Thursday. (Mike Kittrell/AL.com)
Rockette was not invited to any all-star games or the combine, so Pro Day was his only shot to impress NFL scouts. The 5-foot-9, 193-pound cornerback led the Jaguars in several drills, including the broad jump (10 feet, 10 inches) and the vertical leap (38.5 inches) and tied for most reps at 225 pounds on the bench press (15).
But speed is the biggest part of Rockette’s game, and he lived up to his name at Pro Day. He ran the 40 in 4.44 seconds, easily the best among those who participated on Thursday.
“I ran well, I’m blessed to run as fast as I did,” said Rockette, who totaled 24 tackles, two interceptions and three pass breakups for the Jaguars in 2021. “I wanted to be a little bit faster, but it’s still something to be proud of.”
Rockette look need no further than South Alabama last season to see a player who bounced an excellent Pro Day performance into a spot on an NFL roster. Baker was not even on most teams’ boards before his Pro Day showing last year, when he clocked a 4.41 40 and a 39.5-inch vertical leap.
Baker was taken very near the end of the draft by the Saints, and spent most of the 2021 season on the practice squad before being activated late in the regular season. He played in New Orleans’ final two games, mostly on special teams.
“It’s been real rewarding,” Rockette said. “Especially with Tolbert being here, you knew a lot of people would be coming to see him, so it was a chance for me to show my skill, show my strength and stuff like that. It was a real good day.”
Coates, a Grove Hill native, also had a fine showing, running the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds, and turning in a 10-2 broad jump and a 7.1-second 3-cone drill. Terrell, from Pensacola, did 20 reps on the bench press.
Here are the standouts by category from South Alabama’s Pro Day:
Bench press (225 pounds): Devin Rockette, Chris Henderson — 15 reps
40-yard dash: Devin Rockette — 4.44 seconds
Short shuttle: Kareem Walker — 4.18 seconds, Jalen Tolbert — 4.24, Devin Rockette — 4.33
3-cone drill: Kwameh Lewis — 7.23 seconds
Broad jump: Devin Rockette — 10 feet, 10 inches; Kareem Walker — 10-0
Vertical leap: Devin Rockette — 38.5 inches; Jamal Brooks 35.5