Notes from BC's 2021 Pro Day
While the biggest trade of the NFL offseason went down Friday afternoon—shaking up the 2021 Draft—Boston College’s prospects finished up their Pro Day in front of 35 league personnel, including former BC linebacker and current Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.
A dozen former Eagles participated in the Pro Day, eight of whom were from BC’s 2019 team. NFL Combine invitees tight end Hunter Long and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie headlined the group, however, linebacker Max Richardson and defensive end Max Roberts had their moments, too, with one or the other leading the way in five of the six drills.
Here’s the full list of participants from Friday’s event:
2020 Eagles
● TE Hunter Long
● LB Isaiah McDuffie
● LB Max Richardson
● DE Max Roberts
2019 Eagles
● DB Nolan Borgersen
● DB Mehdi El Attrach
● TE Chris Garrison
● WR/RB Ben Glines
● WR Cliff Kurker
● OL John Phillips
● WR Elijah Robinson
● OL Dwayne Scott
RESULTS
Note: The 2019 Eagles’ results weren’t provided.
All times are unofficial, according to BC Athletics.
Bench Press
● Max Roberts: 28
● Isaiah McDuffie: 25
● Max Richardson: 24
● Hunter Long: N/A
Vertical Jump
● Roberts: 36.5”
● Richardson: 34.0”
● Long: 32.5”
● McDuffie: 32.5”
Broad Jump
● Roberts: 10’3”
● Long: 10’2”
● McDuffie: 10’1”
● Richardson: 10’1”
40-Yard Dash
● McDuffie: 4.59, 4.61
● Long: 4.63, 4.69
● Richardson: 4.82, 4.88
● Roberts: 4.87 (2x)
20-Yard Shuttle
● Richardson: 4.24
● McDuffie: 4.41
● Long: 4.42
● Roberts: 4.50
Three-Cone Drill
● Richardson: 7.20
● McDuffie: 7.26
● Long: 7.41
● Roberts: 7.56
TAKEAWAYS
Hunter Long ran fast and showcased versatility: BC head coach Jeff Hafley told reporters that his tight end surprised some people with his speed. Long turned in unofficial 40-yard dash times of 4.63 and 4.69. To put that in perspective, only three tight ends ran sub-4.7 40s at last year’s NFL combine (Missouri’s Albert Okwuegbunam, LSU’s Stephen Sullivan, and Purdue’s Brycen Hopkins), according to Pro Football Reference.
Hafley mentioned that versatility is the key for tight end prospects, and it’s not easy to come by. But Long has it. The 6-foot-5 Exeter, New Hampshire, native discussed how playing in a 12-personnel, run-oriented scheme his first three years as well as a pro-style passing offense this past season made him into a more well-rounded player.
“I've kind of had the best of both worlds being in both systems to improve both aspects of my game—the run game and the pass game,” Long said.
Hafley pointed out that Long can do it all. He can run routes, block as an in-line tight end, split out wide or in the slot, and set up shop in the backfield. Hafley also emphasized that the AP All-American is a huge red zone threat. Fittingly, Long, who scored five touchdowns last season, said that his favorite route is a stick knot, which is designed to free up space for tight ends near the goal line. Yet his production came from everywhere last season, and he led all players at the position nationally in targets (89) and receptions (57).
According to Hafley, Long “lit up” the position drills and, overall, nailed the entire workout.
“I wish we had him back. That’s how good he looked,” Hafley said. I think he’s going to be one of the safest picks in the draft because I think he’ll play for a long, long time.”
Max Richardson hopes he’s drafted but knows his journey won’t end there: Matt Milano is the perfect example of how draft position often doesn’t accurately project a prospect’s career trajectory. The former BC linebacker was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Now, he’s the 11th-highest paid linebacker in the league and is coming off a playoff run, in which he totaled 25 tackles and three pass break-ups.
Richardson spoke to Milano about the draft process, and the now fifth-year NFLer advised him to stay patient and wait for his moment.
“What he said was, just do your thing, stay focused, work hard,” Richardson recounted. “It's not so much about what happens with the draft. Don't allow that to be the biggest of your concerns. But once you get your foot in the door, make the most of your opportunity.”
Hafley believes that, if put in the right situation, Richardson could have a lengthy career. He was BC’s starting middle linebacker for three years and was the heart and soul of the Eagles’ locker room in 2020, leading the team on and off the field.
“I think you’re gonna get a guy who’s going to be a real pro,” Hafley said. “You’re gonna get a you can trust, whether he’s a starter, backup, or a third-team guy. He’s going to know the playbook. He’s going to be reliable.”
Richardson knows what he can bring to the table. His stats speak for themselves. After all, he wrapped up his Eagles career with 316 total tackles, the 11th most in program history. If his name isn’t called this spring, he’s not calling it quits. He’s in it for the long haul.
“Of course, I’m hoping to get drafted,” Richardson said. “I hope this workout put me in a position to get drafted, however, it’s not the biggest concern of mine.”
Isaiah McDuffie would love to play for his hometown Bills: McDuffie grew up rooting for the Bills, living in Buffalo, New York. He says that he’s already had a couple interviews with the team. McDuffie’s happy with how they went, and he’s excited about what’s to come.
“That’s my hometown team, so that would definitely be big if that happens,” he said.
Still, he’s not overly focused on where he ends up. The feisty linebacker is dialed into the draft process—and he’s taken a path very similar to Richardson.
The longtime teammates both trained in Florida. McDuffie was in Fort Lauderdale, while Richardson was close to Miami. Starting in late December, they communicated with each other about everything, including specific updates about 40 prep and drill progression. Richardson says that the two of them have a great relationship, and that’s paid dividends.
“Playing alongside Isaiah, it elevated my game, and I think he would say the same, too,” Richardson said. “He’s an excellent linebacker, and we were a great duo here together, and I think that’s what helped us gain a lot of attention.”
McDuffie shared Richardson’s sentiments. He mentioned how they joke around with each other all the time but ultimately have one another’s back.
“We're each other's biggest fans at the end of the day,” McDuffie said. “I want to see him do great. He wants to see me do great."
McDuffie posted impressive 40 times, maxing out at an unofficial 4.59. Hafley thinks the linebacker’s wheels will take him a long way in today’s NFL. He sees great potential for McDuffie, who ranked fifth nationally with 107 total tackles in his first year playing off the ball.
“He’s got great speed,” Hafley said. “He’s extremely physical. He plays with his hair on fire. He practices that way. … I think in a league where you need guys who can run, that’s what he can do. He’s a linebacker that can run, and that’s very important right now in most NFL schemes.”