Western Kentucky hosted an action-packed Pro Day showcase at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium on Wednesday morning as scouts from 23 NFL franchises were in attendance to check out the Hilltoppers.
In addition to the NFL representation, former WKU quarterback Bailey Zappe stopped by to check in with his old college team.
The Hilltoppers showed off the jets to kick things off on the field, followed by different positional drills.
PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0nc3RfX2NvbnRlbnQtYmxvY2sgc3RfX2NvbnRlbnQtYmxv
Y2stLXR3ZWV0Jz4KPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0nY2VudGVyX3R3ZWV0Jz48YmxvY2tx
dW90ZSBjbGFzcz0idHdpdHRlci10d2VldCI+PHAgbGFuZz0iZW4iIGRpcj0i
bHRyIj48YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3R3aXR0ZXIuY29tL2hhc2h0YWcvV0tV
P3NyYz1oYXNoJmFtcDtyZWZfc3JjPXR3c3JjJTVFdGZ3Ij4jV0tVPC9hPiBs
aW5lYmFja2VyIDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vdHdpdHRlci5jb20vV2lsbEln
bm9udD9yZWZfc3JjPXR3c3JjJTVFdGZ3Ij5AV2lsbElnbm9udDwvYT4gc2hv
d3Mgb2ZmIGhpcyBzcGVlZCDirIfvuI8gPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0
dGVyLmNvbS9XS1VfUml2YWxzP3JlZl9zcmM9dHdzcmMlNUV0ZnciPkBXS1Vf
Uml2YWxzPC9hPiA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3QuY28vaWw5SXprT2JQaCI+
cGljLnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tL2lsOUl6a09iUGg8L2E+PC9wPiZtZGFzaDsgRHJl
dyBUb2VubmllcyAoQGRyZXdfdG9lbm5pZXMpIDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8v
dHdpdHRlci5jb20vZHJld190b2Vubmllcy9zdGF0dXMvMTY0MTA5NDQ2NzI3
NTk2NDQxNz9yZWZfc3JjPXR3c3JjJTVFdGZ3Ij5NYXJjaCAyOSwgMjAyMzwv
YT48L2Jsb2NrcXVvdGU+CjxzY3JpcHQgYXN5bmMgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3Bs
YXRmb3JtLnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tL3dpZGdldHMuanMiIGNoYXJzZXQ9InV0Zi04
Ij48L3NjcmlwdD4KPC9kaXY+CjwvZGl2PgoK
Western Kentucky continued to show off their talent in defensive drills as the Hilltoppers' defensive talent worked to outperform each other.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Western Kentucky closed things out with some offensive drills as quarterback Caden Veltkamp shocased his arm strength with several deep bullets to the Hilltoppers' receiving talent, consisting of receivers Daewood Davis and Jaylen Hall.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WKU head coach Tyson Helton, defensive end Juwuan Jones, defensive lineman Brodric Martin, defensive lineman Darius Shipp, linebacker Will Ignont and defensive back Kahlef Hailassie sat down with InsideHilltopperSports.com after positional drills to detail their thoughts entering the 2023 NFL Draft.
Shipp, who was a huge weapon on Western Kentucky's defense last season, said that he's been working hard this offseason, dropping baby weight, working on his agility and focusing on stretching.
"Personally, I just had to drop some baby weight, had some things I had to get rid of. I've been working on my agility and make sure I can focus on a lot of stretching."
— Darius Shipp
Martin, another crucial piece to the Hilltoppers' defense last year, said he's been training for three months and said all that hard work showed on the field.
The former Hilltopper said that he's had an assortment on NFL franchises express interest in him since announcing his intentions to play professionally.
"I've been hit up by a couple of NFL teams. The Eagles, the Chargers, the Steelers, the Raiders, the Giants, the Jets, the Titans, the Dolphins, the Vikings. So, it's been going good."
— Brodric Martin
Jones, who has been a huge piece of the Hilltoppers' defense for several seasons, said that he feels good after showing off his skill. Jones said that while the entire process has been a bit stressful, there has also been a lot of joy. He added that he's been working for this since he was a kid.
"I'm feeling good. This is the biggest interview of my life so far. It's been a lot of stress but it's also been a lot of joy. I've been working for this since I was six, seven years old."
— Juwuan Jones
Hailassie said that it felt good to be back out on the field today after three months of training. He said it felt good to be able to show off what he's been working on and getting it overwith.
Hailassie said a few aspects of his game he felt was going to be attractive to NFL scouts was his overall versatility, his positional knowledge and his ability to play anywhere on the field.
"It feels good being out here today, just training three months. We've been out here for about 30 minutes, so the total of training and just coming out here and getting it up, getting it done, getting it overwith, it feels good."
— Kahlef Hailassie
Ignont, another notable performer under WKU defensive coordinator Tyson Summers last season, said he felt like he was making the most of his reps, showing off his movement and explosiveness.
"I feel like I did really good. I feel like I was able to showcase my abilities as far as my movement. I feel like I showed explosiveness coming off a knee injury in 2021. So overall, I felt like I had a really good day."
— Will Ignont
Helton said that he was very pleased with what he saw on the field as he's very excited for all his players and their future careers. He added that their was great NFL representation.
"I thought our guys did a great job. I'm very excited for them and their futures. It was a beautiful day, great conditions for that. And NFL teams, a lot of teams represented today. So, it was a good day overall."
— Tyson Helton
Western Kentucky will return to Houchens-Smith Stadium to continue their spring practice schedule on Thursday.