Ward, Canes Put on Show at Pro Day

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The day ended with a little bit of fun.

Wide receiver Jacolby George took the snap, tossed the ball to fellow receiver Sam Brown Jr., who then pitched it to tight end Elijah Arroyo, who got it to receiver Xavier Restrepo, who then heaved it downfield where quarterback Cam Ward was waiting to make the catch.

Ward, who is widely projected to be one of the top picks in next month’s NFL Draft, made the grab and was quickly mobbed by all of his Miami teammates who were on the field as the Hurricanes wrapped up their annual Pro Day at the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility.

It was a moment of levity after hours of drills, workouts, and interviews with the 80 scouts, coaches, general managers and personnel from all 32 NFL teams who made their way to South Florida to get a first-hand look at Ward and all of Miami’s draft-eligible prospects.

“It was great to just finish the day on that note. We told each other out there, ‘Let’s just go and have fun’ and that’s just us having fun as a group together,” said tight end Cam McCormick, one of the Hurricanes who participated in Pro Day and was on the field for the day’s final throw. “We’ve spent the past year training, working hard, throwing, and building that connection that we have with everybody. And now we were able to come out here and have fun one last time with each other and finish it on a good note and move on to the next chapter of our lives.”

For Ward the next chapter has to the potential to be the exclamation mark on what has been a remarkable college football journey.

The West Columbia, Texas native was rated a zero-star prospect coming out of high school. But he capitalized on opportunities at Incarnate Word, Washington State and Miami to become a consensus All-American, the ACC Player of the Year and a Heisman Trophy finalist.

And in a few weeks, Ward – who set new Miami single-season records by throwing for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns last season and set a new Division I record with 158 scoring passes – could be the top pick in the NFL Draft.

On Monday, the quarterback showed off the arm strength and poise that made those numbers possible.

And he did so under the watchful eyes of Tennessee Titans President of Football Operations Chad Brinker, General Manager Mike Borgonzi, head coach Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator Nick Holz and quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree, all of whom attended the Hurricanes’ Pro Day workout.

The Titans hold the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft and Ward, for his part, wants to make sure that pick is used to call his name.

“I’m solidifying it today,” Ward said he told the Titans’ personnel after making an impressive throw on the run during his workout. “They finally got to see me throw in person. That should be all they need to see. But at the end of the day, whether they want to give [me] the pick or not, I’m going to be happy with whatever team I go to. I’m just trying to play football.”

Said Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal of Ward on the NFL Network, “I’ve learned that the bigger the moment, the better he gets. The harder it gets, the better he plays. I’ve learned that he has a knack for galvanizing people while pushing them and getting the best out of them. His relentless work ethic is unmatched. … He’s a guy that can change the profile, the trajectory of any program, any franchise.”

Like Ward, the rest of the Hurricanes who participated in Pro Day are hoping their performances Monday made an impression.

Andy Borregales, projected as the top kicker available in this year’s draft, hit a 65-yarder during his workout. George recorded a 36-inch vertical jump, improving on his 32.5 from the NFL Combine, while defensive lineman Simeon Barrow Jr. totaled 32 reps on the 225-pound bench press.

All of that – and more – the Hurricanes hope will help make their NFL dreams a reality.

“For the past two months, I’ve been kicking somewhere else,” said Borregales, who leaves Miami as the Hurricanes’ all-time leading scorer with 404 points. “It felt great to finally come back to somewhere I’ve been comfortable and have been kicking for four years. It felt great.”

Added George, “I feel like everybody did great. We all put in the work, and we’ve been practicing since the season ended just for this day, just to put on a show for everybody.”

That “everybody” on Monday included not just the NFL personnel who watched drills, but the family members and friends who were in attendance, too – along with University president and Chief Executive Officer Joe Echevarria, who wanted to make sure the Hurricanes who participated in Pro Day knew they had his support – and the entire University’s.

“For me, it’s extraordinary because these are students,” Echevarria said. “People forget. I know they’re athletes, but they’re students. So, whether it’s my Match Day medical student graduates going to their first residency program, or young men playing for their dream of playing on Sundays, they’re all my students. They’re all part of the University. They all do great things for our institution. So, to me, it’s exciting. It’s exciting there. It’s exciting here.”

With the NFL Combine and Pro Day now behind them, the Hurricanes will continue working toward the ultimate goal of having their names called during the draft.

There will be personal workouts and interviews with NFL teams. Training sessions will continue.

And in a month, lives will change.

“I dreamed of this since I was young, when I first started playing football at seven,” offensive lineman Jalen Rivers said. “So, it feels great to be where I’m at. Time went by super-fast. Everybody was in line when they said, especially when I came here, that your time will go by fast. Five years I was here, to now, getting ready for the NFL, time has gone by fast.”

Said Borregales, “Today was very special. … It’s amazing just seeing us all just be able to actually take steps towards our dreams. I’m excited.”