Flashing his skills at Pro Day

AUBURN | There’s a lot of testing and measuring at combines and pro days but nothing moves the needle like a fast 40-yard dash.

And it won’t come as a surprise to anyone that’s watched Anthony Schwartz play football or run track, that he blazed through his 40 during Auburn’s Pro Day Thursday morning.

The former Tigers wide receiver was credited with an unofficial 4.26 40, which would best the 4.27 that Henry Ruggs III ran as the fastest prospect at last year’s NFL Combine.

“My expectations were just to run fast on my 40, do good in all my drills, and then when it came to my position work, just show good footwork, be fast coming in and out of my breaks, be clean in and out of my breaks, and I feel like I did all of what I listed,” Schwartz said. “I feel like there’s still room to improve, but I feel like today I showed I’m more than just that deep-threat guy; I can do everything that a receiver’s supposed to do.”

There’s no NFL Combine in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which meant this Pro Day was Schwartz's only opportunity to display his talents in front of scouts from just about every NFL team.

In addition to his 40, Schwartz also had a 32-inch vertical leap.

“There’s a little bit more pressure on, especially because this is pretty much our only interview for the job; we don’t have the Combine, we don’t have the in-house workouts,” Schwartz said. “It’s just this, so I feel like there’s some pressure on and I was a little bit more nervous, but I feel like I was able to handle myself well.”

Schwartz is one of three Auburn receivers that declared early for the draft joining Seth Williams and Eli Stove. Williams ran a 4.50 40, which is pretty impressive considering his 6-foot-3, 211-pound frame. He also had a 37-inch vertical. Stove ran a 4.55 40 and had a 30.5-inch vertical.

On the other side of the ball, linebacker K.J. Britt impressed with 24 reps on the bench press and a 32.5-inch vertical. He wasn’t disappointed in a 4.75 40, especially considering his 6-foot-0.5 and 235-pound frame.

"I think it went well. I was pleased with my on-the-field drills,” Britt said. “I pretty much knew what my time was going to be before I got here, so that didn’t shock me. I’m just glad I didn’t run a too-slow time. I’m ready for the opportunity, to be honest.”

Like Britt, safety Jamien Sherwood declared for the NFL after his junior season. He ran a 4.75 40 and had a 36-inch vertical at 6-foot-1.75 and 216 pounds, which means he might be joining Britt at linebacker on the next level.

“Most teams weren't sure if I would be a box safety or a backside linebacker,” Sherwood said. “But today, I feel like I put on a good show, especially when we got to the drill parts. I feel like I answered any questions that they didn't have answered yet. Me, personally, I can do both of them. And the way that I moved today, I feel like they can think the same.”

Jordyn Peters was a backup safety his last couple of seasons but also played nickel and was a special teams ace blocking four punts in his career. He ran a 4.70 40 Thursday but impressed with a 39.5-inch vertical.

“I want to be known as a versatile player out there on the field,” Peters said. “Because that's longevity. At the end of the day, if I can move from position to position, I have more value as a player.”

Christian Tutt, who also considered transferring before opting for the NFL, ran a 4.75 40 and had a 29.5-inch vertical.

The 2021 NFL Draft begins with the first round on Thursday, April 29 and continues through Saturday, May 1. It will be carried on ESPN and NFL Network.

AUBURN PRO DAY NUMBERS

KJ Britt

6-0 1/2

235

32.5 inch vertical

9'10" broad

24 bench

4.75 40 (unofficial)

Jamien Sherwood

6-1 3/4

216

36 vert

10'3" broad

15 bench

4.75 unofficial

Anthony Schwartz

6-0

186

32 vert

10-3 broad

Did not bench

4.26 unofficial

Seth Williams

6-3

211

37 vert

10-4 broad

12 bench

4.50 unofficial

Jordyn Peters

6-0 3/4

202

39.5 vert

10-4 broad

7 bench

4.70 unofficial

Eli Stove

5-11 3/8

194

30.5 vert

9-11 broad

14 bench

4.55 unofficial

Christian Tutt

5-10 1/4

180

29.5 vert

9-2 broad

Did not bench

4.75 unofficial