Bird Watching

PHILADELPHIA – Somewhere between 20-25 NFL teams were accounted for Monday afternoon, huddled inside the confines of Temple University’s STAR Building to observe the school’s Pro Day.

Twenty-six prospects took part in the testing, with Temple linebacker Jordan Magee as the primary draw.

In addition to Magee, Owls EDGE Layton Jordan and wideout Amad Anderson were notable participants.

The showcase also featured a host of prospects with local ties, including Slippery Rock wide receiver Kyle Sheets, Lock Haven running back Chris Collier, Penn defensive back Jaden Key, Monmouth quarterback Marquez McCray and Marshall wide receiver Darryle Simmons.

More on a couple of those prospects later.

As for the Eagles, whose headquarters are essentially nestled in the backyard of Temple’s campus, they were represented by pro scout Ameena Soliman and Northeast area scout Ben Ijalana, among others.

Some notes and observations from Monday afternoon:

ITB PHOTO: Temple product Jordan Magee was the main draw at the schooi’s Pro Day.

* Following Pro Day, Magee mentioned to me that the initial plan was to stand on his Combine numbers for most of his testing, sans the short shuttle and three-cone drill. But at the request of Eagles linebackers coach Bobby King, Magee took part in the on-field portion of the workout.

* Magee is largely booked for the next month, with scheduled 30-visits with the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans early next month and several local days on the docket. He also had a 30 visit with the Denver Broncos. Magee has drawn interest from the hometown Eagles, who brought him in for a private workout last week. Magee (6-1, 228), who ran a 4.55 at the NFL Scouting Combine last month, is a Day 3 prospect garnering considerable buzz.

* Owls EDGE rusher Layton Jordan has also commanded some attention. The McKeesport, Pa., native is an athletic, twitched-up, do-it-all defender who looked tremendous in drills, particularly during the positional period. Jordan would fit a number of defenses and certainly helped himself with a strong showing. The 6-foot-2 Layton, who played around 220 last season, weighed in at 242 for Pro Day and sported a rocked-up physique. A sixth-year player, Jordan registered 24 tackles (3.5 for loss) and 2.5 sacks.

* One other notable Temple product was the unassuming Amad Anderson, who sported a slender 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. The Staten Island, N.Y. native showcased smooth, detailed route running and caught everything that came his way during positional work. Anderson last season hauled in 37 catches for 647 yards and three touchdowns. He could find his way into a camp this summer.

* Tough break for Villanova RB TD Ayo-Durojaiye, who let out a loud grunt at the tail-end of his 40-yard dash, noticeably limping to a corner of the complex and doubling over before being tended to by trainers. The former Wildcat was forced to call it a day.

* Finally, it was a couple of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)  longshots who caught my attention. Chris Collier (5-11, 205), the Lock Haven running back, looked explosive and fluid in drills, appeared natural catching the football and opened some eyes in his 40-yard dash. Collier, who rushed for 1,393 yards last season to become Lock Haven’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 1981, was among the biggest winners from Monday’s Pro Day. He spoke to a host of scouts following the workout and has some local pro day showcases on the docket. Says he plans to get his weight to 215.

* Another prospect who jumped out was Kyle Sheets, the Slippery Rock wideout. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Sheets not only looks the part, the 2023 consensus All-American proved he had some burst to his game as well, clocking 40 times ranging from 4.4-4.5. While navigating through some poorly thrown passes, Sheets demonstrated notable body control, nifty footwork and tracked the ball well. He’s also a natural hands-catcher, and on several occasions plucked the ball out of the air at its highest point. Sheets also said he’s “talked to Philly a bunch,” before specifying he’s met with them a couple times, including at the College Gridiron Showcase. If either player can utilize the platform as a springboard and maximize the next few weeks, they should be able to find their way onto a training camp roster.

”It was a long time,” Sheets said. “The 10 weeks of training were long, but I’m so, so blessed to be here. First of all, I wanna thank Temple. And Cleveland [Browns] had helped me get in here, I was looking for a Pro Day for a while.

“I’m super grateful to have this opportunity right now. Thought my numbers were OK, I can definitely improve in everything. I’m excited to get back to work.”

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.