Clayton wowed at Auburn's Pro Day, and now continues to try and impress NFL Scouts
Zach Clayton’s pre-draft experience has been on the absolute opposite end of the spectrum from former teammates Cam Newton and Nick Fairley.
Instead of publicized, media-only workouts with a professional position coach, the Opelika High grad had sessions in the Hutsell-Rosen Track Complex, nestled into the corner by the equipment shed with his father, Jerry, an Auburn assistant track and field coach.
Instead of appearances on ESPN’s First Take, sitdowns with Jon Gruden or the possibility of gracing a video game cover, Clayton worked four hours a day to improve his agility, balance and other skills that would translate to the next level.
“All I have to do is wake up and work out,” Clayton said. “It’s not like I have to manage time, study, have a social life. I just have to wake up and work out. It’s great. Some would say I’m living the dream.”
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After struggling at the combine with accuracy, Newton needs a good showing today to prove it was just unfamiliarity with his receivers.
Cam Newton, surprising as it may sound, still has some questions to answer for NFL scouts.
His physical prowess impressed at the Combine last week, with his 4.59-second 40-yard dash coming in third among quarterbacks present, his 35-inch vertical jump coming in third as well and his 10-foot, 6-inch broad jump leading the field.
But accuracy questions, one of the grey areas in his game he hoped to clear up, was one of the things scouts took away from the Combine, as he completed only 11-of-21 passes in his throwing session with unfamiliar receivers.
“I underestimated the timing aspect of playing quarterback,” Newton told NFL Network. “You had receivers from the SEC, the SWAC, the MAC. … I was somewhat frustrated, but at the same time, I was having fun out there.”
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The news that most Auburn fans fully expected — but didn’t want to hear — dropped Thursday night.
Heisman winner Cam Newton is going pro.
“This decision was difficult for me and my family,” Newton said in a university release. “After talking to Coach (Gene) Chizik and Coach (Gus) Malzahn, I think it is best that I make that next step in my career and forgo my senior season and enter the NFL Draft.
“It was a very hard decision for me, especially after coming off the great season we had at Auburn. I’m blessed to have been around an excellent environment and have great teammates, coaches and support from the Auburn family.”
Newton, who started his college career at Florida and transferred to Auburn from Blinn (Texas) College, made quite the impression in his one year with the Tigers.
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Tigers X things Tate is the #1 back in the draft.
Ben Tate was never short of confidence during his four years at Auburn.
It certainly hasn’t changed now that he’s swiftly moved up the ranks of an SEC-heavy class of running backs in this year’s NFL Draft, which kicks off with the first round tonight, the second and third rounds Friday and runs through Saturday.
“I think I really couldn’t do too much more than any other prospect has done to help improve my stock,” Tate said Wednesday on a conference call. “I’ve done really well. I think I did the best I can do through this whole process. I’m very excited about what I did to this point.”
Tate’s right. It’s tough to find a player in this year’s draft that has done more with the previous four months than him.
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