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</td></tr><tr><td valign="top"><t></t><t></t><t></t><t></t><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><t><tr><td style="width: 100%;"><h1 id="articleTitle">Former CU Buff Scotty McKnight impressive at NFL timing day</font></h1>
</font><div id="articleSubTitle">Colorado wide receiver might have worked his way into April NFL draft</font>
</div><div id="articleByline">
Kyle Ringo Camera Sports Writer</div><div id="articleDate">Posted:03/09/2011 03:23:59 PM MST</font></div><div id="article">
Former Colorado
wide receiver Scotty McKnight might have made himself an NFL draft pick
today with an impressive and somewhat surprising performance in front of
representatives of at least 19 franchises at CU pro timing day. </font>
McKnight
had some help from his best friend from childhood -- New York Jets
starting quarterback Mark Sanchez -- who threw passes to him during the
portion of the session in which scouts were able to grade McKnight's
route running and pass catching.
He didn't drop a ball and proved to be
faster than most believed him to be ahead of time.
</font>First-year
coach Jon Embree and most of his staff were on hand to watch along with
many current and former Buffs. Embree, who spent the past five years in
the NFL and has plenty of experience evaluating college prospects, said
he was impressed by McKnight.
</font>
"I thought he made some money
today," Embree said. "I thought he put himself in position to get
drafted. I think he's a guy who people are going to be happy they have
him.</font>
"... I'd be shocked if, A, he didn't get drafted and, B, he didn't have a career in the league."</font>
<div style="width: 400px;"><div style="width: 400px;"></span>New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez gets ready to throw to Scotty
McKnight during receiver drills at the University of Colorado on
Wednesday. McKnight and Sanchez are best friends who grew up together.
National Football League scouts came to the CU campus to test former CU
football players for the NFL draft.
(
CLIFF GRASSMICK
)</font>
</div></div>
It was easily the most well-attended pro timing day in Boulder since 2002 with tackle Nate Solder and cornerback Jimmy Smith expected to be among the first 40 players selected in the April draft and cornerback Jalil Brown expected to be drafted at some point.</font></font>
McKnight
was one of seven former Buffs who worked out for scouts, joining
defensive lineman Marquez Herrod, tight end Luke Walters, longsnapper
Joe Silipo and the other three.
</font>
Solder, Smith and Brown all were
invited to the NFL Scouting Combine last month in Indianapolis where
they participated in all the sprints, drills, lifts and jumps. Each of
the three opted to participate in only a handful of those same tests
today as well as some position specific drills.
But McKnight was
the story of the day because he returned to Boulder this week after
several months working out in Orange County, Calif., hoping to prove
himself beyond the record-setting numbers he produced during his four
seasons on the gridiron in Boulder. </font>
McKnight ran three 40-yard
sprints and each was timed at less than 4.5 seconds, which was perhaps
the most eye-opening part of the day for scouts, who might have thought
McKnight was too slow for the pros. He also broad jumped more than 10
feet and bench pressed 225 pounds 13 times, 11 more times than he could
do at the end of last season.</font>
With anxiety built up for the day,
McKnight spent a near sleepless night at a local hotel. He was up at
5:30 a.m. and couldn't wait to get to the Dal Ward Center and begin his
day of tests and interviews.
</font></font>"I thought I did great," McKnight
said after the workout portion of his day was over. "...
I think I did
everything I possibly could to erase any doubts about speed or
athleticism. I think that's out there that I can compete with anyone in
those phases.
</font>"And then creating separation and catching the ball
in traffic, I think I answered that today. I feel like I did get myself
drafted."
Embree and former Buff linebacker Matt Russell, a
scout for the Denver Broncos, said it was beneficial for McKnight to
have Sanchez throwing to him but not because Sanchez somehow enhanced
McKnight's ability.
Both men said the familiarity with Sanchez
probably helped McKnight relax and perform. They said it also helped
scouts get a better evaluation having a quarterback participating who
could make all the necessary throws.
</font>Sanchez said it was "a
no-brainer" decision for him to travel to Boulder and participate with
McKnight, who has been his best friend since they played Pop Warner
football together growing up in Southern California. Sanchez obviously
has a biased opinion, but he believes his friend did very well.
"I
don't think it could have gone any better for him," Sanchez said. "His
drills were great. His numbers were awesome. ... All the stuff that he's
been working towards these last few months, it all just came to
fruition today. He deserves it because he did a great job this entire
process."</font>
</div><div><div style="width: 400px;">
</span><div style="width: 100%;">
Scotty McKnight catches a pass during drills on CU pro timing day
Wednesday. NFL scouts came to campus to test former CU football players
for the NFL draft.
(
CLIFF GRASSMICK
)</font></div></div></div></td></tr></t></table></td></tr></t></table>
http://www.buffzone.com/ci_17574665
Edited by: Highlander
