Wednesday afternoon was a busy day at UFCU Stadium, as Texas State football conducted its Pro Day in front of NFL scouts searching for a group of Bobcats looking to have their name called at the 2025 NFL Draft.
“I think these NFL scouts were really impressed by what they saw,” Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne said. “They tested really well. I think a couple of guys rose up on some draft boards.”
The Pro Day included 16 players who not only wanted to impress the 26 teams attending the event in San Marcos but also to see what skills or abilities they needed to work on to better themselves and prepare for a professional career.
There were a few players who stood out at Pro Day. Offensive lineman Nash Jones was undoubtedly one of the primary players most teams came to observe. Jones impressed scouts throughout the season but did even more at the Combine despite an early exit when he tweaked his right hamstring during his second attempt in the 40-yard dash.
Jones measured 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, completing 29 reps on the bench press, hitting 31 inches on the vertical jump and 9-foot-5 in the broad jump.
Despite his impressive film, Jones was not invited to the NFL Combine, which he used as motivation going into the Pro Day.
“I’ve been competing against the guys at the Combine…I felt like I got snubbed,” Jones said. “I felt like I should have been there…[now, scouts] see how good I am.”
Jones is one of the few players who has met with NFL teams. He has reportedly met with the Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks. He is scheduled to meet with the Minnesota Vikings and previously officially visited the Denver Broncos.
Quarterback Jordan McCloud also impressed scouts during the Pro Day. He did not test during the Combine but did participate in position drills. McCloud measured 6 feet even, weighing 207 pounds. He met with the New York Jets, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Teams were impressed with his throwing ability, which is just one of the many things McCloud wanted to work on for the Pro Day.
“I wanted to focus on being balanced on all of my throws…focus on my long ball…I did it throughout the season, but I just wanted to show it more today,” McCloud said. “I’m not trying to be anybody I’m not.”
McCloud is mentored by his brother Ray-Ray McCloud III, a seven-year NFL veteran, who has been helping guide him through his journey and even made the trip to San Marcos to watch McCloud participate in Pro Day.
“[Ray-Ray]’s been such a big mentor to me,” McCloud said. “He knows the ins and outs of it…. helping me through the ups and downs but also told me to focus on the main goal of winning and preparing for today and for Sundays.”
Wide Receiver Joey Hobert is another notable name who participated in the Pro Day. He looked just as impressive among his colleagues, even in a vastly different setting than he’s used to.
“[For a game] you’re practicing day-in-and-day-out for a specific opponent. The biggest opponent [in the Pro Day] is yourself,” Hobert said. “The biggest thing is ‘how am I going to improve myself?’ You don’t really look into that as much, but it’s a game changer.”
It is unclear who Hobert has met with yet, but he knows that even if his name doesn’t get called on draft night, there will be other paths that he and some of his fellow teammates can take.
“You’ll get your opportunities,” Hobert said. “Even if you go UFL, CFL, even playing in Europe, chances will come…You have to always be ready for the next call that happens.”
The 2025 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place from April 24-26 inside Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. It will be available to stream on ESPN.
