Representatives from four NFL teams were present at Illinois State's pro day on Wednesday, when 21 players worked out outdoors on FieldTurf.
Two Redbirds prospects are potential free-agent pickups for teams following the conclusion of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Offensive lineman Jermaine Barton (6-foot-6 5/8, 332 pounds) could not work out at the pro day because of a left knee operation that took place in February. Barton has nearly 36-inch arms. Some team will come back and take a long look at Barton either before the draft or after (as a free-agent possibility) to see if the knee is healthy. Because of his length -- scouts drool over big offensive line prospects with long arms -- a team will see if it can make a developmental project out of him.
Barton began his college football career at Miami (Fla.) and was there for two seasons (including a redshirt season) before transferring to Illinois State. He went to powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and was a three-star recruit. He was high school teammates with Lamarcus Joyner of the St. Louis Rams, Giovani Bernard of the Cincinnati Bengals, James White of the New England Patriots and Brandon Linder of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Offensive lineman Michael Liedtke (6-3 3/4, 305) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.91 and 4.93 seconds. He had a 33-inch vertical jump and 9-foot-4 broad jump. He had a 20-yard short shuttle time of 4.94 seconds and a three-cone time of 7.35 seconds. He performed 28 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. Liedtke was probably a better lineman that Barton during his time at Illinois State, but because of Barton's size (Liedtke has 33 1/8-inch arms) he is viewed as having better long-range NFL potential.
Follow Gil Brandt on Twitter _@GilBrandt_.
