After having arguably the best statistical season of any defensive player in the NCAA this past season, CMU’s All-American linebacker Jake Edmiston attended two Pro Day events in Colorado to showcase his skills to NFL personnel.

Edmiston traveled to Colorado State University in mid-March and CSU-Pueblo last week to participate in general fitness and position-specific drills that tested all different aspects of his game while being analyzed by professional talent scouts. He explained how surreal it was to have a chance of achieving his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL.

“It is a dream come true so far,” he said. “It’s been a true honor to not only represent myself but to also represent the school and my family as well.”

Edmiston’s first opportunity to perform for NFL scouts was at the Colorado State Pro Day, which featured some of the best players from the Rams’ football team as well as 18 other participants being watched by 35 scouts from 28 different teams and a crowd of fans. He participated in basic combine drills such as the 40-yard dash, bench press, broad jump, vertical jump and the shuttle run. He then took part in a series of different drills that tested his footwork and pass rushing abilities as a linebacker.

At his second Pro Day event at CSU-Pueblo, Edmiston performed the same drills but found that the smaller venue was more beneficial for his exposure to the professional scouts.

“It seemed like the group of us players from smaller schools were maybe getting overlooked at the Pro Day in Fort Collins,” he said. “But at CSU-Pueblo, there were fewer participants, so scouts were able to pay more attention to each individual player.”

Since his attendance at the to Pro Day events, scouts from the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and the Cleveland Browns have called CMU head coach Russ Martin to speak with him about his star linebacker. Although his initial plan was to enter the draft as a long snapper, Edmiston hopes that he proved his potential as an all-around player that could perform in the NFL today.

“My agent and I are trying to push the fact that I can be a versatile player,” he said. “I’m someone who has played linebacker and had a year that I can be proud of, and I can also long snap. The way I see it, more hats you can wear, the better chance you have of finding a spot on a team.”

mfreter@mavs.coloradomesa.edu