Miguel Maysonet flashes his speed at Stony Brook's pro day
Running back Miguel Maysonet of the Stony Brook football team looks on during the Stony Brook NFL Pro Day. (March 22, 2013) Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
There were no nerves when Miguel Maysonet bent over and placed his hand on the turf.
He had waited almost a month to show off his speed. And now, in the presence of scouts from 25 NFL teams, the Stony Brook running back had his moment in the spotlight. And he didn't disappoint.
No longer slowed by a balky hamstring, he clocked unofficial times of 4.45, 4.49 and 4.56 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day Friday at Stony Brook.
There was a calmness and a swagger about him. He knew the stage was his -- and he owned it.
"Honestly, I wasn't really nervous,'' he said. "When I put my hand down on the start, I knew I was doing it for myself and my family. That's the only thing that was going through my mind: I have to do this for my family.''
The Stony Brook standout was invited to last month's NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis but couldn't run the 40 because of a lingering hamstring injury. He impressed the scouts with his speed Friday (posting a 4.01 short shuttle time) and bench-pressed 225 pounds 21 times -- one more rep than he completed in Indy. He also had a 311/2-inch vertical jump and leaped 8-9 and 8-11 in his broad jump attempts.
"It was sad that I wasn't able to run [the 40] at the combine to show America that I'm a good football player,'' said the 5-8½, 212-pounder, who joked that he must have shrunk an inch since the combine. "But for the scouts to come out here and to see not just me but other Stony Brook players run, it was awesome.''
Sixteen players worked out, but the stage belonged to Maysonet. Only seven teams didn't attend his pro day: the Patriots, Rams, Bengals, Texans, Vikings, Cowboys and Redskins. But the Rams requested tape of his pro day and Maysonet already has a private workout with the Patriots scheduled for Wednesday. He also will have a private workout at the Giants' facility next month and plans to visit with the Jets, too.
"He had a sick year and brought all these scouts,'' former Stony Brook running back Brock Jackolski said of his old teammate, who rushed for 5,110 yards during his college career (including one year at Hofstra) and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award after the 2012 season.
"He's the spotlight, obviously,'' added the 5-9, 202-pound Jackolski, who ran an unofficial 4.47 in the 40. "He brought the scouts here. Even if it was all for him, I guarantee you one or two other guys had some shine, too.''
Stony Brook defensive lineman Jonathan Coats (6-2, 250) ran an unofficial 4.70 40 and safety Dominick Reyes ran an unofficial 4.59.
Maysonet also showed off his footwork and versatility in passing drills with RPI quarterback Mike Hermann. "That was always the questions that they asked me: 'Can you catch?' '' said Maysonet, who garnered high praise from ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. "My tape doesn't really show that I can catch the ball, but I showed it out here.''
But Maysonet -- who's projected to be drafted in the fourth round or later -- isn't satisfied with being the first SBU player ever invited to the combine.
"I've gotta put Stony on the map,'' he said with a smile. "They've done so much for me, so for me to hear my name if I get drafted and see 'Miguel Maysonet from Stony Brook,' that'll be awesome. And a lot of people are going to go: 'Where the hell is Stony Brook?' ''
