Fifteen former Montana Grizzlies football players and three NAIA athletes from around the state took part in the annual Griz Pro Day on April 3, running through a series of strength, speed, agility tests, and position drills for scouts representing 12 professional teams.
The event is significant as it offers prospects an opportunity to showcase their athletic abilities directly to professional scouts. Strong performances at Pro Day can improve players’ chances of being selected in upcoming drafts or signed as free agents.
Michael Wortham stood out among the participants with a vertical jump of 37.5 inches and a three-cone drill time of 6.75 seconds—numbers that would have ranked him near the top among receivers at this year’s NFL Combine. Wortham said, “I’m just blessed to be here. It’s a great opportunity to come out here with these guys. Each and every day we train is for this moment and to get it done at the highest level in front of scouts. It’s an amazing journey, and I’m just thankful to be out here with these guys and to put up numbers for scouts.” He added, “I had some ups and downs, but I hold myself to high expectations. There were definitely a lot of ups though. I’m thankful regardless of the outcome. God just blessed me to be a part of this process.” Wortham returned as one of the highest-rated receivers in his draft class according to Pro Football Focus.
Other notable performances included tight end Evan Shafer completing 30 repetitions on the bench press—a mark that would have led all tight ends at the combine—and offensive lineman Liam Brown recording both strong bench numbers (26 reps) and an explosive vertical jump (33.5 inches). Cornerback Kenzel Lawler posted a vertical leap of 39.5 inches—the best on the day—and excelled in multiple drills including broad jump (10 feet, 8 inches) and three-cone drill (6.84 seconds). Running back Stevie Rocker Jr.’s shuttle time was clocked at 4.1 seconds—faster than any running back recorded at this year’s combine.
NFL teams present included representatives from franchises such as Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as world champion Seattle Seahawks; Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger Cats also attended.
The next step for many participants will be awaiting results from upcoming drafts or pursuing opportunities based on their performances during Pro Day.
