Former Nebraska running back Devine Ozigbo was at the Hawks Championship Center on Thursday, one of many former Huskers working out in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams, all vying to have their name called in Nashville this April.

The top prospects get invited to the NFL combine in Indianapolis. After a 1,000 yard season, Ozigbo was still unable to secure an invite. It incensed his position coach, Ryan Held.

“I think there were 28 other running backs who were chosen to go to the combine,” Held said on Wednesday. “I mean, tell me there are 28 better running backs than him in the United States. I just don’t believe it.”

It’s Ozigbo’s dream to get to the League, so it was naturally a letdown he didn’t get to make the trip to Indianapolis. “It was something I definitely wanted,” Ozigbo said. “It was something I couldn’t dwell on. I had to quickly get over it and get ready for today.”

Feedback Ozigbo received from his agent and others said that he needed to work on his speed. Ozigbo was unofficially clocked as running a 4.5 second 40 yard dash time Thursday afternoon.

“It’s definitely not the number I was striving for, but I gave it my best,” Ozigbo said. Onlookers might not have been blown away by his speed, but the bulky tailback had more in his tool shed to showcase to the scouts in attendance. Besides his size, Ozigbo said that scouts liked his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Although there are many routes to the NFL, there’s only one way that would guarantee Ozigbo would get a shot with a team. “As long as I want to play football and get to the NFL, the best way to do that is to get drafted,” Ozigbo said. “That’d be big, but anyway I can get an opportunity, that’s what I’m looking for.”

In other pro day notes:

-Tanner Farmer had a monster day at the bench press. At 225 pounds, Farmer got 39 reps in, tied for the most of anyone who was at the NFL combine. The 6-foot-3, 315 pound player ran a 40 time around 5 seconds and had a broad jump of around 10 inches.

-Dedrick Young unofficially ran a 40 in the mid 4.4 second range. Weighing in at 233 pounds and a shade over 6 feet, Young also had 26 reps at the bench.

-Stanley Morgan Jr. was also at the Hawks Championship Center. He did not participate in the full day, as he had already worked out at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last week. However, he did catch passes from former Husker QB Ryker Fyfe, now a player with the Omaha Beef. Morgan told reporters following the conclusion of Pro Day that he has a workout scheduled with the New Orleans Saints, his hometown team in the near future.

(Photo – Kenny Larabee)