PITTSBURGH — There may not be any Pitt Panthers at the top of the draft board this year, but the work at Pro Day is still extremely valuable for these NFL hopefuls. Those who stand out most could convince scouts from across the league to take a closer look at their tape.
“Some guys made some money,” said Head Coach Pat Narduzzi. “Donovan McMillan, Brandon George.”
McMillan and George were two guys without an invitation to the combine. They showed up Wednesday with a chip on their shoulders and impressed with their overall athleticism.
“Obviously, we all came with that mentality,” George said. “I feel like we all did a really good job today proving how good we are. I feel good about the numbers I cranked out and the numbers we all cranked out today. I feel like a lot of us here are going to end up making some change from it.”
While some put themselves on the map, others only upped their stock. Much of the buzz at the facility surrounded kicker Ben Sauls. He missed his first field goal attempt in front of scouts Wednesday, but followed by making 10 straight...including a 58-yarder.
“That just kind of exemplifies me,” Sauls said. “Misses happen. That’s a part of what I do. That’s a part of my job. The second half is what you do after that.”
With the first round of this year’s draft less than a month away, the opportunities to impress NFL teams are growing thin. The next stop for these Panthers is waiting to hear their name on draft weekend.
“To actually be here and live it out, it’s still a little surreal,” said tight end Gavin Bartholomew. “I’m still waiting for it to feel real, I guess. On draft day, I’m sure it will feel pretty real.”
“My biggest dream, biggest goal is to get my name called on that day,” McMillan said. “There’s going to be ups and downs, I’m just going to look at the positives and whatever team gets me I’m going to go out there and put 100% effort and be great so we can win football games.”
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
