Today, Franklin Field will host the fourth annual Pro Day, an event that could make or break the pro football careers of many local prospects.
Pro Day is a workout designed for Philadelphia and mid-Atlantic area college football players to be scouted by NFL teams. It is structured much like the major NFL combine; the players are measured, weighed, timed and also individually worked out by various scouts.
Five players from Penn will be showcasing their skills at today -- cornerback Duvol Thompson, wide receiver Dan Castles, defensive tackle Michael Sangobowale, punter Josh Appell, and 2004 graduate Chris Kupchick, an offensive tackle.
In addition, Pro Day features prospects from other Philadelphia schools such as Villanova and Temple, as well as big football programs like Maryland and Penn State. In past years, the event has drawn up to 24 schools.
Today's event gives a chance for players that would otherwise be overlooked to get noticed. For many players it will be their only chance to impress the scouts in person.
"We're not the Oklahomas or the South Carolinas, where they're going to go to the NFL immediately," Penn linebackers coach and Pro Day coordinator Cliff Schwenke said. "Here at Temple, Villanova or Penn we have to do our best to create an interest in these scouts so that they come back and say 'let's bring this guy to camp, let's give him a shot' and in some cases 'let's draft him.'"
Shwenke's goal for Pro Day is to put the athletes in a position to succeed.
Over 200 players get drafted into the NFL each year -- the most recent Penn player being offensive lineman Jeff Hatch with the 78th overall pick in 2002 -- and there are hundreds of undrafted free agents that make it into camp as well. Not all of the players working out on Pro Day will get drafted, but certainly many will have a chance to compete for a roster spot, and a select few will eventually get signed.
"We're just trying to get them there," Schwenke said. "The whole bit is to get invited to a camp, and then it's really up to them to do whatever their ability allows them to do."
The Penn contingent features a quintet from all areas of the game.
Thompson, a two-time first-team All-Ivy selection at defensive back, posted 29 tackles, six pass deflections, and an interception in 2004. Thompson was one of only two Ivy Leaguers selected to the 2005 Hula Bowl roster, and got significant time in the bowl game.
Castles was the go-to receiver for Penn last season, and has put up huge numbers for the Quakers. Last season he caught 70 balls for 966 yards and eight touchdowns. For his career he is second in school history in receiving yards with 2,444, and first all-time in touchdown catches with an amazing 27.
Defensive tackle Sangobowale also was a first-team All-Ivy selection, as he recorded 43 tackles and 4.5 sacks in the 2003 season. Appell, also a first-team All-Ivy pick at punter, averaged an impressive 40.9 yards per punt with 17 of his punts downed inside the twenty. Kupchick, an offensive tackle, started all ten games for Penn in 2002, and in eight games in 2003 helped anchor a solid running game.
Out of the five, Thompson and Appell have drawn the most attention, but with a good showing any of them could find themselves in camp this summer, and with luck in uniform come September.
"Duvol Thompson and Josh Appell are the guys who people have shown the most interest in, so we're keeping our fingers crossed," Schwenke said. "I think they have a shot if they do well. Dan Castles has to run fast and Sangobowale has to run fast. Chris Kupchick from 2003 has to come off his injury and show them he's an all-Ivy Tackle and he deserves a shot."
But despite all that they have shown on the field during their time at Penn, those couple of hours on Franklin Field today will still be a deciding factor in their chances at a professional career.
"I think they all have to be very focused and determined," Schwenke said. "They can't be like Maurice Clarett at the combine. This is their big test if they are going to have a chance."
