North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz gets his latest moment in the pre-draft spotlight at his Pro Day Thursday.
Wentz raised his national profile in January with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl, where he played for the North team coached by the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff. In an interview with Paul Burmeister of PFT Live at the league meetings, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said he didn’t know much about Wentz and was curious how he’d handle the transition to a new environment and better competition at the Senior Bowl.
“He responded very well,” Garrett said. “When he went against the guys at the Senior Bowl, I thought he fit in really well.
“He’s a small school guy but he’s a very impressive guy as an individual, just the way he carries himself, his leadership. He’s very impressive physically. He’s a big kid, athletic and he can throw the football. It was a good week for us to get to know him.”
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones reportedly told Gil Brandt of NFL.com the team won’t take a quarterback at No. 4, which would presumably mean the Cowboys won’t be selecting Wentz. But it seems likely that the team’s Senior Bowl experience will impact its draft board.
“That week was a great opportunity for us and we took that experience very seriously as a coaching staff,” Garrett said. “You just never get that opportunity. You get a 15-minute interview in Indianapolis and maybe go see a guy workout but to see them up close, go through the work and three days of meetings, getting to know guys like that, including Carson, it was invaluable.”
NFL Network will televise Wentz’s Pro Day workout live Thursday morning. Browns Coach Hue Jackson is among those planning to attend; the Browns hold the No. 2 pick in the draft.