Five takeaways from Northwestern Pro Day

A.J. Henning and Jaylen Pate with major stock ups.

With no Northwestern player receiving an NFL Combine invite, 10 Wildcats worked out in front of scouts at Northwestern Pro Day Tuesday. Alongside wide receiver A.J. Henning and linebacker Xander Mueller, QB Ryan Hilinski, TE Thomas Gordon, TE Marshall Lang, OL Ben Wrather, DL Sean McLaughlin, DL Jaylen Pate, DL R.J. Pearson and S Coco Azema participated at the annual event inside Ryan Fieldhouse. Here are five takeaways from how the Wildcats fared and from coach David Braun’s media availability.

Early thoughts on Preston Stone

While Braun said the team won’t name a starting quarterback, it was clear Northwestern’s coach has liked what he’s seen from the SMU transfer in spring practice so far. With Stone currently splitting first team reps with Jack Lausch, Braun lauded Stone’s ability to pick up a new system on the fly. He referenced Stone’s confidence, ability to process and get the ball out of his hands quickly as things he’s been impressed with. Although still a long way from opening day against Tulane in August, those early returns speak volumes about the potential of the highly-touted transfer after his 4,030 passing yards and 35 passing touchdowns to eight interceptions in 28 career games with the Mustangs.

A.J. Henning’s athleticism

As Henning readied himself for his 40-yard dash, his teammates crowded around the sideline by midfield to get a glimpse of the speedster. Almost everyone had their phones out, ready to time the wideout run. With unofficial times in the low 4.40s for both of Henning’s 40-yard dashes, the speed was certainly on display. The explosiveness was, too, in the broad and vertical jumps with a 10-foot-3 broad jump and 34.5 inch vertical.

In the position drills, Henning impressed with his twitchy route running and sure hands, not dropping a single ball in both wide receiver and special team reps. At the next level, Henning projects most likely as a punt or kick returner thanks to his shiftiness in open space and speed but was adamant post-workout that he showcased his versatility and ability to run the entire route tree. Although Henning didn’t earn a combine invite, his athleticism was on full display all morning and certainly earned him a look as a late round flier or camp invitee.

Big day for Jaylen Pate

With a 36 inch vertical and 10-foot-3 broad jump, Pate nearly jumped out of the gym. Plus with a 40-yard dash in the unofficial 4.80 range, Pate looked fast and fit during his workout. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 272 pounds last season, Pate ended the year at roughly 277 pounds in prime tweener territory. With the option to bulk up and move inside or slim down and move outside, Pate chose to slim down in preparation for Northwestern’s Pro Day.

Implementing a strict 10-week diet, Pate ate scrambled eggs, grits, sausage and strawberries for breakfast, tilapia, brown rice and broccoli for lunch and teriyaki, brown rice and broccoli for dinner with a fruit smoothie before bed every single day. No cheat days or cheat meals, just eggs, tilapia, teriyaki and a whole lot of broccoli for 10 straight weeks. Well, the diet certainly showed its impact with Pate’s numbers and more importantly made the Giordano’s pizza for lunch after all the more worth it.

Offensive line gains

As much as pro day allows us to zoom in on the Wildcats looking to make the leap to the next level, it’s also a perfect time to get a gut check on how things are looking in spring ball. And with the struggles and inconsistency of the offensive line last season, Braun made it sound like things are progressing thanks to offensive line coach Bill O’Boyle and the hiring of Ryan Olson as Northwestern’s run game specialist.

Braun emphasized the progression he’s seen from starting tackle Caleb Tiernan, who posted an 89.4 PFF pass blocking grade in 2024, the fifth-highest in the country. After a career campaign, Tiernan is playing at what Braun says is a “whole new level.” Additionally, the development of the offensive line’s depth and the impact of South Dakota State transfer Evan Beernsten has been palpable for Braun. Although Beernsten is rotating with the first and second units, Braun said it’s a byproduct of everyone having to earn their role. Additionally, Braun made it clear that although the unit has a long way to go before the fall, compared to this time last year where the Wildcats had just seven offensive lineman available, there has been sizable improvement in the trenches.

Adapting to the changing landscape of college football

In the age of NIL, the transfer portal and the potential of revenue sharing on the horizon, Northwestern is clearly willing to invest and commit to being competitive. Braun reiterated that Northwestern is prepared to throw itself into the fire as much as any team in the country, commending Mark Jackson’s leadership and the impact of Jacob Schmidt with TrueNU in facilitating that possibility. In real time however, Braun also praised the work of Luke Walerius, Northwestern general manager of roster development and retention, and Northwestern Admissions in helping bring in a slew of transfers prior to winter quarter starting. Braun said this has been instrumental in aiding the team’s development in spring practice.