Pro Day
A Pro Day is a special event where college athletes showcase their skills to professional sports scouts and team representatives. It's like a job interview for athletes, typically held at their college campus after their final season. During this event, athletes perform various physical tests, drills, and exercises similar to those at the NFL Combine, but in a more familiar environment. This gives players who weren't invited to major scouting combines, or those who want to improve their previous performance, another chance to impress potential employers. For recruiters, seeing "Pro Day" on a resume means the candidate has experience evaluating talent at these crucial career-launching events.
Examples in Resumes
Evaluated 50+ athletes during Pro Day events across major college programs
Coordinated Pro Day activities for SEC conference schools
Led talent assessment team during university Pro Days resulting in 3 successful draft picks
Typical job title: "Pro Day Scouts"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Pro Day Scouts
Professional Networks
Job Boards
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How do you evaluate the success rate of your Pro Day assessments over multiple seasons?
Expected Answer: Should discuss tracking drafted players' professional performance against Pro Day evaluations, maintaining detailed assessment records, and adjusting evaluation criteria based on historical success patterns.
Q: How do you manage a scouting team during multiple Pro Days occurring in the same week?
Expected Answer: Should explain prioritizing schools based on talent level, coordinating team coverage, standardizing evaluation methods, and efficiently collecting and sharing information across the scouting team.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What factors do you consider when comparing Pro Day results to Combine results?
Expected Answer: Should discuss considering environment differences, timing systems used, competition level, and how to normalize results between different venues and conditions.
Q: How do you handle evaluating a prospect whose Pro Day performance differs significantly from their game film?
Expected Answer: Should explain balancing athletic testing with actual game performance, considering environmental factors, and the importance of complete athlete evaluation.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What are the key measurements and drills typically performed at a Pro Day?
Expected Answer: Should list basic measurements like 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, and position-specific drills, showing understanding of standard evaluation metrics.
Q: How do you document and report Pro Day results?
Expected Answer: Should describe basic record-keeping practices, standard reporting formats, and the importance of accurate measurement recording.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic athletic evaluation techniques
- Understanding of standard Pro Day drills
- Basic report writing
- Knowledge of sport-specific metrics
Mid (2-5 years)
- Advanced player evaluation
- Comparative analysis of athletes
- Performance projection
- Network building with college programs
Senior (5+ years)
- Leading scouting teams
- Strategic talent evaluation
- Long-term success prediction
- Program relationship management
Red Flags to Watch For
- No direct experience attending Pro Days or similar scouting events
- Lack of understanding of standard athletic measurements
- Poor knowledge of college football programs
- Limited ability to evaluate physical talent
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