Live Florida Pro Day blog! Tim Tebow does nothing while Joe Haden runs a 4.44
by Ben Volin
….. And we’re live from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville for the University of Florida’s Pro Day!
Well, almost.
Your fearless reporter is actually in Oklahoma City today for the men’s basketball tournament. Instead, our intrepid Alligator correspondent, Kyle Maistri, is covering the day’s events in Gainesville — Pro Day, the unveiling of “Tim Tebow 2.0,” and the opening of spring practice at 4 p.m.
Kyle is filing live dispatches on Twitter, @kmaistri, but we’re going to post his tweets here, too, in our live blog.
It’s rainy and a little chilly so far in Gainesville, and as of 11:30 a.m., no sign of Tebow. Maistri reports, however, that Joe Haden ran a 4.44 in the 40, a much improved time from his 4.57 at the NFL Combine.
Between Tebow, Pro Day, Haden, the start of spring practice and March Madness, we could set a new Gator Bytes record today for blog posts. This should be fun.
Enjoy the live updates!
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– The first and hardest step of covering #proday is complete: waking up. On my way to the stadium.
– Inside ben hill griffin, rainy day. Nothing but orange cones on field right now, couple hundred fans here. Tried to spell rainy with an e.
– On this list of athletes set to work: former UF punter Eric Wilbur, who graduated two years ago. And walk-on RB Chris Scott.
– Complete list of participants: Markihe Anderson, Riley Cooper, Jermaine Cunningham, Dustin Doe, Carlos Dunlap, Troy Epps, Joe Haden, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon James, David Nelson, Wondy Pierre-Louis, Maurkice Pouncey, Brandon Spikes, Ryan Stamper, Major Wright, and some guy named Tebow. Rain seems to have stopped momentarily leaving a beautiful gray gainesville sky.
– Ahmad Black just came onto the field in street clothes, he obviously wants a front row view of this awesome event.
– Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is in the building. So is Percy Harvin. Most of the players now on the field.
– Former UF defensive coordinator Charlie Strong is in the house. Stamper is rocking an impressive beard, rick ross style.
– Ryan Stamper is still in street clothes. Other athletes who are warming up. Maybe has some injuries he’s still nursing.
– Joe Haden first to do anything, just ran the 40 presumably though I couldn’t see. Still no sign of tebow.
– Everyones running the 40 now, no word on times yet. There appear to be athletes running who weren’t on the list provided to us, awesome.
– Brandon Spikes just ran the 40, which he did not do at the combine. I’ll post a time as soon as I get one hopefully.
– ESPN’s Todd McShay is in the building. Told us some unofficial times: Haden ran 4.44, spikes ran 5 flat! And Hernandez 4.61.
– The 40 yrd dash is like throwing someone batting practice and measuring how far their longest HR is, then saying that’s their power.
– Wondy Pierre-Louis ran a 4.47 and Spikes second run goes for 5.05. This is terrible for Spikes. All times courtesy of McShay.
– #proday seems to be at a standstill now. Joe Haden is signing some autographs. Talked to a UF rep., said Tebow should be out any minute.
– 11:40 a.m.: We have an Urban Meyer sighting. He’s out on the field making his rounds.
– Carlos Dunlap has been working with a Carolina Panthers coach one on one for the last 15 min.
– Much to everyone’s delight, tim tebow is finally on the field.
– A fan I’m standing next to thinks Wondy can play 10 years in the league on special teams. I can’t agree…
– Meyer, Strong and Harvin are chatting it up while watching the defensive backs. Phone might die soon… Gonna try to conserve battery.
– Tebow working some footwork drills, keeping the ball high and delivering to a stationary receiver.
– Tebow hits cooper, hernandez and nelson on deep balls. Delivery looks far from groundbreaking, but what do I know.
– He’s keeping the ball high, dipped once or twice on roll outs. He’s only missed 1 throw, to be fair, not hardest throws to make.
– John Fox, Eric Mangini and Mike Holmgren are all in attendance.
– John Fox goes bracketology on Tebow’s draft stock, “you got to look at his whole body of work.”
