Ten Northwestern players took one step closer to reaching their professional dreams by participating in the team’s annual Pro Day inside Ryan Fieldhouse Tuesday morning.
The players participated in the 40-yard dash, three-cone drill, shuttle run, broad jump, vertical jump and bench press before doing position-specific drills in front of representatives from over 25 NFL teams.
Half of the Wildcat participants reigned on the offensive side of the ball. The five players — quarterback Ryan Hilinski, wide receiver A.J. Henning, tight ends Thomas Gordon and Marshall Lang and offensive lineman Ben Wrather — stepped off the field almost simultaneously after completing their position drills.
Walking off the field for the last time as teammates, Hilinski shared a heartfelt moment with Gordon, hugging his companion of four years. Their hug exemplified the deep bond Hilinski developed with his teammates during his time in Evanston.
“I met a bunch of dudes here who are amazing, so it’s been a crazy process, but man, I’m thankful for it because I’ve learned a hell of a lot, and I’ve met a lot of good people,” an emotional Hilinski said.
Many of the players participating faced ups and downs throughout their NU tenures, marked most notably by a coaching change in 2023. Still, each celebrated a Las Vegas Bowl victory in 2023, and some rode the high of winning the Citrus Bowl in the 2020 season.
Coach David Braun said he’s incredibly proud of all ten players who took part in Pro Day.
“This group has proven to be a resilient group that’s done incredible things during their time here at Northwestern, whether it be as a transfer that came in and left a huge impression and legacy on their time here at Northwestern, or were here for four, five, in some cases six years,” Braun said. “This group embodies what it looks like to be a great teammate, what it looks like to persevere through difficult situations.”
On the defensive end of the ball, linebacker Xander Mueller, safety Coco Azema and defensive linemen Sean McLaughlin, Jaylen Pate and R.J. Pearson engaged in Pro Day activities.
Many NU players, who are currently participating in spring practices, were in the facility to support their departing teammates.
“It was a special moment,” Henning said. “We’re such a tight-knit group. … It just shows the culture we have here at Northwestern, the brotherhood. It was exciting rooting for your guys who you took the field with.”
On the heels of a season where he posted a career-high 59 receptions, 603 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns, Henning ran the fastest 40-yard dash of any Wildcat, running around a 4.4-second unofficial time. He was tied for the team’s longest broad jump with 10 feet, 3 inches and posted the team’s second-best vertical jump at 34.5 inches.
Braun heaped significant praise onto the star wide receiver, who also participated in kick and punt return drills during Pro Day.
“What really stands out to me about A.J. these last two seasons, but specifically this last season, is the competitiveness (that) showed up in his durability and consistency,” Braun said. “A.J. only missed one practice all of last year — fall camp, throughout the season.”
Mueller, a 2023 All-Big Ten Third Team member, missed three games due to injury this past season but still totaled the second-most tackles on the team with 57. He also notched five tackles for loss, four pass deflections and one interception.
Mueller said he and each of his fellow participants had been training for weeks in anticipation of the day.
Braun said that NFL teams would be lucky to have a player of Mueller’s caliber and character on their roster.
“I can say this boldly,” Braun said. “If you bring Xander Mueller into your organization, your organization will be better simply because he’s a part of it. He’s going to carry himself like a pro. (He has a) high football IQ. He’s going to be team-first. He’s going to check his ego at the door. He’s going to be heavily involved with special teams. He’s going to do whatever is asked.”
After a season where he recorded five tackles for loss, tied for second-most on the team, Pate said he lost 22 pounds — going from 277 pounds to 255 — to help him compete at the next level.
The Chicago native recorded a 10 feet, 3 inch broad jump, tied with Henning for the best on the team. He also posted a team-best vertical at 36 inches.
After six years of college football and four years at NU, Hilinski — who played in four games as the backup quarterback this season — said that Tuesday’s Pro Day marked a special moment for him and his departing teammates.
“I’m thankful for it, and I know that I’ll still be friends with those guys in 20 years, no doubt,” Hilinski said. “I’m thankful for it, but it’s also a bittersweet moment because I don’t want to say goodbye yet.”
Email: charliespungin2027@u.northwestern.edu
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