Inside Pascal Field House, 15 players — all hopeful to hear their names called in April's NFL draft — were able to show off their talents one more time.
The first season of Duke football under head coach Manny Diaz exceeded expectations, and some of the players responsible for that success participated in the program’s Pro Day Monday. With friends, family and numerous NFL scouts in attendance, these prospects participated in several tests and position drills. These included the 40-yard dash, broad jump and shuttle, among others.
The leading prospect of the day, graduate wide receiver Jordan Moore, performed well in his final showing as a Blue Devil. The Sykesville, Md., native finished with a 36-inch vertical, according to a post made by Duke football’s official Instagram account.
“I feel like I did very well,” Moore said. “I gotta give all the credit to my trainers and my teammates around me … I know I can do my best around them.”
Moore finished the 2024 season with a career-high 861 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He ranks 10th all-time in receiving yards by a Blue Devil despite playing his entire freshman season as a quarterback.
“They’re getting a dog, one of the smartest players on the field,” Moore said about what NFL teams would get from him. “I have all the intangibles. I make plays … you're not gonna have to worry about anything off the field. I'm clean, I have good character and I'm just so excited to work and get better every day.”
In addition to Moore, the headliners of the day included wide receiver Eli Pancol, defensive tackle Kendy Charles and linebackers Alex Howard and Ozzie Nicholas.
Pancol’s career in Durham was extremely unconventional. All in all, the Pendleton, Ind., native was with Duke football for six seasons, but he missed the entire 2023 season with a leg injury. He returned with a vengeance in the 2024 season, highlighted by his 188-yard, three-touchdown performance against Virginia Tech Nov. 23.
The highlight of Pancol’s Pro Day was an unofficial 4.33-second 40-yard dash, according to Duke football’s Instagram post, which earned cheers from his fellow Blue Devils and a hug from Diaz. For comparison, Texas receiver Matthew Golden finished with a 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.
Charles had a nice set of performances at his Pro Day. The graduate student from Orange Park, Fla., was an imposing force on Duke’s defensive line for much of the 2024 season, earning 1.5 sacks in the Blue Devils’ Nov. 23 victory against Virginia Tech. Charles’ broad jump earned applause from the crowd.
Howard, who finished the 2024 season with 89 tackles and a team-high 15 tackles for loss, struggled at times during his Pro Day with missteps in the broad jump and shuttle. The Cincinnati native finished at 10-foot-2 in the latter.
Nicholas, who transferred from Princeton to play his final year of NCAA eligibility with the Blue Devils, logged a team-high 100 tackles and a memorable interception in Duke’s Oct. 18 victory against Florida State.
“I’m a guy that’s gonna go out there and be the first one to rep a drill,” Nicholas said. “Any team that gets me is gonna get a guy that really cares about football and loves his game.”
The 2025 NFL draft will take place in Green Bay, Wis., from April 24 to April 26.
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