Scouts from 20 NFL teams were on campus Monday for Sam Houston State University’s annual pro day. There were over a dozen former athletes participating, but the one man everybody’s eyes were on was former SHSU defensive lineman PJ Hall. Hall is the school record-holder in career sacks and tackles for loss, and has been the stalwart of the Bearkat defense ever since he stepped on campus. After not getting invited to the combine, Hall needed a good showing Monday to boost his draft stock.
What Hall ended up doing was nothing short of exceptional. With his draft stock hanging in the balance, Hall showed everyone in attendance why he could be one of the best value picks in this draft. Measuring at just over six feet tall and weighing 308 pounds, Hall showed that he is perhaps the most athletic 300 pound player in this draft class. There was no official 40-yard-dash time released for Hall, but everyone had him timed in either the high 4.6 range or low 4.7 range; two scouts had Hall running a 4.67 and a 4.69. Both times would’ve ranked third among defensive linemen at the NFL combine earlier this month.
Hall’s most impressive feat was not his 40 time though; it was his vertical jump. In the first test of the day Hall lifted all 308 pounds of himself 38 inches off the ground. It was the highest vertical of any player at yesterday’s pro day. The 38-inch vertical would have ranked second among defensive lineman at the combine, just a half inch behind former Tulane defensive lineman Ade Aruna. Hall also had a very good broad jump, which measured out at 9-feet 8-inches, which would have been sixteenth overall among defensive lineman at the combine, but second among defensive lineman who weigh at least 300 pounds.
Hall also did 36 reps on the bench press, which would have been third among defensive lineman at the combine. Hall needed a good day to show scouts he was worthy of a draft pick. He ended up having a great day, which will greatly increase his draft stock.
“I think I did pretty good,” Hall said. “I pretty much met all the goals I wanted to reach, set some PR’s also, so I feel like it was a pretty successful day.”
Every NFL scout in attendance was very impressed with Hall. The Patriots had taken PJ Hall out to dinner the night before, and showed great interest in the former Bearkat.
“It was pretty good, “Hall said. “Got to talk some more football. They got to test me and see what I knew, and I think I did pretty good.”
Hall is projected to go anywhere between the fourth and the sixth round in next month’s draft. After yesterday’s performance, though, Hall could be one of the fastest risers up draft boards in the next month.
