Photo credit: gostanford.com
By: Ana Kieu
JJ Arcega-Whiteside had hoped to turn a few heads Thursday in Stanford’s annual Pro Timing Day. He did just that in front of representatives from 32 NFL teams, totaling more than 100 personnel, including more than 20 position coaches, four general managers, and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan Facing scrutiny and evaluation in the weight room and on the field, he ran 4.49 in the 40-yard dash and posted 34 inches in the vertical jump and 9’10” in the broad jump.
“I thought it went as good as it could go,” Arcega-Whiteside said. “I got mostly everything that I wanted accomplished.”
Once he strapped on his gold cleats and got loose, Arcega-Whiteside’s butterflies disappeared.
“It was nerve-racking for about six days because it’s Pro Day,” Arcega-Whiteside said. “At the end of the day, we’re playing football. As soon as I touched the field, it was like nobody else was here. Once you get here and get warmed up, the nerves go out the window.”
Some have speculated that Arcega-Whiteside (6-2 1/8, 223-pounds) could be a late first or early second selection in the NFL Draft from April 25-27.
“You always wonder,” Arcega-Whiteside said. “Wherever I go is where I’m going to go. I know the team that drafts me is the team I want to go to because they want me.”
David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, thinks someone will be happy they chose Arcega-Whiteside.
“I would say the two things I know for sure are that JJ Arcega-Whiteside can change field position and he can score touchdowns,” Sha said. “You can look at his game and pick it apart, but those are two things that have been consistent on this level, in high school, and will be consistent on the next level.”
Asked why Stanford has become a pipeline to the NFL, Arcega-Whiteside said, “We’ve got ballers here. I play with them and practice with them every day and they make me better. I’m just proud to be part of this program.”
Other former Stanford players who participated were Joey Alfieri, Jake Bailey, Isaiah Brandt-Sims, Jesse Burkett, Keller Chryst, Brandon Fanaika, A.T. Hall, Nate Herbig, Alijah Holder, Trenton Irwin, Bryce Love, Alameen Murphy, Bobby Okereke, and Kaden Smith.
Following a welcome from Shaw, players who did not attend the recent NFL Combine were available for classroom questions. Then, everyone moved to the weight room for the vertical jump, broad jump and bench press.
Former Cardinal standouts Solomon Thomas and Joshua Garnett, now members of the 49ers, were among the interested onlookers.
“Got some work in and came back to see the young bucks,” Garnett said.
Thomas did the same and sprinted down the back steps just in time to watch Alfieri hoist his first bench press.
“Come on, Joey!” Thomas yelled.
Nervous family members watched and paced in the back. While they were under strict orders not to cheer, current and former players picked up the slack, encouraging, clapping and cheering.
Burkett and Fanaika led the group with 23 bench press reps. Hall hit 18 reps, Alfieri completed 17, and Okereke had 16.
Brandt-Sims ran the fastest 40 time at 4.47 and Alfieri ran 4.49. Okereke timed 7.03 in the three-cone drill.
Alfieri’s vertical leap measured 33.5 inches, while Chryst also touched that same mark.
Late-season injuries sidelined Love and Irwin, but both were present and vocal supporters of their former Cardinal teammates.
“Right now, I’m just getting on the straight line running,” said Love. “Starting to get on the treadmill and all that. I’m feeling good. Workout-wise, I’m pretty much doing all the exercises I want to do. On-the-field, hopefully in a few more weeks.”
Love hasn’t given much thought to when he will be picked in the NFL Draft. He’s training in Pensacola, Florida.
“Right now, I’m just focusing on the things I can control,” Love said. “At the end of the day, making sure I am in the physical shape I need to be. From there, I know what I am as a player. I’m confident in that. Whatever team I go to, I know what I’m working for and towards.”
Stanford Pro Timing Day was broadcasted by ESPN3 and taped by the NFL Network. Notables in attendance included ex-Stanford standouts John Lynch, GM of the 49ers, and Christian McCaffrey, a breakout star for the Carolina Panthers. In addition to Shanahan, Oakland GM Mike Mayock, Buffalo General Manager Brandon Beane and New England Patriots Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio were also on hand.
Under Shaw, the Cardinal has produced 30 draft picks, including six first-round selections since the 2012 NFL Draft, the most of any Pac-12 conference program. Andrew Luck was the No. 1 overall choice in 2012. In 2017, Thomas was taken third overall by the 49ers, the highest defensive pick in program history. McCaffrey was selected eighth in the same draft by the Panthers.
Stanford has produced 25 NFL Draft first-round picks and has had 263 players drafted by NFL teams since 1936. Four Cardinal players have been chosen in the first round in the last four years.
“They’re showing off all the hard work they’ve put in,” Shaw said. “We remind them your film is the most important thing. But you want to come out here and show you’re willing to work and execute. Our guys ran fast, jumped high, and as usual, knocked out all the interviews, because they’re great kids. It’s been a great day.”
Asked why Stanford continues to churn out so many NFL players, Shaw said it wasn’t by accident.
“We talk about recruiting the trifecta,” Shaw said. “We want high academics, high character and great football players. We want to bring in guys who have aspirations to play this game at the highest level. We want that to be the mentality here. We run NFL schemes in all three phases.”
Shaw and McCaffrey had a long conversation on the field.
“It was great to see him,” said Shaw. “He has always said he wants to come back during the offseason and be around this place. He loves this place and the people. It’s such a great time here, on the field and off. And his best friends are here. I love that fact that he’s here to be around our current players, because he’s the example of how to train hard, how to work hard and play at a high level. And at the same time, be a great person and a great leader. He’s doing the same thing on the next level, which is not a surprise to any of us.”
McCaffrey is a Love fan.
“Everything he brought to Stanford in college he can bring to the NFL,” McCaffrey said. “He’s an every-down back with all of the attributes you want in a back. He’s dedicated, he breaks tackles, he’s smart. It was an honor to play with him and watch him. Wherever he goes, he’s going make a team better.”
The second session of spring practice resumed this week and culminates with the Spring Game on April 13 in Cagan Stadium at 1 pm. An open practice will be held on Saturday from 10:10 am- 12:10 pm.
