For a certain echelon of college prospects, the NFL Combine and subsequent pro days that follow it are merely a way of checking what evaluators have already seen on tape. A check in the box, if you will. That is exactly what cornerback Devon Witherspoon’s pro day at the University of Illinois was. A confirmation of what many already knew. After all, Witherspoon’s tape speaks for itself, but reports of a 4.42 to 4.46 40-yard dash helps, too.
All of this is relevant because there is a distinct possibility that Detroit Lions’ general manager Brad Holmes could select a cornerback like Witherspoon as high as sixth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.