There have been years when the highlight of Northwestern’s pro day was head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s annual retelling of his own performance in 1996. Never known for his speed, the two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year was so happy with his modest 4.82-second 40-yard dash that he turned a cartwheel.
Tuesday, though, Ryan Fieldhouse was the center of the NFL world — and not just because the canceled NFL Scouting Combine has made college pro days national events.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace, coach Matt Nagy and offensive line coach Juan Castillo were among the representatives from all 32 teams on campus to watch, among 11 Northwestern players, tackle Rashawn Slater.