The former Nebraska football player performed well.
On Monday, I talked about how several Nebraska football players, including Dedrick Mills, would need to be able to impress at their pro day. One of those players who really boosted his stock in my estimation was cornerback DiCaprio Bootle.
We all know how valuable Bootle was to the secondary, particularly over the past couple of seasons. Now, it’s his chance to show that he can be an asset in the National Football League. It seems like more and more, NFL teams want fast corners. Bootle certainly ran an impressive 40-yard dash time. Not only did he manage to string together an impressive 40-time, he also did well in several other areas.
He had a 36 ½-inch vertical, in addition to 16 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. You have heard me talk over the past couple of days that certain fringe players that needed to at the very least, perform well at these workouts. He was the one who needed to do so. He certainly did.
At minimum, he has given something, some sort of tape, for NFL teams to see. That in itself is huge. This is where these program-hosted pro days can come in handy.
Waiting to see the official verdict on if Dicaprio Bootle cracked into the 4.3s here, but definitely seemed in the neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/UEIDSj7FBp
— Brian Christopherson (@Husker247BC) March 23, 2021
When I look at all of his measurables, the 40-time is the most impressive to me. That will be able to go a long way in the minds of NFL teams and NFL scouts. Fast corners are what is necessary in today’s pass-friendly game. No longer are big-thumpers the only valuable players in the secondary. Speed is certainly needed as well. We see it all the time on Saturdays anyway, especially with the amount of talent at the wide receiver position.
Bootle certainly made his stock rise on Tuesday. He will still probably be a late-round pick. However, that’s not necessarily a slight on him. There are so many good corners in the upcoming draft. I can certainly see him being picked up by an NFL team and contributing at a high level. He certainly has the instincts and playmaking ability. Now, he needs to make sure he can put everything together in order to succeed.