Kicker Maddux Trujillo highlights 11 Temple pro day participants in front of two dozen NFL teams

Every college football player dreams of playing in the NFL, and one of the ways to get there is through the NFL scouting combine. However, only one Temple player, kicker Maddux Trujillo, got a combine invite.

To give its players another opportunity to flash their talent, Temple hosted its annual pro day on Thursday. Eleven former Temple players participated in front of scouts representing more than two dozen NFL teams.

For Temple defensive lineman Latrell Jean, it was another step closer to playing at the professional level.

“It’s a dream — you dream about this being a kid,” Jean said. “I’ve been playing football my whole life, so me being here at this point feels amazing. It’s somewhere that I wanted to be.”

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The day started with a weightlifting session, as Jean and offensive lineman Wisdom Quarshie led the charge in the bench press, tallying 28 and 24 reps at 225 pounds, respectively.

Jean was happy with his performance but felt he still had more to show. He hopes his film from 2024 and his previous seasons at Florida Atlantic will be enough to impress scouts.

“I feel like today is just the icing on the cake,” Jean said. “At the end of the day, they’re going to go back and watch film. When they watch my film, they’re going to see how good I am. Today, I showed them I can move. I’m almost 300 pounds and move very well for my size.”

Next came the long jump, speed, and agility workouts, including the 40-yard dash. Receivers Dante Wright and Ashton Allen posted the fastest times, with Wright running an unofficial 4.56 second 40-yard dash while Allen clocked in at 4.57 unofficially.

“I always think that there’s room for improvement,” Wright said. “No matter how good I did or how bad I did, I think there’s always room for growth. I said that I did everything that I could today, but I always want to better myself.”

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Linebacker Diwun Black was one of the best defenders on Temple’s defense the last two years, finishing with 52 tackles, 16 tackles for losses, and 6½ sacks in that time.

Black, who has added some weight, participated in the Tropical Bowl in January, a college All-Star game based in Daytona Beach, Fla.

“I showcased my talent a lot in the Tropical Bowl and [during] the season,” Black said. “But, coming here after training, I think this meant a lot to show my growth, my weight gain, and my speed since the season ended. It was a very important day.”

Tight end James Della Pesca played at Temple for five years and attended the school’s annual pro day every year to support his teammates. On Thursday it was his turn to perform in front of NFL scouts. It was a full-circle moment for him.

“I think it’s really cool to see how much work they put in,” Della Pesca said. “Now realizing how much work I put in and being able to go out there and compete confidently, I was able to see that through those guys as well.”

Being at the combine was a special moment for Trujillo, one that he did not think was possible a year ago. After a couple of memorable kicks during the 2024 season, Trujillo put himself on the map.

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“It was pretty crazy. Without those [kicks], I don’t think I’m able to show as much as I am and get as many people here,” Trujillo said.

The native of Flowery Branch, Ga., kicked in front of more NFL scouts and coaches on Thursday, and Trujillo has an impressive session, knocking through all 16 of his kicking attempts and hitting a 65-yard field goal that still had some distance on it.

“I’m still going to be relentless with my pursuit of the NFL, no doubt,” Trujillo said. “I think this has actually helped me get at least a little bit more of a head start.”