Temple football held its annual Pro Day Wednesday afternoon featuring 16 seniors looking to impress a group of NFL scouts ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft in late April.
The group included 10 Owls from last year's team, three players from smaller local schools, and former Owls quarterback Anthony Russo, who spent the 2021 season at Michigan State.
Randle Jones and Will Rodgers were originally listed for the event, but they were not present.
The players weighed in at Edberg Olson Hall around 1:10 pm before moving to field workouts around 2 pm, which included the 40-yard dash, shuttle run, 60-yard shuttle, 3-cone drill, vertical jump, broad jump and position drills.
Scouts from roughly 12 to 15 teams, including the Browns, Giants, Bears, 49ers, Saints, Panthers, Eagles, Jets, Lions, Chiefs, Packers, Patriots and Ravens, were in attendance.
Here is a rundown of how each of the Temple players performed:
Amir Tyler
Tyler spent six seasons with the Owls and broke into the starting lineup during the 2019 season. Prior to the 2020 season, he earned a single-digit and remained the team’s starting strong safety for the next two seasons.
Tyler jumped 10 feet, 9 inches in the broad jump, 38 inches in the vertical jump, and put up 16 reps on the bench. The former safety also ran a 4.74-second 40-yard dash.
“I think it went good, everything but my 40,” Tyler said. “I didn’t get the time I wanted but everything else I think I excelled at. I was testing for the last three months, and I had a 4.50, 4.40.”
Tyler said the Bears and Giants have invited him to their local pro-day.
Tyler finished his Temple career with 164 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 12 passes defended, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
William Kwenkeu
Kwenkeu also spent six seasons with the Owls and finally earned a starting middle linebacker spot prior to the 2020 season after redshirting the 2019 season. Kwenkeu finished his Temple career with 182 total tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
Kwenkeu jumped 9 feet, 5 inches in the broad jump, 33.5 inches in the vertical jump and recorded 22 bench press reps. Kwenkeu showed off some speed running a 4.60-second 40-yard dash.
“Overall, it was a really good day,” Kwenkeu said. “I put up some good numbers I feel. It was great energy with the younger guys coming to support us, some former guys coming back to support us. Seeing familiar faces, it was good energy. I don’t really have words. It was a good day, a really good day.”
Kwenkeu said he was invited to the Ravens and Panthers local pro-day on April 4.
Tayvon Ruley
Ruley spent three seasons with the Owls after spending two years at Valley Forge Military Academy & College. Ruley earned a scholarship in 2020 and finishes his Temple career with 665 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Ruley jumped 9 feet, 6 inches in the broad jump, 32 inches in the vertical and ran a 4.65-second 40-yard dash.
Manny Walker
Walker transferred to Temple from Wake Forest prior to the 2020 season and was thrust into a starting defensive end role. He finished his Temple career with 41 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Walker jumped 10 feet, 4 inches in the broad jump, 34 inches in the vertical, and did not participate in the bench press. He did participate in the 40-yard dash running a 4.68.
“I think I did pretty good,” Walker said. “Pretty fluid. I think it was pretty fluid, a pretty good day.”
Ra’Von Bonner
Bonner transferred to Temple from Illinois prior to the 2021 season hoping to add some stability to a crowded Owls’ backfield. He struggled with injury and recorded just 138 yards and two touchdowns in his lone Temple season.
Bonner only participated in the bench press and registered 22 reps.
Michael Niese
Niese transferred from Dayton prior to the 2020 season and quickly locked down Temple’s starting right tackle position. He went on to start most of 2020 and 2021 at right tackle where he was one of Temple’s most consistent blockers.
Niese jumped 8 feet, 7 inches in the broad jump, 29.5 inches in the vertical jump and recorded 23 bench press reps. Niese also ran a 5.08-second 40-yard dash.
“It was a good day,” Niese said. “High stress, you only get one opportunity to do these numbers, but I don’t have the results exactly in front of me, but I feel confident in what happened.”
Niese said he’s working out with the Giants and Eagles in early April.
C.J. Perez
Perez transferred to Temple prior to the 2020 season from Northern Illinois, rejoining now former head coach Rod Carey. Perez quickly locked down the starting center position where he would play for both 2020 and 2021.
Perez finished with a 9-foot broad jump, a 32.5-inch vertical jump and 25 bench press reps. Perez finished one of his 40-yard dash attempts, running a 5.34.
“Definitely did way better than I thought I was going to do on some of that stuff,” Perez said. “So, I was really, really happy with that.”
Perez pulled up grabbing his hamstring after running his second 40-yard dash but got looked at by the trainers and eventually returned to do positional drills.
Perez said he talked with the Panthers, Ravens and Eagles Wednesday.
Joseph Hooper
Hooper transferred to the team before the 2019 season and finished the year as the team’s starting left guard. He held that role throughout the 2020 season and most of 2021, although he battled injuries down the stretch.
Hooper only participated in the bench press and the 40-yard dash recorded 21 reps and a 5.65, respectively.
Freddie Johnson
Johnson spent six years with the Owls and originally started as a receiver before getting moved to cornerback prior to the 2019 season. Johnson played mostly in a rotational role, but finished his Temple career with 53 total tackles, one interception and two passes defended.
Johnson jumped 10 feet, 4 inches in the broad jump and recorded 34 inches in the vertical jump. Johnson also ran the fastest 40-yard dash from the Temple players at the event with a 4.47.
Jeremy Jennings
Jennings spent five seasons with the Owls and transitioned from wide receiver to cornerback prior to the 2021 season after opting out of the 2020 season. Jennings spent most of his time playing special teams for the Owls.
Jennings jumped 10 feet, 3 inches in the broad jump and jumped 34.5 inches in the vertical jump. Jennings also ran a 4.57 40-yard dash.
Anthony Russo
Russo spent five seasons with the Owls and became the starting quarterback early in the 2018 season – a position he held until getting injured in 2020 and transferring to Michigan State in 2021.
Russo didn’t test at the event, but he did throw to some of the skill position players during positional drills.
“It’s awesome,” Russo said about coming back to Temple. “It is just great to be back here. I spent four-and-a-half years here, lifelong friendships with guys on this team, so being able to be back here with them and be back in North Philly, nothing like it. Happy to be back.”
Russo attempted just nine passes for the Spartans this season but finished his Temple career with 6,292 passing yards, 44 touchdown passes and 32 interceptions.
