This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Logan • Utah State running back Joe Hill went into the Aggies' pro day wanting to prove the knee injury he suffered in 2013 wasn't slowing him down at all.
Mission accomplished.
Hill ran a blazing 4.26 in the 40-yard dash Thursday, a pace that could gain him some attention from pro teams.
Hill's time was faster than any at the 2015 NFL combine, where UAB receiver J.J. Nelson posted a 4.28 as the fastest and Trae Waynes, a cornerback out of Michigan State, was second with a run of 4.31.
Granted, Hill's run was clocked with a stopwatch, which can be one- or two-tenths faster than electronic clocks, but it's still an impressive showing, and may have helped Hill create a little buzz about himself, particularly since the 40 is given so much weight by pro scouts.
"I had an idea I could do that, because I ran that when I was a freshman, but I wanted to show I could do it after my injury," Hill said.
Hill, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound running back out of Fullerton, Calif., recovered from the knee injury that cut short his 2013 season. He finished the 2014 season with 575 yards and four touchdowns on 118 carries. He also had seven receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown.
"I've been working on my start, since I gain speed after the first 10 yards," he said. "I knew that was holding me back, so I've worked hard on it the past few months to stay low and hit my stride, then let my natural speed pick up."
Hill knows the odds he can land on a pro team still might not be in his favor, but he hopes his efforts Thursday at least improved his stock.
"Hopefully it earned me a chance for them to look at me and give me a shot," he said. "All I want, at the end of the day, is a chance to see what I can do."
Another standout on Thursday was offensive lineman Kevin Whimpey, who performed 39 reps of the 225-pound bench press.
"I think I showed them what I needed to show them," he said. "Hopefully I'll get a shot. I've done all the work I can possibly do, so I went into today with nothing to worry about."
Like Hill, Whimpey said he knew his best chances at the pro level likely would be as a rookie free agent. If he doesn't get a chance, he said he has a job opportunity in medical sales waiting on him.
"Right now, football is still 100 percent my main focus," he said. "I hope I get a chance."
Safety Brian Suite also had a good day, running the 40 in 4.45 and posting the best vertical jump with a leap of 37.5 inches, and the best broad jump, of 10 feet, 2 inches.
Linebacker Zach Vigil ran a 4.64 and had 26 reps on the bench press.
Vigil said it was "fun" to show off in front of the 20 scouts who attended.
"You always wish you could've done a little bit better, but I'm happy with the training I got done," he said.
The NFL draft will be held April 30-May 2.
Both Whimpey and Hill said they'd keep an eye on the draft, just in case their name is called.
"I'll probably just relax and watch it with my family," Whimpey said.
Twitter: @lyawodraska