DeKALB — It’s been nearly seven years since NIU standouts Max Scharping and Sutton Smith heard their names called at the 2019 NFL draft. The Huskies haven’t had a player selected since. On Thursday, Quinn Urwiler took a step toward potentially ending that drought.
The redshirt senior linebacker was among 13 Huskies who participated in the school’s annual Pro Day on Thursday evening inside the Yordon and Chessick Practice Centers. The event gave players an extra opportunity to showcase their skills in front of NFL scouts ahead of April’s draft.
Urwiler put on a strong performance, recording 36 reps on the bench press — a mark that would’ve ranked second among all prospects at this year’s NFL combine. He also ran a 6.86-second three-cone drill, faster than any linebacker at the combine, while adding a 4.27-second 20-yard shuttle and a 4.69-second 40-yard dash.
“Pro Day was super exciting,” Urwiler said. “Came in with some goals in mind and, to be honest with you, I hit a lot of them. Super stoked on every drill that I did, especially on the testing part … Also, the drill work was super fun with all the guys and being able to showcase that in front of scouts is always a good time.”
However, NIU’s scout turnout was one of its thinnest in recent memory. The event was delayed twice while scouts attended the Illini Pro Day in Champaign earlier in the day, and only representatives of the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns ultimately made the trip to DeKalb. For context, last year’s Pro Day drew 22 NFL teams and 11 the year before that.
Even with the limited scout presence, Urwiler said he’s been “in talks with a couple teams.” The 2025 team captain emerged as one of the most productive tacklers in the FBS last season after making 141 stops over 12 games. Urwiler finished as the nation’s leading solo tackler with 71 and ranked second in tackles per game with 11.8.
Pro Day began at about 5:45 p.m. with testing inside the Yordon Center’s strength and conditioning room. Participants first had their heights and weights recorded before moving on to the vertical jump and the bench press. Defensive backs Cyrus McGarrell and Ty Myles each logged the highest vertical jump of 37 1/2 inches. Defensive lineman Alvin Gulley Jr. and offensive lineman Aidan Tweedy tied for second on bench, each completing 26 reps.
The workout transitioned to on-field drills inside the Chessick Practice Center, starting with the broad jump. McGarrell posted the longest leap of 10 feet, 6 inches. Players then ran the fan-favorite 40-yard dash, where Urwiler, McGarrell and safety Muhammed Jammeh each clocked the fastest unofficial time of 4.69 seconds.
While Urwiler expected to be faster, he’s confident his speed on film speaks for itself.
“You turn on the tape, and you can see me running down guys you would think are faster than me,” Urwiler said. “It shows that my in-game speed is on another level.”
Testing continued with the 20-yard shuttle and the three-cone drill. Myles recorded the top marks in both, running a 4.21-second shuttle and a 6.59-second three-cone. Cornerback Donte Harrison finished just a hundredth of a second behind in the shuttle, hitting 4.22 seconds.
Harrison is another NFL hopeful, looking to join his older brother, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Anton Harrison, in the league. The younger Harrison is fresh off a five-year college career, spending his first four seasons at Division II Shepherd before transferring to NIU for his final season. He tallied 30 tackles, six pass breakups, two tackles for loss and an interception in 2025.
“I think I did very well,” Harrison said of his Pro Day performance. “I’ve been training for eight weeks and I felt confident going into the day … I’m just hoping to get a shot at a minicamp somewhere — just get my foot in the door. I’m going to kick it down.”
Pro Day activities concluded with positional drills, with former NIU quarterback Rocky Lombardi throwing to defensive backs and linebackers during their portion. Other NIU alums, some who’ve already turned pro, were also in attendance to support their ex-teammates — namely Edmonton Elks running back Antario Brown, Calgary Stampeders defensive lineman Devonte O’Malley and Los Angeles Rams safety Nate Valcarcel.
Now the players will wait to see if their showings helped open a door to the next level. However, some will face harsh realities. Most of NIU’s prospects likely won’t be drafted, and several may not even get a chance at all. It’s simply about hoping for that fateful phone call.
“I’m very realistic. I’m kind of an undersized guy but a guy that loves the game of football, so I’m going to say (I’d) probably (be) an undrafted free agent,” Urwiler said. “But if the numbers are there in what I did today, I maybe squeak into a seventh-round pick. Ultimately, I’ll just be happy to get a phone call at the end of the draft.”
The 2026 NFL draft will be held from April 23 to April 25 at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The three-day draft will have 257 selections over seven rounds. Undrafted players may begin signing with teams as free agents immediately after the draft ends.
