SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Howard Cross III was just as surprised as anyone that an NFL team expressed interest in him completing a fullback workout at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
Cross started to think about where he could get his hands on 4XL gloves to catch passes in drills before he was told he didn’t need to do it.
“It was kinda funny,” Cross said. “I’m not gonna lie to you, it took me off guard. I got asked if I can catch, and my response was, ‘What?’”
Even heading into Thursday’s Pro Day at Notre Dame, Cross was considering if he needed to be prepared to run routes in the Irish Athletics Center.
“I still don’t really have an answer for you,” Cross said after completing his workout. “I really believe that if a team wants me to do something, I’ll do it.
“Fullback is a little wacky for me, but you know what? I’ll watch film. I’ll get on the JUGS. I haven’t been on the JUGS in God knows how long, and I’ll run some routes.
“Not sure I’ll get it right. But I really believe that if anybody needs me to do anything, I’m gonna do it.”
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Cross did complete a defensive line workout Thursday in addition to participating in most of the testing. He still skipped the 40-yard dash after not participating in most of the testing at the NFL Combine.
Cross improved his jumps, which weren’t particularly impressive at the NFL Combine. He increased his vertical from 29 inches to 31.5 inches and his broad jump from 8-foot-8 to 8-foot-11. Cross’ bench press of 24 reps would have been near the bottom of those who completed it at the combine.
The best results from Cross came in the 20-yard shuttle and 3-cone drill. His shuttle time of 4.63 seconds was only bested by three defensive tackles of the nine who did it at the combine. His 3-cone time of 7.41 was bested by only two of the eight defensive tackles who recorded times.
Cross, who totaled 169 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 66 games during his ND career, carried a lot of confidence coming out of Thursday’s workout.
“The standard’s still the standard,” Cross said. “I never dropped production. When I’m healthy, I can do anything. I can compete with anybody, and I’m probably one of the best on the field. I believe that when I’m 100% healthy. I feel that way right now. I feel like I proved that. I feel like I’m ready to go for the next level, and I’m excited.”
Riley Leonard skips the 40-yard dash
Quarterback Riley Leonard rushed 184 times for 906 yards and 17 touchdowns last season while setting the Notre Dame school record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in single season. There’s little doubting Leonard’s ability as a runner, so he opted to skip the 40-yard dash and all the other athletic testing at Thursday’s Pro Day after doing the same at the NFL Combine a month ago.
“Everybody thinks I’m really fast, so we’re gonna keep it that way,” Leonard said with a smile.
Leonard wanted to keep the focus on his throwing session, where he completed passes to wide receivers Beaux Collins, Kris Mitchell, Jayden Harrison and Max Hurleman, tight end Mitchell Evans and running back Devyn Ford. Inside ND Sports charted Leonard as completing 51 of his 55 attempts.
Leonard’s four incomplete passes came on three overthrows on deeper passes and one sideline throw that Collins messed up when he slipped during his route.
“Obviously, I wanted to kinda let it fly today,” Leonard said. “If I was gonna miss, I was gonna miss long. That’s what I did.
“These guys, they made me look good. A couple times I thought I overthrew them, and then they just got under the ball. It’s good working with fast receivers. It was a lot fun.”
A lot transpired in Leonard’s one year with Notre Dame after transferring from Duke. At this time last year, he was recovering from a second offseason ankle surgery rather than hitting the ground running in the way he hoped.
“I remember a year ago today I was still on crutches and in a boot,” Leonard said. “To be here smiling, having fun with the guys is kinda like a full circle moment for me.”
Max Hurleman’s walk-on concern
There probably wasn’t anyone from the NFL, which was represented by all 32 teams at Notre Dame’s Pro Day, who came to South Bend specifically to watch Max Hurleman.
The former Colgate transfer played special teams as a reserve cornerback for the Irish last season after playing wide receiver and running back earlier in his career. But Notre Dame recruited him out of the transfer portal last offseason because it felt he could make an impact on the practice field and on game days. Hurleman delivered as a punt returner (23 returns for 138 yards) and contributor on other special teams units.
But programs like Notre Dame might have a harder time fostering a strong walk-on program with future roster limits that have been proposed as a working model moving forward. It’s something that Hurleman is concerned about for future players like himself.
“I definitely think guys can get lost in the mix,” Hurleman said. “There’s a ton of different politics that go into a lot of these things. Certain kids get lost in the shuffle depending on where they’re from or if you played for a smaller high school. There’s countless reasons why.
“I do think that’s a possibility, and it’s a shame. But at the end of the day, the cream will rise to the top. So, it will all work out in the end. But that is a fear, yes.”
Extra points
• Cornerback Benjamin Morrison declared himself healthy Thursday, but he only participated in the bench press with 17 reps. Morrison, who is coming off a hip surgery in the fall, has been planning to hold a private workout for NFL teams. With the NFL Draft less than a month away (April 24-26), Morrison still hasn’t set a date for that event.
“It’s still up in the air,” Morrison said. “We’re figuring everything out. Seeing how things are feeling. Just finished up the combine a month ago. Out here today to compete and really just focus on the guys. I’m taking myself out of it right now.”
• Linebacker Jack Kiser played in more Notre Dame football games (70) than anyone in program history. If he wants to have a long career in the NFL, he knows he’ll need to make himself available on special teams like he did at Notre Dame.
“If you look at my six years at Notre Dame, special teams really early on is where I made my mark,” Kiser said. “I probably have at least 800 reps of special teams under my belt. …
“If you look at the punt block unit or the punt unit, there’s a lot of times I’m the one out there making the calls. I really took a lot of pride in being out there executing and then also helping the team make a big play.”
• Running back Devyn Ford played his final two seasons at Notre Dame after spending his first four at Penn State. Ford, who Rivals ranked as the No. 1 all-purpose back and No. 40 overall in the 2019 class, didn’t end up making a major impact as a running back for the Irish, but he gained valuable experience on special teams and even switched to safety when needed.
“Notre Dame showed me ways where you have to really value yourself on and off the field,” Ford said. “It’s not even just in the roles that you’re in, but maybe the roles you may not want to participate in or want to do. But you gotta excel 100% in those roles. Notre Dame taught me that much.
“No matter where you come from, no matter where you’re at, no matter how much money you got in your pockets, everyone’s gonna be the same when you get that gold helmet on. So let’s work to the best of your ability, and let’s work for a common goal.”
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