STATE COLLEGE | The Sean Clifford-Jahan Dotson reunion went gloriously well Thursday at Penn State's Holuba Hall, where Clifford threw passes that mattered to his favorite touchdown target for the first time since November.
When Dotson's Pro Day audition ended without a dropped pass, Clifford paused with some teammates before heading to class. "You were dropping dimes," freshman quarterback Drew Allar told Clifford, who deferred raves to Dotson.
"Our objective was to get [Dotson] into the first round," Clifford said. "... We got him into the first round."
Dotson made the final statement about his combine-related skills at Pro Day, Penn State's annual NFL career fair. Fifteen former Lions attended, interviewed, and tested in various forms for scouts and representatives from nearly every NFL team.
Among the most notable decision-makers in attendance were Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, Green Bay Packers GM Brian Gutekunst, and new Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coach Brian Flores.
At one point, former Penn State linebacker Jesse Luketa and end Arnold Ebiketie sat chatting for a few minutes with Quinn. Micah Parsons, Dallas' defensive rookie of the year, has lobbied on his behalf of his best friend from Penn State "all the way up to" owner Jerry Jones.
"I kind of made [Quinn] laugh, I told him, "Listen, why wouldn't you want to pair me and Micah back up,'" Luketa said.
Dotson, meanwhile, moved smoothly between chats with NFL representatives, which he has been doing often since the NFL Scouting Combine. Dotson allowed most of his testing numbers, including his 4.43 40-yard dash, from the combine to stand at Pro Day. Instead, he chose to focus on one event he didn't perform at the combine: the bench press.
Dotson acknowledged that questions about his size (he measured at 5-10.7, 184 pounds at Pro Day) have followed him through the process. So Dotson wanted to put up a number to demonstrate his strength to prospective employers.
At Pro Day, Dotson benched 225 pounds 15 times a number that would have been second among receivers had he done it at the combine. Granted, he had time to add weight (Dotson was six pounds heavier at Pro Day) and perfect his form since the combine. Still, he was thought the number met its purpose.
"That was a big thing for me," Dotson said. "People always talk about my size. People talk about me basically having trouble in my game because I'm of such a small stature. I definitely wanted to prove that I'm a strong guy, that I can compete with the best. I've pretty much done it on film, so coming out here benching, throwing up a number, was big for me."
During individual drills, Dotson and Clifford looked as sharp together as ever. In three years at Penn State, the duo combined for a school-record 23 touchdown passes, including 12 last season. Little wonder that Dotson wanted only Clifford to be his quarterback for Pro Day.
"Having that connection has been huge for me," Dotson said. "That's been my guy the past three years, and I feel the most comfortable with him, so I made sure that he was going to be the guy who was throwing to me. It was beautiful."
Dotson has been a consistent first-rounder in mock drafts this year. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has Dotson going to Buffalo at No. 25 in the April NFL Draft in Las Vegas. Perhaps not coincidentally, Dotson spent some time chatting with Bills personnel at Pro Day.
And though Dotson dodges mock drafts, his family doesn't.
"My dad's bringing it up all the time. He says, 'You're going to the Chiefs, you're going to the Chiefs,'" Dotson said. "I say, 'I don't know dad, and you don't know, either.'"
Dotson does believe this, however. In a deep receiver draft, with potentially six first-round picks, he can run with anyone.
"I truly believe that I am the best receiver in the draft," he said. "I’m right up there with the top guys. My film proves that. I feel like every time I step on this field, I play like I’m one of the best and I feel like I am one of the best."
More must-reads: