Next month's NFL Draft is a chance for all 32 of the league's teams to evaluate the best college players in the country. We'll see which player emerges as the top overall pick, and which players rise and fall as the pre-draft process continues.
One part of that pre-draft process is the annual Pro Day events held by various top colleges around the country. Pro Days give NFL scouts a chance to see players in a more controlled and intimate environment than the scouting combine, and can influence a front office's decision on a particular player.
All 32 teams were present at Clemson's Pro Day on Thursday with several top prospects set to represent the Tigers. Another team was there from a different sport, but still looking for top tier athletes.
According to Jon Blau of The Post and Courier, NASCAR teams are looking for athletes who are able to help on pit crews. The athletes that teams are seeking would hire jack men and tire men for the NASCAR crews.
Clemson says all 32 NFL teams are at today’s pro day. Steelers’ Mike Tomlin is the lone head coach.
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) March 13, 2025
NASCAR reps are also here looking for jackmen, fuel men, and the like. (Landon Walker, Sheridan Jones among those who have transitioned into racing crew work.)
Many former college and professional football stars have taken this route, including Blaine Anderson. Anderson changes front tires for the No.5 car of Kyle Larson, a career he developed after playing college football and winning a national championship as a walk-on under Nick Saban at Alabama.
A NASCAR broadcast credited former Alabama strength coach and current West Alabama head coach Scott Cochran with getting Anderson into NASCAR, and convincing him to pursue a career in it after football.
Clemson advanced to the College Football Playoff last season after winning the ACC championship game over SMU. They were eliminated by eventual national semifinalist Texas, who in turn would lose to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The college football to NASCAR pipeline appears to be a strong one, and one that isn't going away any time soon based on the amount of attendance and interest at Clemson's Pro Day.
Pro Day was once an extension of what teams may not have been able to get an up-close-and-personal look into at the combine, but now it can be a tool for players to explore other post-college careers outside of professional football.
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