Pro Day Primer: Former Ohio State Players Hoping to Prove Strong NFL Combine Showing Was No Fluke

As the Buckeyes wrapped up their third practice of spring ball, former All-American center Pat Elflein was off in the distance, to the side, working by himself on pass protection drills. There was nobody else around. There were no cameras. It was just a football player a month away from the biggest weekend of his life trying to improve.

Ohio State hosts its annual Pro Day on Thursday afternoon. Elflein was simply getting in some last minute preparations.

Thirteen former Buckeyes — and Tiffin quarterback Antonio Pipkin — are expected to be in front of dozens of NFL personnel and executives. It won't be quite the spectacle as last year's event — which featured 22 players working out, an overwhelming number of NFL people and live coverage on ESPN — but it's still a big deal as Ohio State has yet another monster class ready to move on to the next level.

First, a list of which former Buckeyes are expected at Pro Day: safety Jarrod Barnes, wide receiver Noah Brown, cornerback Gareon Conley, kicker Tyler Durbin, center Pat Elflein, linebacker Craig Fada, punter Cam Johnston, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, linebacker Raekwon McMillan, running back/wide receiver Curtis Samuel, wide receiver Corey Smith and running back/wide receiver Dontre Wilson.

The potential first player selected from Ohio State, safety Malik Hooker, is also expected to be in attendance but will not work out due to surgery following the 2016 season. 

Below are some storylines to watch at Ohio State's annual Pro Day:

Big Day For Noah Brown

There may not be a player with more to prove Thursday than Brown, who opted not to run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. A big question mark surrounding Brown is his speed, so if he runs at Pro Day — as he is expected to — it's a huge chance for him to show scouts how fast he truly is.

Many were surprised when Brown announced he was declaring for the NFL Draft after a redshirt sophomore season that featured just 32 catches for 402 yards and seven touchdowns — four of which came in one game. But if Brown has a strong showing Thursday in Columbus, perhaps he could solidify himself as a mid-round pick.

Marshon Lattimore Can Cement No. 1 Cornerback Status

Lattimore did not do much at the Combine after he injured his hip flexor during his second 40-yard dash. In his first 40-yard dash attempt, Lattimore clocked a 4.36 which showcased elite speed for a corner. It's unclear whether or not he'll run at Pro Day, but to be honest, he probably shouldn't nor does he really need to.

He didn't get to do on-field workout drills in Indianapolis, however, and it's expected he'll do those for scouts and executives Thursday. If he performs as well as many think he can solidify himself as the No. 1 corner in this draft.

Combine Non-Invitees Get Their Shot

Not everybody working out Thursday got a shot at the NFL Combine. Pro Day presents those players a chance to catch some eyes and get on the radar of some teams that are in attendance.

Namely, this is big for Corey Smith and Dontre Wilson, who likely won't be drafted but have chances to earn invites to NFL training camps. Smith and Wilson need to run fast in their expected 40-yard dash attempts and perform well in positional drills in hopes of catching the attention of a few teams.

Tomorrow starts the first day to the rest of my life . May God be with me ! Send me up a quick prayer i would truly appreciate it

— Dontre (TRE) Wilson (@treydayy_) March 22, 2017

Samuel, McMillan, Elflein & Conley Aim to Improve Draft Stock

Malik Hooker and Marshon Lattimore are surefire first-round picks in next month's NFL Draft.

Noah Brown, Gareon Conley, Curtis Samuel, Raekwon McMillan and Pat Elflein — the other players from Ohio State expected to get drafted — aren't quite there yet, though Conley certainly looks like a first rounder after his NFL Combine performance last month.

We've already hinted at Brown perhaps having the most to prove among these other players, but Samuel, McMillan, Elflein and Conley can also help themselves with strong showings. Samuel, McMillan and Conley all blazed down the track at the NFL Combine so it's unclear if they'll run again Thursday at Pro Day, but with solid on-field performances, each could see their stock increase.

Samuel, in particular, needs to continue to show his wide-ranging skill set. It wouldn't surprise us to see him do some running back work Thursday as he worked out solely with the wide receivers in Indianapolis.

Recruiting, Recruiting, Recruiting

While Thursday will be about players from Ohio State's most recent team, don't think for a second Urban Meyer and his staff won't take full advantage of this opportunity and showcase it to recruits.

There won't be live ESPN and NFL Network coverage like last year, but expect to see the Buckeyes pumping out content all day on social media. Meyer invited a handful of prospects to campus last year, too, as a lot of high schools are on spring break. It wouldn't be a surprise to see that again, either.