Pitt Players Who Improved NFL Draft Stock at Pro Day

PITTSBURGH — The 2026 Pitt Panthers Pro Day has come and gone. Fifteen draft-eligible Panthers worked out in front of all 32 NFL teams with the hopes of being drafted on the weekend of April 23-25.

Besides Kyle Louis, this was every participant's first and only time working out in front of NFL personnel. With the pressure to perform well and stand out from the rest of the group, two players rose to the occasion.

It was pretty much a given that Louis would perform well, which he did, but there weren't any other clear candidates to see their draft stock rise. Maybe Raphael "Poppi" Williams, after leading the team in receiving, or Desmond Reid, because of his speed and agility.

But to the surprise of many, the two standout players from this Pro Day were wide receiver Deuce Spann and defensive end Joey Zelinsky.

Deuce Spann

Spann probably had the best Pro Day out of the two. He showed everybody just how athletic he is with a 4.40-second 40-yard dash and a 38-inch vertical — both were the best at the Pro Day. Combine that with his 6-foot-4, 201-pound frame, plus his nearly 6-foot-9 wingspan, and that's quite a build for a wide receiver.

However, a strong Pro Day will only take you so far. Spann's measurements are impressive, but he has had such limited production through five years of college that it would be hard to imagine him being drafted.

Spann was originally recruited as a dual-threat quarterback and committed to Illinois in 2020. He had 4,471 passing yards, 45 passing touchdowns, 2,165 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns in high school. But he transitioned to wideout while with the Fighting Illini and had five catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns in 2021.

Spann decided to transfer to Florida State as a wide receiver in 2022. He spent three seasons with the Seminoles and even nearly made the College Football Playoff in 2023, but he had only 11 catches for 92 yards and no touchdowns in that span — no pun intended.

He joined Pitt for the 2025 season and had a career year, but it only yielded 142 yards and one touchdown on 13 grabs. Spann did make an impact as a kick returner, though, with 15 returns for 337 yards.

Although Spann likely won't hear his name called at the draft, his Pro Day may have increased his chance to be signed as an undrafted free agent. Teams could be intrigued by Spann and at least bring him into training camp to compete for a roster spot.

Joey Zelinsky

Not only did Zelinsky measure well at 6-foot-2, 245 pounds and a wingspan of 6-foot-7 as an edge rusher, but he also excelled in his workout.

Zelinsky dominated the bench press with a Pro Day-best 26 reps. He also had a respectable 4.78-second 40-yard dash and a 4.44 20-yard shuttle.

Zelinsky is in a similar situation to Spann and will likely not be drafted. The Eastern Michigan transfer had 23 tackles, 4.5 for a loss and two sacks in 2025. Zelinsky had 78 tackles, 12 for a loss and 2.5 sacks in three seasons with the Eagles.

He has had some decent production over the years and could be another priority undrafted free agent.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!