USC Trojans Football Pro Day Preview: NFL Teams Flock For Woody Marks, Jonah Monheim, Jaylin Smith

The USC Trojans will hold their annual Pro Day on Wednesday, March 12. The event is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. PT on Allyson Felix Field at Katherine B. Loker Stadium. Pro Days provide prospects one last opportunity to impressive NFL decision-makers before the draft, from general managers to head coaches to scouts as they gather athleticism data.

All eyes will be on the three Trojans that were invited to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and competed in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in January down in Mobile, AL — running back Woody Marks, center Jonah Monheim and cornerback Jaylin Smith.

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southern California running back Woody Marks (RB21) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Marks was a bell cow for the USC offense for his lone season in Los Angeles. Scouts knew Marks was a good pass-catcher coming out the backfield coming from the late Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense at Mississippi State, but Marks transferred to USC for his final season of eligibility to prove he can handle the workload as a three-down back and he delivered.

The Atlanta native became the first Trojans player to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards since Ronald Jones in 2017, scoring nine touchdowns as well. He added 47 receptions for 321 yards. Marks was one of two running backs to rush for over 100 yards against Penn State’s stingy run defense, with the other being Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy.

The Trojans back was clocked running a 4.54 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He will certainly try to get that in the 4.4 range during his Pro Day workout. Marks showed his short area quickness by running a 4.24 in the 20-yard shuttle, second fastest among running backs at the combine. His 18 reps on the bench press were tied for the fourth most among running backs. Marks is projected as a day three pick.

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A ton of eyes will be on Monheim this week because the Trojans center was a non-participant outside of interviews and measurements at the Combine. Monheim showcased his ability to move around the offensive line, playing center, guard and tackle, but questions about his overall athleticism surround him.

The Southern California native brings a wealth of experience, having played in 52 career games at USC. Monheim is projected as a day three pick.

Similar to Monheim, Smith showed his versatility over the course of his career with USC. He moved around the secondary during his first three seasons on campus before settling in as a full-time cornerback in 2024 under D’Anton Lynn. The Trojans defensive back is viewed as a nickel in the NFL and is projected to be a late day two or early day three pick.

Smith ran an impressive 4.45 in the 40-yard dash and reached a top speed of 23.67 mph — the fourth-fastest top speed among cornerbacks. His 32.5-inch vertical jump was less than impressive and definitely something he would like to improve on.

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southern California defensive back Jaylin Smith (DB29) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images | Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images

Other players that will look to showcase themselves in front of NFL personnel include cornerbacks Greedy Vance, John Humphrey and Jacobe Covington, linebackers Easton Mascarenas-Arnold and Mason Cobb, safety Akili Arnold and receiver Kyle Ford.

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