2023 NFL Draft: Can 263-pound Southern Miss OLB Dominic Quewon run sub 4.5? "Absolutely" he says
The power of a spectacular Pro Day, even without many NFL scouts in attendance, can be the key accelerant to set a prospect's draft stock on fire.
It is something I witness over a decade ago at Kent State. The Cleveland Browns were the only team there, and they conducted the workout to retrieve the numbers that would circulate throughout the league.
With no impact prospects, the Browns were simply overseeing each individual drill, so an official number could be in correlation with the players participating. Only those wearing the NFL shield on their attire can validate the numbers that go into the database.
In 2010 at the Field House on the campus of Kent State, Golden Flashes Jameson Konz put up extraordinary numbers for the few watching that had the approval to log his results and make them official.
Konz measured 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds.
He began the day with an impressive 46-inch vertical jump that was followed by a broad jump of 10 feet, 8 1/4 inches. The vert already began the buzz as the local Browns’ scouts adjusted the equipment because Konz was out jumping the original settings.
Then came the time for the highly anticipated 40-yard dash. Konz would blaze down the orange coned led runway with a 4.38 forty time. The moment to capture the attention of the NFL was seized by Konz that day.
That’s the exact plan Southern Mississippi outside linebacker Dominic Quewon looks to execute to perfection on March 27th when the Golden Eagles host their annual Pro Day. The Minneapolis, Minn. native has the athleticism to possibly duplicate what transpired for Konz.
Konz got drafted. He played four years in the NFL. The Pro Day was key. There are no two ways about it. He runs a pedestrian 4.78 forty, and his file is tucked away underneath the mountain of player profiles teams scour through.
Is a sub-4.5 a real possibility?
“Absolutely,” Quewon said.
The 6-foot-3 and 263-pound outside linebacker is confident his Pro Day numbers can contribute to him finally supplanting him firmly in the minds of the NFL that he has the legitimate tools to earn a roster spot in the National Football League.
“I hope to put up some pretty impressive numbers,” Quewon said. “Sometimes I really surprise myself being this big, I shouldn’t be able to move that fast.”
Quewon began his college career at the JUCO level playing at Western Community College, where he garnered honorable mention NJCAA All-American recognition playing along the defensive line. He spent three years playing there, earning All-IACCAC squad and all-region accolades.
He proved himself worthy of his new football destination in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in 2020.
In his first two seasons at Southern Miss, he remained in the same position he played at Western Community College until this last year when the switch to outside linebacker was made. That led Quewon to become one of the most productive and disruptive defenders on the Golden Eagles' defense.
“It was my first year playing the position,” Quewon said. “I kind of excelled at it.”
The positional switch, in conjunction with his athleticism, was a match made in heaven. Quewon posted career single-season highs with 11 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. It was the breakout season he desperately needed. It prompted the Tropical Bowl to take notice and extend an invitation for him to showcase his talents in Orlando, Florida.
Even with the breakout season, the Tropical Bowl appearance, it’s going to come down to Quewon dominating his Pro Day to gain the attention he desires from NFL teams.
“I got to work two times as hard,” Quewon stated about his status amongst other NFL Draft prospects. “Especially being behind the eight-ball.”
He labels himself as the underdog. The dark horse of this vast group of prospects vying for the NFL’s approval this upcoming April.
That mindset is what helped him blossom over the last year. He knew time was running out on all the collegiate goals he aspired to achieve. The extra sacrifices necessary to reach those plateaus for Quewon have served him well up to this point.
It’s now fine-tuning the positional drills in preparation for his Pro Day. It’s a day, regardless of how many NFL scouts are in attendance can boost his draft stock tenfold with a performance to separate himself from the pack.
Quewon is bright and articulate. Watching Anime or making videos for his large group of followers on Tik Tok is just another wrinkle to his personality, like his athletic ability, is just a little bit different from the norm.
It’s also his uniqueness to the position that will be up for discussion moving forward in terms of his size and ability.
“At my size, I’m kind of an in-betweener and I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing,” Quewon said.
That’s another familiarity between Konz and Quewon. Konz was a tweener as well. He played tight end, H-back and defensive end at Kent State. The Seattle Seahawks selected him in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft as a wide receiver.
Quewon, like Konz, is going to be envisioned differently by NFL teams. A pure 3-4 edge rusher covering the flats might be the ideal situation for a team who covets what Quewon can do best.
That decision rests in the hands of the NFL.
Quewon can force their hand with a Pro Day that blows them away.
