The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/20/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: DANIEL SHIREY Knowshon Moreno lays out for a diving catch. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: DANIEL SHIREY Stafford throws one of his 50 passes. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: DANIEL SHIREY Matthew Stafford answers questions following his Pro Day workout. [Click to enlarge]

Matthew Stafford worked out in Athens one last time Thursday, finally throwing for NFL scouts, and not failing to impress.

Stafford, who did not throw at the NFL Combine in Ferbruary, completed all but five of his 50 passes in front of more than 100 NFL scouts and personnel.

"I wanted to be able to throw a bunch of balls," Stafford said after his workout, swarmed by a mass of media members. "In [Indianapolis at the combine] you get to throw 10 or 15, and it was a good chance for me to get out here and throw 50 and let people see."

What people wanted to see was the arm of what many analysts think will be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Stafford delivered in front of a myriad of onlookers, including Deion Sanders, Brad Johnson, ESPN analyst Todd McShay and former Bulldogs.

"I just wanted to throw," Stafford said. "I know these people wanted to see me throw, and I just wanted to quit the questions I guess ... I obviously could have completed all of them and that would have been outstanding, but I did well."

NFL scouts weren't talking much, but one did say that Stafford "didn't hurt himself."

Tailback Knowshon Moreno headlined the list of other former Bulldogs also at Pro Day, only running the 40-yard dash but failing to improve upon his time from the combine. He ran a 4.6 and 4.63.

Corner Asher Allen, who left Georgia after his junior year, did improve on his combine 40, booking an impressive 4.33.

"I think proving the speed that I have and just matching that now with the film and stuff like that, nothing but positive for me," Allen said. "But April 25 [on draft day], we'll really know how it went. I'm hoping I'll be one of the top corners."

McShay also said he was "pleasantly surprised" with the performance of corner C.J. Byrd, who impressed with a 41-inch vertical jump. Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi turned in another solid performance.

But more eyes were on Massaquoi when he served as one of Stafford's four receivers, as the 6-foot-2.5, cannon-armed quarterback from Texas had even more attention on him than usual.

"It's been fun," Stafford said of all the pre-draft hullabaloo. "You've got to take it with a grain of salt. You've got to understand that you guys [the media] have to talk about something, and if I'm in the news that's fine."

Stafford has made it clear that he wants to play for the Detroit Lions, the 0-16 team that has the first pick in April's draft. But he also called the draft "the biggest crapshoot there is," and wants somebody to "just pick."

His performance Thursday won't help time go by any faster, but it probably made the decision easier for the scouts in attendance.

"Like I told him before he threw," Georgia head coach Mark Richt said, "even your bad days are better than everybody else's good days."

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