I can get faster and stronger, but as far as my knee, I feel like it is 100 (percent) – Dres Anderson
SALT LAKE CITY — Almost nothing could wipe the smile off Dres Anderson’s face after his hour-long workout ended.
Fully healthy, the former Utah receiver and NFL prospect shined in his personal workout in front of 14 pro scouts and Baltimore Ravens receivers coach Bobby Engram. Anderson made perfect cuts on his routes and did so without a brace on his knee.
It was difficult to tell his college career had been cut short by a knee injury in late October.
“I can get faster and stronger, but as far as my knee, I feel like it is 100 (percent),” Anderson said after his workout ended. “I’m happy these teams showed interest and that I’m still on the radar. After missing the last several games, you can kind of feel forgotten.”
Anderson also got an assist from an unlikely source.
Former BYU quarterback Christian Stewart tossed passes to the former Ute during the workout. After realizing he needed a quarterback to throw passes to Anderson in the Pro Day event, Utah coach Fred Whittingham called Stewart and asked him to help out.
Stewart, who ended the season as BYU’s starting quarterback, happily agreed. The deal involved gas money for the trip up from Provo and a free lunch.
Though the two had never met prior to the workout, Stewart and Anderson seemed in sync during the receiving drills in practice. Anderson caught the majority of passes thrown his way.
Anderson wasn’t exactly sure what he’d get working with a quarterback he’d never met before, and especially from someone coming up BYU.
“I know he went to BYU; I’m just happy he didn’t try to sabotage me today,” Anderson said, laughing. “I appreciated it. It was big time from him. We asked him (on Monday), so it’s good. We didn’t really give him any notice, he just still came up here.
“To come to a rival school and throw for a Utah guy, that’s big. So I appreciate him.”
Stewart, who added he’s excited to get married this summer and also start his career in the finance world later this year, said he was just happy to help out. In fact, he said used to attend Utah games and was friends with former Utes Paul and Dave Kruger.
Although he’s moving away from the game, Anderson joked that perhaps teams should start looking at Stewart based on the way he threw.
“I hope the scouts looked at him and said ‘OK, that man has an arm on him,’” Anderson said, still smiling.
As for the other aspects of the Pro Day, Anderson said he was told he ran anywhere from 4.35 to 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash. It’s a time he wishes was better, but was OK with it: “It’s not bad,” he said.
Since each scout clocked separately, times varied from scout to scout. He also recorded a 10-foot, 1-inch leap on his broad jump.
Anderson added he’s been told by his agent that he’s likely go around the third or fourth round of the NFL Draft, which begins April 30. The three-day event will conclude May 2.
He’ll continue to train until then for what has been his goal from the first day he played the game.
“I’ve been dreaming about this my whole life,” he said. “My father was in the NFL for 10 years, and I grew up watching him and looking up to him. To finally carry on his name is a great thing for me.”