ORONO — Damarr Aultman returned to town and made a spectacle of himself Thursday. And it was just what he wanted.
He let out a loud whoop after elevating for a 41-inch vertical jump, bouncing around the weight room like a boxer.
He threw on some sparkling gold cleats and whooshed to 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
He never stopped smiling.
Aultman, a wide receiver who graduated from the University of Maine in December, was back for the university’s annual Pro Day, showing off skills honed by two months of extensive training in Texas.
He bench-pressed 225 pounds 20 times, ran one of his best 40 times, and set personal-bests in the vertical jump (his previous mark was 39 inches) and the broad jump (10 feet, 8 inches).
“It’s amazing seeing your dream come true right in front of your eyes,” Aultman said of his hopes of being selected in the NFL draft April 30-May 2.
Aultman led the Black Bears with 48 catches for 498 yards and two touchdowns last fall. He also averaged 23 yards on his 28 kickoff returns. The numbers weren’t eye-popping, but his athletic ability is.
The native of Wheatley Heights, New York, was listed at just 5-foot-11, 195 pounds. But he has muscular legs that help him break tackles (he can squat 500 pounds), has breakaway speed and is a terrific leaper.
He said Thursday that he impressed the Denver Broncos at a regional combine this winter, has fielded calls from the Chiefs, Dolphins and Raiders, and has workouts lined up in two weeks with the Giants and Jets.
“They’re going to say, ‘He’s short, how’s his range?'” Aultman said of NFL scouts. “But, you know, the fact that I have a 41-inch vertical, they can say, ‘He’s short, but he can go up and get it.'”
On Thursday, Brandon Yeargan of the New England Patriots was the only NFL scout on hand, although the individual measurements will be posted for all teams to see. Yeargan put the eight participants through their paces, and stayed later to work on positional drills with receivers like Aultman, and with former Black Bears defensive backs Khari Al-Mateen and Axel Ofori Jr.
“Every team gets to make a decision on what they need and what they’re looking for,” said Maine Coach Jack Cosgrove. “The advantage goes to the Patriots because they’re physically here. The teams that aren’t here, they’ll see the numbers, but they won’t see the workout that we saw here.”
That workout was a chance for Ofori to shine. The cornerback from Gaithersburg, Maryland, was at his best in agility drills that allowed him to show off his ability to quickly change directions without sacrificing speed. He is not particularly strong (12 reps on the bench press) and doesn’t have overwhelming straight-line speed. But he is hoping to turn heads with his aggressiveness in man-to-man coverage and ability to break on a pass. And, at 5-10, he had a vertical leap of 40 inches. Late in the workout, he stretched out to make a dazzling one-handed catch on a deep pass.
“It’s just a mindset you’ve got to deal with. You’ve got to be aggressive playing corner,” Ofori said. “It’s kind of a mystery what NFL teams are thinking. Occasionally, you get those calls. But now we just wait. I’ll play special teams, anywhere. I just want to be on the team. I’d even think about (playing in) Canada.”
Ofori has been working out in Virginia with players who also competed in the Colonial Athletic Association, including two from rival New Hampshire.
“We started off on a rocky boat, but we ended up getting along,” he said with a laugh.
Aultman has been in Katy, Texas, drilling twice a day, six days a week, with a group that includes Al-Mateen.
“Pound for pound, he’s the strongest guy on the team. He’s the most explosive athlete we have on the team,” said Matt King, Maine’s strength and conditioning coach. “He’s just an athlete. You can always find a spot for an athlete on the field.”
Aultman said he is treating his workouts like job interviews. He showed up Thursday with four pairs of shoes – one for each drill. He broke out the golden ones for his two 40-yard dashes.
He admitted to having some nerves heading into the workouts, but said those went away when he climbed up for that 41-inch vertical jump, the second drill of the morning. After that, he kept changing shoes while wearing a constant grin.
“I’m someone you’re going to fall in love with in the locker room and you’re going to love me even more on the field,” Aultman said.
Mark Emmert can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:
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