Pro Day a chance for Temple’s Dan Archibong to impress NFL scouts

Dan Archibong says he isn’t putting too much pressure on himself but he understands how important his performance will be at Temple’s Pro Day on Tuesday.

Archibong, a 6-foot-6, 302-pound defensive tackle, and wide receiver Branden Mack are Temple’s top two prospects. The NFL draft takes place April 29-May 1.

Those two, along with cornerback Kimere Brown, will be at the Pro Day from the 2020 team. Pro scouts will attend.

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Seniors from the 2019 team who lost their Pro Day to the pandemic shutdown — safety Benny Walls, defensive end Zach Mesday, running back Jager Gardner, safety Anthony Cruz and safety Ayron Monroe — will also participate.

Without the NFL combine this season, a school’s Pro Day has added importance. When asked in a recent phone interview if this Pro Day means everything to him, Archibong replied, “Yes and no.

“Yes, it’s a big deal because it can bump me up and make money and no because most of the work is already done,” he said. “Most of what you are evaluated on is film. I would say 85 percent is film and the other 15 percent is on interviews, a Pro Day and stuff like that.”

Archibong could have actually returned for a sixth season at Temple. The NCAA allowed all football players a free year of eligibility because of the pandemic.

Archibong, who earned his undergraduate degree in Adult Organizational Development and is about halfway toward his master’s degree in the same subject, felt it was time to move on.

While Archibong didn’t compile eye-popping statistics, what NFL talent evaluators will see is somebody who frequently occupied multiple blockers.

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In seven games last year for the 1-6 Owls, he had 22 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Archibong, a product of Springfield High in Delaware County, also played tight end in the final game against East Carolina, showing his athletic versatility on an Owls team whose final regular-season game was canceled due to COVID issues with both Temple and its opponent, Cincinnati.

Archibong was among five Temple players who started every game last year. He appeared in 48 career games with 42 starts.

So much change occurred for Archibong, who played for four head coaches — Matt Rhule, Geoff Collins, Manny Diaz (who only lasted 18 days before resigning to become the head coach of Miami) and current coach Rod Carey.

“It was crazy,” he said. “The first change was probably the hardest. Once the second and third change happened it was like, this is normal, but when coach Rhule left I was shell-shocked.”

Archibong was preparing for his future by training for two months at the Elite Athlete Training Surface (EATS) in Rockville, Md. He returned to the Philadelphia area last week.

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“It was definitely intense,” he said.

Archibong says he has improved on many individual tests, including 30 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, and a 31-inch vertical leap.

He has also been in touch with several NFL teams.

Archibong says he has had three official interviews with NFL teams, but didn’t want to disclose which ones. He said he has talked informally to many others.

“A handful of teams said I have a draft grade from [rounds] 4-7,” he said. “I am hoping Pro Day will help increase my stock. I am really looking to show up on Pro Day.”