Somebody with a good RB better take this young man. He can save their prized thoroughbred a lot of wear and tear. Had a chance to let the kids meet him at a SR bowl practice this week and all of our guys were friendly--but he was the most outgoing. I've always been a fan but walked away a bigger fan.
http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2014/01/auburn_fullback_jay_prosch_rev.html#incart_flyout_sportsAnd his arms are so big and defined.
Auburn fullback Jay Prosch using Senior Bowl opportunity to showcase underrated athleticism
Jay Prosch Senior Bowl.jpg
South Squad fullback Jay Prosch of Auburn (35) runs a route during the Reese's Senior Bowl South squad practice on Monday, January 20, 2014, at Fairhope Stadium in Fairhope, Ala. (Scott Donaldson, sdonaldson@al.com)
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Joel A. Erickson | jerickson@al.com By Joel A. Erickson | jerickson@al.com
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on January 24, 2014 at 1:35 PM
MOBILE, Alabama -- Even though he might be the best pure fullback prospect in the draft, Jay Prosch hasn't been tempted to go looking for his name in any projections.
Prosch hasn't even asked his agent, Pat Dye Jr., where he might be taken.
Jay Prosch catch Senior Bowl.jpg
South Squad fullback Jay Prosch of Auburn (35) catches a pass during the Reese's Senior Bowl South squad practice on Monday, January 20, 2014, at Fairhope Stadium in Fairhope, Ala. (Scott Donaldson, sdonaldson@al.com)
For the moment, Prosch is set solely on showing teams what he can do at this week's Senior Bowl, then turning his attention to the NFL Combine and the rest of the draft process.
The rest will work itself out.
"I haven't really been curious," Prosch said. "A projection is just a way for you to get your hopes up, really. It's like 'here's a number, just dwell on that forever,' and then it could be something completely different."
Prosch's mother, Iris, who died of brain cancer during her son's junior season at Auburn, taught him the value of focusing on the present, rather than worrying about the future.
"My mom, she always told me, don't stress or overthink things, because life is really short," Prosch said. "It doesn't matter if it's a bad situation, or things don't go the way they're supposed to, if you make it the best moment you can, you'll be a much happier person."
Because of the position he plays, Prosch's eventual place in the draft is hard to project, anyway. Over the past five seasons, roughly three fullbacks per year have been selected, the first one usually coming off the board in the fourth or fifth round.
In today's NFL -- a passing league dependent on quarterback play -- the fullback is something of a specialized position. Most teams carry only one fullback on the roster, and to lock down that spot, a player has to show he can do more than simply sledgehammer his way through linebackers at the point of attack.
"This week, I just want to prove that I can do more than block," Prosch said. "I can run, I can move, I can catch, I have great hands. I'm faster than guys probably would think, so I want to prove that and kind of open their minds about that."
Prosch only got a few chances to catch the ball during his two seasons at Auburn, making 10 catches for 114 yards and a touchdown.
But he's shown soft hands and good athleticism during the week in Mobile, catching everything he can get his hands on and showing he can do something with it. On one play early in the week, Prosch hauled in a pass by the sideline, halted his momentum -- a considerable feat given his frame -- and turned upfield for extra yardage, exactly the kind of play NFL teams needed to see.
The rest of his skills have never been in dispute.
Prosch measured in at 6-0 3/4, 256 pounds on Monday, and his impressive physique prompted one scout in the crowd to say "frickin' tank" as Prosch walked across the stage.
"Jay's one of the top fullbacks in the country, if not the best," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "Very physical, athletic guy, and he'll do well in this setting."
Beyond his physique, Prosch will likely test well if invited to the Combine, an invite he says he hasn't received yet. One of the country's strongest players, Prosch believes he'll be able to put up more than 30 repetitions of 225 on the bench and maybe more than 40, numbers that are good for defensive linemen. In addition, Prosch is faster than most expect; he thinks he has a chance to match the 4.59 he says he clocked at Auburn last summer.
And he's got the qualities teams are looking for in a lead blocker. Durable in college -- aside from a staph infection his sophomore year at Illinois, Prosch has played through every injury, including a broken thumb this season -- Prosch is also versatile after being asked to play a lot of different roles during his college career.
Working with the Jacksonville Jaguars' coaching staff this week, Prosch has mostly been back in the I-formation, the spot he played at Illinois for two years before transferring to Auburn.
Admittedly rusty on the first day, Prosch got better as the week progressed, settling back into his old role as a hammer between the tackles, no surprise to his position coach, who stopped by practices in Mobile on Tuesday to check out his former players.
"He's the best I've ever coached," Auburn tight ends/H-backs coach Scott Fountain said. "As the year went on, he just got better and better and better."
Jay Prosch hand on ground Senior Bowl.jpg
The South team practices for the Reese's Senior Bowl on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. South team fullback Jay Prosch of Auburn (35) sets up for a play. (Mike Kittrell/mkittrell@al.com)
For Prosch, Senior Bowl week means a little bit more than an opportunity to show teams what he can do.
A Mobile native, Prosch grew up going to the Senior Bowl, in awe of the big names on the field.
Before he knew it, he was in Mobile, putting on a Senior Bowl practice jersey, coming off of a trip to the BCS National Championship Game and on his way to the NFL, a whirlwind experience for a player who was lightly recruited after his high school career at UMS-Wright.
"It means a lot to me, obviously, because I grew up watching it," Prosch said. "It's really a goal that I've accomplished."
One more in a long line of goals Prosch has realized this season.
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