BUTTE — It’s been a year since Montana Tech fans have seen the name Nolan Saraceni in the news. The former two-time all-American running back took a year off from football, following his graduation and NFL pro day workout in the spring of 2017.
Saraceni showcased his impressive mix of size and strength in front of NFL scouts last March, but was never given a shot from NFL teams.
The Billings Senior High School graduate made his return to the field on Monday, arriving in Missoula for the University of Montana’s NFL pro day workout. Although he was away from in-game action for over a year, Saraceni improved upon many of his stats, including the 40-yard dash, bench press, and three-cone drill. Alongside former teammate Quinn McQueary, Saraceni joined a group of of eight Grizzlies at Monday’s pro day.
Here is how his numbers stacked up against Monday’s participants and the 32 running backs invited to the 2018 NFL Draft Combine:
Vertical Jump: 35 inches; T-2nd at pro day, T-13th at NFL Combine
Broad Jump: 10 feet, 1 inch; 3rd, T-11th
225-lb Bench: 21 reps; T-2nd, 8th
Long Shuttle: 11.34; 1st, 2nd (of seven combine participants)
Three Cone: 6.87 seconds; 1st, 3rd
40yd Dash: 4.58 seconds; 2nd, T-14th
Pro Agility: 4.36 seconds; 3rd, T-17th
In the available results, Saraceni ranked among the top three participants in every category at the UM pro day and among at least the top half of running backs invited to the NFL Combine. It has been a long time since Saraceni took a snap in a game, but it is clear that he has been working since his graduation.
