Rutgers Pro Day: Carroo Sits Out, To Hold Own Pro Day On March 31

Leonte Carroo at Pro Day / Scarletknights.com

The biggest fish in the pond that everyone wanted to catch wouldn’t bite.

Former Rutgers star wide receiver Leonte Carroo didn’t participate during the school’s Pro Day on Wednesday as he played it safe trying to get his ankle back to 100 percent.

“Just for precautionary reasons, I want to be perfectly fine for my Pro Day, and also for OTAs (organized team activities) and rookie mini-camp,” Carroo said. “I didn’t want to have any setbacks like I did for the Senior Bowl. Just come out here and encourage my teammates, but also take it easy.”

Instead, Carroo will hold somewhat of a private Pro Day on March 31 in front of NFL scouts. Carroo hasn’t really been 100 percent since October when he torched the Michigan State (Oct. 10) secondary for three touchdowns. He injured his ankle the following week against Indiana and aggravated the injury during Senior Bowl practice in Alabama in January.

Read about the strong performances from the linebackers at Pro Day.

He also attended the NFL Scouting Combine in February in Indianapolis with linebacker Steve Longa, but didn’t run routes due to his ailing ankle. Carroo hopes to use this Pro Day to remove question marks regarding his health and solidify his early-to-mid-round NFL Draft projections.

“It’s very important being that a lot of scouts haven’t seen me run a route yet since the Senior Bowl,” Carroo said. “I’m pretty sure they want to see me run routes healthy and be 100 percent. Scouts pretty much haven’t seen me healthy since Michigan State, so they’re excited to see what I can do.”

Carroo, the school’s leader in reception touchdowns with 22, will run routes and catch passes from former Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova, who was in attendance at Pro Day getting some throws in. The pair connected on 19 touchdowns “On the Banks” and were also teammates in high school at New Jersey/national powerhouse Don Bosco Prep.

“It’s all about him,” said Nova, Rutgers’ all-time passing touchdown leader with 73. “We’ll put the work in until then, but I don’t want to make it about me. It’s going to feel great. Who knows? That could be the last time that we do it when it actually matters for something. I’m really happy that he asked me. He’s going to do great.”

Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisWasky

Keep it locked to DoubleGSports.com as we provide more content from Pro Day.

NFL scouts timing the players in the 40-yard dash at Rutgers Pro Day / Photo – Jeff Auger, DoubleGSports