Hurricanes draft prospect Mitchell Agude looks to prove he’s explosive at UM pro day

AVENTURA — For NFL draft prospects that didn’t get an invitation to the NFL scouting combine, the on-campus pro day is their big opportunity to leave an impression on professional teams before the late April draft.

The Miami Hurricanes are set to hold their pro day Monday, and edge defender Mitchell Agude is one of about a dozen prospects with much to prove among under-the-radar prospects coming out of UM this draft.

Agude, since season’s end in December, has been working with trainer Pete Bommarito at Bommarito’s Performance Systems in Aventura, the same location Miami tight end Will Mallory, one of two Hurricanes to participate in the combine with cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, did his pre-combine training. For Mallory, it helped him run the fastest 40-yard dash among tight ends in Indianapolis.

“I wanted my 40 to be as fast as possible, and I know Pete’s an expert at it,” Agude told the South Florida Sun Sentinel last month. “I wanted to make sure that I went to somewhere that has a good facility, [teaches] good technique and just has a really good mindset of what the process is.”

At 6-foot-5, 246 pounds, Agude will look to display explosiveness for NFL scouts to make him a viable outside linebacker or defensive end at the next level that a pro team can take a chance on, either with a late-round selection or as an undrafted signee.

Agude, who transferred last year from UCLA, had 39 tackles, seven for loss, and four sacks in his lone season with Miami.

Early in the offseason, Agude participated in the NFLPA Bowl, where he was able to meet with several teams, getting a taste of the pre-draft interview process.

“I just want them to know that I want it,” Agude said. “I’m a well-spoken guy. I’m always ready to get the job done. I’m never trying to take the easy way out. Even if there’s adversity, I make sure to get the job done. Just make sure that I showcase the best version of me, and I want them to see that.”

Among teams he spoke with were the Miami Dolphins.

“They seem like some really cool guys, really down-to-earth football junkies,” Agude said. “When I sat with them, we watched my film to see my progression, see what my eyes were looking at, what technique I have, the D-line technique and what the linebackers were looking at. … I’m showcasing that I’m looking at the linebackers, I can speak about the coverages, the D-line, the all-around defense.”

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Making the same college transfer as current Dolphins edge Jaelan Phillips, from UCLA to UM, Agude has received tips on the former first-round pick that ended up staying in Miami as he went from college to the NFL.

“He was telling me, ‘Be very detailed in everything that you do. If you got a schedule, stick to it.’ It’s all about consistency,” Agude said. “Make sure that, if you plan on doing something, that you go ahead and do it. He showcased that, everything he set out to do, he went out and did it. I just want to do exactly what he was doing.”

While Phillips had a breakout 2020 college season with the Hurricanes — and exceptional pro day — that catapulted his draft stock into the first round, Agude felt something was left on the field his one year at UM, which ended 5-7 without a bowl appearance.

“I think it could’ve been better,” he said. “I feel like there was more that we could’ve done on the field. I don’t regret the season that we had, but I know that we definitely could’ve had a better season.”

What Agude feels teams should know about the type of player they get if they take him: “Just my physicality, my explosiveness, being able to get off the ball, be disruptive. I really feel like, when I’m on the field, I really impact the game, I really change how offenses play their run or scheme their offense.”