U.S. Air Force Academy — The Air Force Academy football program hosted its 2022 Pro Day in front of the most NFL scouts its ever seen.

More than double the Academy has seen before, 23 scouts showed up as a handful of players performed drills and agility work. Defensive tackle Jordan Jackson, likely to be drafted in the mid to late rounds, caught the eye of plenty NFL scouts. Jackson didn’t participate in the NFL Combine because of a hamstring injury. His teammates, looking on the bright side, thanked him for bringing a lot of attention to Air Force’s Pro Day.

“That’s a life long dream that every player has that’s trying to go to the NFL,” cornerback Tre Bugg said. “A couple days passed, and I said ‘hey man I know this sucks, but thank you because you’re going to make my chance a whole lot bigger now that you’re doing everything at our pro day,” Bugg laughed.

Bugg led the team in tackles in 2021 and could go undrafted.

“Once you start playing it’s always a dream,” Jackson said of going to the NFL. “You start watching the players, you have your favorite team… whether it’s drafted, whether it’s picked up. Just having the opportunity to be in the NFL is just a dream come true for me.”

Senior wide receiver Brandon Lewis had a career game in Air Force’s win over Louisville in last season’s bowl game. Two touchdowns for 172 yards put him under the radar of some agents and ultimately led him to working out on Pro Day.

“I think I showed I was athletic,” he said. “I can runs routes, I can catch the ball, and I think I definitely opened some eyes, hoping I get an opportunity.”