Lindsey Young

With the 2026 NFL Draft fast approaching, The Athletic reflected back on one of the most memorable pro days on record.

Randy Moss took part in Marshall's Pro Day in Huntington, West Virginia, in the spring of 1998 after missing the combine due to "some dental problems."

The Athletic's Bruce Feldman did a deep dive into the spectacle that followed,using an oral historyto retell the origin story of an eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Former Marshall assistant coach Mark Gale recalled the frigid March day, "like 28 degrees," and having to hire security due to the number of people who wanted to watch Moss work out.

Former 49ers scout Jim Abrams noted the likes of Mike Ditka, then the Saints head coach, "out there in Huntington for this little pro day" because of the intrigue around the Marshall wide receiver. Former Marshall Head Coach Bob Pruett said the following:

"I remember Randy had a little problem with his car and came running in a bit after it started. He's wearing a sweatsuit. They'd already started the vertical jump testing. He takes off the sweatpants. He stretches to the right. Stretches to the left. Stretched his back. Then, vertical jumps 44 inches. He'd just walked out of his car. Then, he went to 47 inches."

Sports anchor Keith Morehouse noted the vertical didn't surprise him after covering Moss' senior year of high school, during which "I think he had 66 dunks."

But then came the 40-yard dash. Feldman wrote:

Pruett:Then they (the NFL scouts) said, "Let's run the 40." They wanted him to run the 40 into the wind. He really hadn't loosened up, but he gets down there and runs 4.25. Into the wind. They said, "This can't be right. Run that again." He runs 4.25 again.

[John] Garrett (former Bengals WR coach):It was like gliding. There was a lot of wind. Like, gale force wind. He was flying with the wind.

Gunter Brewer, former Marshall wide receivers coach:It was before all the laser stuff and electronics, so you've got this group of grown-ass men all lined up strategically where the 40 ends, and he comes rolling through there. Everybody clicks. They all look at their watch. The Cowboys guy looks at the Eagles guy, like, I'm not sure I got this right. What'd you get? Well, what'd you get? They each look at each other holy s!

[Former Marshall RB Doug] Chapman:He actually ran a 4.2 with swirling winds and no warm-up while wearing a full sweatsuit.

Moss continued to impress on additional drills, including the 20-yard shuttle, and ran go routes to catch passes from QB Eric Kresser, who played in two games with the Bengals in 1998.

Garrett remembered hanging back after the workout to learn more about Moss beyond the athletic prowess.

Garrett:There are a lot of talented players, but they don't have the right makeup. [People] get seduced by talent. So after we did the measurements and were setting up the 40, I hung back. I know the coaches are gonna tell me all good things, but I wanted to talk to the people who serve around there. I talked to the equipment guy or the maintenance guy. I asked, "How's Randy?" He goes, "He's awesome. He helps me pick up all the tape and stuff that everybody just throws on the ground and puts it in the trash." That proved to me, with all the distractions, that he has a good heart.

Following the on-field drills, Ditka and then-Bears Head Coach Dave Wannstedt visited Pruett in his office to inquire more about Moss.

Pruett:I said, "I don't want to be a smartass, but if you have a chance to draft Randy, and you don't, you'll both get fired. No matter who you pick, they can't make the difference in your team that he makes. However fast you think he is, he's faster. However high you think he can jump, he can jump higher.

"The only time you'll ever get any lip from him on a game day is if you're behind and you're not throwing him the ball."

ENTER NOW

Fast forward to the 1998 NFL Draft, where neither Ditka or Wannstedt opted to draft Moss. For what it's worth, the Bears and Saints selected Penn State RB Curtis Enis and San Diego State T Kyle Turley at No. 5 and No. 7, respectively.

The Vikings sat at No. 21.

Feldman spoke with then-Vikings General Manager Jeff Diamond, who noted one of Minnesota's scouts, Conrad Cardano, "knew the Marshall coaches very well" and "really stood up for Randy."

We had him rated as a top-five player on our board, but we never thought he'd get to us at No. 21. We thought the Cowboys would take him at No. 8. He started to slide. We were really thinking defense at that point. We had Cris Carter and Jake Reed, but Randy was such a great talent. When we got closer to our pick, that's when we really got serious about it. We got on the phone with Cris and said, "If we draft Randy, will you help mentor him?" Cris said yes, absolutely.

The rest, as they say, is history.

To read Feldman's oral history in its entirety,click here.

CBS Sports highlights teams' biggest position needs after initial free agency waves

Teams across the NFL have made changes to their roster through the first couple weeks of free agency.

Clubs will continue to have the opportunity for making additions through free agency, trades or the upcoming NFL Draft. CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles looked at the league and opinedeach teams biggest position needat this point in the offseason.

For Minnesota, Pereles pointed to defensive line. He suggested the Vikings could sign free agent D.J. Reader or target Clemson interior defender Peter Woods in the draft. Pereles wrote:

Amid a cap crunch, the Vikings released both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, neither of whom produced as hoped in 2025. Minnesota needs to backfill this position, even after Jalen Redmond's breakout year. Reader has been a dependable interior presence even after passing his prime; Woods is the top interior defender according to CBS Sports' NFL Draft Prospect Rankings; he showed flashes of dominance early in his college career but didn't have the best 2025.

Let's check out what Pereles said of the other NFC North teams, shall we?

He said Chicago should upgrade its edge defender group, potentially through signing veteran Jadeveon Clowney or drafting Texas A&M's Cashius Howell. The Lions could need help at left tackle. Pereles said Detroit should prioritize re-signing Taylor Decker; if the Lions can't get him back in the building, Georgia's Monroe Freeling would be a solid choice.

It looked like Taylor Decker would return to Detroit, but the two sides couldn't figure out a deal. Perhaps the door isn't completely shut, though, and the two sides can come to an agreement. If not, the Lions could move Penei Sewell from right tackle to left tackle, or they could draft Jared Goff's next blindside protector. Freeling's stock has been rising of late.

And in Green Bay?

Pereles believes the Packers need to bolster their cornerbacks room. Green Bay currently does not have a first-round pick in this year's draft, but the team could sign free agent Rasul Douglas or hope to land D'Angelo Ponds, a national champion, on Day 2.

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