South Alabama had a small contingent for Pro Day on Monday, but then again, the Jaguars had a very small senior class in 2023.

Six former South Alabama players worked out for scouts from around two dozen NFL teams, participating in the standard drills in the weight room and on the field at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Those participating were wide receiver Jalen Wayne, cornerbacks Darrell Luter and Jamar Richardson, center James Jackson, running back Omni Wells and quarterback/receiver Cephus Johnson, who played his first three college seasons with the Jaguars before finishing his career at Southeastern Louisiana.

South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack joined several members of his coaching staff and dozens of current players as observers at Pro Day Monday. He said the level of NFL scouting interest in his program continues to grow with each passing year.

“If you look at where Pro Day was for us a year or two years ago to where it is now, there are a lot more NFL organizations that are investing their time into South Alabama,” Wommack said. “And so that’s really exciting, to have two guys go to the (NFL Scouting) Combine. And then to have the amount of scouts that are coming down to look at not only those two guys, but you’ve got a guy like James Jackson who I think is going to have an opportunity. So I’m really excited for those guys.”

The most talked-about player in attendance was Luter, whom some analysts have pegged as a potential third-round pick. The former All-Sun Belt Conference selection built on strong showings at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine by vertical leaping 40.5 inches and running the short shuttle (also known as the 5-10-5 drill) in 4.38 seconds — down from 4.43 at the Combine.

The 6-foot, 187-pound Luter chose to stand on his Combine 40-yard dash time of 4.46 seconds, and did not run it again at Pro Day. He also posted a 40.5 vertical at the Combine, but had hoped to beat that on Monday.

“I felt like I could get higher than that, but it’s fine,” Luter said. “I had a 41, but I scratched on it, so it’s cool. I think my legs were fresher doing the 5-10-5 than they were at the Combine. So my time definitely dropped.

“The Senior Bowl, the Combine, everything that I’ve been through, has definitely set me up for where I am today. I feel like at the Combine, running what I ran, definitely made some money there.”

Wayne (6-2, 216) also stuck mostly with his Combine numbers but did participate in the short shuttle and three-cone drill on Monday, in addition to catching passes from teammate Carter Bradley (a possible 2024 NFL draft prospect). Wayne went for 4.5 seconds in the 5-10-5 and 7.43 in the 3-cone.

Wayne also played in the Senior Bowl, leading all receivers with eight catches in the game, and ran the 40 at the Combine in 4.51 seconds. A second-team All-Sun Belt pick in 2022, he is viewed as a potential late-round pick in April’s draft.

“I think I did pretty well,” Wayne said. “I felt good running, and everybody said I look good. So I’m feeling good about the day. I was just telling my (friends), it’s been a little stressful, just three months of being totally locked in. But I finally can let a little deep breath off (after Pro Day).”

Jackson (6-2, 316) did not get an invitation to the Combine or Senior Bowl, but did participate in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in California in January. An honorable mention All-Sun Belt pick in 2022 and a two-year starter, Jackson did 22 reps at 315 pounds on the bench press Monday, ran the short shuttle in 4.91 seconds and the 3-cone drill in 7.88.

Jackson has been working out since the end of the season alongside Wayne in Fort Myers, Fla., and planned to return there after Pro Day. He said he would be open to opportunities in the upstart USFL or XFL if the NFL does not pan out.

“If it comes about, if it comes to it, I’ll for sure be looking at it,” Jackson said. “There are so many leagues out there now, I’m bound to feel like I can play in one of them.”

Richardson (5-11, 179) posted a 40-time of 4.53, a short-shuttle time of 4.38 and broad-jumped 10 feet, 2 inches. Wells (5-8, 195) did 22 reps on the bench, did the short shuttle in 4.45 seconds and broad-jumped 9-4.

Johnson — South Alabama’s primary starting quarterback in 2019 before transferring away — measured in at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds on Monday, and ran the short shuttle in 4.45 seconds. He also caught passes at wide receiver, something he did in games early in his career at Southeastern Louisiana.

“I really just started playing receiver back in 2021 when (FCS All-American) Cole Kelley was at quarterback, and I was kind of used as a utility player for Southeastern,” Johnson said. “And then last year I played strictly quarterback. I’m just thankful, blessed to be able to multiple positions, so I wanted to put that on display here today. I feel like it went really well.”

South Alabama has had one player drafted in each of the last two years, wide receiver Kawaan Baker (New Orleans Saints, seventh round) in 2021 and wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (Dallas Cowboys, third round) in 2022. Prior to that, tight end Gerald Everett in 2016 (Los Angeles Rams, second round) was the only former Jaguar drafted by an NFL team.

The NFL draft is set for April 27-29 in Kansas City.