Storrs — The analyzing eyes of 24 NFL scouts looked on Wednesday as UConn football players participated in Pro Day.

Talk about pressure.

Defensive back Jhavon Williams tried to treat it as just another day working out with his UConn teammates in the Shenkman Center.

"Just to be here with my brothers to compete and for one last workout is just phenomenal," Williams said. "I'm just happy. You don't know how I feel to be out there to handle business with my teammates. I just feel so good right now.

"We've been playing football for a long time. We've walked in this building over 100 times.

That's what we do — we run, we jump, we play football. ... We just all tried to not let this get bigger than the moment."

Pro Day lasted over two hours and featured a variety of speed and agility drills, as well as position-specific workouts and bench press. Scouts also evaluated other things like how a player interacts with teammates and body language.

UConn coach Randy Edsall watched from the sideline.

"It's neat to see the pros come out here and work out our guys and to see them have an opportunity to show their skill level and hopefully give themselves a better opportunity to have a chance to be drafted or sign as a free agent in the NFL," Edsall said.

The spotlight shined the brightest on defensive back Obi Melifonwu.

Melifonwu saw his stock soar, possibly into the first round, after an impressive performance at the Senior Bowl in January and the NFL Scouting Combine in March.

Checking in at an athletic 6-foot-4, 224 pounds, Melifonwu covered a stunning 11 feet, nine inches in the broad jump at the combine in Indianapolis. It was the second best combine distance ever, trailing only another ex-Husky defensive back Byron Jones who set the record (12-3) two years ago. He also recorded an impressive vertical jump (44 inches) and posted a time of 4.40 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Wednesday's Pro Day gave Melifonwu another opportunity to showcase his skills.

"I take it one day at a time," he said. "I've had fun with it. I just keep my head down and keep working. God has a place for me and he'll find the right fit and I've just got to do what I've got to do to help myself get there."

"... I think the whole process – my senior season, the Senior Bowl, the combine, now pro day – has just been all beneficial and a help."

Noel Thomas, a wide receiver from Norwalk and team's leading receiver last season, also walked away happy with his Pro Day workout. He improved on his 40-yard dash time from the combine, going from 4.6 to an unofficial 4.42.

"I feel like I definitely got a little redemption here with the 40-yard dash," Thomas said. "I had never seen a 4.6 in my life. To come out there and try my best is what I wanted to do."

Thomas tweaked his hamstring during his second 40-yard dash attempt and sat out some drills.

While admittedly frustrating, he felt good about the routes that he ran at the combine.

Their work is far from over.

There will be sessions with personal trainers, interviews and private workouts with NFL teams before the 2017 NFL Draft begins on April 27.

"Even now, as they're waiting for the draft to come out, they need to continue to do the right things," Edsall said. "They need to continue to take care of their bodies. ... because when they go into that mini-camp (after the draft), they're going to be expected to perform and they're going to make another impression on people, so they've got to be ready to go."

The Pro Day turnout – twenty-two NFL teams were represented – was an indication of the level of talent on display on Wednesday. Eighteen former Huskies played in the NFL last season.

"It's awesome that we had so many people and so many teams come out," offensive lineman Andreas Knappe said. "It's exciting to get to do some stuff in front of them, for sure. We're sometimes a somewhat underrated program.

"Every time someone from here goes to the combine, they shine. So I definitely think it's nice they come out here and see what we're doing."

News and notes

• Other Huskies participating in Pro Day: receiver Brian Lemelle, offensive lineman Richard Levy, defensive linemen Mikal Myers and Sean Marinan, quarterback Garrett Anderson, cornerback John Green, linebacker Matt Walsh, kicker Bobby Puyol. ... Former Huskies Andrew Adams, Dan Orlovsky and Geremy Davis watched the event. Adams, a defensive back, appeared in 14 games, starting 13, for the New York Giants in his rookie season. "This year flew by," Adams said. "It was fun and I'm blessed to get the opportunity to play in the NFL." ... Orlovsky, a 12-year NFL quarterback, is a free agent. He's hoping to sign with a team in the near future. He'll serve as a student assistant for the Huskies this spring while completing his undergraduate degree. "This place is important to me," he said.

g.keefe@theday.com