SMU DL Chatman pleased with Pro Day performance
SMU defensive lineman Elijah Chatman put one of his best seasons together on the field this past year and had another chance to showcase his abilities at SMU during the school’s Pro Day on Monday.
Chatman finished the 2023 season with 33 tackles, good for eighth overall on the team and second on the defensive line. He also had a second-best nine tackles for loss to go with 4.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries.
It earned him first team All-American Athletic Conference honors as part of a defense that was Top 15 in the country in several categories.
“I feel like sack wise, this was my best season. I know that for a fact,” Chatman said. “But I feel like I produced a lot. I was able to secure a first team All-AAC. I feel like it was really good and it helped me as far as the NFL goes.”
Once the season ended, the focus shifted to workouts and preparations began. That’s a different kind of work.
“It’s been a journey,” Chatman said of the process. “Obviously it was hard work, but made the best of it and we made the hard work fun. So it was really good.”
Chatman remains his own toughest critic and even he had to admit that he felt like the Pro Day went well. He got good feedback, too, which helped.
“I’m not too sure (overall), but I know from today it’s looking pretty good,” Chatman said. “I’ve heard from a few scouts telling me that I did very good out here. If they’re thinking I did good, I’m thinking it’s going to be good. … I’m kind of harder on myself than everybody else is, so I feel like I could have did much better in just about every category, honestly. But overall I feel like it was still good.”
If there was one part of the day that could have gone better, it would have been his bench press. During the last two summers, Chatman has put up eye-popping numbers on the bench that had he been invited to the NFL Combine could have put the top performers on notice.
He put up other numbers that would rival those of defensive linemen at the Combine, too. His 4.81-second 40-yard dash would have been second, along with those 32 reps on the bench. His 4.59-second shuttle would have been third, his 9-foot, 4-inch broad jump would have been sixth and his 31-inch vertical would have been ninth.
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Even though the bench press number dipped a little on Monday, after going over 40 to end summer workouts in both 2022 and 2023. But that had to do with more the mental part of it than the physical ability and raw strength.
“During the bench, while I was doing it, I’m not going to lie, I let somebody get in my head,” Chatman said. “I was extending, they kept saying ‘extend’ and I overextended and ended up f—ing myself up.”
Even so, Chatman has put his abilities on film. This past year he moved back to playing some offense in a fullback, H-back hybrid role for SMU.
“I bring an athlete to any team that gives me an opportunity,” Chatman said. “Wherever they want me to play, whether that’s special teams, offense, defense, I’m available anywhere.”
With about a month until the NFL Draft begins on April 25, there is still more work to be done. Chatman hopes to keep making those little improvements that add up to a phone call from an NFL team.
“Technique-wise, yeah, work on my speed a little more, get stronger because I’ve got to get as strong as those NFL guys,” Chatman said. “I would say my technique, speed and strength.”
