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If it's the ambition of every aspiring football player to make noise on pro day, toddler Katherine Mae Orchard rocketed up the 2035 draft board, waddling around Utah's indoor practice facility while singing "Da, da-da" with a box of Goldfish crackers in her hands.
Millions of dollars may have been at stake for Utah's dozen-plus participants — including Katherine's father, Nate — but that didn't seem to faze either of the Orchards.
Nate had his usual moxie.
Katherine had her crackers.
Dubbed the "Mayor" of "Sack Lake City" while recording 18.5 sacks, Nate Orchard enjoyed the votes of many in attendance Thursday morning.
To the 50 or so pro personnel, he is a first- or second-round pick. Orchard went to dinner with Cleveland Browns staff on Wednesday night. Thursday, when a Tennessee Titans representative told the NFL hopefuls to get going, Orchard jogged out and gave him a leaping hip bump, earning a giggle.
And to 18 of the 50 or so attendees on the players' guest list, Orchard was a friend or family member.
"I could have had more, but it would have been too much," he said. "I probably would have filled up the whole building."
Director of pro personnel Fred Whittingham Jr. was struck that more assistant coaches attended this year's pro day than during the previous three. The turnout may have been greater, in part, because BYU agreed to hold its pro day in succession on Friday, making Utah a one-stop shop for pro teams. He hopes Utah State's — held March 5 — will also coincide next year.
Among the luminaries present, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly chatted with Utah running backs coach Dennis Erickson, and Indianapolis Colts offensive line coach Hal Hunter rarely looked away from versatile offensive lineman Jeremiah Poutasi.
Realistically, after a solid performance at last month's NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Orchard only needed to stay healthy and observe the law Thursday. He was among a handful of players who skipped some events.
Cornerback/safety Eric Rowe already ranked among the class leaders by every measure at the Combine, and only took part in position drills Thursday. Wideout Dres Anderson, who said he's running at 100 percent after recovering from a season-ending knee injury, watched with family but will have his own private pro day April 14.
Of those who did participate, numerical superlatives included defensive tackle Sese Ianu's 34 reps of 225 pounds at the bench press and Kaelin Clay's 40-yard dash, rumored to have been clocked at 4.38.
(Each scout keeps his own time, and two that The Tribune asked about Clay's times cagily claimed to have forgotten, even as they stood with their notebooks folded under their arms.)
Clay said there were no excuses for the 4.51 time he ran in Indianapolis, but admitted that a good night's sleep in Salt Lake City didn't hurt.
"The stress level wasn't there, because we're at home," he said.
Many players will receive further examination by NFL teams. Cornerback Davion Orphey appeared dejected about his 40 time, which he'd heard was in the high 4.5s, but can look forward to a workout with the New England Patriots staff.
Tight end Westlee Tonga may attend a locals-only workout with the Houston Texans. Tonga said that even though he felt he did well, he didn't want to know what his times were — it doesn't change anything about what he needs to do, he said.
Winning the prize Thursday for most satisfied customer was linebacker Jacoby Hale, who tore his ACL last spring and returned to be used sparingly in seven games.
Hale watched the 2014 pro day, when fullback Karl Williams jetted onto scouts' radars by running a 4.5-second 40 at 240-plus pounds, and he thought that if Williams could do it — and later earn a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders — he could, too.
"I saw that and thought, 'OK, who [did] he train with. I need to get like that.'"
He signed up with former Ute and Raider tight end John Madsen, as Williams had, and gave Madsen's business another nice free advertisement with a time anywhere between a 4.4 and a 4.55.
As the doors to the field swung to a close behind him, Hale, with the media throng in tow, looked up at the sky and shouted, "Thank you, Jesus!"
Next stop, he said: ice tub.
Twitter: @matthew_piper —
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