A few years ago, it would have been easy for NFL teams to forget about DeQuin Evans.

As recently as 2003, pro day for the UK football team was a quiet affair. No members of the media would show up, and only a handful of scouts from NFL teams would bother to show up.

That meant that players like Evans would probably be off the radar for NFL teams. Evans, a defensive end, entered his senior season in 2010 with high expectations. He burst on to the scene in 2009 after transferring from a junior college, leading the team with 12.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. He garnered a handful of preseason All-SEC honors and was named a team captain before the beginning of the season.

Then he injured his shoulder in fall camp. He played most of the season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder, though the public didn’t know it at the time. The result was a disappointing senior year; 16 tackles, four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 12 games. He had surgery after the season on his shoulder, and has been rehabbing since.

This year, 26 NFL teams sent representatives to UK’s pro day. Evans said he’s heard from about four or five teams that are interested in him and have asked him for some personal information, but making an impression at pro day could still make a big impact for him.

“It’s a huge day for me. I don’t let a day go by that I haven’t thought about it, that I haven’t been working towards having a good day,” Evans said. “For a guy like me, this can only boost my status. It can’t really hurt me. I knew that I had to come out here and do something to boost my stock.”

Evans was still limited in his workout as he works to rehab his shoulder. He could even feel the effects of it in the drills he did participate in, pointing out that he wasn’t as able to swing his arm as freely as he would have liked in drills like the 40-yard dash, which could have a negative effect on his explosiveness.

The six teams not present at pro day were the Cowboys, Bears, Chargers, Raiders, Buccaneers and Bears.

“All it takes is one team to like you,” UK head coach Joker Phillips said. “Look at Alfonso Smith.”

Smith was a running back who fought through a hand injury during his senior year in 2009, losing his starting job while watching his stock fall. He wasn’t invited to the combine, but after pro day and workouts, he was signed by the Arizona Cardinals. He was cut in fall camp, but re-signed during the season and finished the year on the team’s roster.

That’s the kind of scenario Evans could be hoping for. With some hard work and a solid workout, he’s hoping to keep his NFL dreams alive. Thanks to UK’s pro day, he still has shot at professional football.

“I feel like I came out here and did some good things,” he said. “I could get better at some other things, but all in all I think I came out here and showed everybody what kind of attributes I could bring to a team.”

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Running back Derrick Locke and wide receiver Randall Cobb limited their workouts at pro day. Both declined to participate in any of the traditional drills after working out at the NFL combine in Indianapolis late in February.

Locke ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the combine, while Cobb turned in a 4.46. Locke said he wasn’t overly excited about his performance in Indianapolis, but was satisfied with it. Cobb and Locke are considered to be UK’s top prospects in the draft.

They did go through positional drills – with one major surprise. Cobb, who played mostly receiver in college, was also asked to go through running back drills. Locke said he turned in a surprising performance considering that he hadn’t prepared to work out as a running back. Both players ran routes and demonstrated pass catching skills, working out alongside quarterback Mike Hartline.

“I think (today) was a little more important for coaches to get a better look at you,” Cobb said. “There are so many guys at the combine, they’re trying to see everybody. Here, it helps them to get a better look of some of the things they might be looking for.”

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Mike Hartline’s older brother Brian, a receiver for the Miami Dolphins, was on hand for his brother’s pro day. Hartline addressed the media after his workout, the first time he spoke publicly after being arrested in December and suspended for UK’s bowl game. He said that while it would be a dream to end up playing with his brother, he’ll be happy no matter where he ends up

Wide receiver Chris Matthews said he ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.5 range. He tweeted from his account @Caliboi_8 later in the day that he was scheduled for an individual workout with the New England Patriots this weekend.

Some notable members of the UK junior class didn’t work out, according to UK head coach Joker Phillips. Linebacker Danny Trevathan didn’t participate in drills, and safety Winston Guy tweaked his hamstring while running the 40-yard dash.

The NFL draft will be held April 28-30 in New York.