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Texas A&M; tackle Luke Joeckel a hit at pro day

Texas A&M; offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, right, works during a blocking drill during pro day.
(Pat Sullivan / Associated Press)
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This report has been corrected. See below.

What do Oakland Raiders Coach Dennis Allen and New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan have in common? They both had to see Texas A&M; offensive tackle Luke Joeckel during pro day.

While most of the 32 teams in the NFL sent their scouts and personnel directors to College Station, Texas, on Friday, Allen and Ryan made the trek themselves to watch the 6-foot-6, 310-pounder that many think is the top player available in the draft on April 25.

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“I think he was impressive on the tape and just watching him out here and getting a chance to visit with him, I think not only is he a good football player, he’s an impressive young man,” Allen said after the pro day. “I think that’s the thing that when you look at him, that’s the thing that says this guy is going to make it in the National Football League.”

Joeckel went through position drills during pro day after testing well at the NFL combine, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 5.3 seconds and bench pressed 225 pounds an impressive 27 times.

“Going against the best competition is going to get me ready for the next step,” Joeckel said of playing in the Southeastern Conference. “This year I went against probably five guys that could be going in the first round … and I think that definitely improved my game.”

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Allen said that he’ll be meeting soon with Joeckel, who is scheduled to work out privately March 22 for the Kansas City Chiefs, who have the No. 1 selection in the draft. Joeckel already had meetings with nine teams during the NFL combine.

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For the record: An earlier version of this report said that Luke Joeckel bench pressed 225 pounds only 12 times at the NFL combine. He pressed the weight 27 times. It was Texas A&M; teammate Damontre Moore who had 12 repetitions.

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