UW football notebook: Feeney skips Pro Day due to hernia surgery

SEATTLE — The Washington player with the best chance of being drafted did not participate at the school’s Pro Day workout on Thursday afternoon.

But he did talk. And Travis Feeney said he isn’t concerned that recent surgery to repair a sports hernia might jeopardize his chances of being selected when the NFL draft begins April 28.

“It’s a real quick surgery,” said Feeney, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound outside linebacker who earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors last season after totaling eight sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss. “There’s no pain.”

Feeney had an impressive showing at the NFL scouting combine in February, running the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and posting a 40-inch vertical leap. Those numbers, he said, were achieved with his health at “70 to 80 percent.” Feeney said he’d been dealing with the sports hernia “all year,” but never considered sitting out the combine.

“The combine was definitely going to be done,” Feeney said. “That was all my decision. I was going to run at the combine no matter what. As far as surgery went, we game-planned it, talked after and decided a couple weeks after to get it done.”

Feeney had four shoulder surgeries during his time at UW, and though he played through another shoulder injury as a senior in 2015, Feeney said no surgery was required after the season and that his shoulders feel fine.

“I’m good. I’m ready to go. My shoulders feel good,” Feeney said. “I’ve played through things before. I always played through things. I take that as a good thing. I missed one game my whole career here. Not many people get to say that.”

And missing Pro Day, he said, shouldn’t be a big deal.

“I don’t feel like this hurts me at all,” Feeney said. “I performed at the combine, did what I feel like I was supposed to. Other than that, I didn’t have to do nothin’ at pro Day. I was cheering the guys on, just enjoying it.”

Feeney said he can resume training in about a month — right around draft time — and that he’s ready for the process to be over.

“I’m anxious, man. I’m nervous. I just want it to be here already. I just want to get it done with,” Feeney said. “Not a lot of people get to be in my shoes. I’m blessed. I’m just taking it for what it is and thanking the man upstairs.”

Mickens pleased

Wide receiver Jaydon Mickens ran a 40-yard dash “somewhere in the 4.4s,” posted a 35 1/2-inch vertical leap and performed the shuttle drill in 3.9 seconds.

And he didn’t drop any of the passes that former Skyline High quarterback Jake Heaps threw to him during the position workout for skill players.

“I think it went awesome,” Mickens said. “No balls hit the ground, all catches, no drops, ran fast. … So I couldn’t ask for a better day.”

Mickens said he just met Heaps, the journeyman college quarterback who made stops at BYU, Kansas and Miami, on Monday. The two were connected by UW strength and conditioning coach Tim Socha and Tracy Ford of Ford Sports Performance.

“I got off the plane (Monday), I got a rental car, came straight down here, and we threw,” Mickens said. “That’s the first time I ever met (Heaps). … Jake was willing to throw, and I appreciate him for that.”

Extra points

Former UW receiver Marvin Hall had an impressive workout, too, posting a 40-inch vertical leap and running a 40-yard dash that was said to be sub-4.4 seconds. … Former UW defensive tackle Taniela Tupou, an Archbishop Murphy alum, also caught some passes from Heaps as a fullback. He said afterward that he’s simply trying to do “whatever I can do to get myself out there on the field. Whatever I can do to help the team out and get out on the field, I’m cool with it.” … Other participants included linebacker Cory Littleton, defensive back Brian Clay, offensive linemen Siosifa Tufunga and James Atoe, tight end Joshua Perkins, running back Dwayne Washington, punter Korey Durkee and long-snapper Ryan Masel. … Of his decision to turn pro following his fourth-year junior season instead of returning for a fifth year at UW, Washington said: “I just felt like it was the best fit for me. I felt like I did enough here and I felt like it was just best to come out this year due to situations. It was the best fit for me.” Washington and his girlfriend welcomed a baby daughter, Nori, in October.