USC’s Booty completely at ease at pro day

Quarterback John David Booty arrived and departed from USC’s annual pro day Wednesday wearing the same wide grin.

After linebacker Keith Rivers and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis solidified their status among the top prospects at their positions, and running back Chauncey Washington seemingly sprinted up the draft board, Booty put on a show for dozens of NFL scouts that came to evaluate nearly two dozen draft-eligible players.

“Throwing is what I’ve always done my whole life, so to be able to come out here and do what you’ve done -- how much more relaxed could you possibly be?” said Booty, who completed nearly all of the approximately 80 throws he made to receivers that included former Trojans split end Jason Mitchell and former UCLA wideout Freddie Mitchell.

Booty was particularly impressive completing deep passes, a rarity during his two seasons as the Trojans starter.

“I think that really showed what I was capable of doing . . . and answered any questions that were there,” he said.

Rivers wowed the scouts by running the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds. He also touched 42 1/2 inches in the vertical leap.

“I just dug in deep and jumped,” said Rivers, a projected top-10 pick. “I pretended I was dunking a basketball.”

Washington’s time of 4.3 seconds in the 40 had scouts “buzzing,” said Coach Pete Carroll, who added that Washington’s stock might have improved by two or three rounds.

“People were wondering about me and I answered that question,” Washington said. “They just need to watch the film and see what type of player I am.”

Ellis, tight end Fred Davis and defensive lineman Lawrence Jackson also maintained or improved on their performances at the NFL scouting combine in February.

“I definitely helped myself, proving that I had speed to get down field and be a deep threat,” Davis said.

Scouts from the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins put Jackson through linebacker drills, seeing him as a possible fit in their 3-4 schemes.

“I’d love to be taken in the first round, obviously,” Jackson said. “But being drafted in the first round doesn’t say you’re going to be a great football player. I just want to make sure I play football for a long time at a high level, regardless of what round.”

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Times staff writer Sam Farmer contributed to this report.

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