What to know about Rochester grad Hank Beatty's NFL draft stock
Former Rochester star Hank Beatty made waves at University of Illinois to become an NFL draft prospect. Here's what to know.
CHAMPAIGN — It’s been a grind since Hank Beatty’s final season on the University of Illinois football team. The Rochester High School graduate performed in the Hula Bowl on Jan. 10 before undertaking the Illini Pro Day on March 12 to set the stage for the 2026 NFL draft Thursday, April 23-Saturday, April 25 in Pittsburgh.
Hank Beatty in 2025: Hank Beatty stars for Illini, plus Springfield's other top college football players for 2025 How did Beatty perform at pro day? Beatty placed a heightened emphasis on the 40-yard dash, where he flourished in the 4. 50s.
“It was definitely a lot,” Beatty said. “Last year, I did a pro day, but I was just running routes to help with some of the other receivers who were doing their pro day. But this one was just a lot more because I had to do all of the testing and measurements, then run routes after that, too.
It was a jam-packed day. “A lot of people were telling me I had a pretty solid pro day. Whatever they say, whether it’s good or bad, it’s kind of one ear out the other and then just keep working is really how I handle it.