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RUSTON — It was show time for 18 former Louisiana Tech football players Friday morning.  Under the watchful eye of coaches and scouts from 13 different NFL teams, Tech's most recent crop of players were put through a three-plus hour workout at the Bulldogs' Pro Day, hoping to get a shot at professional football.

"This is part of the pie," said Rick Thompson, director of college scouting for the New Orleans Saints. "You get to visit with the players, see them workout and see them compete in the weight room. This is their mini combine and a chance to be seen by quite a few NFL scouts and coaches."

For the Tech players, the Pro Day workout held extra meaning since none of them were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine or any postseason all-star games.

"A lot don't get invited to the combine," Thompson said. "It's not the end of the world. There's a lot of guys in the NFL making good money that didn't go to the combine."

That's good news for players like cornerback Tramon Williams, linebackers Byron Santiago and Barry Robertson, defensive end Moqut Ruffins and offensive lineman Aaron Lips.

The consensus among the scouts is that those five players in particular should get either drafted or signed as a free agent and find themselves in an NFL camp this summer.

"This was very important for me," said Santiago, who worked out in Daphne, Ala. getting ready for Pro Day. "I think it went pretty good."

The player drawing the most scrutiny was Williams, a 6-0, 185-pound cornerback who led the nation in passes defended per game last year.

"I think I did pretty good," said Williams, who had seven career interceptions. "I did real good in the drills. I think I had solid numbers in everything."

Williams bench pressed 225 pounds 13 times and had the best vertical jump of the day at 37 1/2 inches. He also ran times in the 40-yard dash of 4.62 into a fairly strong wind and 4.59 with the wind.

The running conditions were less than ideal, with chilly temperatures in the low 50's with a brisk northerly wind blowing.

"Tramon Williams had a good workout," Thompson said. "He was quick and showed good feet and good ball skills. He's not the biggest kid or the fastest, but he's fast enough. He handled himself well."

Williams has been training in Sugarland, Texas with former Olympic spring champion Floyd Heard and strength and conditioning coach LeRoy Franklin.

"I ran a good time, but I can get a whole lot better," Williams said. "I'll come out again next week (for Tech's second Pro Day) and run the 40 again." Williams' pure foot speed is the one area scouts are honing in on. After lifting, running and going through drills, the scouts asked Williams to run the 40 twice more, on grass.

Williams said he also has several visits set up with individual teams. He already is scheduled to visit Atlanta, Miami, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville.

Santiago, a two-time first-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick, also seemed to help his cause. The 6-2, 233-pound Santiago bench pressed 225 pounds 27 times and ran two 40 times of 4.71 and 4.75.

Lips started 47 straight games in four seasons, but struggled this year with an ankle injury that hurt his production. He bench pressed 225 pounds 29 times, ran times of 5.4 and 5.3 in the 40.

Robertson, a second-team All-WAC pick who led Tech in tackles last season, did 17 reps on the bench and ran times of 4.95 and 4.7, but the 6-3, 221-pounder didn't seem concerned. "I could have done a little better, but if I can't get in on my film, then there's no use in me playing," Robertson said. "I think it should be about how you played."

Ruffins, a 6-5, 279-pounder who was a first-team All-WAC pick last season, did 18 reps on the bench and had a time of 5.0 in the 40.

"This is just part of the process," Thompson said. "What's most important is how you played over the course of the season. We have 11 or 12 games on film we can evaluate."

Originally published March 25, 2006