Harding has a g’day, but age remains his obstacle

SAN DIEGO >>  Scott Harding ran 40 yards in 4.59 seconds at the University of Hawaii football team’s pro day Thursday on the San Diego State campus. 

He also made a sprawling over-the-shoulder catch on a deep route, drawing oohs from scouts, teammates and spectators. 

Harding, an inside receiver who was measured at 5 feet 10 3/4 and 201 pounds, bench pressed 225 pounds 12 times. He had a vertical jump of 32 inches, and broad jump of 9 feet 4. 

Overall, it was a g’day for the Australia-raised Harding. 

But Harding knows there is one number that is an obstacle. He will turn 29 this year. 

"I knew (age would be a concern) the moment I got to Hawaii," said Harding, who was 24 when he first enrolled at UH in August 2011 after a six-year career in Australian rules football. "I knew that was going to be the main thing, the red flag. Everybody’s got red flags. That’s mine."

Harding was a receiver, punter and punt returner at UH. Two weeks ago, he participated in an NFL regional combine. On Thursday, he ran routes as a slotback and wideout. A scout said he would review videos of Harding as a punt returner. 

"If I can show (the scouts) I’m still athletic and can move around and put up some decent numbers and match up with guys, hopefully, that cancels out the age thing," Harding said.

Here’s UH other players at pro day:

>> Kody Afusia, offensive line: His favored position is center, although he was used as a guard during field drills on Thursday. At 6-2, he has decent reach (33 inches). "I felt more comfortable at center, anyway, so I wanted to show them more guard," Afusia said. "It was good to show them I could do both."

>> Taylor Graham, quarterback: Graham’s lone start in 2014 ended with a foot injury requiring surgery. He appeared to be healthy near the end of the season but was not used. "It gave me more time to fully recover,"  said Graham, who earned his bachelor’s degree in December. He trained with his father, former NFL quarterback Kent Graham. He displayed good footwork and a strong arm during passing drills. He also received tips from UH coach Norm Chow. "Coach Chow was encouraging, as always," Graham said.

>> David Griffin, offensive lineman: He departed the Warriors in January 2014 because of ailments and personal reasons. "Sometimes you don’t know how much you love something until it’s gone," said Griffin, who resumed training in December. Chow allowed him to  participate in pro day.

>> Tyler Hadden, kicker: He did not participate in any of the running, jumping or lifting drills.

>> Donnie King, slotback: He showed hops with a vertical jump of 33 inches. He also ran crisp routes in passing drills.

>> Art Laurel, linebacker: He missed last year’s pro day while recovering from an injury. This time, he benched 225 pounds 14 times and had a vertical jump of 31 inches.

>> Dave Lefotu, guard: He slimmed down (309 pounds) but still had 24 reps in the 225-pound bench. His reach is 34 inches.

>> Dee Maggitt, cornerback: At 5-9 and 175 pounds, he is surprisingly strong, with 18 reps in the bench.

>> Michel Martin, safety: He had 22 reps in the bench and a 321/2-inch vertical jump. 

>> Jordan Pu’u-Robinson, tight end: After an injury-filled UH career, Pu’u-Robinson made up for it with several acrobatic catches on slants and deep posts on Thursday. "I wish I were a little cleaner in some of my change-of-direction drills," he said. "It was not a bad day."

>> Sean Shigematsu, offensive tackle: He measured as the tallest lineman (6-4 3/4), but was slightly light at 288 pounds. He skipped the bench press because of a minor ailment, but was impressive in blocking drills. 

>> Taz Stevenson, safety: He showed strength with 22 bench reps. "It’s a decent number for my weight and my size," he said. But there were no defensive drills on Thursday. "They’re going to go with the film, and the film doesn’t lie," said Stevenson, who led the Warriors with 88 tackles, including 69 solo stops, in 2014. 

>> TJ Taimatuia, outside linebacker: He benched 225 pounds 22 times and ran 40 yards in 4.73 seconds. Unfortunately, there were no defensive drills to display his improved lateral speed. 

>> Beau Yap, end: He had a vertical jump of 321/2 inches, ran 40 yards in 4.75 seconds, and benched 225 pounds 28 times (although four might have been discounted for not locking his arms).

>> Cayman Shutter, quarterback: He headed North after finishing at UH, spending two seasons at Canada’s University of Regina. His goal is to catch on with a CFL team. (He worked out for the Toronto Argonauts the past weekend.) "I was really interested in coming here and throwing next to American-trained guys," said Shutter, a Punahou School graduate. "I believe in the way I throw the ball. That’s the most important thing."