Andrew Peasley Shows off Arm Strength in Front of NFL Scouts

LARAMIE -- Andrew Peasley pretended to take a snap under center before quickly turning and extended his right arm as if an imaginary running back was coming to take the handoff. He swiftly yanked the football back into his body and completed his five-step drop before peering to his left and unleashing a deep, arching ball that nearly scraped the roof of Wyoming's indoor practice facility.

More than 60 yards later, wide receiver Ayir Asante hauled in that seemingly effortless pass in stride as he cruised into the end zone.

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That was the very first throw of the day for the senior signal caller Tuesday in front of NFL scouts and personnel at the Cowboys annual pro day.

It was very much scripted, too.

"I made it clear that I wanted to open up with a post," Peasley said, cracking a slight grin.

There were a couple reasons for that.

One, as many Wyoming fans know, the long ball hasn't exactly been a part of the weekly game plan since Josh Allen was slinging on the high plains back in 2017. Asante admitted on Tuesday he and Peasley used to "beg" former head coach Craig Bohl to start a game with a deep pass.

That plea clearly fell on deaf ears.

Secondly, and more importantly, Peasley suffered an AC sprain in his throwing shoulder in the team's Week-2 win over Portland State.

"I don't know if I was ever back to that arm strength that I know I have," the 6-foot-2, 218-pound Oregon product said. "I think at one point in the season, I was like 2-for-18 on deep balls. So, it's like, 'OK, can he throw the ball?'"

The answer on this day was a resounding, yes.

Peasley also hit current Wyoming wideout Will Pelissier from more than 65 yards out. The senior from Big Horn laid out for the pass and rolled past the white stripe. It was easily the highlight of the afternoon. The audible cheers it drew was warranted.

Peasley also zipped out routes and slants, medium and deep. He showed touch and torch.

That wasn't always the case during the 2023 season.

After throwing for 201 yards and three touchdowns in that 31-17 victory over the Vikings, Peasley was forced to the sidelines the following week at No. 3 Texas. He returned seven days later in a home meeting with Appalachian State.

Maybe he shouldn't have.

Peasley completed just 5-of-15 passes for 31 yards in that improbable 22-19 come-from-behind win in Laramie. That night he threw a swing pass from inside the Cowboys' 20-yard line. It was off target, sailing behind his intended receiver. The ball was tipped high into the air and snagged by Tyrek Funderburk, who strolled into the end zone to give the Mountaineers a seemingly insurmountable 19-7 lead with just 11:42 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Despite bouncing back to throw 15 touchdowns and only three interceptions over the final nine games, Peasley Tuesday called his overall body of work last season "average." That's a harsh self-criticism after leading the team to six more wins over that time span while amassing 1,610 passing yards.

He had much different feelings after his final workout.

"I think my testing went really well. You know, I had high expectations. I've just been training here in Laramie and had some pretty good numbers that I knew about. So, I think I hit close to my (personal records)," he said, adding that he didn't receive his official 40-yard dash time (No official stats were made available). "... Throwing went well. It's good to have Will help out. Obviously Treyton (Welch) Ayir and Colin (O'Brien) were doing their thing. So, it was a good day."

Welch was also impressed with his quarterback.

"I think he's one guy that is overlooked," said Welch, a senior tight end who hauled in 31 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns last fall. "... His leadership, his playstyle and his comfortability in the pocket, I think it's unmatched.

Twenty-six NFL team representatives were in attendance Tuesday in Laramie.

Peasley joked that the only publicity he has had this offseason was from pro scouts watching film of left tackle Frank Crum protecting his blindside.

This was his opportunity. His final rehearsal, if you will.

"This day is kind of like -- it's my one shot," he added. "I haven't turned any heads before this ... I was just excited to get the opportunity to competitively play this game a little bit, one more time. (I got to show) my skill set and show my athleticism. It was a blessing, man.

"I'm just so in love with football. It kind of feels like my life after playing college football for so long."

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players