FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) – A familiar face was back at Valley Children’s Stadium last Monday: Jalen Moreno-Cropper.

The valley native from Parlier, who played his high school football at both Sanger High School and Buchanan High School before starring at Fresno State for the past four years, attended the first day of spring football practice.

“Being able to come out here, see what they have going, have cooking for this next year, being able to be excited,” said Moreno-Cropper about watching many of his former college teammates go through their first official practice of the spring.

Of course, there is a lot to be “excited about” with Moreno-Cropper right now. Just two days earlier, he was in Indianapolis to show off his skills at the NFL Scouting Combine.

“It was a very good experience,” said Moreno-Cropper. “I mean, I dreamed of that since I knew what the Combine was, and I knew this whole process.”

Moreno-Cropper showed well, especially in the 40-yard dash where he clocked a time of 4.40 seconds in the first of two attempts. That time tied for sixth-best among the 43 receivers who participated in the event.

“Definitely nerve-wracking, going there, all eyes on you, you know? The stadium’s quiet, everybody’s quiet, nobody’s saying nothing,” said Moreno-Cropper about being inside Lucas Oil Stadium. “People think I have deceiving speed, I think I just have speed.”

He also showed he is capable of some great catches, too, highlighted by an impressive one-handed grab while running a deep out route during one of the drills.

“It was kind of like an eye-opener, not for me, but for them to see I’m actually capable of certain things,” he said.

And there was something else that made Jalen Moreno-Cropper’s combine experience even more memorable; he got to go through it with his former college quarterback, Jake Haener.

The two were actually roommates during the week.

“It’s an exciting feeling,” said Moreno-Cropper. “Obviously, putting on for the valley, like everybody says. Showing what (the) Fresno State Bulldogs are all about.”

Jalen Moreno-Cropper trained in Florida for the combine, with a focus on speed. Now, he will train in Houston, Texas for the lead-up to the NFL Draft. The focus there will be on football techniques.

Fresno State’s Pro Day on Thursday, March 30th.