Alvin Bowen has a new haircut and a fresh outlook on his future.

Sporting a dreadless hairdo, the former Cyclone linebacker took part in a series of drills before NFL scouts Wednesday during Iowa State’s Pro Day.

“My mom was really pushing for me to cut them,” Bowen said about his dreadlocks. “I hesitated for a while. A long three-and-half years, but I finally decided it was probably a better move for me to cut my hair now.”

The new haircut wasn’t the only thing different about the second-team All-Big 12 honoree.

After running a 4.83-second 40-yard dash during February’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Bowen impressed many of the 25 scouts in attendance with his performance in the Bergstrom Indoor Practice Facility, participating in a number of defensive drills and a new run.

“A lot of scouts told me I did pretty good,” he said. “Better than I did at the combine. I felt confident with their faces as far as after I ran my 40.”

The scouts wouldn’t say what Bowen’s time was, only that it was faster than his time at the combine.

Bowen hopes his performance Wednesday will improve his status for the 2008 NFL Draft. The two-day event, which begins on April 26th in New York City, could have a splash of cardinal and gold in it.

Seven other Cyclones participated in the two-and-a-half-hour workout, which included a weightlifting session along with running and individual drills.

Former defensive nose guard Ahtyba Rubin, who recorded 42 tackles for the Cyclones last season, overwhelmed teams with his performance in Indianapolis.

On Wednesday, Rubin participated in a few individual workouts.

“I just stood on my combine stuff and did position drills,” Rubin said.

Quarterback Bret Meyer and receiver Todd Blythe ran offensive plays. The former Cyclone duo combined for a school record 28 touchdown passes in four years. During their workout, Meyer completed 22 of 32 passes to Blythe, Milian Moses, and Ben Barkema.

“Bret was throwing fireballs today,” Blythe said. “I didn’t know where that came from, but my hands are a little beat up.”

But Blythe’s legs were just fine. The 6-foot-5-inch wide receiver clocked a time of 4.48 seconds in the 40, a vast improvement from his 4.61 during the combine, something he said most scouts he talked with were happy about.

“I’m real happy with that,” he said. “To be able to come out here and be a tall receiver at 6’5″, to be able to run fast like that – I’m real pleased today.”

Former Cyclone and current New York Jets talent scout Jeff Bauer said he was happy with the workouts he saw. Bauer and the other scouts in attendance declined to comment on specific players but said Wednesday’s workouts provided them with a better observation of the players than at the combine.

“You just get more closer to the guys,” Bauer said. “At the combine, everyone is up in the stands – as here you’re right next to them. You get to see how they react.”

And how they look. A fresher, clean-cut Bowen hopes Wednesday’s workout will move him a step closer to earning an opportunity to play in the NFL.

“All everyone really asks for, especially an underdog like myself, is a chance,” Bowen said. “All I need is a chance, and the rest will be history.”