Former Cougars Shine At NFL Pro Day

Provo, Utah – Ten former BYU Cougar football player competed in Pro Day, showcasing their abilities to play at the next level for NFL scouts in attendance.

Sione Takitaki garnered the most interest of the group, the lone invite to the NFL combine elected to not participate in testing, focusing just on field drills and interviews with scouts. Another Cougar with draft aspirations, Corbin Kaufusi, did not participate after recovering from three offseason surgeries. Despite that, Kaufusi believes he has a future in the league because of his upside.

After all the grind, it's time to shine!

Which of our former players are you most excited to see play at the next level?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#BYUFOOTBALL | #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/i2hSZsRUGJ

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) March 30, 2019

“I haven’t been playing as long as a lot of other guys, so its been a constant improvement,” said Kaufusi. “I’ve only been playing for three, three-and-a-half years, I took a six year break after high school – its nice to show that I can improve every year.

For those who did test, Tanner Mangum and Dylan Collie showed well in position work where the two connected for a handful of deep balls.

BYU PRO DAY 2019
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#BYUFOOTBALL #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/VuIWFrcJn2

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) March 29, 2019

“I felt like it was a great day,” said Mangum. “All that hard work we put in, it’s time to showcase it.”

Collie didn’t reach the testing numbers he aspired for, running a 4.59 40-yard dash, but he feels his play speaks for itself.

“Ultimately, it comes down to how you play,” added Collie. “I can go home confident that I can play this game and that’s what matters most to me.”

Fullback Brayden El-Bakri tested among the best in his position group, his 24 reps on bench would have placed him top five at the NFL combine. He also had top-10 results in the three-cone-drill (sixth), 20-yard shuttle (fifth), and 60-yard shuttle (third). El-Bakri’s results should garner interest from NFL teams and he says he’ll do what he needs for an opportunity to continue playing.

📸 | Pro Day 2019#BYUFOOTBALL #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/NTV4jCa39H

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) March 29, 2019

“I feel like everything went well,” said El-Bakri. “If they want me to play anything, I’ll do exactly what they need. If they need 40 more pounds, I’ll put on 40 pounds. If they want  20 less pounds, I’ll take off 20 pounds. I just want to play football some more.”

The next step is the NFL draft, until then the dream stays alive for this group of NFL hopefuls.

Results:

Squally Canada

40: 4.59

Bench Press: 21 reps

Vertical Jump: 28″

Broad Jump: 9’8″

3-Cone Drill: 7.04

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.28

60-Yard Shuttle: 12.17

Dylan Collie

40: 4.59

Bench Press: 14 reps

Vertical Jump: 31″

Broad Jump: 9’11”

3-Cone Drill: 6.93

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.22

60-Yard Shuttle: 11.28

Brayden El-Bakri

40: 4.91

Bench Press: 24 reps

Vertical Jump: 32.5″

Broad Jump: 9’5″

3-Cone Drill: 7.06

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.27

60-Yard Shuttle: 11.75

Matt Hadley

40: 4.70

Bench Press: 20 reps

Vertical Jump: DNP

Broad Jump: DNP

3-Cone Drill: 7.00

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.38

60-Yard Shuttle: 11.83

Tanner Mangum

40: 4.82

Bench Press: DNP

Vertical Jump: 28″

Broad Jump: 9’2″

3-Cone Drill: 7.17

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.33

60-Yard Shuttle: 11.74

Michael Shelton

40: 4.65

Bench Press: 14 reps

Vertical Jump: 36.5″

Broad Jump: 9’10”

3-Cone Drill: 6.82

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.20

60-Yard Shuttle: 11.44