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Provo • Before he got slapped with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against UConn, BYU outside linebacker Alani Fua liked to celebrate sacks by acting like he was reeling in a big fish.
Now he's the one hoping to not get hooked.
As the BYU football player with the most realistic shot at getting picked in the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday and runs through Saturday, the 6-foot-5, 238-pound Fua is taking a low-key approach to the whole thing.
"I'm not getting my hopes too high, not getting caught up in how high or low I could go," Fua said Tuesday. "I am expecting the worst and hoping for the best. That's it."
Most seven-round mock drafts have Fua getting picked on the draft's third day, Saturday, when rounds 4-7 will be held. Round 1 is Thursday, while rounds 2-3 are Friday.
"I would like to go somewhere warm, but it seems like most of the teams [that have expressed interest] are in cold-weather places," he said. "But whichever team takes me, I will be happy with."
Fua was invited to just one workout, by the Philadelphia Eagles. While disappointed he didn't get more invites, he's not too concerned because his brother, Cleveland Browns defensive end Sione Fua, didn't get any invites in 2011 out of Stanford, but was picked in the third round by the Carolina Panthers.
Experts say Fua has all the measurables and athleticism — he made up for a subpar showing at the NFL Combine in the 40-yard dash (4.73 seconds) with a 4.5-second effort at BYU's Pro Day — but they worry about his production. After not doing much as a freshman or sophomore, he finished with 124 tackles, nine sacks and five interceptions in his career. He missed three games his senior season due to injury.
Fua is eager to show whichever team drafts him or signs him as a free agent the improvement he's made the past few months under the tutelage of David Stroshine of ASAP Training in Orem. And he's also looking forward to start providing for his family of four; He and his wife, Malaysia, have two boys, ages 4 and 2.
"My wife is more nervous than I am," Fua said.
A few other BYU players are showing up in mock drafts, but none as often as Fua, meaning the Cougars will likely go another year with getting just one player drafted. Not since 2010, when tight end Dennis Pitta went to the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round and running back Harvey Unga went to the Chicago Bears in the seventh round of the supplemental draft has BYU had multiple players drafted.
Defensive end Ziggy Ansah went No. 5 overall in 2013 to the Detroit Lions, and linebacker Kyle Van Noy was picked in the second round last year by the Lions.
Aside from Fua, this year's biggest draft hopefuls are receiver Jordan Leslie, offensive lineman De'Ondre Wesley, fullback Paul Lasike, safety Skye PoVey and cornerback Robertson Daniel.
Leslie, PoVey and Daniel turned some heads at BYU's Pro Day, and Leslie has received some workout invitations, including one by the Green Bay Packers, who seem especially interested in the transfer from UTEP who has close ties with Chicago Bulls basketball star Jimmy Butler.
Leslie's family took the homeless Butler into their Houston-area home before his senior year in high school, and the duo have considered themselves brothers ever since, although they are not really related.
Twitter: @drewjay —
BYU's NFL Draft hopefuls
Player Position Ht/Wt
Alani Fua OLB 6-5/238
Jordan Leslie WR 6-3/210
Paul Lasike FB 5-11/250
De'Ondre Wesley OL 6-7/310
Skye PoVey S 6-1/205
Robertson Daniel CB 6-1/208
Other Pro Day participants • TE Devin Mahina, S Craig Bills, S Harvey Jackson, WR Ross Apo, OL Solomone Kafu, DS Kevin O'Mary, P Scott Arellano, OL Edward Fusi, DL Marques Johnson