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Provo • Of the 15 participants at BYU's Pro Day on Friday morning at the Indoor Practice Facility — 11 who last played for BYU and four who last played for other schools — nobody drew more attention from the two dozen NFL scouts and representatives than Bronson Kaufusi.
There was even more of Kaufusi to see, because the defensive end has added 20 pounds, roughly, to his playing weight from the Las Vegas Bowl last December. Kaufusi, projected to go in the third or fourth round of April's NFL draft on most mock draft boards, didn't do a heck of a lot on Friday, however.
The 6-foot-6, 285-pound senior just watched as most of his former teammates went through the 3-cone drill, 20-yard short shuttle, bench press, vertical jump, long jump and 40-yard run. All Kaufusi did was some agility drills with other linemen at the end of the session.
"I just wanted to let my combine numbers stand," Kaufusi said, having shown well at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last month. "I think I did well [on the agility drills], though. I wanted to showcase that I am tall and heavier, but can still move well."
Several NFL scouts seemed OK with Kaufusi not doing much, because representatives from the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins went out of their way to thank him for working with them during the scouting process, and a person wearing Kansas City Chiefs gear also paid special interest in him afterward.
While several BYU seniors scattered across the country to train for this big day, Kaufusi stayed in Provo and worked with Justin McClure of the BYU strength & conditioning staff. He chose Bruce Tollner of Rep1 Sports to be his agent, he said, because it is "a great fit for me and my family."
Kaufusi said he has heard from "every team out there" the past few months and has been told my most he'll be drafted in the first three rounds.
"Whatever team takes me, I know I will go in there and make a difference for them," he said.
None of the other players there Friday were invited to the NFL Combine or are expected to be drafted, although receivers Mitch Mathews and Devon Blackmon certainly helped themselves with excellent 40 times, and Blackmon made a one-handed catch on a deep ball thrown by Ammon Olsen, the former BYU QB who finished his college career at Southern Utah.
Blackmon was told by several scouts he ran a 4.41 in the 40.
"Just before I hit a 4.38, but they made me run it again because I got out too fast," said Blackmon, who worked out in Arizona. "A 4.41 is still good. I'm cool with that."
Mathews, the 6-foot-6 receiver, has bulked up considerably while training in Indianapolis, but still ran a 4.44 40, according to his agent, Brett Kessler, via Twitter. He also posted a 38-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump, both personal records. At the end of the workout, Mathews, who weighed in at 222 pounds, sat down with a representative from the Green Bay Packers and took a 40-minute aptitude test.
Linebacker Manoa Pikula, who trained in Hawaii and is being represented by Provo's Rose Blakelock, was also happy with his performance.
"I feel like I helped myself," Pikula said. "I did a regional combine two weeks ago and got all my jitters out there. I came out and did better than I did there, so I'm pleased."
Terenn Houk, the hybrid tight end/receiver, trained in Nashville and will be represented by Evan Brennan, a San Diego-based agent. He was happy with his bench press and 3-cone, but said he struggled running the 40.
"It is the biggest job interview of your life, so you are dang nervous," said Houk, who graduated in December with a degree in sociology but plans to return and finish an engineering degree if the NFL doesn't work out.
Offensive lineman Ryker Mathews did nothing but "train, eat and sleep" in January and February in Houston, he said, and it showed. With a full beard, shaved head and chiseled physique, he was barely recognizable.
"I just wanted to come out here and show that even with a knee surgery and a hip surgery and a foot surgery, I can still move and still run and play the game," Mathews said.
A lot of former and current Cougars showed up to support their teammates, including offensive lineman Tejan Koroma, the All-American who is not currently enrolled at BYU. Wearing an Arizona State baseball cap, Koroma hugged dozens of his teammates, especially QB Taysom Hill, and also spent some time talking to new BYU football coach Kalani Sitake.
Twitter: @drewjay —
BYU Pro Day participants
BYU Seniors • WR Devon Blackmon, RB Adam Hine, WR/TE Terenn Houk, DL Bronson Kaufusi, LB Teu Kautai, WR Mitch Mathews, OL Ryker Mathews, LB Manoa Pikula, DL Graham Rowley, K Trevor Samson
Other Participants • Former BYU WR Ross Apo, Southern Utah WR Justin Brown and QB Ammon Olsen, Mesa CC DB Tigi Hill, Idaho State WR Madison Mangum