Provo • Professional football scouts, agents and interested observers showed up at BYU’s Pro Day on Friday to get a look at the only former Cougar who probably will be taken in the NFL Draft later this month, standout linebacker Fred Warner.
A seemingly forgotten former BYU receiver who had two so-so seasons in Provo naturally stole the show.
That would be Jonah Trinnaman, the 6-foot, 190-pound speedster who showed that he just might have been criminally under used at BYU by posting some of the best numbers ever seen at this annual event at the Indoor Practice Facility on campus.
“Jonah did great,” Warner said. ‘’I mean, it wasn’t impressive only because I already knew he was going to do it.”
Trinnaman clocked in with a sizzling 4.30 time in the 40-yard run then validated that with a 4.31 run a few minutes later. The fastest receiver at the NFL Combine last month (Trinnaman was not invited) ran a 4.34.
Before his eye-popping 40 times, Trinnaman posted 12 feet in the broad jump and 40.5 inches in the standing vertical jump. Both measurements also would have been the best for a wide receiver at the combine.
Not bad for a guy who had only 52 catches for 626 yards and one touchdown in two seasons at BYU.
More than 31 scouts representing 26 NFL teams attended the three-hour event, and one who wished to remain anonymous said Trinnaman probably would get a shot to try out at cornerback in an NFL camp. He’s unlikely to get drafted despite the performance, the scout said.
Trinnaman reportedly met Thursday night with the Chicago Bears, and several other teams got some alone time with him after Friday morning’s performance.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake viewed the proceedings and said what Trinnaman did was not a surprise to the coaches.
“He is a guy that I thought could play cornerback [in the NFL] easily,” Sitake said. “I tried moving him a couple of times. I think he belongs in the NFL. Those times show that he’s a guy that could have a place there, and so hopefully he finds a role with a team that loves him and he can shine on Sundays.”
As for Warner, the Cougars’ best defender last season let his numbers from the NFL Combine stand and only participated in some positional drills Friday. His SPARQ score out of the combine was 129.8, the fifth-highest of any linebacker in Indianapolis.
“I thought I did well enough to where I could just concentrate on those individual drills today,” he said, noting that he’s projected to move from the outside linebacker position he played at BYU for four years to inside linebacker in the pros.
Warner said he has communicated with all 32 NFL teams since BYU’s season ended last November.
“It has been crazy. It has been a whirlwind with how hard we’ve trained these last few months back in California,” he said. “We went hard at it, and it showed in our results. I am happy with what I’ve done so far. I just hope to keep doing my best for these teams.”
Another BYU player with an outside shot of getting drafted, four-year starting center Tejan Koroma, led the team with 32 bench presses (225 pounds). Offensive lineman Tuni Kanuch put up 34 but had four dropped from his total because they were not completed.
Tight end Tanner Balderree and offensive lineman Tuni Kanuch had good days, as did defensive lineman Tomasi Laulile, who didn’t play in 2017 due to suspension. Logan Taele and Travis Tuiloma, defensive linemen who completed their eligibility in 2016 but did not participate in Pro Day last year due to injuries, also participated Friday and showed well.
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