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Potential draftees hope to get their chance
Utah, BYU » Schools offer likely multiple late-round picks.
By Lya Wodraska
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_14905694
And Jay Drew
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 04/17/2010 05:21:20 PM MDT
Ever since he was snubbed by the NFL Combine, former Utah safety Robert Johnson has been busy making a name for himself in the hopes of landing a pro contract.
He and other local players have less than a week of waiting left before they find out if all their hard work will result in becoming an NFL draft pick.
The draft, which starts Thursday, doesn't have quite the same drama for local players this year as it did last season when Utah's Sean Smith and Paul Kruger rode the hype of the Sugar Bowl win into the NFL, and BYU receiver Austin Collie left early as well and was rewarded with a Super Bowl experience as a member of the Colts.
However, several local players still should hear their name called during the three-day draft.
Johnson's situation is perhaps one of the more intriguing. While teammates Stevenson Sylvester, Koa Misi, David Reed and Zane Beadles were invited to the combine, Johnson was not.
However, he has met or worked out for Chicago, Seattle, Houston and Miami in the last week.
"It's very exciting," he said. "The good thing about it is they're all telling me I'm a sleeper and under the radar. I'm just going into everything with eyes wide open and hopefully a team will come and pick me up. I'll go wherever I need to go."
Utah assistant coach John Pease, a former NFL assistant, said Johnson shouldn't be hurt by the combine snub.
"A lot of great NFL players didn't go to the combine," he
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said. "He has shown he has a great range and skills. He should have a chance somewhere."
Misi has seen his stock rise more than any other player with Utah ties after an impressive performance at the combine and is projected to be a second- or third-round pick.
Sylvester, Reed and Beadles all are projected to go in the lower rounds.
For BYU, tight end Dennis Pitta, fullback Manase Tonga and quarterback Max Hall were invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, and represent the Cougars' best chances of having players drafted.
Pitta will almost certainly be drafted, with most mock drafts saying the leading pass-catcher in school history will go in the middle rounds -- third, fourth or fifth.
Pitta was perceived as unathletic before the combine, but turned heads by ranking among the top 10 tight ends in every category tested. He posted the best times of any tight end in the three-cone drill, the short shuttle and the long shuttle.
"I've done all I can do right now," Pitta said at BYU's pro day. "I don't know where I'm going to go and I'm not too worried about it. I think I've been able to adequately show my abilities as a football player."
Tonga was a surprise invitee to the combine, to some, but the 245-pounder has perhaps benefited from the NFL success of other former BYU fullbacks Fahu Tahi and Fui Vakapuna. Most mock drafts say he will be an undrafted free agent, but a few put him in the sixth or seventh round.
Tonga posted the second-highest score among running backs in the Wonderlic test, posting a 29. Stanford's Toby Gerhart had a 30. The Patriots are said to be mildly interested in Tonga, and flew him to New England for a private workout.
Hall's chances of getting drafted are slim, but he will almost certainly get a half-dozen or so offers to attend NFL camps as a free agent. He upped his stock and answered questions about his arm strength at the combine, by most accounts, but his 6-foot-1 height is seen as a setback.
Rated anywhere from the 15th to 20th best quarterback in the draft, Hall said recently he hopes his strengths -- game experience and the ability to read defenses and pick up complex offensive systems -- are discovered by NFL scouts.
"I'm not sure what's going to happen," he said. "Like everyone else, I am just hoping for a chance."
Local draft hopefuls
Utah
Koa Misi*6-3*257*Most envision the former Utah defensive end as an outside linebacker in the NFL.
Zane Beadles*6-5*310*Utah's top offensive lineman was invited to the combine but was hampered by a hamstring injury; most believe he will go in the lower rounds
Stevenson Sylvester*6-2*231*Linebacker is expected to go in the sixth or seventh round, ran a 4.71 in the 40 at the combine
David Reed*6-0*191*Receiver's stock has risen recently after he did well at the combine and in Utah's pro day
Robert Johnson*6-2*203*Safety wasn't invited to the combine but his stock has risen and he is predicted to go in the sixth round
BYU
Dennis Pitta*6-5*245*Tight end is rated seventh out of 83 tight ends by NFL Draft Scout
Manase Tonga*5-11*245*Fullback could go in the sixth or seventh round after being a surprise invite to the combine
Max Hall*6-1*209*Quarterback is rated in the 15-20th range at his position
Utah, BYU » Schools offer likely multiple late-round picks.
By Lya Wodraska
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_14905694
And Jay Drew
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 04/17/2010 05:21:20 PM MDT
Ever since he was snubbed by the NFL Combine, former Utah safety Robert Johnson has been busy making a name for himself in the hopes of landing a pro contract.
He and other local players have less than a week of waiting left before they find out if all their hard work will result in becoming an NFL draft pick.
The draft, which starts Thursday, doesn't have quite the same drama for local players this year as it did last season when Utah's Sean Smith and Paul Kruger rode the hype of the Sugar Bowl win into the NFL, and BYU receiver Austin Collie left early as well and was rewarded with a Super Bowl experience as a member of the Colts.
However, several local players still should hear their name called during the three-day draft.
Johnson's situation is perhaps one of the more intriguing. While teammates Stevenson Sylvester, Koa Misi, David Reed and Zane Beadles were invited to the combine, Johnson was not.
However, he has met or worked out for Chicago, Seattle, Houston and Miami in the last week.
"It's very exciting," he said. "The good thing about it is they're all telling me I'm a sleeper and under the radar. I'm just going into everything with eyes wide open and hopefully a team will come and pick me up. I'll go wherever I need to go."
Utah assistant coach John Pease, a former NFL assistant, said Johnson shouldn't be hurt by the combine snub.
"A lot of great NFL players didn't go to the combine," he
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advertisement
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
said. "He has shown he has a great range and skills. He should have a chance somewhere."
Misi has seen his stock rise more than any other player with Utah ties after an impressive performance at the combine and is projected to be a second- or third-round pick.
Sylvester, Reed and Beadles all are projected to go in the lower rounds.
For BYU, tight end Dennis Pitta, fullback Manase Tonga and quarterback Max Hall were invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, and represent the Cougars' best chances of having players drafted.
Pitta will almost certainly be drafted, with most mock drafts saying the leading pass-catcher in school history will go in the middle rounds -- third, fourth or fifth.
Pitta was perceived as unathletic before the combine, but turned heads by ranking among the top 10 tight ends in every category tested. He posted the best times of any tight end in the three-cone drill, the short shuttle and the long shuttle.
"I've done all I can do right now," Pitta said at BYU's pro day. "I don't know where I'm going to go and I'm not too worried about it. I think I've been able to adequately show my abilities as a football player."
Tonga was a surprise invitee to the combine, to some, but the 245-pounder has perhaps benefited from the NFL success of other former BYU fullbacks Fahu Tahi and Fui Vakapuna. Most mock drafts say he will be an undrafted free agent, but a few put him in the sixth or seventh round.
Tonga posted the second-highest score among running backs in the Wonderlic test, posting a 29. Stanford's Toby Gerhart had a 30. The Patriots are said to be mildly interested in Tonga, and flew him to New England for a private workout.
Hall's chances of getting drafted are slim, but he will almost certainly get a half-dozen or so offers to attend NFL camps as a free agent. He upped his stock and answered questions about his arm strength at the combine, by most accounts, but his 6-foot-1 height is seen as a setback.
Rated anywhere from the 15th to 20th best quarterback in the draft, Hall said recently he hopes his strengths -- game experience and the ability to read defenses and pick up complex offensive systems -- are discovered by NFL scouts.
"I'm not sure what's going to happen," he said. "Like everyone else, I am just hoping for a chance."
Local draft hopefuls
Utah
Koa Misi*6-3*257*Most envision the former Utah defensive end as an outside linebacker in the NFL.
Zane Beadles*6-5*310*Utah's top offensive lineman was invited to the combine but was hampered by a hamstring injury; most believe he will go in the lower rounds
Stevenson Sylvester*6-2*231*Linebacker is expected to go in the sixth or seventh round, ran a 4.71 in the 40 at the combine
David Reed*6-0*191*Receiver's stock has risen recently after he did well at the combine and in Utah's pro day
Robert Johnson*6-2*203*Safety wasn't invited to the combine but his stock has risen and he is predicted to go in the sixth round
BYU
Dennis Pitta*6-5*245*Tight end is rated seventh out of 83 tight ends by NFL Draft Scout
Manase Tonga*5-11*245*Fullback could go in the sixth or seventh round after being a surprise invite to the combine
Max Hall*6-1*209*Quarterback is rated in the 15-20th range at his position
