Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PROVO — Sae Tautu didn’t enter the Indoor Practice Facility for BYU’s Pro Day Friday morning as the most mentioned NFL draft prospect.
Jamaal Williams. Harvey Langi. Taysom Hill. Kai Nacua.
But Tautu may have left the biggest impression.
The defensive lineman starred Friday morning, posting a 4.55 40-yard dash, a 38.5-inch vertical jump and 19 reps on the 225-pound bench press in front of scouts from 28 NFL teams.
Perhaps the biggest shock was Tautu’s vertical leap, which matched athletic quarterback Taysom Hill as the second-highest mark of the day. Defensive back Kai Nacua posted 39 inches, and wide receiver Mitchell Juergens 37.
“I’ve been training with Taysom, so it’s really fun to push yourself against someone like Taysom,” Tautu said. “He did an excellent job, and our verticals have been really close. It’s been fun to compete, and really funny that we tied.”
All Pro Day results and times are unofficial.
Though he felt the same pregame jitters he felt prior to each game during a five-year career, Tautu put on a show that brought in scouts from nearly every NFL team.
But the best part was seeing his former teammates at BYU — guys he will root for, at least until they are on opposing NFL rosters.
“It was a blast being back,” Tautu said. “I’ve been here forever, and it’s become a home to me. I love the environment, I love the players on the team, and I have a deep respect for Bronco (Mendenhall), Coach Kalani (Sitake) and the staff.
Tautu’s 4.55 40 would’ve ranked third at the NFL combine among defensive linemen, and his 38-inch leap would’ve been 1 inch behind second-place Jordan Williams of Kansas State.
But performing in Provo was special for the Lone Peak High product.
“BYU is a special place for me," he said. "It’s tough to close this chapter and move on to the next, but it’s time. It’s been a lot of years, and I have nothing but good feelings for BYU.”
Tautu also got high marks for his post-BYU graduation facial hair. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive tackle sported a lengthy chin strap that drew rave reviews from former teammates Langi and offensive lineman Andrew Eide.
“Sae Tautu has a nice, dark beard,” said Eide, who posted 30 reps in the bench press and ran a 5.23 40. “Mine is blonde and doesn’t look as thick; it’s the Scandinavian blood in me.
“I’m jealous of Sae’s beard. It’s pretty dark. But there was some good scruff out there today.”
Nacua also drew high marks for his performance. The Las Vegas native ran the 40 in 4.50 seconds, posted a 39-inch vertical jump and clocked a 4.14 in the 20-yard shuttle run. His 39-inch vertical would’ve ranked third at the combine, while his shuttle would’ve been fourth among safeties.
BYU Pro Day 2017 Results
| Name | Pos. | 40 time | Bench Press | Vertical Jump | Long Jump |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algie Brown | RB | 4.61 | 28 | 33" | N/A |
| Parker Dawe | OL | 5.1 | 30 | 28" | 8'9" |
| Andrew Eide | OL | 5.23 | 33 | 30.5" | 9'5" |
| Taysom Hill | QB | 4.44 | N/A | 38.5" | 10'2" |
| Garrett Juergens | WR | 4.54 | 21 | 33" | 9'8" |
| Mitchell Juergens | WR | 4.67 | 19 | 37' | 9'7" |
| Nick Kurtz | WR | 4.68 | 7 | 34" | N/A |
| Harvey Langi | LB | 4.62 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Kai Nacua | DB | 4.50 | 15 | 39" | 10'7" |
| Colby Pearson | WR | 4.43 | 12 | 33.5" | 10'2" |
| Eric Takenaka | DB | 4.63 | 12 | 31.5" | 9'8" |
| Sae Tautu | DL | 4.55 | 19 | 38.5" | 10'6" |
| Jamaal Williams | RB | 4.53 | 18 | 33" | N/A |
| Graham Rowley | DL | 4.69 | 27 | 32.5" | 9'4" |
| Michael Davis | CB | 4.34 | 12 | 29" | N/A |
Hill threw a few passes to his ex-receivers Friday, but the 6-2, 230-pound athlete drew gasps for his athleticism and rehab from a career-ending elbow injury in the Cougars’ regular-season finale against Utah State.
In addition to his 38-inch vertical, Hill ran a 4.44 40-yard dash — twice. The time would’ve been the fastest time for a quarterback at last month’s NFL combine. More sophisticated timing methods likely would’ve moved Hill’s mark an extra tenth of a second or so — right in line with Texas A&M’s Trevor Knight, who led all combine quarterbacks with a 4.54 40.
If a position change comes along, Hill is open to the switch in the NFL. But he made clear that his first priority is playing quarterback.
“I’m talking about playing,” Hill said. “My expectation was just to run a 40, and I wanted to run in the low 4.4s. My rehab went faster than what I expected, so I did a few more drills on little preparation. I’m happy with what I did today.”
🎥: Here's some of Taysom Hill's (@T_Hill4) highlights from BYU Pro Day today pic.twitter.com/vdMBN6fi6y
— Brandon Judd (@brandonljudd) March 24, 2017
Williams, who is a projected fifth-round pick by CBS Sports, ran a 4.59 40-yard dash at the combine, and improved on the mark with a 4.53 in Provo. He also had 18 reps on the bench press and a 33-inch vertical leap.
It helped being back in Provo, where he had the support of Sitake, running backs coach Reno Mahe and current players — as well as his mom Nicole.
“It’s always good to have people here supporting you,” Williams said. “They really don’t have to be here; it’s not mandatory to come and watch us. I’m just grateful for everyone who came out and supported me and my brothers this Pro Day.”
Most importantly, Friday’s activities — described by one scout as the best Pro Day facilities in the nation — brought together a group of departed seniors one more time as they seek to launch pro football careers.
And the chance to extend a football career was too much to pass up for any of them.
“I love the game,” Hill said. “The time frame to play at this level is short, so I’m going to take advantage.”
