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INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL Draft is fast approaching, as 32 NFL teams look to select the best college athletes over seven rounds to improve the future of their franchises. The draft, lasting a full three days, airs April 27-29 and is the highlight of the NFL offseason.
If the draft goes as well for the Utes as this weekend’s NFL Draft Combine, it might be the highlight of their offseason, too.
The Combine, commonly referred to as the "Underwear Olympics," is a gathering of the country’s best college talent, as they display their athletic gifts in front of the best talent scouts in the NFL.
From the 40-yard dash to the vertical leap test, millions of future NFL dollars can be on the line during the seven-day event. For the invited Utes, their bank accounts one day might be bursting at the seams.
The University of Utah’s success at the combine started before the event even began, as the Utes had eight former players invited to test their athleticism, tying pro-factory USC with the most invites from the Pac-12.
The Utes burst onto the scene in Thursday’s weight lifting test, when Isaac Asiata led all positions for the weekend with 35 reps on the bench press.
It didn’t take long for the Utes to start conquering the on-field testing, either. Friday was the first day of on-field athletic testing at the combine, examining offensive lineman and running backs. Utes offensive tackle Garett Bolles lived up to enormous expectations, running a sub-five-second 40-yard dash (4.95), and placing second among all offensive lineman in the speed test.
Bolles finished atop the offensive linemen in the broad jump, completing a 9’7” leap, and in the three-cone drill, with a time of 7.29 seconds.
The Ute tackle also finished second in the 20-yard shuttle, proving himself to be the most athletic offensive lineman available in the upcoming draft.
Running back Joe Williams found similar success in the running drill, placing second with a time of 4.41, behind only T.J. Logan of Alabama. Williams further revealed his speed in the 20-yard shuttle, again finishing second among running backs.
The incredible performances didn’t end there.
On Sunday, defensive lineman Pita Taumoepenu placed second in the three-cone drill, before Brian Allen and Marcus Williams completed the Utes' remarkable weekend with impressive Monday performances. Williams placed second among safeties with an absurd 43.5-inch vertical leap, while Allen finished second among cornerbacks with a 6.64-second three-cone drill.
The performances combined to give the Utes the best athletic weekend of any university represented at the combine, with a combined 10 top-three finishes in the weekend drills.
Bolles' performance places him firmly in the first round of the upcoming draft, guaranteeing him several million dollars regardless of whether he’s selected in the top 15 or the top 32.
Marcus Williams threw his name into the first-round conversation with his athletic numbers, backing up his productive junior year at Utah.
Isaac Asiata will almost surely be the next Ute drafted behind Bolles and Williams, while Joe Williams and Brian Allen made compelling arguments as late-round picks with their combination of size and speed.
After missing most of his senior season, JJ Dielman might be the Utes' best darkhorse candidate to be drafted, having been an all-conference tackle as a junior, and finishing sixth among offensive lineman on the bench press (27).
All eight of Utah’s combine invitees, including the previously unmentioned Sam Tevi, should get invites to NFL training camps. Hunter Dimick, the ultra-productive defensive end that was mysteriously left off the combine invite will be a candidate to be drafted as well.
The potential money earned this weekend by the Utes will undoubtedly be in the millions, and potentially eight figures, when free-agent deals are signed before the start of the 2017 NFL season.
Ute coach Kyle Whittingham wasted no time celebrating his former players' combine success, taking to social media to show off for future recruits.