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The NFL Scouting Combine starts on Thursday, and while it’s definitely not the end-all-be-all for a prospect’s NFL draft fortunes, a good performance can help boost a player’s draft stock.
Six University of Utah players were invited to the 335-player event in Indianapolis — offensive lineman Keaton Bills, offensive lineman Sataoa Laumea, safety Cole Bishop, safety Sione Vaki, wide receiver Devaughn Vele and defensive lineman Jonah Elliss.
The players — aside from Elliss, who will not participate due to a shoulder injury — have a busy week ahead of them.
Each player will go through a medical exam, interview with teams, field questions from the media and have all kinds of measurements taken (height, weight, arm length, hand size).
Players will participate in a series of drills — bench press, 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone, 20-yard shuttle. These drills, combined with interviews with teams, give a general overview of a player and are extremely valuable for NFL front offices.
Here’s a look at each player heading into the 2024 NFL Draft Combine.
Sataoa Laumea, tackle
2023 stats: 12 starts, All-Pac-12 second team.
- Height and weight: 6-4, 319.
- Positional Big Board rankings: Mel Kiper: 9; PFF: 17.
- How to watch: Sunday, 11 a.m. MST, NFL Network.
Keaton Bills, guard
2023 stats: 12 starts, All-Pac-12 honorable mention.
- Height and weight: 6-4, 316.
- Positional Big Board rankings: Mel Kiper: N/A; PFF: N/A.
- How to watch: Sunday, 11 a.m. MST, NFL Network.
Cole Bishop, safety
2023 stats: 11 games, 60 tackles, three sacks, forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, three pass breakups, All-Pac-12 second team.
- Height and weight: 6-2, 207.
- Positional Big Board rankings: Mel Kiper: 5; PFF: 9.
- How to watch: Friday, 1 p.m. MST, NFL Network.
Sione Vaki, safety
2023 stats: 12 games, 51 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, three pass breakups; 317 yards and two touchdowns on 42 rushes, 203 yards and three touchdowns on 11 receptions, All-Pac-12 first team.
- Height and weight: 5-11, 211.
- Positional Big Board rankings: Mel Kiper: N/A; PFF: 6.
- How to watch: Friday, 1 p.m. MST, NFL Network.
Devaughn Vele, wide receiver
2023 stats: 10 games, 593 yards and three touchdowns on 43 receptions.
- Height and weight: 6-5, 210.
- Positional Big Board rankings: Mel Kiper: N/A; PFF: N/A.
- How to watch: Saturday, 11 a.m. MST, NFL Network.
Jonah Elliss, defensive end
2023 stats: 10 starts (missed last three games with season-ending injury), 37 tackles, 12 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, forced fumble and three pass breakups, consensus All-American, All-Pac-12 first team.
- Height and weight: 6-2, 246.
- Positional Big Board rankings: Mel Kiper: 8; PFF: 8.
- How to watch: Will not participate due to injury.
Spring football starts on March 12
Utah begins spring practices on Tuesday, March 12. The Utes will get 15 practices, culminating in the annual “22 Forever” spring game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, April 13 at 11 a.m.
There are three levels of tickets for fans to purchase:
- $22 for one ticket in premium seats.
- $22 for two tickets in chair-backed seats.
- $22 for four tickets in bleacher seats.
All ticket proceeds will benefit the “22 Forever Memorial Scholarship,” which was set up in the memories of Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe.
In case you missed it
Utah men’s and women’s basketball are in the homestretch run of the regular season. Here’s how this weekend could impact both teams’ seeding in the Pac-12 basketball tournament.
From the archives
Extra points
- Where do BYU, Utah State and Utah land in latest bracketology projections heading into March? (Deseret News)
- Utah puts together a complete meet, scores a season high in win over Stanford (Deseret News)
- Jaylene Gilstrap and Bohemian Rhapsody just fit (Deseret News)
Up next
- Feb. 29 | 3 p.m. | Women’s basketball | Washington State | @ Salt Lake City
- Feb. 29 | 6:30 p.m. | Men’s basketball | Stanford | @ Salt Lake City
- March 2 | 12 p.m. | Women’s basketball | Washington | @ Salt Lake City
- March 2 | 3 p.m. | Gymnastics | Cal | @ Berkeley, California
- March 2 | 7 p.m. | Men’s basketball | Cal | @ Salt Lake City
All times MST.