Idaho 5 show off skills in front of pro scouts

Mar. 29—The 2022 Idaho football season is one fans and players will never forget, but now the graduating seniors will attempt to take the next step in their football journey as professionals.

That began Tuesday at the Kibbie Dome as the Vandals hosted their Pro Day in front of 12 National Football League scouts and one Canadian Football League scout.

Idaho had linebacker Fa'avae Fa'avae, edge rushers Leo Tamba and Juliano Falaniko, running back Roshaun Johnson and safety Jeremiah Salaam participating.

Johnson, Idaho's former bruiser and goal-line back who finished his last year with 106 carries for 421 yards and a team-high 12 touchdowns, showed up lean and focused.

All of his measurables, besides height, were above average compared to other running backs.

"He's definitely leaned out, and I'm sure he'd want to run a little bit faster than he did in the 40," Idaho coach Jason Eck said. "But he's a physical back, and he was great at the goal line, and we just hope that he can keep playing."

Overall, when compared to the 2023 NFL combine averages, none of the five jumped off the page.

For example, Johnson's 20 reps in the bench press were his only above-average stat. His vertical (29.5 inches, average is 35.1) and 40 time (4.86 seconds, the average was 4.51) probably will hurt his draft stock.

"I think this year most of the guys are free-agent candidates," Eck said. "I'm hoping that they get free-agent opportunities. But maybe with what they do today, they'll have an opportunity to get drafted."

A lot of eyes seemed to be on Fa'avae, who had another impressive season in 2022 in leading the Vandals with 111 tackles.

When it came to his measurables, he was a tad undersized, and his overall numbers also were a bit underwhelming. During the bench press, he only managed to get 18 reps of 225 pounds, four below the average for a linebacker. Last year at the combine, no linebacker who benched 225 less than 20 times got their name called in the NFL draft.

One of the more interesting things was Idaho's starting edge rushers from a year ago, Leo Tamba and Juliano Falaniko, lining up side-by-side one final time before going their separate ways.

Unfortunately for Falaniko, he pulled his hamstring just days beforehand, and he could only complete the bench press (16) and vertical jump (25.5).

Tamba went through the gauntlet of drills and came out looking like the Vandals' best prospect. Tamba didn't have terrific numbers last year, with four sacks and five tackles for loss, but he's a freak athlete.

He notched 32 reps on the bench press, eight more than average. He also had a 32-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-9 broad jump. He finished the 40 in 4.84.

All five players probably would admit their performances weren't their best. But as Eck pointed out afterward, with the XFL and USFL now being options as well as the CFL, they might still have a chance to further their football careers.

"That's the exciting thing, is that there's a lot more opportunity for football right now," Eck said. "It's not NFL or bust anymore, they have a couple of ways that they can extend their career."

While talking about spring football leagues and opportunities, Eck referenced Adam Vinatieri, the longtime kicker for the New England Patriots. He went undrafted and played for the Amsterdam Admirals for one season in NFL Europe before getting a break with the Patriots. The former South Dakota State kicker holds the NFL mark for most career points.

Now, the XFL and USFL are providing opportunities for other players who might not be deemed "NFL ready" right away.

"It's been tough for a long time," Eck said. "It's an opportunity for guys to develop and get better. Some guys just hit their stride later. I think it's tremendous that they can still make a living in a different league and continue to keep playing."

Pixley may be contacted at (208) 848-2290, tpixley@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @TreebTalks.