FRISCO, Texas — Five former BYU football players participated in the first on-field workouts on Thursday at the inaugural Big 12 Pro Day taking place in Frisco, Texas.
Conducted in the Ford Center at The Star, a 12,000-seat stadium that serves as the practice facility for the Dallas Cowboys, Big 12 Pro Day overall features 137 conference players participating in various combine tests and position workouts for more than 130 scouts and personnel representing all 32 NFL teams. BYU’s Isaac Rex, Aidan Robbins, Deion Smith, Eddie Heckard and Kamden Garrett were the first to take the field for the Cougars as the opening session included workouts for tight ends, running backs, receivers, quarterbacks and defensive backs.
Rex, one of 13 tight ends at Pro Day, demonstrated both his strength and finesse during his workouts. After bench pressing 225 pounds 24 times, he later showed off his smooth route-running abilities and outstanding ball skills catching passes in the position workouts. Robbins and Smith each delivered consistent results in the running back group. Robbins completed 21 reps on the bench press, a 30-inch vertical leap, 9.9-feet broad jump and 4.60 time in the 40-yard dash with his 6-foot-2, 237-pound frame. Smith recorded 10.5 feet in the broad jump with a 30-inch vertical and turned in a 4.58 run in the 40-yard dash before both ball carriers showcased their pass-catching and running skills in the position drills.
The defensive backs completed the workouts on Thursday with 27 cornerbacks and safeties taking the field. Heckard, who participated in meetings but was unable to do drills due to a foot injury that is not fully recovered, was joined by Garrett to represent BYU. Garrett had a solid performance, with a 4.47 time in the 40-yard dash while covering 9.8 feet in the broad jump and elevating 31.5 inches in the vertical.
Six other Cougars—linebackers Max Tooley and AJ Vongphachanh, defensive linemen Jackson Cravens and Atunaisa Mahe, offensive lineman Paul Maile and All-American punter Ryan Rehkow—will take their turns conducting workouts with NFL teams on Saturday after welcome meetings, official measurments, special Allstate Pro Day Institute educational sessions and interviews with NFL clubs on Friday.
BYU previously had three players—offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia, quarterback Kedon Slovis and Rehkow—invited to work out for NFL teams at the annual NFL Scouting Combine that was held in Indianapolis from Feb. 26-March 4. Suamataia, who has been projected as high as a potential first-round pick, and Slovis, who had a strong showing at the Combine, are not conducting workouts again at this week’s Big 12 Pro Day.
BYU fans can follow the results of Pro Day on BYU’s social platforms and on BYU Sports Nation on BYUtv. The NFL Network provides coverage of the inaugural event with hour-long shows on Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. MT and will feature additional coverage of Saturday’s sessions as part of the NFL Network’s Path to the Draft weekly coverage leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft.