PROVO, Utah – In addition to defensive end Bronson Kaufusi being drafted Friday in the third round by the Baltimore Ravens, three other members of the 2015 BYU football team received NFL free-agent deals immediately following the draft on Saturday while two others received minicamp invitations on Sunday.
BYU wide receiver Mitch Mathews signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs, while offensive lineman Ryker Mathews inked a deal with the New Orleans Saints and linebacker Manoa Pikula reached an agreement with the Green Bay Packers. Defensive lineman Graham Rowley will also be going to Green Bay, receiving a minicamp invite with Packers, while inside receiver Terenn Houk is headed to Chicago as a tight end after receiving a minicamp invite with Bears. Update: Houk has also received an minicamp invite with San Francisco and plans to participate in both camps.
"All of these guys are talented players, and I’m excited to see their hard work recognized with an opportunity to play in the NFL,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said. “I wish I had the chance to coach them here at BYU but we are all part of the BYU family, and I look forward to supporting them as they pursue their careers."
Historically, BYU has had 171 former players receive NFL opportunities as free agents in addition to the 140 Cougars who have been selected via the draft.
Mitch Mathews led the Cougars in receiving yards in both 2014 and 2015 and finished his BYU career ranked No. 5 in receiving touchdowns with 24, No. 12 in receptions with 152 and No. 14 in receiving yards with 2,083. The 6-foot-6, 225-pounder played in 41 games over his career and caught a pass in 37 games, dating back to his freshman season.
The Beaverton, Oregon, native earned back-to-back Phil Steele All Independent First Team honors the past two seasons. He totaled 54 receptions, 737 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. His 11 touchdowns tied for the seventh-best single-season total at BYU and tied for No. 12 in nationally in 2015. He amassed 922 yards on 73 catches as a junior in 2014 while adding nine receiving touchdowns.
Mathews, who graduate with a degree in exercise and wellness, posted six 100-yard receiving games over his BYU career including two outings of 150 or more yards. He set a career mark with 16 receptions, BYU’s No. 2 all-time single-game performance, with a personal-best 182 yards against Nevada as a junior while adding two touchdowns. He had a career-best three touchdown grabs to go with his 112 receiving yards against Utah State as a sophomore. He had 20 games where he posted at least four receptions and caught multiple touchdowns in seven games.
Ryker Mathews, a 6-foot-6, 320-pound offensive lineman, played in 45 career games, starting 33 times at both the tackle and guard positions. A Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team honoree, Mathews helped BYU this past season to its best passing season since 2008 with 3,854 passing yards in addition to blocking for a run-game that had at least 150 rushing yards in six games. In 2014 and 2013, Mathews helped BYU’s offense to rank in the top 30 in total offense, including a 2013 season where the Cougars produced two 1,000-yard rushers.
As a freshman in 2012, Mathews was named a College Football News Freshman All-America honorable mention after starting all 13 games at left tackle. From American Fork, Utah, Mathews graduated from BYU with a degree in exercise and wellness.
Manoa Pikula played in 49 games at BYU and totaled 144 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five sacks. At 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, Pikula was a versatile middle linebacker and special teams contributor during his career. He lettered all four years and received 2014 and 2015 Preseason Phil Steele All-Independent recognition.
In 2015, Pikula totaled 55 tackles, No. 6 on the Cougar defense, to go along with his 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He posted in interception against Memphis in the 2014 Miami Beach Bowl and had two sacks as a junior against Nevada. He posted a career-high seven tackles four times in 2015 in games against Nebraska, East Carolina, Cincinnati and Missouri.
Graham Rowley played in 47 games at BYU on the defensive line. He played both nose tackle and end during his career and was a run-stopper and block-eater accounting for 59 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and one forced fumble.
A 6-foot-4, 285-pound native of Waialua, Hawaii, Rowley started 15 games as a four-year letterman and regular contributor on the Cougar defense. He posted five career quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. Rowley graduated from BYU with a degree in public health.
Terenn Houk finished 2015 with 37 receptions for 490 yards as a reliable target in critical situations as an inside reciever in a tight end role. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound receiver from Enumclaw, Washington, also grabbed two touchdowns in his senior campaign and posted a personal single-game high of 129 yards in BYU’s win over Connecticut.
During his career, Houk totaled 60 receptions for 739 yards with four scoring grabs while earning All-Independent Second Team honors. A four-year letterwinner, Houk played in 38 games for the Cougars, including 17 starts, while graduating from BYU with a degree in sociology.