beat history: what i wrote

PATH TO THE DRAFT SERIES:

-INTRO: BYU DRAFT HISTORY

-PROFILE: TYLER ALLGEIER

-PROFILE: SAMSON NACUA

-PROFILE: NEIL PAU’U

-PROFILE: JAMES EMPEY

-PROFILE: URIAH LEIATAUA

BYU MEN’S VOLLEYBALL:

-PROFILE: DAVIDE GARDINI

-PREVIEW: BYU vs. CONCORDIA IRVINE

-PROS: TEAM USA GABI GARCIA FERNANDEZ

EXTRAMURAL:

-BYU MEN’S SOCCER: WE HAVE A SOCCER TEAM

byu mvb: concordia irvine preview

PROVO, UTAH — BYU men’s volleyball (5-11) returns to the Smith Fieldhouse this weekend to host Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) opponent Concordia Irvine (8-6) in hopes of their first MPSF win of the 2022 season. The matchup between BYU and CUI dates back to 2017. BYU currently leads the series with a 7-2 record.

So far, BYU has validated the phenomenon of home-court advantage as every win this season has been in the Smith Fieldhouse. However, BYU has yet to win a game on the road. Just last week, BYU lost to Southern California (USC) 3-1 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday in the Galen Center. 

Saturday’s sweep was USC’s first regular-season sweep in the series against BYU since 2011. USC hit .523 in Saturday’s match and improved to 13-3 overall and 3-1 in the MPSF, while BYU hit only .076 and fell to 5-11 overall and 0-4 in the MPSF. The Cougar’s nine game losing streak is the longest in BYU men’s volleyball history since losing 14 straight in 1990.

Concordia Irvine (CUI) had a busy week, having played four games in the past seven days. CUI upset formerly ranked #14 Stanford last Thursday 3-2 and Friday 3-1. However, CUI fell to 8-6 overall and 2-2 in the MPSF after losses to UC Irvine 2-3 on Saturday and UC San Diego 1-3 on Wednesday.

BYU is led by senior outside hitter, Davide Gardini. Nationally, Gardini ranks No. 13 in kills per set (3.75), No. 16 in points per set (4.31) and No. 21 in attacks per set (7.91). CUI’s stand out players include junior opposite hitter Uriel Batista and freshman middle blocker Max McCullough. Batista is ranked No. 14 in attacks per set (8.10) and McCullough is ranked No. 15 nationally in blocks per set (1.030).

Shawn Olmstead enters his 7th season as head coach of the BYU men’s volleyball program. Olmstead has led the Cougars to three NCAA national championship games in 2016, 2017, and 2021. He has also guided the Cougar’s to three MPSF titles. Currently, Olmstead is the winningest active coach in DI and DII NCAA Men’s Volleyball (minimum five seasons) with a .751 win percentage (as of February 25th, 2022).

Coaching his first season for CUI men’s volleyball program is former 3-time Olympian and gold medalist, Riley Salmon. Salmon previously served as the University of Jamestown’s head coach for three years before coming to Concordia in June 2021. 

The matches will be Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. MST in the Smith Fieldhouse in Provo, Utah. The matches will be streamed on BYUtv.

byu men’s soccer: we have a soccer team?

BYU HAS A MEN’S SOCCER TEAM?

This past fall, both BYU men’s and women’s soccer teams played in national championship games. However, despite the men’s team winning their tenth national championship (their third in four seasons), most people don’t even know there is men’s soccer at BYU. That may be because the BYU men’s soccer team is not a NCAA Division 1 sanctioned team, but is recognized as an extramural university club team.

BYU men’s soccer just wrapped up its spring training and games after an undefeated fall season. During the fall season, BYU won every regular season game, finished with a 17-0-1 overall record, and clenched the 202 NIRSA Club National Championship title. 

Despite growing up in Provo and being an avid BYU women’s soccer fan with his family, Asher Franks wasn’t even aware BYU had a men’s soccer program until he was in high school. Now, Franks has just finished his second year on the team. 

As a member of the team, Franks says the spotlight, or lack thereof, is both a pro and con for the men’s soccer team. Although as a club team, they may face less pressure to perform, the team doesn’t get the media coverage, marketing, or proper recognition for their many accomplishments that a D-1 team receives. In addition, the lack of exposure and spotlight, potentially impacts recruiting top talent to the team.

“Being a club team, people kind of expect less of you, which is really unfortunate. But it probably isn't as much pressure as the women's team has. The women’s team also went to the national championship [last season], and there was a ton of pressure there because of their spotlight,” said Franks.

SO, WHAT IS IS IT LIKE BEING ON A CLUB TEAM AT A D-1 UNIVERSITY?

Passion and love of the game are a must on an extramural club team. Unlike most D-1 college athletes, the men’s soccer team doesn’t have access to the student athlete building, student athlete gyms, or meal cards and nutrition. There are no scholarships awarded for a club participant or academic assistance (i.e. class scheduling priority). In fact, to even try out for the team, players have to first be accepted into BYU. Because men’s soccer is a club team, participants don’t receive funding from the athletic department — all funding comes from alumni and the team itself.

“Our training schedule, time commitment, and what the team asks of you [compares to any D-1 program]. But, you don't have essentially any of the perks of being a D-1 team. So, you end up with a type of person who is willing to work hard and sacrifice because [we] love the sport,” said current player Eli Holmstead. 

For current players Asher Franks, Eli Holmstead, and Thys Call the team brotherhood is really strong. 

“There's just a special feeling of, ‘Hey these guys have the same priorities and intentions as me’. And we all love soccer… We're gonna fight for it and give it our all, but we know it’s not everything,” Call said of their shared respect for one another.

WHERE SHOULD THE FUTURE OF BYU MEN’S SOCCER GO?

Many athletes aspire to play and compete at BYU. The school is a huge draw for athletes not only due to the successful athletic programs, but because of the academics, reputation, and culture of the university. However, due to men’s soccer being a club team rather than a NCAA D-1 program, BYU isn’t on the radar for top men’s soccer talent. 

“The top men’s soccer talent knows that they can get the whole package deal at UVU—literally just down the street,” said Call of the troubles BYU faces to recruit players to play for a club program.

There is no doubt BYU is taken more seriously than any other club team in the nation. Compliments are often offered by other club teams during post season tournaments. Many university clubs are inspired and work to emulate BYU’s successful program.

Players on BYU’s team all share the same pride and prospective;

“We'll beat D-1 teams, D-3 teams, and semi-pro teams. If you look at the the level of competition we play and train at, we could compete as a D-1 team right now,” said Holmstead.

“I’m convinced that any guy on our team could go and fight for a spot on a D-1 team. There's just so much talent,” said Call.

“There's no doubt in my mind that we would be able to hang with the D1 talent,” echoed Franks. 

The BYU men’s soccer team has top-tier talent, a stellar reputation, and an awarded history. With so many changes happening within the school’s athletic program, men’s soccer could be, and to some should be, a program worth promoting.

team usa: gabi garcia fernandez

Gabi Garcia Fernández is a 6-foot-7 opposite hitter from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Garcia Fernández played for BYU from 2018-2021. 

As a four year starter and captain of the BYU Men’s Volleyball team, Garcia Fernandez played in over 90 games as a Cougar. In his college career, he recorded 1,326 kills, 292 blocks, and 181 aces. Garcia Fernandez currently holds BYU's single-season ace record with 56 and is second all-time in career aces with 181.

Garcia Fernandez is a four-time AVCA All-American. 

In 2020, he was named the NCAA AVCA National Player of the year and MPSF player of the year. During that season, he lead the Cougars to a final season ranking of #1, despite the season being cancelled due to COVID-19.  

In 2021, Garcia Fernandez was named MPSF player of the year for the second year in a row. He also lead the team to the NCAA National Championship where the team finished as national runner-up.

After the 2021 season, Garcia Fernandez signed his first professional contract with Italian club A.S. Volley Lube and has been playing for them during the 2021-2022 season.  

As of March 2022, Garcia Fernandez made the decision to leave the Puerto Rican National team. The FIVB (The Federation of International Volleyball) approved his transfer from the Puerto Rican National Team to the U.S. Men’s National Team.

“I thank each of the people who have been by my side during my development and this process, Today, I begin a new stage of my life, but will never forget my roots,” Garcia Fernandez said in an Instagram post. 

Under FIVB transfer rules, Garcia Fernandez may begin training with the U.S. Men immediately, but is not allowed to compete for the U.S. until March 11, 2024.

The U.S. Men’s National Team is coached by John Speraw, who is also the UCLA Men’s Volleyball head coach, who Garcia Fernandez played against during his time at BYU.

 “On a personal note, after knowing Gabi for all these years and competing against him while he was at BYU, I am looking forward to being on the same team. He has the cultural attributes we hope to instill in all our players. He works hard, is a good teammate and is exceptionally professional. Gabi will be a great fit for Team USA,” said Speraw of Garcia Fernandez.

profile: davide gardini

For Davide Gardini, volleyball runs in his family. Gardini’s mother, Novella, played volleyball on the Italian National Team and his older sister, Serena, was also an avid volleyball player. His father, Andrea, is a well-known name in the volleyball world. Andrea won the FIVB (Federation of International Volleyball) World Championships three times and is a three-time Olympian. He was also a member of the FIVB-crowned "Best Volleyball Team of the 20th Century” and was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2007. Andrea currently coaches Klub Jastrzębski Węgiel — a professional men's volleyball team based in Poland.

Gardini wears a necklace as motivation and to remind him of his family. On his necklace, there is a letter ‘A’ for his father, Andrea and an ’N’ for his mother, Novella. The number ‘1’ was his father's National Team jersey number, and ‘3’ his mother’s National Team jersey number. Putting those two numbers together, ’13’ has become their “family number”. Because of this, Gardini’s jersey number is ‘1’ and his sister, Serena, wears ’13’.

"I was always around volleyball and spent a lot of time in different cities in Italy. Wherever, my dad was playing we'd stay there. And then we traveled a little bit wherever he was playing,” said Gardini.

Gardini was only five years old when his father retired from playing professional volleyball, so he doesn’t remember seeing his dad play a lot, but still has memories of growing up in a volleyball family.

“When you're a kid, watching a sport, even if you don't understand anything, it helps your [sport] development. But, I don’t have a clear image of my dad playing and seeing him on the court,” said Gardini.

Even with his parent’s accomplishments, Gardini never felt pressured to play volleyball. In fact, Gardini played soccer, a major youth sport in Italy, for eight years since there weren’t as many competitive opportunities to participate in volleyball at a young age. When he was 14, he started to play volleyball in his hometown of Ravenna, Italy. After just one season, Gardini was recruited to play in Rome with Club Italia, where he played from 2014-2018

“When I was playing soccer, everybody was like making fun of [my dad]. And said things like, ‘Why is he playing soccer? Why is he not playing volleyball?’ And he's always been like, ‘Whatever he wants to do, as long as he's playing a sport, that’s good enough for me.’ So, he allowed me to do whatever I wanted,” Gardini said of his father’s support.  

Throughout Gardini’s volleyball career, his father has always been respectful of his volleyball career, coaches, teams, and training. 

“[Dad has] always been on the side of, ‘You have a coach. So, I don't want to tell you anything else. Your coach is your coach. I’m just, your dad’,” Gardini said of his father.

After his freshman year at BYU, Gardini began reaching out to others to learn more about school, business, and volleyball. It was then that Gardini truly started to see the incomparable value of his father’s experience in the sport. 

“I started thinking, ‘I have my dad, who is a three-time Olympian, and I’ve never talked to him much.’ We talk about volleyball, but I never talk to him like, ‘I’m struggling with this. What would you do in this situation?’”

Now, Gardini and his father hop on zoom calls, they review his VolleyMetrics, and watch film together.

Although Davide was on the Italian National Team (VNL) last summer, he made the decision to come back to play his senior year at BYU. Gardini talked with the people he trusts — members of his family, BYU head coach Shawn Olmstead, and Athletics Director Brian Santiago — to help make the decision to come back. He decided that staying at BYU had more pros than cons: he could finish school and graduate, develop connections for after his volleyball career, provide leadership on the team, and become an overall better player.

“I came back so I could experience leadership a little more. I was gonna have a bigger role attacking. Last year, I had a big role in it, but it was a lot of of those tough moments or highballs would go to Gabi [Garcia Fernandez]. I knew I needed to grow in that part of my game,” said Gardini of his decision to return.

Coming back for another season allowed Gardini to have more attempts, experience positive pressure, and develop leadership skills to help him become an even better player.

As a four year starter and captain of the BYU Men’s Volleyball team, Gardini has played in 324 sets. In 2019, Gardini was named MPSF Freshman of the year in 2019, 2019 ALL-MPSF Second Team, and 2019 ALL-MPSF Second Team. In 2020 and 2021, he was named to the All MPSF First Team and AVCA All-America First Team. In his time at BYU, Gardini has recorded 1,155 kills, 221 blocks, and 109 aces. In 2020, Gardini helped lead the Cougars to a final season ranking of #1 and helped lead the team to the 2021 National Championship. During his final game in the Smith Fieldhouse, he recorded a new career high of 30 kills on senior night against #1 ranked UCLA.

"He's shown a lot of big time leadership this season," said Shawn Olmstead, Men’s Volleyball Head Coach of Gardini. "He's carrying a heavy load as one of the veterans on the team and he's doing very well with it. We ask and expect a lot from him, but he never shies away or backs down from those expectations.” 

Gardini will finish his BYU career this month, and will certainly leave his mark as one of the best players in BYU Mens’ Volleyball history. 

path to the draft: uriah leiataua

2021 BYU SEASON:

The brotherhood at BYU is what convinced California native, Uriah Leiataua, to choose BYU over offers from Stanford, UCLA, and other Power 5 programs.

“The reason why I chose BYU is because the culture, especially the players — I call them my brothers at BYU. It's a different feeling than what I had with all the other recruiting trips I took in high school. I just found a different type of brotherhood at BYU,” Leiataua said of his decision to play for BYU.

Leiataua came back for his final year of eligibility, making the 2021 season his 6th season as a Cougar. This past season, the defensive lineman recorded 16 solo tackles and 2.5 sacks. 

“This last season was awesome. It was one of the best seasons ever. But my favorite moment had to be when we beat Utah. I'm so glad I came back for that extra year,” said Leiataua of his last BYU Season.

After the bowl game, Leiataua retired from football. With only five sacks and 69 tackles in five seasons of playing, Leiataua was overlooked by scouts and NFL teams. It was not until January when BYU’s NFL liaison Jasen Ah You encouraged Leiataua to train for and participate in Pro Day and give his dream of playing in the NFL one last shot. Not wanting to have any regrets, Leiataua began training for Pro Day. Leiataua feels that both Ah You and the BYU football program have pushed him to reach the next level.

“BYU helped a lot with the level of competition, the way BYU trains and the way BYU lifts and everything like that. It's built on toughness, something that I am taking with me when I go to the next level,” Leiataua said.

PRO DAY TRAINING:

Leiataua has been training for Pro Day at Mayne Performance in South Jordan, Utah under Skyler Mayne. Mayne Performance specializes in sports performance, movement optimization, and athlete care. The majority of Leuitaua’s training group are players from the University of Utah.

“Pro Day preparations have been kind of crazy. All 24 hours are dedicated to your body and training your body for this one day to show up,” Leiataua said of his new training. 

Leiataua’s training schedule is Monday through Saturday with Sunday being a recovery day. He wakes up at 7:30 am and has a morning workout that includes lifting and position work. The next few hours are spent doing recovery work. Then, he starts his second workout which mostly consists of light work — specifically practicing stances and technique for drills. To end the day, Leiataua does rehab recovery along with red light therapy and cryotherapy.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are testing days. This includes 20 yard shuttles, 20 yard splits, or a 10 yard split to practice for testing on Pro Day. 

“I'm literally working from seven in the morning until eight at night when I get home. And that’s just the life now,” Leiataua said of his daily schedule. 

Without school and other distractions, Leiataua is solely focused on his performance and football — but, he still makes time for free time.

“It's kind of fun to get to play video games. Don't worry about homework. I also have the boys to play video games with me like Neil [Pau’u] and Ty [Allgeier]. So that that's a cool part,” Leiataua said of his free time.

PRO DAY:

In order to get the attention of NFL teams and scouts, it’s important for Leiataua to put up impressive numbers on Pro Day.

When asked about his Pro Day goals, Leiataua said, “I just want to like catch eyes, to be honest. I'm putting a lot of stuff into Pro Day, so it’s a big thing for me. I just want to put up numbers that will give me a shot. And whatever team that takes a chance on me is going to get a good one.”

At BYU’s Pro Day, Leiataua participated in the vertical jump (28.5 inches), broad jump (9 feet 6 inches), 40-yard dash (5.09 seconds), 20-yard shuttle (4.70 seconds), and three-cone drill (7.46 seconds). Leiataua also completed 23-reps on the bench press, which would have ranked him No. 4 among the defensive ends at this year’s Combine. Following testing, Leiataua participated in positional workouts for the scouts.

“I am happy with how I performed today. I think I did really well and I’m excited about that. Today I just focused on attacking each drill we did and on performing my best,” said Leiataua of his Pro Day performance. 

The 2022 NFL Draft will begin on April 28th in Las Vegas.

path to the draft: byu draft history

BYU Football has had notable NFL players for decades. Back in 1938, John Stringham was the first BYU Football player selected in the NFL draft. Since then, BYU Football has had 145 players drafted to play at the professional  level. 

2021 NFL DRAFT

Last year, BYU Football had five players selected in the NFL Draft— which ties for the most since 2002 and 1995. The most BYU players selected in a draft were  in 1981 and 1986 with seven players drafted.

Zach Wilson was selected by the New York Jets as the second overall pick,  making him the highest NFL  draft pick in BYU Football history. Jim McMahon (1982 Chicago Bears) and Ezekial Ansah (2013 Detroit Lions) held the previous record as the highest BYU draft picks  - both taken fifth overall. 

Along with Wilson, four other players were drafted in 2021: Brady Christensen, Khyiris Tonga, Chris Wilcox, and Dax Milne. Seven other Cougars signed undrafted free agent deals: Zayne Anderson, Isaiah Kaufusi, Chandon Herring, Matt Bushman, Troy Warner, Tristen Hige, and Zac Dawe. 

FORMER BYU PLAYERS CURRENTLY IN THE NFL

There are currently 18 former BYU players playing in the NFL. The majority of  those players have BYU Pro Day and the NFL Combine to thank for  increasing their stock and bringing  attention to their skills. 

Zach Wilson was already a high projected draft pick in 2021, but after his 60-yard throw at his BYU Pro Day, social media was buzzing. In fact, SportsCenter reposted a video of Wilson’s throw and NFL Network analyst Rhett Lewis referred to it as “the throw of the Pro Day season.” Wilson had an impressive Pro Day workout, completing 67 of 68 passes. In his first NFL season, Wilson was named starting quarterback for the New York Jets. He was also awarded the NFL’s Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week three times.

Taysom Hill ran an impressive 4.44-second 40-yard dash at his BYU Pro Day, which caught the eye of scouts. However, he went undrafted in 2017.  Originally signing with the Green Bay Packers as a free agent, he was later waived  and picked up by the New Orleans Saints. In his NFL career, Hill has displayed versatility and has been described as a “Swiss Army Knife” — after playing 10 different positions during the 2019 season. During the 2021 season, Hill played quarterback for the Saints and has become a well-known name in the NFL . 

In 2018, Fred Warner was the only BYU player invited to the NFL Combine. Warner showed his versatility and athleticism to NFL scouts and teams and was a consistent top performing linebacker    at the Combine. His most impressive drill was his vertical jump of 38.5 inches. This ranked Warner  among linebackers and tied for  among all players at the Combine that year. Warner was selected in round three of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. As of 2021, the 49ers made Warner the NFL's richest linebacker with a five-year extension, potentially worth $95 million ($40.5 million guaranteed).

2022 COMBINE AND PRO DAY

For wide receivers Samson Nacua and Neil Pau’u, defensive lineman Uriah Leiataua, and offensive lineman James Empey, BYU’s Pro Day was the biggest interview of their life. For  running back Tyler Allgeier, his big moment was the NFL Combine. 

Scouts and team personnel from 29 out of 32 NFL teams came to Provo to continue their evaluations of the players as they participated in combine drills and position workouts. 

With the 2022 NFL Draft in just two weeks, continue reading to follow Allgeier, Nacua, Empey, Pau’u, and Leiataua’s Path to the Draft.

path to the draft: tyler allgeier

2021 BYU SEASON:

After a record-breaking 2021 season at BYU, it’s no surprise that Tyler Allgeier declared for the NFL draft and was one of 36 running backs invited to the 2022 NFL Combine.

Initially recruited to BYU in 2018 as a walk-on running back, Allgeier switched to linebacker before returning to the backfield prior to the 2020 campaign. This season, Allgeier shattered BYU’s 20-year single-season rushing record by posting 1,606 yards while also ranking second in the nation with 23 rushing touchdowns. 

https://twitter.com/BYUfootball/status/1495901418984820737

“I decided to declare for the draft because I had two really good years and I just thought I was ready for the league," Allgeier said. "I thought it was my time to go.” 

PRO DAY TRAINING:

“When my whole family and I came to see the facility, it was probably one of the top ones I’ve ever seen in my life," Allgeier said of ProActive. "I’m glad I ended up coming here. I trust the crew here to get me right.” In addition to Allgeier, other top prospects from Notre Dame, Louisiana State, and Clemson are part of ProActive's training group. 

Since declaring for the draft — and with no school to compete for his attention — Allgeier’s daily routine has changed dramatically. Day-to-day training starts with physical therapy followed by field and position work. After lunch, Allgeier finishes his training with a lifting session. 

Since January, Allgeier trained for the NFL Combine at ProActive Sports Performance in Westlake, California. ProActive — an elite athlete training facility for performance, longevity, and injury prevention — also sporting additional notable clintele such as Paul George, Aaron Rodgers, Justin Herbert, Donovan Mitchell and more. 

Allgeier trains in small groups and has individualized field work coaching, differing greatly from training with an entire football team. His schedule focused on specific training for NFL combine drills.

“It’s different.. You literally just focus on football," Allgeier said. "It’s a blessing I get to train and do what I love to do."

In addition to training physically, Tyler spends time studying film. "After training, I spend two hours watching film and doing board work. I spend a lot of time watching past games and getting my mind right for that next step.”

NFL COMBINE:

During interviews at the combine, Allgeier reminded scouts of his versatility as a player when asked if he would be willing to play linebacker again. When asked by Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus if he would be open to another position change Allgeier responded, “hey, I’ll do whatever they ask me to do.”

At the Combine, Allgeier participated in the 40-yard dash (4.60 seconds), vertical jump (33 inches) and broad jump (10 feet), electing to opt out of the bench press and joining in the collective decision among all running backs to forego the agility drills. 

“Being invited to the NFL Combine, you know it’s a blessing," Allgeier said. "I’m grateful for the opportunity that I’m able to perform and do what I love to do." 

BYU PRO DAY:

Allgeier headlined BYU's Pro Day in March. Allgeier decided to stick with his Combine numbers for the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump. At Pro Day, he ran the 20-yard shuttle (4.34 seconds) and the three-cone drill (7.09 seconds). Allgeier also participated in the bench press, where we recorded 21 reps - which would have ranked him No. 3 among running backs at the Combine. Following testing, Allgeier participated in positional workouts for the scouts.

When asked about his performance at BYU's Pro Day, Allgeier responded, "I think it went pretty well. I have been training since the end of the season for this."

The 2022 NFL Draft will begin on April 28th in Las Vegas.

path to the draft: samson nacua

2021 BYU SEASON:

Samson Nacua is one of four brothers to play football at BYU. From choosing to spend his last year of college eligibility at BYU with his younger brother, Puka, to following his older brother Kai’s NFL process, it’s clear that the most important thing to Samson is family.

“I felt like the timing in my life, it was perfect for me to choose BYU — to get more self discipline, build myself, help build my family, and just to come home. BYU was a perfect spot for me, it felt like home, and it felt like a really good environment to go to,” Nacua says of his decision to transfer from Utah to BYU.

This season, Nacua recorded 21 receptions for 329 yards and four touchdowns — one being against his former team, Utah.

“Oh, this season was unbelievable. It helped me find the love of the game again. Being with my little brother, being at home, and having my family being right there to support me — It was just a dream come true, honestly,” says Nacua of his 2021 BYU Season.

Not only did BYU allow Nacua to be closer to his family, but it also helped him prepare for his dream of playing in the NFL.

“BYU prepared me for this time now [in California training] where I'm at out all alone, away from my family, away from friends and just being here right now. Just a lot of self discipline and it helped me grow more off the field and become more of a man,” says Nacua.

PRO DAY TRAINING:

In preparation for Pro Day, Nacua has been training at California Strength Football in Los Gatos, California. Over the last decade, California Strength Football has trained 28 NFL draft picks. Three tight ends from Nacua’s training group participated in this year’s NFL combine: Greg Dulcich from UCLA , Jelani Woods from Virginia, and Charlie Kolar from Iowa State.

Nacua found his agent and training program through his brother Kai, a former defensive back at BYU and current New York Jets safety. Samson recalls watching Kai's process — working with an agent, training, and performing at Pro Day. His brother’s success to get to the NFL through this process, led Samson to sign with the same agent and trainers. Because of this, the brothers have spent a few weeks training together at California Strength Football during Kai’s off season.

“Having my brother Kai out here and him telling me how much improvement he sees has just been beautiful,” says Nacua. 

“Going through the process myself has been awesome. I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve seen so much improvement in my body, drills, and everything that I've been working on here,” Nacua says of his experience training for Pro Day.

Almost everything for Nacua’s training is within walking distance. Nacua, and others training with him have lived in a hotel for the past few months. Right across the street from the hotel is The Club at Los Gatos —  a boutique, multi-modality fitness center. This is where he eats breakfast and does his recovery and measures his body composition. Just 500 yards up the road is California Strength’s training facility where he has lifting sessions and yoga. A 10 minute drive takes him to the practice field for drills and position work.

“It's a small town here in Los Gatos, California. As I walk out and head to breakfast, I see the same people every day walking their dog, so I say good morning to Chris and Erica,” Nacua says of the community.

Every morning, Nacua wakes up at 7:45 am takes a shower, goes through mental preparation, and then heads to The Club for breakfast and recovery.

“Bacon breakfast burrito and mixed berry smoothie. Totally amazing. Same thing every day,”  says Nacua of his go-to breakfast. 

Next, Nacua hits the practice field to do drills, testing, and position work. Following field work, he returns to The Club for body comps to measure his mass gains. He then walks up the street to the California Strength facility to relax for a few hours before having a lifting session to end the day. 

“I’m really focused on what I want to do with my life, whether it be football or not, just finding out more about myself, where my thoughts are, and where I want to take my future. It’s been a grind, but it's been beautiful,” Nacua says of how is daily life and routine has changed since declaring.

Since moving to California, Nacua has picked up new hobbies outside of football.

“I just started reading, writing in my journal a little bit, and enjoying this process. I bought some coloring books so I be coloring in my room. Coloring has been my favorite thing right now I went to the dollar store, got a bunch of coloring books and just been learning how to keep inside the lines,” says Nacua.

On the weekends, Nacua spends his time at a local restaurant listening to live music. 

“Whether it be jazz or a guy on his guitar, I just sit there and enjoy their music. Then walk back home to my hotel and get a good night's rest to prepare for Sunday and church,” says Nacua.

PRO DAY:

When asked about his Pro Day goals, Samson says, “Goals is just have fun with it. I feel like when I play my best is when I’m having fun and not overthinking. I'm just going with the flow.”

Known for his smiley face eye black, it makes sense that for Samson, it’s most important to keep smiling and have a good time. 

“My biggest goal is just let the scouts see how much I really love this game, no matter what's going to happen…just having fun with it and showing everyone my smile,” says Nacua.

Nacua put on a show at Pro Day. He participated in the bench press (16 reps), vertical jump (32 inches), broad jump (10 feet 1 inch), 40-yard dash (4.48 seconds), 20-yard shuttle (4.34 seconds), and three-cone drill (6.75 seconds). Nacua’s impressive three-cone drill time would have ranked him No. 8 among all Combine participants and No. 3 among wide receivers at this year’s Combine.

“Everyone put on a great show. Everyone was competing with themselves, at the end of the day. Everyone put on a great show today and it was just awesome to see everybody kill it,” said Nacua of his thoughts on Pro Day. 

The 2022 NFL Draft will begin on April 28th in Las Vegas.

path to the draft: neil pau’u

2021 SEASON:

“I chose BYU, simply just because my brother was here. We got to play a season or two together in high school. So I want to continue it here in college,” Pau’u said of his decision to play for BYU.

This season, Pau’u recorded 46 receptions for 526 yards and 6 touchdowns. In the first game of the season against University of Arizona, Pau’u helped lead the Cougars to a win, with two  touchdowns, eight receptions, and 126 yards. 

“The first game. We went off. But it was just the environment. It was the, you know, practicing all fall camp for one game, that beginning game against Arizona in Vegas — to have that many people there, that’s probably my favorite moment,” Pau’u said. 

Although it was Pau’u’s senior season at BYU, he still has one remaining year of eligibility. However, Pau’u has decided to declare for the 2022 NFL draft. 

“I think it was just time for me just to move on from BYU. I'd been there four years. It’s just time to just see what else is out there for me,” Neil said of his decision.

PRO DAY TRAINING:

Pau’u has been training for Pro Day at Grossetti Performance in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Terry Grosetti. In Pau’u’s training group, a variety of schools are represented: University of Hawaii, Texas Tech, Villanova, and Ball State.

“So it's been cool just to be out here to meet new people as well. And [make] new friends I’ll have for the rest of my life,” Neil said of his training group.

When it came to choosing a place to train, Neil was originally drawn to Florida or California. However, his agent recommended Grossetti Performance in Pennsylvania.

“Being here in Pittsburgh is way different. I'm a West Coast kid, I'm a city kid. But I've loved every single bit of it.”

Pau’u wanted to find a place where he could be focused. Being on his own and being able to concentrate on football without distractions is the reason why Pau’u decided to train in Pittsburgh. 

“I've been able to get away. I've been able to focus on not only my physical self, and prepping for the draft and Pro Day — but I think most importantly, my mentals and being able to find peace,” said Pau’u.

Pau’u trains Monday through Sunday and rests on Thursday. His schedule includes: lifting, agility work, field work, drill testing, position work, pool workouts, and yoga.  He also participated in a mock Pro Day to prepare. 

“Zach [Wilson] explained to us that there's so much time in the NFL [to focus and train], and when you get to that part, you'll understand it. So now that I'm here, there is a lot of time — a lot of time to reflect and a lot of time to to grow as a person,” Pau’u said.

Following group workouts, Pau’u goes back to his hotel and has free time. He starts with a 20 minute walking session followed by light lifting to get more explosive. He usually takes a break and plays video games with his former teammates and ends the night with a 30 minute ab and stretching session. 

PRO DAY:

“There’s certain goals and numbers that I have. I have them written down, some of them are gonna be a little bit of reach I think, but I think we're gonna try to get them,” Neil said of his Pro Day goals.

Pau’u participated in the bench press (14 reps), vertical jump (31 inches), broad jump (9 feet 10 inches), 40-yard dash (4.72 seconds), 20-yard shuttle (4.10 seconds), and three-cone drill (6.95 seconds). Pau’u had the fastest three-cone drill time at this year’s BYU Pro Day, which would have ranked him No. 2 among wide receivers at the NFL Combine. Following testing, former BYU Quarterback, Baylor Romney came back to throw various routes all over the field to help showcase route running abilities for Pau’u.

“It was cool. Two of them [Tyler Allgeier and Uriah Leiataua] are roommates with me. James is really cool and Samson is Samson—you know always brings the energy. It was cool just to be able to work out with these guys. We talked about it leading up, it’s just a dream come true.” said Pau’u on his Pro Day experience. 

The 2022 NFL Draft will begin on April 28th in Las Vegas.

path to the draft: james Empey

2021 BYU SEASON:

For James Empey, BYU athletics runs in the family. His father, Mike, was an offensive lineman at BYU and James has followed in his father’s footsteps. Additionally, two of James’ sisters, Haven and Savannah, play on the BYU Women’s Soccer team.

“BYU was a special place for me all growing up. My family went there. My dad, he played football there and coached football there. So when I had the opportunity to do it I was really excited because it's just always been a special place for me,” said Empey.

Empey has been a part of several notable BYU Football. When asked his favorite moment in his BYU career, he could not choose just one. 

“My freshman year when we went to Wisconsin and beat those guys. The next year, we went to Tennessee and beat those guys. Just the whole entire 2020 season was, you know, just a fiasco and so much fun. And then, you know, last year, all the big games we played and beating Utah, you know, having a whole lot of fun,” Empey said.

The 2021 season was Empey’s fifth year. Despite missing six games during the 2021 season due to a leg injury, Empey was still a standout player. Although Empey still has eligibility left to play, he decided to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft. However, that decision didn’t come easy for Empey and his wife.

“Ultimately we just felt like it was time to take that step and to move on, and, you know, when you feel that way, you just gotta you just gotta roll with it. So, we made the decision to move on and I’m just so grateful for everything that BYU has done for me,” Empey said of his decision to leave Provo. 

PRO DAY TRAINING:

Empey has been training at Sports Academy at The Star, in Frisco, Texas. Sports Academy’s campus is right next to the Dallas Cowboys’ training facilities and has indoor and outdoor turf fields, a diagnostics lab, weight room, recovery suite, and more. High profile athletes, such as Super Bowl Champion Aaron Donald, have trained at Sports Academy. 

To prepare for his Pro Day tests, Empey does field work, drills, and workouts with Les Spellman and his crew. Les Spellman is the creator of the speed program, Spellman Performance. His program has trained national soccer and rugby players, numerous Olympians, and NFL players such as Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence. 

For position work, Empey trains under Duke Manyweather’s program, OL Masterminds, developed specifically for offensive linemen. Eleven offensive lineman in Empey’s group participated in the 2022 NFL combine 

“It's really cool because it's O-Line focused and all that specific, so I get a lot of like position specific work,” Empey says of the OL Masterminds program.

“All day we're just trying to workout really hard and keep our bodies healthy enough so that we can workout really hard again,” Empey explained.

Empey starts the day with a lifting workout. Depending on the day and focus, it is either a lower body or upper body workout. After a shake and supplement bar, Empey moves on to rest and recovery, where he uses the compression recovery boots or gets in the tubs. Next, is field work and drills to prepare for Pro Day differentials. Depending on the day, he will do either speed or lateral movements. The last workout of the day, is position work. During this workout, Empey focuses on O-Line drills and position specific work. Empey ends the day with manual therapy, a version of massage therapy, to help him with recovery.

“It's it's a full day of working out and eating and it's a good time,” Empey said of his daily schedule.

Empey has not only worked hard on getting bigger, faster, and stronger in preparation for Pro Day drills, but he has also spent time focusing on mental skills that he will need in the NFL. 

“It's been just a huge learning process this this whole time that we've been out here. Every morning I look forward to a little bit more,” said Empey. 

Empey worked with a sports psychologist who helped prepare him for interviews with NFL teams, the mental aspect of training and how to get the most out of his mind. Additionally, Empey attended the Cognition Lab at the Sports Academy. In the lab, they focus training the brain in different things like reaction time, multitasking, and dual processing.

Empey said that when he got to Sports Academy, he realized how much BYU prepared him for the NFL — physically and mentally for football and all aspects of life. 

PRO DAY:

“My goals for Pro Day are just to get out to Provo and have a great time with all the guys that are doing it and you know, have a good time seeing everybody and just do my very best to compete and, you know, show what I can do,” Empey said.

At BYU’s Pro Day, Empey was able to show scouts he has recovered from his season ending injury by competing in all testing and drills. At Pro Day, Empey participated in the bench press (23 reps), vertical jump (25.5 inches), broad jump (8 feet 3 inches), 40-yard dash (5.43 seconds), 20-yard shuttle (4.71 seconds), and three-cone drill (7.71 seconds). He also participated in With 23-reps Empey would have ranked No. 8 among offensive lineman at the Combine.

“Everyone put on a great show. Everyone was competing with themselves, at the end of the day. Everyone put on a great show today and it was just awesome to see everybody kill it,” said Nacua of his thoughts on Pro Day. 

The 2022 NFL Draft will begin on April 28th in Las Vegas.