10 players with Utah ties among pro prospects invited to 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

By
Jared Page
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Former BYU offensive lineman Blake Freeland prepares to compete at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Sunday, March 5, 2023. Photo: BYU Athletics

INDIANAPOLIS, March 6, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Ten former Utah high school or college football players were among the 319 pro prospects invited to audition at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.

The University of Utah was well-represented at this year’s pre-draft workouts, with four Utes invited to showcase their skills for NFL coaches, talent evaluators and team officials at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Utes tight end Dalton Kincaid is considered the state’s top pro prospect and the best pass-catching tight end in the 2023 NFL Draft. Kincaid did not compete in any of the physical drills and tests due to a back injury that also caused him to miss the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2.

Utah’s Braeden Daniels, Clark Phillips III and Tavion Thomas also were invited to showcase their speed, strength, athleticism and mental aptitude in the annual series of tests and drills.

Brigham Young University teammates Blake Freeland, Puka Nacua and Jaren Hall reunited in Indianapolis for the pre-draft event, which wrapped up Sunday. Freeland (Herriman), Nacua (Orem) and Hall (Maple Mountain) also played high school football in Utah.

Three other former Utah prep stars were invited to the combine: Siaki Ika (East), Noah Sewell (Orem) and Cameron Latu (Olympus).

Here’s a closer look at how players with Utah ties performed at the combine and their pro potential headed into the 2023 NFL Draft, as well as their pre-draft ranking from Pro Football Focus.

University of Utah

Dalton Kincaid

  • Position: Tight end
  • Height/Weight: 6-4, 246
  • PFF Rank: 25
  • Combine Stats: Did not participate in drills due to injury.
  • College Career: Kincaid was a reliable target in the passing game and led all FBS tight ends in receiving yards (890) and receiving yards per game (77.3) in 2022. In his final two seasons at Utah, Kincaid was targeted 138 times and had just two drops.
  • Pro Prospects: The Las Vegas native is considered the best receiving tight end in the draft class and projected by NFL analysts as mid-to-late first-round pick.

Braeden Daniels

  • Position: Offensive tackle
  • Height/Weight: 6-4, 294
  • PFF Rank: 179
  • Combine Stats: Daniels turned in the fifth-fastest time among offensive linemen in the 40-yard dash: 4.99 seconds, with a 1.71-second 10-yard split. His 7.72-second showing in three-cone drill ranked sixth among offensive linemen, and his 4.6-second time in the 20-yard shuttle ranked seventh. Daniels also competed in the vertical leap (30.5 inches, 10th among OL) and broad jump (9 feet 1 inch, 13th).
  • College Career: Daniels played 49 career games (43 starts) at Utah and was a two-time All-Pac 12 selection, earning first-team honors in 2022.
  • Pro Prospects: Daniels fared well at the combine, earning a total score of 73 from NFL Next Gen Stats, ranking 12th among offensive linemen. Mock drafts prior to the combine generally projected him as a fifth-round pick.

Clark Phillips III

  • Position: Cornerback
  • Height/Weight: 5-9, 184
  • PFF Rank: 183
  • Combine Stats: Phillips turned in the top performance among cornerbacks in the bench press with 18 reps of 225 pounds and ranked fifth in the 20-yard shuttle (4.32 second). He ranked 20th among CBs in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.51 seconds, with a 1.51-second 10-yard split. He also competed in the vertical jump (33 inches, 28th among CBs).
  • College Career: Phillips was a unanimous All-American for the Utes in 2022, as well as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award. He started all 31 games he played at Utah, finishing his career with nine interceptions — including four returned for touchdowns, tying a school record.
  • Pro Prospects: He earned a 75 total score at the combine from NFL Next Gen Stats, ranking 16th among cornerbacks. Mock drafts from NFL analysts generally have him listed as an early second-round pick.

Tavion Thomas

  • Position: Running back
  • Height/Weight: 6 foot, 237
  • PFF Rank: 232
  • Combine Stats: Ranked 13th among running backs in the broad jump (9 feet 10 inches) and 14th in the vertical jump (30 inches). His 40-yard dash time of 4.74 seconds, with 1.62-second 10-yard split, was slowest among RBs who competed at the combine.
  • College Career: Thomas wrapped up his career at Utah after earning All-Pac 12 first-team honors in 2021. The Dayton, Ohio, native played in 37 games, recording nine 100-yard rushing games and gaining 2,484 rushing yards.
  • Pro Prospects: Thomas finished with a 63 total score at the combine, ranking 24th among running backs, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He’s considered a late-round pick or potential free-agent option for teams looking to fill at need at the position.

BYU

Blake Freeland

  • Position: Offensive tackle
  • Height/Weight: 6-8, 302
  • PFF Rank: 142
  • Combine Stats: Freeland set a combine record for offensive linemen with his 37-inch vertical jump Sunday. He also topped all offensive linemen at the combine with a 10-foot broad jump and ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash (4.96 seconds, 1.68-second 10-yard split). He ranked fourth among OL in the three-cone drill (7.46 seconds) and 11th in the 20-yard shuttle (4.71 seconds).
  • College Career: The former Herriman High School star was a four-year starter at BYU, with 41 total starts and 44 games played. He was a Third Team AP All-American in 2022 and the College Football Network Independent Offensive Lineman of the Year.
  • Pro Prospects: Freeland certainly got teams’ attention and improved his draft stock with the athleticism he displayed in Sunday’s drills. He finished the combine with a 77 total score, ranking seventh among offensive linemen. NFL analysts prior to the combine generally projected him as a third-round pick.

Puka Nacua

  • Position: Wide receiver
  • Height/Weight: 6-2, 201
  • PFF Rank: 209
  • Combine Stats: Nacua worked out and interviewed at the combine but didn’t compete in any scored drills.
  • College Career: The former Orem High School star led BYU in receiving in 2021 and 2022, making 91 catches for 1,430 yards and 11 touchdowns in 21 games (14 starts). He had seven 100-yard receiving games at BYU and was named College Football Network All-Independent Wide Receiver of the Year in 2022.
  • Pro Prospects: Nacua is projected as a late-round draft pick.

Jaren Hall

  • Position: Quarterback
  • Height/Weight: 6 foot, 207
  • PFF Rank: 221
  • Combine Stats: Hall worked out and interviewed at the combine but did not participate in any scored drills.
  • College Career: The former Maple Mountain High School QB started 24 games for BYU from 2018-2022, amassing 6,174 passing yards, 798 rushing yards and 62 touchdowns — 52 passing, nine rushing and one receiving. He was the College Football Network Independent Offensive Player of the Year in 2022.
  • Pro Prospects: Hall is projected as a late-round draft pick.

Utah high schools

Siaki Ika

  • Position: Defensive tackle
  • Height/Weight: 6-3, 335
  • PFF Rank: 55
  • Combine Stats: Ranked 14th among defensive tackles in the 40-yard dash with a time of 5.39 seconds, with a 1.88-second 10-yard split. He ranked seventh among DTs in the 20-yard shuttle (4.99 seconds) and ninth in the three-cone drill (7.8 seconds).
  • College Career: The former East High School star played 24 games for Baylor University in 2021 and 2022, totaling 49 tackles (28 solo), 8.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. He was a 2022 All-Big 12 First Team selection by the conference coaches and The Associated Press.
  • Pro Prospects: Ika finished with a 62 total score at the combine, ranking 14th among defensive tackles, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He’s projected as a mid-to-late second-round selection.

Noah Sewell

  • Position: Linebacker
  • Height/Weight: 6-2, 246
  • PFF Rank: 104
  • Combine Stats: Sewell ranked second among linebackers in the bench press with 27 reps of 225 pounds. He ranked 13th among LBs in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.64 seconds, with a 1.57-second 10-yard split. He also tied for eighth in the vertical jump (33 feet) and ranked 13th in the broad jump (9 feet 7 inches).
  • College Career: The former Orem High School star started 12 games as a sophomore for Oregon, finishing his collegiate career with 215 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions. He was an All-Pac 12 Second Team selection of the conference coaches and AP in 2022.
  • Pro Prospects: The younger brother of Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell is projected as a third-round pick.

Cameron Latu

  • Position: Tight end
  • Height/Weight: 6-4, 242
  • PFF Rank: 207
  • Combine Stats: Latu did not participate in drills at the combine after suffering a hamstring injury, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported. He has a pro day workout scheduled for March 23.
  • College Career: The former Olympus High School star played 51 games over five seasons for Alabama, finishing his career with 56 receptions for 787 yards and 12 touchdowns. His best season statistically came in 2021, when he made 26 catches for 410 yards and eight TDs.
  • Pro Prospects: Latu is projected as a late-round draft pick.

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