Two former Boise State football stars get invitations to NFL Scouting Combine

Boise State’s top offensive weapons from the 2018 season will be showing off their talents along with the best NFL prospects at the annual combine.

Former Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien and running back Alexander Mattison confirmed Tuesday they have been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, which will be held in Indianapolis from Feb. 26 to March 4.

Rypien finished his career with 13,581 yards passing, 13th most in FBS history. He set career highs as a senior for yards passing (3,705), completion percentage (67.3) and touchdowns (30). Quarterbacks are slated to arrive Feb. 27 and do on-field workouts March 2. Nineteen quarterbacks were invited last year, 12 of whom were drafted.

Mattison capped off his junior year with an outstanding finish, rushing for 689 yards in the Broncos’ final four games. He finished with 1,415 yards (seventh nationally), scoring 17 touchdowns, and announced Dec. 28 he would forgo his senior year for the draft. He is trying to make it six straight years a Boise State early entrant has been drafted. He’ll arrive Feb. 26 and do workouts March 1.

The duo’s invitations mean at least one former Boise State player will take part in 15 consecutive combines. Of the last 25 players to take part, 21 were drafted, and two of the four undrafted (Kellen Moore and Jeron Johnson) played six NFL seasons apiece.

RECENT BOISE STATE BRONCOS AT NFL COMBINE

2018: Leighton Vander Esch, LB; Cedrick Wilson, WR

2017: Jeremy McNichols, RB; Tanner Vallejo, LB

2016: Kamalei Correa, LB; Darian Thompson, S; Rees Odhiambo, OL

2015: Jay Ajayi, RB

2014: Matt Paradis, OL; DeMarcus Lawrence, DE; Charles Leno Jr., OL

2013: Jamar Taylor, CB; D.J. Harper, RB

2012: Nate Potter, OL; Doug Martin, RB; Billy Winn, DL; George Iloka, S; Shea McClellin, DE/LB; Tyrone Crawford, DE; Kellen Moore, QB

2011: Titus Young, WR; Austin Pettis, WR; Brandyn Thompson, CB; Ryan Winterswyk, DE; Jeron Johnson, S

This story was originally published January 29, 2019 at 3:42 PM.

Dave Southorn

Idaho Statesman

Dave Southorn is a 2004 graduate from the University of Colorado. He has covered Boise State athletics since 2005, and worked at the Idaho Statesman since 2013. He’s won multiple Idaho Press Club awards and once won a contest designing a play for the Seattle Seahawks.If you like seeing stories like this, please consider supporting our work with a digital subscription to the Idaho Statesman.