Failed backflip aside, these Boise State players impressed scouts at the NFL Combine
Former Boise State safety Tyreque Jones couldn’t stick the landing on his signature backflip at the NFL Scouting Combine last week, but his position coach, Kane Ioane, set the record straight Monday.
“Over the course of the entire time I’ve been with him, he has never missed that backflip,” said Ioane, who joined the Broncos as safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator in January 2021. “We’re in Reno and there’s freezing rain coming down and he’s wearing a knee brace, and he still lands it.”
Ioane said the fact that Jones didn’t land the flip speaks to how much of a physical and mental grind the NFL’s annual predraft event is.
He also said Jones is one of the smartest players he’s ever coached.
“He’s an extremely instinctual player, and he understands defenses,” Ioane said. “He could probably get on the board and draw his favorite coverage from front to back, which I think speaks to his ability to play a lot of different positions.”
Three former Broncos were in Indianapolis, Indiana, last week to show NFL scouts what they can do. Jones and left tackle John Ojukwu worked out and interviewed with teams. Safety JL Skinner was there for interviews, but he didn’t do any of the on-field drills after suffering a torn pectoral muscle.
Jones was exhausted after running through several position-specific drills and racing through the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds, which tied for the eighth-fastest time among safeties, according to NFL.com. Pittsburgh’s Brandon Hill led the group with a time of 4.43.
Jones cleared 9 feet, 11 inches in the broad jump, which was tied for No. 11 at his position, and 32 inches in the vertical leap, which ranked No. 16. NFL.com gave him an overall grade of 5.68, projecting that he’ll earn one of the final spots on an active roster or a practice squad.
NFL.com’s grading scale begins at 5.6 and goes to 8.0, which is reserved for the “perfect prospect,’ according to the company’s website.
Jones (6-2, 195) was a five-year starter for the Broncos. He spent four seasons as a safety before moving to nickle last year. He finished the season with 34 tackles and an interception.
Ojukwu (6-6, 309) may have earned himself some money with his combine workouts. Most NFL Draft analysts see him as a third-day pick (rounds 4-7) or undrafted free agent, but he may have done enough to ensure that he’ll hear his name called in the draft, which begins on April 27.
The five-year starter at Boise State proved to be one of the most athletic offensive linemen at the combine. He ran the shuttle drill in 4.52 seconds, which ranked No. 2 among offensive linemen in attendance. He ran the three-cone drill in 7.52 seconds, which ranked No. 5, and he bench pressed 225 pounds 26 times, which ranked No. 15 at his position.
UCLA’s Jon Gaines II led all offensive linemen in the shuttle drill with a time of 4.45 seconds. After tearing his ACL Monday at the combine, USC’s Andrew Vorhees went on to lead the group with 38 reps on the bench.
Ojukwu also ran the 40-yard dash in 5.24 seconds. His grade from NFL.com was 5.89, which is associated with players who make rosters as backups or contribute on special teams.
Ojukwu was a three-time All-Mountain West pick at Boise State. He earned first-team honors the past two years and started 32 consecutive games at left tackle after replacing Ezra Cleveland in 2020.
Next up for Boise State’s draft prospects is Pro Day in Boise, which is scheduled for March 27.
This story was originally published March 7, 2023 at 2:22 PM.
