Cougars in the NFL

Now that the NFL has concluded its regular season, here’s a rundown of how the ex-Cougars in the NFL fared this year (N/A = No Accumulated Statistics):

John Beck (QB, Baltimore Ravens) N/A
Daniel Coats (TE, Cincinnati Bengals) 16 receptions for 150 yards
Austin Collie (WR, Indianapolis Colts) 60 receptions for 676 yards and 7 touchdowns
Ryan Denney (DE, Buffalo Bills) 26 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble
John Denney (C, Miami Dolphins) N/A
Aaron Francisco (S, Indianapolis Colts) 16 tackles
Chris Hoke (DT, Pittsburgh Steelers) 4 tackles
Bryan Kehl (LB, New York Giants) 22 tackles
Brett Keisel (DE, Pittsburgh Steelers) 54 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble
David Nixon (LB, Oakland Raiders) N/A
Brady Poppinga (LB, Green Bay Packers) 22 tackles, 1 sack
Dallas Reynolds (C, Philadelphia Eagles) N/A
Naufahu Tahi (FB, Minnesota Vikings) 3 rushes for 5 yards, 10 receptions for 67 yards and 1 touchdown
Fui Vakapuna (FB, Cincinnatti Bengals) N/A
Todd Watkins (WR, Oakland Raiders) 8 receptions for 90 yards

It’s difficult to predict which Cougar players will make their mark in the NFL. Some end up in a good situation for their skill set (e.g., Austin Collie playing with Peyton Manning in Indianapolis) while others either don’t get a chance or just aren’t good enough. If I were to guess a few players from this year’s BYU team who could succeed at the next level they would be:

1) Matt Reynolds (OL, sophomore): Reynolds was highly recruited out of high school and has been fantastic at left tackle at BYU. He has great size (6-foot-6, 329 pounds) and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was taken in the first two rounds when he enters the draft.

2) Manase Tonga (FB, senior): Unlike Fui Vakapuna, who was signed by the Bengals but hasn’t gotten any playing time, Tonga is a true fullback. He can run the ball and has great hands as a receiver out of the backfield, but he also relishes his role as a blocker. His style is more along the lines of Naufahu Tahi, who starts at fullback for the Vikings.

3) Jordan Pendleton (LB, sophomore): A converted safety, Pendleton has enough speed and quickness to be effective both in coverage and rushing the passer. He’s also bulked up since he arrived at BYU, something that will likely continue the next few years. He’s aggressive and plays with a mean streak that is uncommon at BYU.

4) Dennis Pitta (TE, senior): Pitta earned Consensus All-America honors for a reason: he’s really good. He runs precise routes and catches everything within reach. He also has good size (6-foot-5, 247 pounds). The only thing that could drop him on the draft boards is his blocking ability.

What current BYU players do you think have a chance to make it in the NFL?