Dennis Pitta definitely helped his draft status with an impressive performance at the NFL Combine as he and several former college football players gathered in Indianapolis last week to show NFL team representatives that they deserve to be in this year’s draft.

The National Invitational Camp, or NFL Scouting Combine, began last Wednesday and ended on Tuesday. The Combine occurs every February and former college football players from all over the country are invited to perform physical and mental tests in front of NFL coaches, general managers and scouts.

Pitta, a former BYU tight end, was a definite standout in the combine. He not only showed top performances in six of the drills, but he also posted the best short and long shuttle times among the 20 tight ends invited, with times of 4.17 and 11.53 seconds, respectively. 

Former Cougar All-American Chad Lewis was optimistic about Pitta’s performance in an interview with the  Deseret News.

“I see him as a late first-round, early second-round draft pick,” Lewis said. “You could be the greatest tight end in the world but not get drafted if you don’t run well.  It says a lot that he has the top 20-yard and 60-yard shuttle.  That’s really impressive because as a tight end your whole job as an inside receiver is changing direction constantly.”

Pitta placed second in the bench press, repping 225 pounds 27 times.  He also recorded a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash, the third best time among tight ends.

Sports Illustrated reporter Tony Pauline also commented on Pitta’s performance.

“The combine is about expectations more than anything else, and Pitta exceeded them,” Pauline wrote. “He’s a known commodity catching the football, but his 27 reps on the bench and 40 times (below 4.7) were a pleasant surprise.”

Other BYU football players invited to the combine included former quarterback Max Hall and former running back Manase Tonga.

Hall was one of 19 quarterbacks invited to the combine this year.  Also among the quarterbacks invited was Tim Tebow from Florida, Sam Bradford from Oklahoma and Colt McCoy from Texas.  Hall was able to represent himself well in the Combine, with top performances in the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump, the 3-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle.  Hall recorded a 4.87 in the 40, which was the eighth best time among the 19 quarterbacks.

Tonga was one of 28 running backs invited to participate in the combine.  Tonga was a top performer in the bench press, repping 225 pounds 19 reps.