Sopoaga, LaBoy
impress scouts
It is certain that Hawaii defensive linemen Isaac Sopoaga and Travis LaBoy improved their stock over the past few days at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. The question is by how much.
Both excelled in the bench press and yesterday's agility and speed drills.
Sopoaga, a tackle, was timed at 4.8 in one of the six 40-yard dashes he performed, while LaBoy, an end, turned in a 4.6.
They were also among the leaders at their positions in the vertical jump, broad jump, shuttle runs and two other drills.
"On a one to 10 scale I felt my workout was a nine," Sopoaga said.
Earlier, Sopoaga wowed the assembled scouts with 42 repetitions of the 225-pound bench press, and LaBoy did it 35 times.
Sopoaga said he thought the combine record was 41, or he would have done more.
"If I knew the record was 45 reps in the bench, I would have tried for it," he said. "I'll try for it again at pro day."
That will be March 23, in Carson, Calif., when LaBoy, Sopoaga and other former UH players will perform again for scouts.
Kenny Zuckerman, agent for LaBoy and Sopoaga, said the combine is just one part of a long process leading up to the NFL Draft on April 24 and 25, and it's hard for him to predict what rounds his clients might be picked.
"The consensus from a number of (scouts) that I spoke with since the workout ended is both Hawaii guys jumped out and really caught the attention of everyone in the dome," Zuckerman said. "But it's such a lengthy process. We still have the medical evaluations, interviews, pro day. Just because you do great at the combine doesn't mean you're necessarily a high pick. It's just one of the factors that goes into the final decision.
"I will say both players helped themselves with their workouts."
Zuckerman said LaBoy and Sopoaga return to Phoenix this week to continue training.
"Their evaluation is an ongoing process that never stops," Zuckerman said. "Even once they're drafted it continues because of future contracts."
