After the 40-yard dashes and shuttle runs were over, all eyes turned to the south end zone of Florida’s Indoor Practice Facility where UF defensive lineman Taven Bryan stood with Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.
The two were chatting as a crowd of scouts, coaches and players began to surround them.
The excitement surrounding Bryan — a 6-foot-4, 291-pound defensive lineman — has ballooned in recent months following a successful 2017 season in which he recorded 40 tackles and four sacks. It showed on Wednesday at Florida’s pro day.
When it was time for Bryan to perform, Marinelli led him through a variety of different defensive drills. He started by testing his reaction time on the fly. After that, team managers set up hitting dummies for Bryan to knock down and run past.
All the while, Marinelli ushered words of praise to the former Gator.
“He was just telling me I did a really good job,” Bryan said. “Said he was really excited to come see me later.”
Bryan is hoping that work could translate to a possible first-round pick.
His performance at the NFL Combine mixed with his tapes from last season could be enough.
At the combine — held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis several weeks ago — Bryan stood out among his peers. His 30 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press was the sixth most among defensive linemen, while his vertical leap of 35 inches and broad jump of 119 inches were fourth best among players at the position.
But what Bryan believes will set him apart is his game tape.
“Tape's really what matters, honestly, and I feel like I have really exceptional tape,” he said.
With the NFL draft coming up on April 26 and Bryan expected to be the first Gator taken off the board, the Casper, Wyoming, native aims to get picked in the first round.
“Uh, yeah, I mean hopefully,” he said when asked if he wanted to be drafted high. “That would suck if I didn't.”
Elam and Callaway look for second chances
You could see the emotion painted on Matt Elam’s face like a mural spread across the 34th Street Wall.
The former NFL safety had to take a few moments to regain his composure following his pro day workout before he was ready to address the media.
It was nothing but gratitude from the former Baltimore Raven, who relishes the opportunity to play again following a series of arrests after the 2016 season.
“People make mistakes. People make mistakes in life,” Elam said. “One mistake don’t define a person. I feel like people make mistakes. It’s what you do with that second chance. That defines what type of person you really are.”
A first-round draft pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Elam had a promising start to his career before a torn bicep kept him off the field in 2015. After getting arrested for possession of 126.2 grams of marijuana and 3.1 grams of oxycodone on Feb. 26, 2017, he was cut by the Ravens and hasn’t been on an NFL roster since.
He’s hoping his participation at UF’s pro day could help change that.
“I know I’m young and I know I can do a lot,” Elam said. “I know I can bring a lot to a club.”
He wasn’t the only one looking for a second chance.
After being suspended for the entire 2017 college football season due to his alleged involvement in a credit card fraud scheme, wide receiver Antonio Callaway wants to put his past behind him.
Callaway led the Gators in receiving yards in his first two years in Gainesville. He ended his career with 1,399 yards and seven touchdowns. At this year’s NFL Combine, Callaway ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds, the third-fastest time among wide receivers invited.
But off the field issues have hindered his draft stock.
Callaway is optimistic, however, that if an NFL team will give him a chance to play, it will be the right decision.
“I mean, they already know I'm a good athlete,” he said. “Just know I'm not a bad person.”
Follow Jake Dreilinger on Twitter @DreilingerJake and contact him at jdreilinger@alligator.org.
Florida defensive lineman Taven Bryan gets instruction from Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Marinelli during UF's pro day on Wednesday.
