Kealakehe High School graduate Peni Vea stole the show at UNLV’s Pro Day on Thursday. Unfortunately, not many scouts were there to see it. ADVERTISING Kealakehe High School graduate Peni Vea stole the show at UNLV’s Pro Day on Thursday.
Kealakehe High School graduate Peni Vea stole the show at UNLV’s Pro Day on Thursday. Unfortunately, not many scouts were there to see it.
With an intimate crowd of two scouts on hand, Vea blazed the two fastest 40-yard dashes — 4.40 seconds and 4.48 seconds. The 6-foot-1-inch, 205-pound safety prospect also benched 225 pounds 19 times and also had the highest vertical jump at 41½ inches.
Vea was not invited to the NFL Combine in February, but for comparisons sake, his jump would have been tied for the best among all players, and his bench and 40 numbers would have tied for second best among safeties.
“I was a little surprised by that, but that’s not my decision to make,” Vea told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on not being invited to the combine. “I’ll prove it in stuff like this. I just hope to land somewhere.”
The San Diego Chargers — home of fellow Hawaii product Manti Teo — were the only NFL team to send a scout. The other scout was from the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, the Review-Journal reported.
The former Waverider made much more than a ripple during his time at UNLV, despite the Rebels winning just five games since 2014. A four-year starter, Vea amassed 328 tackles — good for third in school history — and also had 4½ sacks and four interceptions.
ESPN’s Draft Insider has Vea as the 65th ranked safety in this year’s draft class, but expect that to move a bit higher after his impressive set of Pro Day measurables.
The 2016 NFL Draft will take place from April 28-30 in Chicago.
