247Sports, 1d. Khyiris Tonga . BYU plays Houston, a team with an immense amount of talent and an immense amount of upside. The individual talent on this Houston team is the best of all Group of Five teams in the country, according to 247Sports Team Composite rankings. Fisher Jackson #59. Zac Dawe #99. That's another bad sign for BYU. The former West Virginia head coach is in his second year leading the Cougars and he has the foundation built to be a very real threat in the American Athletic Conference. Football | Sep, 16 Khyiris Tonga turning heads but staying grounded after following Sitake to BYU. He will be the anchor of a Defensive Line that will … The box score indicates that they gave up 31 points to a struggling Tulane team but the majority of those points came off of first half turnovers. Houston wasn't perfect, but they showed that they are better than they were a year ago. Fast forward to 2020; Tonga will have his opportunity to become an NFL player. And this is an important game for BYU. In a memo sent out to NFL teams, it was detailed that there would not be any in-person workouts this year. This is a huge step for each of them as they on their quest to be drafted in April's NFL Draft. Tonga recently began taking live reps in practice and players readily welcomed him. With the exception of BYU's season opener against Navy, predicting a simple win or loss has been fairly simple for the staff here. Towering frame with length … Learn about Khyiris Tonga and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com. There will be media availability and the players are able to meet with teams for interviews, but there won't be the standard workouts that we've grown accustomed to watching on TV. Conf FBS Independents; Jersey #95; Class Senior; HT 6'4" DOB--WT 322 lbs; ANALYST'S REPORTS. BYU's heralded defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga is coming back to Provo for his senior season in 2020. So, let's focus. The Atlanta Braves are playing in the NLCS with a chance to go to the World Series for the first time since 2001. Since arriving at BYU for the 2017 season, the 6-foot-4, 330 pound defensive lineman has proven an extraordinary talent, capable of a lot of disruption playing at one of the two defensive tackle spots in … He has the ability to take over games and simply dominate from the interior defensive line. KHYIRIS TONGA. If he does that, there is no reason that he won't hear his name called in April's draft. Kathy Aiken tells the story that brought Khyiris Tonga to BYU. They are gonna score a lot of points this year on ST alone. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. They'll have to pass this test without their star nose tackle Khyiris Tonga. The graphs show the 247 composite score on the y axis and the eligibility on the x axis. Players the size of Tonga just don't come around very often. This is a huge … View on 247sports.com. Tyler Batty #92. Gunner Romney’s grabbed two long passes in the second quarter, a 41-yarder followed by a career-best 52-yarder. Join Facebook to connect with Khyiris Tonga and others you may know. They opened the season with a nice win against Tulane last week. Jeff Hansen Dec 31, 2019 . If he is able to prove to NFL scouts that he is healthy and that his athleticism hasn't slipped, there is a strong possibility that he can sneak into the third day of the draft. 22 hours ago. Offensively, I think BYU has the horses to compete if this game gets into a shootout. This is a huge step for each of them as they on their quest to be drafted in April's NFL Draft. You need great days of practice, locked in film studies, and good weight room sessions. Fortunately BYU is much better than the score indicated against UTSA and the same could be said of Houston. Wilcox has battled injuries throughout the last two seasons of his BYU career, but there is no denying his potential. I think the team is hungry for this one. PROS: Just a humongous human being. Khyiris Tonga and Chris Wilcox both announced on their Twitter accounts that they had received invites to the NFL Combine this year. © 2005-2021 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. That makes nine in two games, after Ilaisa Tuiaki’s guys got just 13 all of last year. That doesn't help Tonga and Wilcox show that they are healthy and able to play at a high level. So, of course it would be the biggest game of the year for BYU right in the middle of Game 5 of the series. Edit; Slot to 247Sports Home; Slot to Brigham Young Cougars Newsletter ; … This is the biggest test of the season but, the Cougars were likely looking ahead to this week and escaped a trap game against UTSA. Leaked … So how much better is a Houston’s defense going to be? 247 Sports Jeff Hansen Jan 30, 2021 Give 'Em Hell, Brigham: Where we want Zach Wilson to go vs. where we think he will go. Has a nice first step off the ball and activates hands early and with velocity to shock center back when lined up as a 0-technique, which is his ideal deployment. #DreamsIntoReality ? Khyiris Tonga. pic.twitter.com/yrvsqlljN5. Football | Jul, 21 Empey, Tonga named to 2020 Outland Trophy Watch List. It's likely that BYU will be able to put up points but it might not be like a hot knife going through butter. 247sports.com - Jeff Hansen. Bracken El-Bakri #93. Without Tonga and Fauatea, the Houston offensive line will be able to focus a little more on stopping the edge rushers without needing to double team Tonga on the inside. That same team is mostly back for Holgorsen this year, including 93% of the production from his defense a year ago, and they're hoping to improve in a big way this year. Khyiris Tonga and Chris Wilcox both announced on their Twitter accounts that they had received invites to the NFL Combine this year. We will see Zach Wilson do his thing, should do a good job running the ball, and the defense will prevent big plays in "bend but don't break" fashion and escape with a 10 point win. There is no downplaying how important an invite to the Combine is. Khyiris Tonga #95. By Jeff Hansen Oct 15, 2020 . Nagurski Trophy names Khyiris Tonga to 2020 watch list. For purposes of my prediction, the answer is really simple. This is an exciting game from a prediction standpoint. Image. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. BYU played as lazy as you could’ve played during the second half of UTSA. The blue Cougars will put up their share of points as well. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. A copy of the memo sent to NFL teams today that means the traditional Indianapolis scouting combine is off this year and there will be no in-person workouts. With two sacks, Khyiris Tonga set a new career high in the second quarter. © 2005-2021 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Latest on BYU Cougars defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga including biography, career, awards and more on ESPN It makes everything flow better for a 4-3 base defense that is predicated on pressure up front. Let's get to the predictions. Tonga is another strong candidate to be drafted in April. If there is one thing I know about the red Cougars it's that they are going to score points. (Photo: Mitch Harper, 247Sports) Khyiris Tonga and Chris Wilcox both announced on their Twitter accounts that they had received invites to the NFL Combine this … IDL, BYU. PROVO — Khyiris Tonga is hard to miss, not just because of his gigantic 6-foot-4, 340-pound frame, but for what he does when lining up along the BYU defensive front. The blue Cougars also lost Lorenzo Fauatea to an injury earlier this week, leaving the interior of BYU's defensive line full of very large question marks. The fact that these two former Cougars were both invited shows that they truly are legitimate NFL Draft prospects who have the potential to hear their name called this Spring. In the 2020 NFL Draft, only 23 players who were not invited to the 2020 NFL Combine were drafted, and only 10 of those players were drafted before the seventh round. Solak. © 2005-2021 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The latest stats, facts, news and notes on Khyiris Tonga of the BYU Cougars Related Stories. Seleti Fevaleaki #44. Football | Jul, 22 BYU lands two on 2019 Outland … He has exceptional length and exceptional speed when he is healthy. Image. First and foremost, tomorrow is going to be a challenging day for me on a personal level. CSI staff predicts results of Khyiris Tonga-less BYU vs. Houston. I believe that BYU's scheme will still make things difficult for Houston. The talent for this team is unquestionably there. He also gets into his relationship with Coach Sitake and how his mission changed him. PROVO — Khyiris Tonga ended his spring practice session much like he started, which could provide big dividends for the mammoth BYU defensive tackle and for the defense in general. But, this is about BYU. They finished the season just 4-8 and had one of the worst defenses in the country. But, unfortunately, this year's Combine won't be like traditional combines. I have a gut feeling the team was really locked in this week. BYU is conservative and they tackle as well as any team in the country. Image. In the end, BYU's execution is what squeaks out the win in the end. That will be a very big day for Tonga and Wilcox both. The big defensive lineman did not travel with the team to Houston due to a non-COVID-19 related illness. Invited to the NFL Combine! A Combine invite does not guarantee that one will be drafted into the NFL, but getting drafted without going to the combine is something that has proven to be extremely difficult to do. Uriah Leiataua #58. Visit ESPN to view the BYU Cougars team roster for the current season Khyiris Tonga, Chris Wilcox both invited to the NFL Combine. 4 Comments. Khyiris Tonga Signs With Agent, Closes Out Ride With BYU Football. It's game week again and that means that it's time for another round of predictions from the Cougar Sports Insider staff. Tonga, a three-year starter for the Cougars, made his … For BYU, they're hoping to keep rolling in what is the most significant test on their schedule so far this season. He has potential to develop into a very good corner at the next level, similar to fellow former Cougar Michael Davis. Khyiris Tonga (two sacks and a pass break-up) and company added four sacks to the five they had against Navy. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. The red Cougars have so much speed at the skill positions that it's going to be a huge challenge for BYU's secondary. Salt Lake City, UT (Granger) DT ; 6-4 ; 300 ; Class of 17 ; 247Sports Composite 0.7667 Khyiris Tonga opens up about his history as an adopted child. NFL. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Zach Wilson is special and the offensive line is as healthy as they've been all season. The blue Cougars have played well defensively this year, but they haven't seen an offense like Houston's. It's really shocking. By … Khyiris Tonga is a 6-4, 300-pound Defensive Tackle from Salt Lake City, UT. Chambers never really found his footing at BYU after leaving high school as a three-star recruit (247sports.com) and serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Las Vegas. Houston also touts one of the most exciting and innovative head coaches in all of college football in Dana Holgorsen. He will have to show that he is in great shape and showcase his elite strength in order to secure a draft spot. In fact, I think they will score a lot of points. I could see a scenario where Houston jumps out to a two score lead but Zach Wilson and company are able to weather the storm and finish strong. The travel and short week will be a challenge, as will the high flying Houston offense, but ultimately, Cougs > Coogs, on the field and in the spelling bee. But, despite all of that, Houston was not a very good football team last year. Patrick Mahomes' fiancee goes on social media rampage after game By BroBible. Lorenzo Fauatea #55. Khyiris Tonga is returning to BYU for his Senior Season. The best way to stream the Super Bowl in 2021 By Popular Science. They want the big play. Khyiris Tonga. With all due respect to Troy, Louisiana Tech and UTSA, there really wasn't any doubt before those games started that BYU would come away with a win. So, this game comes down to execution. Image. The thing that gives me great pause in this game is the old coaches saying that is 100% true you get better between your first and second game more than the rest of the entire season. Khyiris Tonga - Projected Grade: 6th-7th round. The game kicks off tomorrow. That's not meant to be disrespectful, it's just kind of the reality of the situation. BYU Depth Chart For SoFi Hawaii Bowl BYU's Pro Day has been tentatively scheduled for March 26. Hirkley Latu #21. That means that BYU's Pro Day will be important for these two players. It would be really tough to predict the outcome of this game based on what we saw last week. Houston had five turnovers last week against Tulane. BYU’s offensive and defensive lines in 2020 will be bolstered by somewhat surprising returns of OL Tristen Hoge, DL Khyiris Tonga. Khyiris Tonga and Chris Wilcox both announced on their Twitter accounts that they had received invites to the NFL Combine this year. By nature of what they do, they will force Houston to make a big schematic decision: Does Houston try to force big plays? Due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL has made the decision to cancel in person workouts. The Good– Khyiris Tonga decided to forego the NFL draft and return for his Senior season. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Houston’s special teams in the one game they’ve played looked like their best unit. No matter what anyone thinks you can’t just flip a switch and play hard. 6-3, 300 | Class of 2017. Freshman Isaac Rex gave BYU six points on only his second career reception; Jake Oldroyd tied his career-high field goal with a 54-yarder to close out the second quarter. Football | Aug, 07 BYU lands four on Polynesian Player of the Year Watch List . But this game is different. Khyiris Tonga is on Facebook. Latest News. ... BYU's Khyiris Tonga will participate in the 2021 NFL Combine. Blessings ???? He appeared in eight games last year for the 7-6 … BYU Football nose guard Khyiris Tonga talks about Saturday's win over Arizona. BYU has only turned the ball over three times all season. He has struggled staying on the field consistently, but there is no denying how talented he is. THIRD QUARTER. PROVO, Utah – When BYU football nose tackle Khyiris Tonga arrived on the Provo campus in 2017, there was buzz that he could be a future NFL nose tackle. Caden Haws #73. He has committed to Brigham Young Cougars. Khyiris Tonga, Chris Wilcox both invited to the NFL Combine. Grateful to be invited to the NFL Combine! Latest on BYU Cougars defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga including complete game-by-game stats on ESPN It seems like a fairly simple decision, but dinking and dunking your way down the field is antithetical to what Holgorsen's teams are all about. Or does Houston take what is given to them and piece together long drives?