Scouts from five NFL franchises and two CFL teams were in attendance at BC Place on Sunday for the University of British Columbia’s annual pro day.
The Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, and Green Bay Packers all had representatives in Vancouver for the event, as did the B.C. Lions and Toronto Argonauts. Nine draft-eligible players participated in measurements, testing, and positional drills, led by star running back Isaiah Knight.
Knight measured in at just under six-foot and 211 pounds with 33 1/8-inch arms before putting up 15 reps on the bench. He ran a 4.76-second hand-timed 40-yard dash, 4.50-second short shuttle, and a 7.37-second three-cone, while jumping 32 inches in the vertical and 10 feet in the broad.
The native of Ottawa, Ont. has appeared in 37 games during his time with the Thunderbirds, carrying the ball 571 times for 3,603 yards and 21 touchdowns while catching 57 passes for 609 yards and three majors. He previously received interest from the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers during the 2024 season.
Knight is slated to attend the CFL National Combine in Regina later this month. Three other invitees — offensive lineman Arvin Hosseini, defensive end Aiden Bertuzzi, and receiver Sam Davenport — participated in testing, as did recent Invitational Combine attendee Maka Bangura. Defensive back Ronan Horrall, who earned promotion to the National after the Invitational, did not test but participated in drills.
Hosseini led the group with 19 reps on the bench, clocking a 5.12-second forty at six-foot-five and 307 pounds. He also broad jumped eight-feet, seven-inches, with a 26-inch vertical, 4.84-second short shuttle, and 7.94-second three-cone.
Bertuzzi measured in at six-foot-five and 248 pounds with a 28.5-inch vertical and nine-foot, one-inch broad jump. He did not run the forty but benched 17 reps, while running a 4.65-second short shuttle and 7.62-second three-cone.
Davenport did not participate in change-of-direction drills but ran a 4.82-second forty-yard dash at six-foot-one and 194 pounds. He put up 11 reps on the bench with a 33-inch vertical and nine-foot, five-inch broad jump.
All four players will test again on March 21. Pro day results are hand-timed while the Combine uses an electronic laser system, often resulting in slightly slower official times.
Both of UBC’s Texas-born quarterbacks — starter Garrett Rooker and backup Derek Engel — threw at the event. Rooker checked in at six-foot-two and 206 pounds with a 33.5-inch vertical and nine-foot, one-inch broad jump. He did not take part in the other events.
Receiver-turned-defensive back Jason Soriano was the only other non-Combine invitee to take part. The former B.C. high school MVP ran a 4.57 forty at just under five-foot-nine and 183 pounds, while leaping 33.5 inches in the vertical and nine feet, six inches in the broad. He also posted nine bench reps, a 4.47-second shuttle, and 7.72-second three-cone.
Despite being unable to participate due to injury, offensive lineman Gavin Coakes and tight end Skyler Griffith were in attendance to measure. The former checked in at over six-foot-three and 314 pounds, while the latter measured just over six-foot-two and 245 pounds. Both are projected CFL draft picks.
This is the second consecutive year in which UBC has hosted a pro day. 16 NFL teams were in attendance last year to watch highly-touted offensive linemen Giovanni Manu and Theo Benedet work out. Manu was eventually drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, while Benedet signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent.
Previous pro days held by the school in 2016 and 2019 attracted two and one teams respectively.
The 2025 NFL Draft will take place over three days from April 24 to 26. The 2025 CFL Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29 at 8:00 p.m. EST.
