After impressing scouts at the recent pro day, former Hawaii receiver John Ursua has been told he projects to be selected between the third and fifth rounds of next month’s 2019 National Football League Draft.
Ursua, who returned to Hawaii on Wednesday, said he has private workouts scheduled with two NFL teams in April.
“It’s a waiting game now,” Ursua said.
In 2018, Ursua led the nation in touchdown catches (16), and was fifth in receiving yards (1,343), ninth in receiving yards per game (103.3), 10th in total touchdowns (17) and 11th in catches per game (6.8). He did not play in the SoFi Hawaii Bowl because of a hamstring injury. Two days after the bowl, he announced he would forgo his senior season and apply for the NFL Draft.
Ursua said he experienced discomfort with his left hamstring three weeks ago. “It got really tight,” he said. “I couldn’t open up and run.”
At UH’s pro day on the UCLA campus, Ursua was credited with running 40 yards in 4.58 seconds. “I didn’t run my second one because I felt my hamstring was getting a little tight,” said Ursua, who is capable of a sub-4.5 time when he is healthy.
He excelled in the other speed drills: 4.12 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle, 6.78 seconds in the 3-cone drill, and 11.3 seconds in the 60-yard shuttle. Those three disciplines, in contrast to his 40-yard dash, showed Ursua’s quickness on cuts.
Ursua also was recorded a 10-foot broad jump, 37-inch vertical jump and, at 5 feet 91⁄8 and 178 pounds, he bench pressed 225 pounds 17 times.
“There were a few scouts who came up to me after I hit 225 17 times,” Ursua recalled, “and they were all like, ‘I didn’t know you were going to hit it that many times. I thought 10 at the most.’ ”
Under trainer Chad Ikei, Ursua had balanced his workouts between strength and agility drills.
“Guys are bigger in the NFL,” Ursua said. “I knew I had to get stronger.”
In the field workouts, Ursua aligned as a wideout, slotback and returner. Except for facing the sun on early routes, Ursua said, “the field was good. Everything was solid.”
Kolney Cassel, a graduate transfer for UH in 2018, attended the pro day with the specific intention of being Ursua’s designated passer. “That was nice of him,” Ursua said. “It worked out.”
