PROVO, Utah — In addition to linebacker Sione Takitaki being drafted in the third round by the Cleveland Browns on Friday, former BYU defensive end Corbin Kaufusi and quarterback Tanner Mangum received opportunities with NFL teams as undrafted free agents following the draft on Saturday evening.
Kaufusi inked a free-agent deal with New Orleans Saints while Mangum accepted minicamp invitations with both the Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions.
“I’m grateful for all that Corbin and Tanner have done for BYU, and I’m excited they both have the opportunity to pursue playing in the NFL,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said.
Kaufusi played in 37 games with 28 starts for the Cougars over three seasons after starting his career on the BYU basketball team. A 6-foot-9, 278-pound two-sport athlete, Kaufusi played three years on the basketball team, appearing in 86 games with 36 starts before foregoing his time on the hardwoods to concentrate on football. On the gridiron in 2018, Kaufusi recorded a team-best 8.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss from his defensive end position while adding 56 tackles and two pass breakups in 11 games.
With his versatility and athleticism, Kaufusi was a disruptive defender up front who could get into the backfield while also being able to effectively drop into coverage for the Cougars, helping BYU rank No. 18 overall in team defense in 2018. Over his three-year career, Kaufusi totaled 154 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 17 sacks while forcing two fumbles and recording four pass breakups. Kaufusi was also a playmaker on special teams, blocking four kicks during his career. With his physical stature and athleticism, Kaufusi helped BYU lead the nation in field goal defense in 2018 and earn a No. 4 rating in the ESPN special teams efficiency rankings.
A team captain, Kaufusi is the third member of his immediate family to go to the NFL from BYU. His brother Bronson is a defensive end for the New York Jets who was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2016 draft. His father Steve is a former BYU defensive lineman and longtime defensive coach who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 12th round of the 1988 draft.
Mangum played in 34 games with 27 starts as the Cougars’ signal caller. From Eagle, Idaho, the 6-3, 208-pound quarterback threw for 6,262 yards and 39 touchdowns while adding three scores on the ground during his career. He led BYU to a win at Nebraska in his first college game in 2015, throwing the game-winning 42-yard Hail Mary touchdown in place of the injured Taysom Hill. Mangum went on to become the 2015 Touchdown Club of Columbus Freshman of the Year after throwing for 3,377 yards and 23 touchdowns to lead BYU to a 9-4 season record.
In 2018 Mangum helped the Cougars enter the top-25 rankings for the first time since 2015 while engineering BYU’s upset win in Camp Randall Stadium over No. 6 Wisconsin. Ending the Badgers’ 41-game win streak in nonconference home games, the Cougars were named the NCAA and Football Writers Association of America National Team of the Week following the 24-21 victory. During his career, the two-time team captain had six 300-yard passing games and a string of 11 straight games with a touchdown pass as the BYU starter.
Historically, BYU has had 188 former players receive NFL opportunities as undrafted free agents in addition to Takitaki becoming the 142nd Cougar selected in the annual draft.
Additional signings or minicamp invites for BYU players could still be announced.
