Idaho pro day: Defensive back Jeremiah Salaam clocks fastest 40 time; running back Roshaun Johnson reaches bench press target

MOSCOW, Idaho – The National Football League made its accustomed spring stop on the Palouse Tuesday at pro days at Washington State University and the University of Idaho.

At Idaho, four former Vandals worked out for a dozen NFL scouts and one from the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League: linebacker Fa’Avae F’Avae, defensive end Juliano Falaniko, running back Roshaun Johnson and defensive lineman Leo Tamba.

Among the former Vandals, scouts were not verifying the talent of blue-chippers but were looking for unheralded players who displayed the athletic talent needed to play professional football.

Johnson, who made his reputation as a power back for the Vandals, looked to have dropped a few pounds from the listed 220 he played at last season. He put up 20 repetitions of the 225-pound bench press, widely considered a threshold number for NFL running backs. Tamba led his former teammates with 22 reps.

Defensive back Jeremiah Salaam posted the fastest 40-yard time, 4.64 seconds, despite jumping upright once he left the starting line. Fa’Avae, who displayed a better drive phase and stayed low through the first third of the sprint, turned a 4.83. Tamba ran 4.84 and Johnson 4.86. Salaam had the best 10-meter split in the 40, 1.7 seconds. Tamba was right behind him in 1.72.

Falaniko elected not to run. His day involved 16 bench press reps and a 25.5-inch vertical jump.

Salaam also had the best vertical jump, 34 inches, and best standing long jump, 9-10. Tamba closely shadowed him at 32 inches for the vertical and 9-9 for the long jump.

Fa’Avae stood out in the shuttle run with the best time, 4.43 seconds, and was second in the three-cone drill, in 4.73 seconds. Johnson was the leader there in 7.34 seconds.