A few weeks ago at Colorado's Pro Timing Day, there was much attention on the likes of Steven Montez, Davion Taylor and Tony Brown, all of whom were eager to use Pro Day as a chance to elevate what they did at the NFL Combine even higher.
While Montez, Taylor and Brown may have stolen some of the spotlight as names and players NFL scouts were most familiar with, a number of Buffaloes on Pro Day who weren't invited to the Combine sought to stand out in their own right.
Look no further than outgoing OLB Alex Tchangam as a prime example of such a player. Tchangam played two years of football at Colorado, as a junior in 2018 and last season as a senior; he came to CU via De Anza College in Cupertino, Calif.
Tchangam didn't even play football in high school (Chattahoochee High outside of Atlanta, Georgia). His first season of organized football came at De Anza in 2016; by the time his JUCO career was over, he'd recorded 16 sacks in 15 career games played for the Dons.
Building off of that when he got to Colorado, Tchangam was able to put it all together as a senior with the Buffs in 2019, logging 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks and six quarterback pressures, which was second on the team.
While it didn't culminate with an opportunity to perform on the big stage that is the NFL Combine, Tchangam made good with what he had and gave it his all during Colorado's Pro Day.
"I felt like an underdog going to Pro Day," he said. "After I wasn’t invited to the Combine, I obviously was disappointed by that. I knew Pro Day was going to be where I’d showcase my abilities and show the (NFL) what I can do.”
"I felt pretty good. I knew there were still a few things I needed to fix and keep working on, but overall I felt like I had a pretty good Pro Day. I've only played football for four years and as a player, I’ve still got a lot to learn.”
Tchangam's Pro Day was highlighted by an impressive 4.48 40-yard dash and 27 reps on the bench.
After it was all said and done, he had a couple NFL nibbles on the line.
“(My agent) has told me that a few teams are interested," Tchangam said. "After Pro Day I had contact with the Raiders and the Buccaneers, but I think there’s many other teams that are interested and are going to go back and watch film on me to see if I could be a fit.”
Tchangam and first-year OLBs coach Brian Michalowski clicked leading up to and during the 2019 season, with the latter placing much emphasis on rushing the quarterback, a request that Tchangam was happy to oblige.
“The coaches that we got, they helped me elevate my game to the player I am now," Tchangam said. "(Coach Michalowski and I) had a great relationship. When he came in, just knowing that he was a young coach himself, he was able to connect and vibe with the OLBs. It was pretty cool. He helped me elevate my game as a pass rusher and everything about the way I played my senior year.”
While Tchangam is willing to get his hands dirty in whatever way he needs to in order to get to the NFL, he remains confident that his bread and butter is in the blitzing department.
“I would say I am comfortable doing whatever coaches tell me, but my specialty is for sure getting to the quarterback," he said.
Tchangam's family is back in Georgia, but heading into Pro Day and here and now for the foreseeable future, he's staying in Colorado to continue working out and stay ready for his opportunity.
“I decided to stay in Colorado just to workout with the strength staff because they understand my body and what I need to work on," he said. "It’s been a hectic eight weeks of training with them...I’m just going to keep working on my game and my fundamentals, making sure I stay ready and wait for whoever ends up watching me.”
***
I really hope coronavirus doesn't end up screwing guys like Tchangam over in the long run, as the chance of having to push bask NFL summer camps, and on a larger note, the pandemic impacting fall sports, seems to become more and more of a possibility.
Tchangam had exactly the kind of Pro Day that in a normal world would have landed him some invitations to NFL facilities, workouts and potentially camps themselves. Dude's build like a tank and for 245 pounds, has solid speed.
Rooting hard for Mr. Tchangam.
While Montez, Taylor and Brown may have stolen some of the spotlight as names and players NFL scouts were most familiar with, a number of Buffaloes on Pro Day who weren't invited to the Combine sought to stand out in their own right.
Look no further than outgoing OLB Alex Tchangam as a prime example of such a player. Tchangam played two years of football at Colorado, as a junior in 2018 and last season as a senior; he came to CU via De Anza College in Cupertino, Calif.
Tchangam didn't even play football in high school (Chattahoochee High outside of Atlanta, Georgia). His first season of organized football came at De Anza in 2016; by the time his JUCO career was over, he'd recorded 16 sacks in 15 career games played for the Dons.
Building off of that when he got to Colorado, Tchangam was able to put it all together as a senior with the Buffs in 2019, logging 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks and six quarterback pressures, which was second on the team.
While it didn't culminate with an opportunity to perform on the big stage that is the NFL Combine, Tchangam made good with what he had and gave it his all during Colorado's Pro Day.
"I felt like an underdog going to Pro Day," he said. "After I wasn’t invited to the Combine, I obviously was disappointed by that. I knew Pro Day was going to be where I’d showcase my abilities and show the (NFL) what I can do.”
"I felt pretty good. I knew there were still a few things I needed to fix and keep working on, but overall I felt like I had a pretty good Pro Day. I've only played football for four years and as a player, I’ve still got a lot to learn.”
Tchangam's Pro Day was highlighted by an impressive 4.48 40-yard dash and 27 reps on the bench.
After it was all said and done, he had a couple NFL nibbles on the line.
“(My agent) has told me that a few teams are interested," Tchangam said. "After Pro Day I had contact with the Raiders and the Buccaneers, but I think there’s many other teams that are interested and are going to go back and watch film on me to see if I could be a fit.”
Tchangam and first-year OLBs coach Brian Michalowski clicked leading up to and during the 2019 season, with the latter placing much emphasis on rushing the quarterback, a request that Tchangam was happy to oblige.
“The coaches that we got, they helped me elevate my game to the player I am now," Tchangam said. "(Coach Michalowski and I) had a great relationship. When he came in, just knowing that he was a young coach himself, he was able to connect and vibe with the OLBs. It was pretty cool. He helped me elevate my game as a pass rusher and everything about the way I played my senior year.”
While Tchangam is willing to get his hands dirty in whatever way he needs to in order to get to the NFL, he remains confident that his bread and butter is in the blitzing department.
“I would say I am comfortable doing whatever coaches tell me, but my specialty is for sure getting to the quarterback," he said.
Tchangam's family is back in Georgia, but heading into Pro Day and here and now for the foreseeable future, he's staying in Colorado to continue working out and stay ready for his opportunity.
“I decided to stay in Colorado just to workout with the strength staff because they understand my body and what I need to work on," he said. "It’s been a hectic eight weeks of training with them...I’m just going to keep working on my game and my fundamentals, making sure I stay ready and wait for whoever ends up watching me.”
***
I really hope coronavirus doesn't end up screwing guys like Tchangam over in the long run, as the chance of having to push bask NFL summer camps, and on a larger note, the pandemic impacting fall sports, seems to become more and more of a possibility.
Tchangam had exactly the kind of Pro Day that in a normal world would have landed him some invitations to NFL facilities, workouts and potentially camps themselves. Dude's build like a tank and for 245 pounds, has solid speed.
Rooting hard for Mr. Tchangam.
