NFL draft: Returned Latter-day Saint missionaries may be the oldest players taken

Tight end Matt Bushman participates in the bench press during BYU pro day in Provo on Friday, March 26, 2021. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Four of the seven-oldest players projected to be picked are former missionaries

NFL draft guides list all kinds of things about players that teams consider when making a selection, including age, which can be a real obstacle for Latter-day Saint returned missionaries who want to play in the NFL.

NFL teams want to know much more than when a player was born, from hand size and wingspan to how fast they can run 40 yards, but age matters.

Teams prefer younger players, because studies show that athletes who succeed at younger ages often have higher “ceilings” or “upside,” meaning they may still have more potential to tap. Older players already may be what they will be, with less room for more growth and development.

“Age and (perceived lack of) upside are the real problem with returned missionaries and the NFL,” Orem-based NFL agent Evan Brennan told the Deseret News in 2020. “But they are hard workers and generally smart and intelligent, so that’s kinda how you have to sell a returned missionary guy, is you know what he is, and that he is not going to be a headache for you.”

In fact, the two oldest players expected to be drafted this week by NFL teams are returned missionaries who played at Brigham Young University.

But let’s start with the two returned missionary players considered the best draft prospects.

Brady Christensen

The first former missionary expected to be selected in this week’s NFL draft is Christensen, an offensive tackle from BYU. At 24.59 years old, to be precise, he is the sixth-oldest player who will be drafted, according to one draft guide’s expectation.

Christensen is so good in some analysts eyes — he is BYU’s first consensus All-American since 2009 — his age may not stop him from being a high draft pick, as early as the draft’s second or third round. He was ranked as the eighth-best offensive tackle and the 62nd-best player in the entire draft by “The Beast,” an NFL draft guide by Dane Brugler of The Athletic (paywall).

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Offensive lineman Brady Christensen participates in the vertical jump during BYU pro day in Provo on Friday, March 26, 2021.

Christensen spent two years on a mission in Hamilton, New Zealand, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between high school and the start of his BYU career. That’s why he is 24 at the start of his NFL career, and why Brugler mentioned his age in his scouting report, a sign of how it is a factor for scouts and teams.

“Overall, Christensen is an older prospect and needs to clean up his timing, but he displays quickness and body flexibility in pass protection and gets the job done as a run blocker. He projects as an NFL starter,” Brugler wrote.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranks Christensen lower, 19th at tackle and 238th overall.

For the record, Christensen, who is 6-foot-5, 302 pounds, has huge 10.25-inch hands, an 80-inch wingspan and ran the 40 in 4.89 seconds. Only two tackles ran faster than that for NFL scouts this spring, and one went in the first round on Thursday night. (Rashawn Slater.)

Christensen spoke to the Deseret News last fall about the importance of prayer in his football career.

Simi Fehoko

Fehoko is a former Latter-day Saint missionary who is a bit younger, 23.48 years old, to be exact. He served a mission in Seoul, South Korea, then played wide receiver at Stanford. Brugler ranked him at No. 16 on his wide receiver list.

“Older prospect due to his religious mission and will be a 24-year old NFL rookie,” Brugler wrote. He added, “Fehoko is older and still growing into the position, but he has impressive short-area quickness for his size with the hand-eye coordination to reel in tough throws. He offers enticing pass-catching traits and special teams ability worth developing.”

Ravell Call, Deseret News

Simi Fehoko, Deseret News’ 2015 Mr. Football, poses for a photo at Brighton High School in Sandy, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015. Fehoko served his mission in South Korea.

Kiper ranked Fehoko, who is nearly 6-foot-4 and weighs 222 pounds, 94th overall in the draft, 19th at wide receiver.

Now back to the two oldest players in the draft.

Matt Bushman

Bushman is the oldest player in the draft, and it’s not close. He is eight months older than the next player on the list.

Bushman is the only player over the age of 25, and the new father actually is nearly halfway to 26: His birthday is Nov. 8.

That’s why, even though Bushman could have returned to play for BYU for again this fall because of an NCAA rule about the COVID-19 pandemic that gave every player another year of college eligibility, he chose to turn pro.

“I have turned 25,” he told the Deseret News previously. “I am a couple years older than most of the rookie class. That definitely makes it harder.”

Bushman was a Freshman All-American tight end at BYU after serving in the Chile Santiago South Mission, but didn’t play last season and didn’t run the 40-yard dash for NFL scouts this spring because he continues to recover after tearing his Achilles tendon during a BYU practice last August.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

BYU tight end Matt Bushman catches a touchdown against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen in Provo on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017. UMass won 16-10.

So what does Brugler think of Bushman, who is 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds? The draft analyst gushed about his focus, hands and NFL readiness and ranked him as the 12th-best tight end in the draft with some potential to be a starter:

“Overall, Bushman is an older prospect coming off a major injury and doesn’t have separation speed, but he is a physical blocker with the ball skills to handle seam work.”

Brugler expects Bushman to be picked in the sixth or seventh round. That portion of the draft is scheduled for Saturday.

Kiper has him at 19th at tackle and 249th overall.

Khyiris Tonga

The player eight months younger than Bushman but second-oldest in the draft, based on Brugler’s analysis, is Tonga, who is 24.81 years old and served in the church’s Kansas Wichita Mission before beginning his BYU career.

He turns 25 on July 7.

Tonga is a big, run-stopping inside defensive lineman at 6-foot-2, 325 pounds. But he ran a fast 5.07-second time for his size in the 40.

Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

BYU defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga celebrates a sack on Hawaii Warriors quarterback Cole McDonald Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018.

“His pursuit skills and straight-line speed are above average for a nose tackle,” Brugler wrote, also noting his quickness and strength and calling him an “aggressive space-eater.

“He struggled through a tough childhood, but he found direction with his adopted family, the church and BYU football,” the analyst added to his scouting report.

Brugler ranked Tonga 16th among interior defensive linemen and pegged him as a sixth round pick. Kiper has him 19th at the position.

Other older players in the draft

Former Latter-day Saint missionaries make up four of the seven-oldest players who Brugler expects to be drafted:

• Bushman (25.48 years old).
• Tonga (24.81).
• Arkansas State defensive lineman Forrest Merrill (24.71), who sat out a year at one point and is projected to be picked in the seventh round or become a priority free agent.
• Oklahoma State cornerback Rodarius Williams (24.63), a projected sixth- or seventh-round pick who was held back a grade.
• Illinois State offensive tackle Drew Himmelman (24.61), who grayshirted (didn’t enroll in college the first fall after high school) and redshirted and is expected to go in the seventh round or be a priority free agent.
• Christensen (24.59)
• BYU offensive guard Chandon Herring (24.51). Herring served in the Washington D.C. North Mission before arriving at BYU, where he redshirted a year before playing for four years.

At 6-foot-6, 307 pounds, Herring ran a 5.01-second 40 and Brugler likes his flexibility, because he played guard and tackle for the Cougars.

“Overall, Herring is over-aged, plays high-cut and gives up his chest too easily, but he has traits and works hard to finish while offering position flex as a backup,” Brugler said.

He ranked Herring 22nd at guard and expected him to be drafted in the seventh round or become a priority free agent.

Priority free agents

Once the draft ends, NFL teams scramble to sign priority free agents, players who went undrafted but that teams want enough to sign them to a contract with a modest amount of guaranteed money.

That’s why Brugler’s draft guide included scouting reports on 415 players when only 259 players will be drafted.

After last year’s draft, Dallas gave former missionary and linebacker Francis Bernard $110,000 guaranteed to sign with them, making him one of 20 players to receive more than $100,000, according to Spotrac. Bernard played in 13 games for the Cowboys.

This year, Brugler listed one former missionary as a priority free agent:

• BYU offensive guard Tristen Hoge — he just turned 24 — as a priority free agent, ranked just two spots behind Herring at the position. He redshirted one year at Notre Dame, then sat out a year per NCAA rules when he transferred to BYU.

Brugler also listed three other former missionaries from BYU who are candidates to get NFL tryouts:

• Zac Dawe, the 48th-ranked edge rusher, who served in the Texas Houston Mission.
• Isaiah Kaufusi, who Brugler ranked 42nd at linebacker. Kaufusi served in the Tonga Nuku’alofa Mission.
• Kavika Fonua, ranked 41st at defensive safety. Fonua served in the Canada Vancouver Mission.

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