This past weekend, senior wide receiver Andrei Iosivas participated in the National Football League (NFL) Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., an annual showcase for the nation’s top college prospects. The Combine was the latest in a long list of pre-Draft activities Iosivas has participated in. Last month, he competed in the Senior Bowl, becoming only the third Tiger to do so and the first representative from the Ivy League in seven years.
The captain from Honolulu, Hawaii is coming off his most dominant season thus far. As a senior, he led the Tigers with 66 receptions, 943 yards, and seven touchdowns. This extraordinary performance saw him earn multiple honors, including First Team All-Ivy, Associated Press Second Team All-America, and Senior Bowl Offensive Player of the Week, among many others.
Iosivas is also talented on the track, becoming a 2022 All-American in the heptathlon at the NCAA Indoor Championships, where he ran the fastest ever 60-meter dash in the NCAA heptathlon (6.71 seconds).
Iosivas described the Combine as a remarkable experience, saying his favorite part was being able to be out on the field and showcase his talents alongside some of the nation’s top prospects, and to do so in front of NFL general managers (GMs) and scouts.
“It’s something I’ve been watching since I was a young kid, and I couldn’t believe I was on that stage,” Iosivas told The Daily Princetonian.
The Ivy League, which competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), has generally not received much attention from scouts and GMs. Iosivas is hoping to change that moving forward and send a message to other Ivy League football players that it can be done.
“It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication and vision to get to where I am now. As long as you have trust in the process and trust in yourself, your path will be your path,” Iosivas explained.
Iosivas had a strong showing at the Combine, clocking in an impressive 4.43 seconds on the 40-yard dash showcasing his speed as one of his many strengths. Additionally, he clocked in at 4.12 seconds on the 20-yard shuttle and 6.85 seconds on the three-cone drill, which were both the second-fastest times amongst all wide receivers. Iosivas also had a 39-inch vertical jump, though he believes he can break 40 inches on his pro day, which is scheduled for March 21 at Princeton.
Aside from the physical tests, one famously grueling aspect of the Combine is the team interviews. Iosivas said that at the Senior Bowl, the questions asked were more personal, regarding his background, character, and how he got into football. The Combine, however, saw interested scouts walk him through their playbook, systems, and terminology for receivers, seeing how quickly he picked up on what they were looking for.
Overall, the wide receiver stated that he was happy with his Combine showing, adding that his agents and scouts praised him afterward and noted that his draft stock was on the rise. Iosivas has already drawn comparisons to Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson, who was a second-round selection in last year’s draft. The comparison is understandable, as Watson came from a smaller school (North Dakota State University) which competed in the FCS, and is one of the most athletic receivers in the league today.
“People always make comparisons as prospects are heading for the league,” Iosivas added. “I’m very grateful [to Watson for putting] smaller guys like me on the map, but my goal is to carve my own path.”
With the draft just under 50 days away, most mock drafts have Iosivas anywhere from a late third-round pick to somewhere in the fifth round.
Iosivas told the ‘Prince’ that the teams who seem to be most interested in his talents include the Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, and Cleveland Browns. He also said he received some buzz from the two teams that play in the New Jersey Meadowlands, the New York Giants and New York Jets. For now, though, Iosivas seems to be focused on making the best of whatever opportunities present themselves.
“Anyone who is willing to take a shot on me will get a really good playmaker. I’m just grateful to be in the position I’m in.”
Hayk Yengibaryan is an assistant Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’ Please direct any corrections requests to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
Read More
Play the Dean’s Date crossword, ‘Crunch Time’
Lindsay McBrideTake a break from studying and celebrate the last-ever Dean’s Date with this puzzle by Associate Puzzles Editor Lindsay McBride.
Take a break from studying and celebrate the last-ever Dean’s Date with this puzzle by Associate Puzzles Editor Lindsay McBride.
How Black football players find community on campus, on and off the field
Ify ObianwuThe Tigers played the first-ever official football game against Rutgers in November 1869. Today, the 2024 iteration of the Tiger squad looks very different. The ‘Prince’ sat down with three Black football players to learn how they build community on campus in the face of pressure on and off the field.
The Tigers played the first-ever official football game against Rutgers in November 1869. Today, the 2024 iteration of the Tiger squad looks very different. The ‘Prince’ sat down with three Black football players to learn how they build community on campus in the face of pressure on and off the field.
J.D. Vance’s chief of staff Jacob Reses ’13, a ‘very considerate’ intellectual at Princeton
Sena ChangThe ‘Prince’ spoke with people who knew Jacob Reses ’13, who matriculated at Princeton as a Democrat and now serves as Republican Vice President-elect J.D. Vance’s chief of staff.
The ‘Prince’ spoke with people who knew Jacob Reses ’13, who matriculated at Princeton as a Democrat and now serves as Republican Vice President-elect J.D. Vance’s chief of staff.
