Tanner Koziol Shows Out in Indianapolis with Strong NFL Combine Performance
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After what was a much-improved 2025 season for the Houston Cougars, in which head coach Willie Fritz's squad ended his second year at the helm with a 10-3 record, a win in the Texas Bowl over the LSU Tigers, the first bowl game victory since 2022, some of the Coogs' standout players earned a chance to show off their skills for the next level.
The Cougars saw two of their players earn invitations to the NFL Combine in tight end Tanner Koziol and cornerback Latrell McCutchin Sr., both of whom were key pieces of Houston's improvement throughout the 2025 season.
And with the combine soon to be reaching its conclusion, with the final day arriving on Sunday, both of the Coogs showed out in front of NFL head coaches, scouts, and general managers, especially the big tight end in Koziol, who left a good impression in Indianapolis.
Tanner Koziol's Combine Performance
With the NFL Combine starting on Thursday, with linebacker and defensive linemen getting the first action, the tight ends, along with the defensive backs, got their chance to work out and take on several of the NFL Combine's drills on Friday.
And Koziol made the most of his opportunity to show off his skills throughout the various drills. In what's largely considered the most important workout, the 40-yard dash. Koziol ran an official time of 4.70 seconds.
While the time may not pop off the screen for Koziol at his six-foot-seven frame, his 10-yard split of 1.62 seconds ranks in the Top 10 among the tight ends at this year's combine. Koziol's 40-yard dash time and 10-yard split provide a good indicator for his explosiveness and short-area quickness, which is huge for a tight end who will have to block at the next level.
Koziol continued to show off his explosiveness and abilities as an athlete in his huge frame with his vertical of 36.5 inches, which is among the Top 5 in the tight ends group, and his broad jump of 10 feet, 2 inches, which put him No. 6 among tight ends in the broad jump.
And with his showing at the NFL Combine, along with his production in his single season at Houston, which made him one of the top tight ends in the country, ending with him leading all FBS tight ends with 65 receptions, while his 651 receiving yards ranked third among FBS tight ends and six touchdowns.
Koziol may not be one of the top tight ends taken off the board once the 2026 NFL Draft rolls around in late April. However, when selected, an NFL franchise will get a proven, productive player who has shown his athletic abilities and can become a reliable option in the passing game, along with a contributor as a blocker.
