Ex-BYU star Harvey Unga shows NFL scouts his ability — and accountability, too

His parents, Jackson and Theresa Unga, and his uncle, former Weber State and NFL running back Fine Unga, all stood in the background watching an NFL pro day workout unfold.

Nearby, a contingent of Polynesian cousins, friends and other relatives cheered after and during drills.

At the center of it all was Harvey Unga, BYU's all-time leading rusher, picking up his cleats and laying them down in a closely scrutinized job interview, a performance that could go a long way toward determining his future, if any, in the NFL. The league's supplemental draft is next week.

Unga equaled his lifetime-best bench press, 19 reps of the 225-pound weights. At 244 pounds, Unga's 35-inch vertical jump was also his lifetime best, as was his 9-feet, 6-inch standing broad jump. Several stopwatches had him timed at 4.7, 4.63 and 4.53 in the two organized 40-yard dashes.

This hot July day was not the way it was supposed to be.

Unga was supposed to be preparing to extend his record-breaking career as a BYU running back and working toward his senior season when camp opens in August. He was supposed to graduate in December, be invited to the NFL combine after playing in some postseason senior all-star games and get a good workout regime going to prepare for that combine.

But a violation of BYU's honor code, now widely accepted to be sexual relations outside of marriage, which is forbidden for BYU students, prematurely ended Unga's college career. After Unga and BYU basketball player Keilani Moeaki voluntarily withdrew from school for violating the code April 12, BYU officials ruled Unga could not apply for readmittance until January 2011.

Moeaki gave birth to a baby boy on July 4. They named him Jackson, after Harvey's father. The couple could be married as early as next week after the NFL supplemental draft.

"I'm glad to come out here," said Unga. "I'll pray for the best and just see what happens."

Unga told reporters he was grateful that 20 NFL teams showed up at BYU's practice facility.

"They came out when they could have been golfing or on vacations or with their families.

"I'm just looking for a shot, an opportunity, an open door," said Unga, who doesn't know if he'll be filed by NFL folks as a tailback or fullback.

"I have to get everything I can get from the situation I'm in."