BYU football: El Dorado Hills' Roman Andrus commits to play for Cougars

Roman Andrus, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound defensive end from El Dorado Hills, Calif., has committed to play at BYU, according to his father Alan.

BYU invited Andrus to BYU's 2012 summer camp where it will be decided if he earns a scholarship or grayshirt before going on an LDS mission. Andrus accepted the invitation on Thursday.

"We are doing cartwheels out here," said his father, a former Timpview High basketball star who played at Utah Valley and the University of Hawaii.

Roman Andrus played his senior year at the same high school that produced Zac, Austin and BYU-bound Dylan Collie and Cougar receiver Brett Thompson. It was Scott Collie, father of those El Dorado Hills receivers, who put BYU's staff on to Andrus because he caused so much havoc as an end and reminded him of former Oakland Raider Ted Hendricks.

A jumper with good speed and footwork, BYU coaches liked what they saw on film.

Initial contact with Roman came through BYU receiver coach Ben Cahoon then linebacker coach Kelly Poppinga, who sold BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall on extending an invitation.

"He's our oldest and a lot like me, a late bloomer," said Alan. "He didn't play football until his senior year when he had a real growing spurt. He first started drawing attention in football last summer at the Fresno State summer camp. He had a couple of sacks and knocked down several passes in his first high school game without any real coaching or background," said Alan Andrus.

Dick Harmon, Deseret News sports columnist, can be found on Twitter as Harmonwrites and can be contacted at dharmon@desnews.com