Senior tight end Harrison Bryant will get an opportunity to showcase his skills to the NFL once the college football season ends, as Bryant accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl on Monday. 

Bryant will be FAU’s third all-time participant in the Senior Bowl and the first since cornerback D’Joun Smith participated in 2015. Running back Alfred Morris also participated in 2012.

“If you would’ve told me this [being invited] when I came in … I probably would’ve laughed at you,” Bryant said following Wednesday’s practice. “A lot of hard work, great teammates, great coaches and it happened.”

Bryant, a three-year starter at tight end for FAU, leads the nation in tight end receiving yards (651) and receptions (44). Bryant scored his first touchdown of the season against ODU. 

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Bryant has built a respectable NFL frame and is widely praised for his ability to soft hands and ability to catch the ball. Draft analyst Jordan Reid of The Draft Network ranked Bryant as the ninth-best tight end in the draft.

The Senior Bowl, which takes place in Mobile, Alabama, is considered the most prestigious pre-draft all-star game a senior can take part in. Beginning on Jan. 25, scouts and coaches from all 32 teams will make their way down for the event which pits the best NFL Draft senior prospects together on teams coached by current NFL coaches. 

“I hadn’t really heard much about it until [Tuesday]. There were some videos and stuff that came with it. And a book,” Bryant told reporters Wednesday. “It was pretty cool to see and know you’re working with actual NFL coaches in the position meeting room. It’s just cool to come in and learn that terminology before you even get there and just get a head start in building relationships.”

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Bryant has built a respectable NFL frame and is widely praised for his ability to soft hands and ability to catch the ball.

Bryant’s role model is current San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, who has quickly turned into one of the league’s best tight ends.

“I watch a lot of tape of him and in the tight end room,” Bryant said. “It’s cool to just see him play and do the stuff we do on a whole different level.”

Although head coach Lane Kiffin has handed out multiple Senior Bowl invites as a coach, Bryant’s, according to Kiffin, is different. 

“I got the invitation [Tuesday] in the mail and you know, we wanted to give it to him last night. I don’t even remember giving those out at the other places, I just think it was assumed we were going to have a bunch of guys go to it,” Kiffin said. “I’ve never had a kid come thank me for coaching him to the level where he gets to the Senior Bowl.”

Although Bryant has played against top college teams throughout his career, the senior tight end is excited to showcase his skills with the best of the best. 

“It’ll be cool to go out there and be able to compete against them,” Bryant said. “We play Ohio State and Oklahoma — they’re obviously really good teams with really good players — but now it’s the best at every position. It’ll be cool to matchup like that.”

Kevin Fielder is a contributing writer for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @TheKevinFielder.