UNLV’s Davis, Boyko nurse injuries in run-up to NFL Draft combine

Wide receiver Devante Davis hoped to compete in the Senior Bowl, but a hamstring injury ended such thoughts.

An injured elbow ended offensive lineman Brett Boyko’s chances of playing in the East-West Shrine Game.

Both former UNLV standouts, however, believe they will be healthy when the important NFL scouting combine rolls around next month.

Both were invited to the combine Feb. 17 to 23 in Indianapolis. The invitation means they have a good chance to be selected in the NFL Draft this spring, though being taken is no guarantee. How they do in Indy will affect if Davis and Boyko are taken in the draft, and they also will get a shot to impress scouts at UNLV’s pro day in March.

Davis is more likely to get drafted, though he might not go until the late rounds.

Both players have to raise their profiles while at the same time try to get past injuries. For Davis (6 feet 3 inches, 220 pounds), that means healing from a left hamstring injury he suffered at last week’s Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala.

“It gets better daily,” Davis said. “I’m able to jog and cut a little bit better than when I first hurt it.”

He is training at EXOS, formerly Athletes’ Performance, in Carlsbad, Calif. Davis goes through 12-hour days that include two outside workouts and one in the weight room. He also is taught how to handle team and media interviews.

One of Davis’ aims is to get his 40-yard dash below 4.53 seconds at the combine, and he’d love to run in the 4.4s.

“I’m excited for the combine to go out and show that I can run, I can change direction, I can catch the ball well,” Davis said. EXOS has “helped me prepare well for that.”

Davis is one of UNLV’s top receivers of all time. He finished his career second in receiving yards with 2,785 and fourth in catches with 186. He could have finished higher in both categories, but a right wrist injury last season sidelined Davis for five games.

Boyko (6-7, 310) had his left elbow injured in the season’s final game by UNR defensive tackle Rykeem Yates, who was ejected by the officials. At the time, Boyko called it “the cheapest play I’ve ever seen.”

The injury has hung over him, and it caused Boyko to miss the East-West game, which was Jan. 17 in St. Petersburg, Fla. He said not playing in the game has sped his recovery, and Boyko is close to being healed.

He is training in Davie, Fla., at Bommarito Performance Systems.

“My health right now is the No. 1 thing I’ve got to take care of,” Boyko said. “By me not putting myself in a jeopardizing position (in the East-West game), I think it’s given me the best advantage to enter the combine healthy. (The elbow has) continued to get better every day, and that’s since I got out here (Dec. 28). They’re doing a great job of really focusing on it and getting it healthy and obviously trying to get strength back as well.”

Boyko was a four-year starter at UNLV, playing left tackle until switching to guard for the final five games last season. He said he would be willing to play any position in the NFL.

In allowing just one sack last season, Boyko made second-team All-Mountain West for the second year in a row.

If he doesn’t hook on with an NFL club, Boyko could try the Canadian Football League. He was rated in December as that league’s top prospect by the CFL Scouting Bureau, but the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native is focused on making an NFL roster.

“That’s the No. 1 goal,” Boyko said. “If that doesn’t work out, yeah, I would go back and play for the CFL. But I’m shooting for the NFL 110 percent.”

■ NOTE — UNLV season tickets go on sale Monday. Those interested in buying tickets can go to unlvtickets.com or call 702-739-3267. Also, the Rebels officially announced the addition of Idaho State to the home schedule on Sept. 26.

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.