The University of British Columbia held its annual pro day for NFL and CFL scouts on Sunday, previewing what should be two of the fastest players at the upcoming CFL Combine in Edmonton.
Defensive back Benjamin Sangmuah ran a 4.44-second forty-yard dash, which would have tied for the second fastest time at last year’s Combine in Regina. Receiver Shemar McBean wasn’t far behind at 4.50 seconds, which would have ranked third.
Two scouts from the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks conducted the testing, while the B.C. Lions had three representatives in attendance. Video footage was collected, which will be sent to all NFL and CFL franchises. Pro day results are hand-timed, while official Combine testing utilizes electronic timing.
Sangmuah, who measured in at six-foot-one and 194 pounds, had the strongest day overall, posting a 37-inch vertical and 10-foot-nine-inch broad jump. He also ran a 4.28-second short shuttle, 7.01-second three-cone, and put up 13 reps of 225 pounds on the bench.
Born in Ghana, but raised in Scarborough, Ont., Sangmuah is viewed as a high-ceiling developmental prospect due to the fact that he only began playing football five years ago, shortly after his Grade 12 year. A four-year starter for the Thunderbirds, he has seen action at cornerback, free safety, and strong-side linebacker, amassing 162 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, 29 pass breakups, and five interceptions in 41 career games.
UBC reported that 13 different NFL teams sent scouts to visit the campus last year, primarily to assess Sangmuah.
McBean ran a 4.44-second short shuttle and a 7.17-second three-cone. The five-foot-11, 196-pound target also had a 36-inch vertical, nine-foot-seven-inch broad jump, and 12 reps on the bench press.
The native of Calgary, Alta., was a Canada West all-star last season and is considered to be among the best receivers in the 2026 CFL Draft class. In 41 career games for the T-Birds, he caught 158 passes for 2,477 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also returning 62 kickoffs for 1,292 yards and 47 punts for 556 yards with one major.
In total, eight players took part in testing and drills during the pro day. Offensive lineman Riley Scheffer, who has also received an invitation to the CFL Combine in two weeks, was the most notable of the remaining participants. He measured in at under six-foot-four and 284 pounds, putting up 19 reps on the bench with a 24.5-inch vertical and an eight-foot-three-inch broad jump.
Linebacker Chase Henning and receiver Gavin Owen performed select tests after competing at the Invitational Combine on March 6 in Waterloo, while running back K.P. Ayedegbe and receiver Jaden Phillips showcased themselves for the first and only time. Free agent quarterback Derek Engel also took part after going unselected in the 2025 CFL Draft.
Testing was conducted indoors on artificial turf at the Windsor Bubble in North Vancouver, while drills took place outside on the field of Windsor Secondary School. This was UBC’s third consecutive year conducting a pro day, but their first time doing so at a venue other than BC Place Stadium.
16 NFL teams were in attendance in 2024 to watch highly-touted offensive linemen Giovanni Manu and Theo Benedet work out. Manu was eventually drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, while Benedet signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent.
Five NFL teams returned in 2025 to watch a group that included running back Isaiah Knight, offensive lineman Arvin Hosseini, and quarterback Garrett Rooker. Previous pro days held by the school on campus in 2016 and 2019 attracted two and one NFL teams, respectively.
The CFL Combine is slated to run from Friday, March 27, until Sunday, March 29, in Edmonton, Alta. The 2026 CFL Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m. EST.
