Wyoming’s Gyllenborg Builds Confidence Heading Into NFL Draft
- Jeff Bugher
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
LEAWOOD, Kan. - For University of Wyoming tight end John Michael Gyllenborg, his football career has been nothing short of a whirlwind. He played only 3.5 football games in high school...no big camps, no big recruiting stars.
Just days removed from hearing his name potentially called in the NFL Draft, Gyllenborg spoke with PokesNews.com on his pre-draft journey that began quickly after his final snap in a Wyoming uniform against Hawaii last November.
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“I went down to Proactive Sports Performance in Thousand Oaks, California, after the season,” Gyllenborg said.
“I was in LA up until the combine. I loved it out there. It was great. It's literally sunny every single day and 60 degrees out…So I can't complain about that,” Gyllenborg said with a smile.
The experience was made possible through his agent, Tommy Condon, of CAA Sports. CAA Sports also represents Wyoming alumnus Josh Allen.
Initially, Gyllenborg received an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl, which is a major event for any NFL draft prospect seeking exposure to NFL scouts. However, the Panini Senior Bowl also sent an invitation to the biggest showcase for any prospect.
From California, the next step was the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. For a player coming from Wyoming, it was also a measuring stick.
“It was really good for me because I just think naturally being at Wyoming or a smaller school, like I'm not playing against the big dogs, the SEC players every weekend,” he said. “How am I going to fare against these guys in the Senior Bowl?”
The answer came quickly as workouts began in Mobile, Alabama.
“I came out of the Senior Bowl with a ton of confidence,” Gyllenborg said. “I felt like I fit in, I belong, and I can play with these guys.”
From Mobile to Indianapolis, Gyllenborg’s draft stock continued to rise as he became the lone Wyoming representative at the NFL Combine.
“That was a sweet experience,” he said. “What people don't see on TV is that we get there on Monday, and the actual combine is on Friday. So it's four full days of interviews and medical evaluations.”
It was demanding, but also something he wanted to take in, as he won’t ever be at the combine again.
“It’s one of those experiences that while you're in it… this is the only time in my life I'm ever going to do something like this,” Gyllenborg said. “You kind of take a step back and you're grateful for it all.”
Grateful is an understatement. John Michael Gylleborg performed so well at the NFL Combine that he was selected for the All-Combine Team by NFL.com
which highlights the top draft prospects based on all-around performance.
That gratitude has been a constant theme throughout his football journey, especially considering how unlikely this moment once seemed.
“If you had told me at some point in high school like that, I was going to be at the combine, I obviously would have thought, ' What are you talking about? I don't even play football,” he said.
The message he brought back to Laramie when he returned for UW NFL Pro Day in March was very important.
“I would just say to anyone… that there really isn't that much of a difference between the big school guys and the non-P4 guys,” he said. “They might be bigger or faster or whatever, but if you play hard and physical, that stuff is noticed.”
In fact, some of his toughest competition came from his own teammates.
“I'll just say having to block Brayden Johnson, it still feels worse than anything I felt at the Senior Bowl for sure,” Gyllenborg said.
As the draft continues tonight and into Saturday, Gyllenborg is doing his best to stay grounded while those around him celebrate the moment. He’s been at his childhood home in Leawood, Kansas, for the last week.
“I've been off social media for the most part to kind of not have all the distractions and ups and downs,” he said. “But I know a lot of my friends and family… they're so excited for all this. I'm trying to embrace that.”
No matter how the weekend unfolds, Gyllenborg is ready for whatever comes his way.
“I feel like I have a good mindset with everything that could happen, whether I get drafted or not,” Gyllenborg said. “I'm pretty confident I'm going to end up somewhere good, and I think that's worth celebrating no matter what.”
Interest from NFL teams has been widespread, as Gyllenborg has met with all 32 teams in some capacity, with a lot of Zoom meetings following the combine and the Senior Bowl. He also had participated in a local pro day with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos.
“At this point, I could say it could literally be any team,” he said. “I have no idea who it could be. So that is certainly exciting.”
Regardless of whether he hears his name called or he signs shortly after, Gyllenborg just wants to go where he’s wanted.
“Hopefully… I just go to a team that wants me,” he said. “I think by the nature of how the draft is… I’ll end up at a place that wants me.”
“We're pretty confident that it's going to be sometime day three,” he said. “But if I don't get drafted… there's nothing that can surprise me. I'm ready for anything.”
Gyllenborg knows he’s done all the work, shown the scouts what he can do, and answered all the NFL interview questions he can. He decided to use a phrase from retired University of Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl:
“At this point, I can officially pretty much say that the hay's in the barn.”
Gyllenborg hasn’t forgotten where it all started. His favorite memory in brown and gold still stands, and it hasn’t changed over the years.
“It's still definitely the Texas Tech and that season going 9-3,” he said.
Gyllenborg’s message to the best fans in the Mountain West Conference?
“I would say that I'm grateful for them embracing our squad,” Gyllenborg said. “Just knowing that we have the best fans in the conference every year, packing the war, no matter what… it certainly always makes the players excited.”
He paused before adding a very important observation…
“I just know that a lot of schools certainly did not have that privilege to have a fan base as passionate as Wyoming,” he said. “So super thankful and grateful for them.”
NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein predicts that John Michael Gyllenborg will be drafted in the 7th round of the NFL draft.
About the Author:
Jeff Bugher is a third-generation Wyomingite living in Casper. He is a sportswriter and Wyoming Cowboys/Cowgirls enthusiast who is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA ) and the National Sports Media Association (NSMA). Jeff's work has been cited by Sports Illustrated, one of the world's leading sports publications.
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