Hifo was a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing both football and baseball. He played receiver, cornerback and punter and was considered a three-star athlete coming out of high school. He was recruited by BYU and Nevada but ultimately chose to join the Cougars because he was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His cousin, Sione Takitaki, also played for BYU and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2019.
As a freshman in 2016, Hifo struggled a bit, but the coaching staff didn’t give up on him. He eventually became a pivotal part of the BYU offense, playing slot receiver. They used him in a variety of ways, including lining him up in the backfield. Hifo even threw a touchdown pass in 2018 against Wisconsin in an upset victory. Versatility was a big part of his success with the Cougars.
Stats:
2016: 13 games played. 11 receptions for 58 yards. 21 kicks returned for 440 yards.
2017: 13 games played. 37 receptions for 437 yards and two touchdowns. One kick returned for 23 yards.
2018: 13 games played. 28 receptions for 358 yards and two touchdowns. 29 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Seven kicks returned for 135 yards. One punt return for 10 yards.
2019: 12 games played. 42 receptions for 483 yards and three touchdowns. 23 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns. 14 punt returns for 222 yards.
Combine/pro day results
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 183 pounds
Hands: 8.5″
Arms: 31″
40-yard dash: 4.41s
10-yard split: N/A
225-pound bench: N/A
Vertical: 37.5″
Broad Jump: 130″
20-yard shuttle: 4.14s
3-Cone Drill: 7.09s
Highlights & Film:
2016
Fit with the Chiefs:
Like a number of the undrafted free agents that Kansas City added following the 2020 NFL Draft, Hifo has experience as a punt returner and kick returner. We know the Chiefs are looking for someone to take over return specialist responsibilities from Mecole Hardman as he takes a larger role in the offense. Hifo averaged 11.3 yards per kick return and 15.5 yards per punt return during his career with the Cougars, but he never scored a touchdown.
In addition to being a talented return specialist, Hifo is the type of player that Chiefs HC Andy Reid can get creative with. At the college level, he was a jack-of-all-trades type of offensive weapon. He excels when you give him the ball in space. Plays like screen passes, jet sweeps, swing passes and quick outs are where Hifo makes his money.
Reid always has a need for gadget players and he knows how to develop them to get the most out of them. Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman are the only receivers from the Super Bowl LIV team under contract beyond the 2020 season. Hifo has as good of a chance as any of the undrafted free agent receivers to be the one that sticks.
Chiefs’ undrafted free agents
| Position | Player | School | Article Release Date |
| QB | Shea Patterson | Michigan | 5/26 |
| WR | Maurice Ffrench | Pittsburgh | 5/28 |
| LB | Bryan Wright | Cincinnati | 6/2 |
| OC | Darryl Williams | Miss. St. | 6/6 |
| CB | Hakeem Bailey | West Virginia | 6/8 |
| P | Tommy Townsend | Florida | 6/15 |
| WR | Kalija Lipscomb | Vanderbilt | 6/17 |
| DB | Rodney Clemons | SMU | 6/20 |
| OT | Yasir Durant | Missouri | 6/22 |
| DE | Tershawn Wharton | Missouri S&T | 6/24 |
| WR | Justice Shelton-Mosley | Vanderbilt | 6/29 |
| CB | Jalen Julius | Ole Miss | 7/1 |
| WR | Aleva Hifo | BYU | 7/6 |
| LB | Omari Cobb | Marshall | TBA |
| WR | Cody White | Michigan St. | TBA |
| CB | Lavert Hill | Michigan | TBA |
| WR | Andre Baccelia | Washington | TBA |
| OG | Jovahn Fair | Temple | TBA |
| CB | Javaris Davis | Auburn | TBA |
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