Former Hawaii defensive lineman Vaughn Meatoga leaves Wednesday night for what is considered the National Football League’s most important job fair.

Meatoga is the only Warrior invited to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. He is not scheduled to compete in skill drills until Monday, but he said he wanted to arrive early to get acclimated to the time change.

He will undergo medical tests and meet with representatives from NFL teams this weekend.

“I’m trying to keep my cool about this,” Meatoga said.

It is fortunate the speed, weightlifting and positional drills will be conducted under the roof of Lucas Oil Stadium. Temperatures are projected to dip into the 30s.

Meatoga drew praise in the practices leading to the East-West Shrine Game last month. The Sporting News reported that Meatoga was a “disruptive force the entire week” in drills. TSN also noted Meatoga has the “initial quickness, hand use and deceptive strength to be viewed as a potential starter as a 3-technique tackle.”

In a 4-3 alignment, the 3-technique tackle usually is aligned in the B gap between the guard and tackle.

Meatoga has been told he could play nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme. If he were to play the nose, Meatoga said, “I could get heavier.”

Meatoga, who is listed at 6 feet 1, weighed 299 pounds at the East-West game. He said he now weighs about 295.

Several of agent Michael Hoffman’s clients train at Athletes Performance’s facilities at the Home Depot Center, where UH will hold its pro day on March 5. But Meatoga said he wanted to train under Chad Ikei, who recently moved from Arizona to Hawaii Kai.

“My theory is I want my guys to train where they feel the most comfortable,” Hoffman said. “He has a great relationship with Chad Ikei. Chad is accomplished in what he does. Their relationship makes it a better situation for Vaughn. If Chad were somewhere else, Vaughn would go there.”

Ikei has round-the-clock supervision. He provides meals and an intensive training program for Meatoga and former UH linebacker Corey Paredes and defensive end Liko Satele.

Meatoga has worked on improving his quickness. At the East-West workouts, he was timed at 4.90 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Hoffman said scouts consider Meatoga to be a “an athletic and versatile player. He’s doing very well. I expect him to have a great showing at the combine.”