Snubs ready to prove they belong in Combine

[Tribal Warfare]

Snubs ready to prove they belong in Combine

By Chad Reuter
NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst
Feb. 2, 2011Tell Chad your opinion!

National Football Scouting, the agency working with NFL teams to compile information on pro prospects all across the country, recently published the final list of 300-plus invitees to the National Invitation Camp, more widely known as the Scouting Combine.

The event, which runs from February 23 to March 1, brings together scouts, general managers, team doctors and administrative personnel from all 32 teams to Indianapolis for a week of interviews, medical checks and player workouts.

NFS invites typically wind up going to most of the 250-plus prospects who will be drafted by teams in April's draft -- the total number of draft picks is yet to be determined because the total numbers of supplemental choices is not known. However, historically 40 or so players not invited to the Combine will be drafted between the fourth and seventh round (with an occasional second- or third-round pick).

It's a tough job to project every player that will be ultimately be drafted, but a handful of players almost always end up on the outside.

NFL teams vote on who NFS brings to the Combine before All-Star games occur, which sometimes can mean rising stars who impressed in the postseason won't make the cutoff before impressing scouts at the East-West Shrine or NFLPA Game.

This year, the final list left off 11 players deserving of a chance to show they belong on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf:

Tim Barnes, C, Missouri -- The first-team All-Big 12 pick was excellent in pass protection despite playing with wide splits, and has the toughness in the run game to start as a rookie.

Josh Bynes, ILB, Auburn -- A versatile and active linebacker who played for a BCS champion, Bynes won't be a top-100 pick but should have been included in the linebacker group.

David Carter, DT, UCLA -- His Shrine Game week boosted his stock, and this year's defensive tackle group is deep. That might make it unfair to include him, but he showed flashes during his senior year and easily rates as one of the top 330 players in this class.

Derek Hall, OT, Stanford -- The less-hyped tackle on the line protecting Andrew Luck is a potential starter but lacks the size or athleticism to wow scouts enough to get on the invite list.

Korey Lindsey, CB, Southern Illinois -- He and Ryan Jones from Northwest Missouri State are two probable draftees because of their quick feet and production..

Mike McNeill, TE, Nebraska -- One of the most underutilized offensive weapons in the country, McNeill's size (6-4, 232) doesn't give him a chance as a blocker but the Indianapolis Colts and other teams using receiving tight ends will certainly look at him in the mid-rounds.

Thomas Keiser, OLB, Stanford -- One of the more surprising early entrants, Keiser could have used another year in strength and conditioning before heading to the NFL. But the honorable-mention All-Pac-10 could have used a Combine workout to show 3-4 teams if he is fluid enough in space or quick enough as a pass rusher to earn fourth-round consideration.

Jake Kirkpatrick, C, TCU -- The 2010 Rimington Trophy winner is a sturdy, durable pivot man; maybe teams already know what they're getting with him, so they didn't feel it necessary to bring him to Indy over other lower-rated centers.

Mitch Mustain, QB, Southern Cal -- Mustain did not receive many opportunities to play after transferring to Southern Cal from Arkansas, but teams could have used the Combine to evaluate whether he could be the next Matt Cassel. His physical tools intrigue scouts more than two or three other signal callers getting the call.

Weslye Saunders, TE, South Carolina -- Saunders' inability to stay on the field due to suspensions will be a major roadblock to his NFL career. But teams should have a chance to talk with him about his past, as well as getting a chance to see him work out, a key element in deciding whether he is worth taking a chance on later in the draft.

Andre Smith, TE, Virginia Tech -- An excellent blocker, the 6-5, 269-pound Smith may not have lit the field on fire in Indianapolis with his speed -- but he could have surprised scouts if given the opportunity to do so.