All-combine snub team

With the NFL Combine now one week away, big-name prospects throughout the country are getting ready to prove their worth and work out in front of team evaluators. But what about some of the top prospects who, for one reason or another, didn’t get an invite to the combine? Well, they’ll be forced to keep training right through combine week with their eyes set toward their individual pro days.

Today, the National Football Post takes a look at the top combine snubs of 2010.

QB Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee (6-3, 222)
Crompton’s stats aren’t gaudy, and he needs time to continue to develop, but he’s one of the few quarterbacks in this year’s draft class with an NFL-caliber skill set. I have no idea how guys like Riley Skinner and Thaddeus Lewis got invites over him, but Crompton is one of this year’s head scratchers.

QB Ryan Perrilloux, Jacksonville State (6-2, 218)
I know there are some character concerns with this guy, but when you watch him throw the football, you can’t help but be impressed. Plus, Perrilloux really seemed to be taking some positive steps as a senior and is as talented as any quarterback in this year’s class.

RB Dimitri Nance, Arizona State (5-10, 224)
He’s a thick, well-proportioned back who lacks ideal top-end speed but showcases good vision and balance at the line of scrimmage and knows how to pick his way through traffic.

RB Roy Upchurch, Alabama (6-0, 210)
It’s not often you’ll see me fighting for a third-string prospect, but when you see the talent Alabama has at running back, you’ll understand why. Upchurch isn’t an every-down type of runner, but he’s a tough, hard-nose kid who showcases good speed in the open field and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Looks like a guy capable of making an NFL roster.

RB LaMarcus Coker, Hampton (5-10, 205)
The Tennessee transfer has a troubled past and a list of character concerns a mile long, but there’s no denying his ability to run. He definitely would have been one of the fastest prospects at this year’s combine, and it would be interesting to see what kind of time he could log.

WR Freddie Barnes, Bowling Green (6-0, 212)
I know Barnes isn’t the fastest wideout, but you would think the NCAA’s all-time leader in single-season receptions would be good enough to get a combine invite, right?

TE Nathan Overbay, Eastern Washington (6-5, 262)
A productive pass-catcher who proved he has the ability to play with the big boys at this year’s East-West Shrine Game. Overbay needs to continue to improve his release off the line, but he’s one of the more intriguing mid/late-round tight end prospects in the class.

TE Steve Maneri, Temple (6-6, 275)
He’s not a prospect who’s going to wow anyone at his workouts, but if you watched this guy absolutely dominate at the point of attack as a blocker last season, you’d understand why I think he got the shaft.

OT Kevin Haslam, Rutgers (6-5, 304)
I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of Haslam, but the idea that guys like Sam Young, Thomas Welch or Cole Pemberton deserved an invite over him simply doesn’t make any sense.

OT Will Barker, Virginia (6-7, 317)
See Kevin Haslam.

DE Aaron Morgan, Louisiana-Monroe (6-4, 235)
He’s simply a natural football player who has the kind of upside to play all over a front seven. Morgan needs to continue to add bulk, but he was very effective on tape and has only begun to scratch the surface of his potential.

DT Nate Collins, Virginia (6-2, 279)
A former five-technique at Virginia who has taken to playing inside pretty quickly. He looks like an intriguing interior pass rusher who can create havoc and get up the field on third downs.

OLB Rico McCoy, Tennessee (6-0, 220)
He’s undersized and isn’t going to be on every team’s draft board, but McCoy can play in space, showcases good range in pursuit and is an ideal late-round Cover 2-type linebacker.

LB Ryan Stamper, Florida (6-2, 235)
Stamper doesn’t have the type of impressive measurables of most of the other big-time prospects on the Florida defense, but he looks like a guy who can get by on his instincts, leadership qualities and intangibles. He’s the kind of player everyone seems to rally around, and if I had to put money on it, I’d bet he also ran Florida’s defensive film sessions.

CB Rafael Priest, TCU (5-10, 182)
We know size/speed numbers often win out on draft day at the cornerback position. However, although he’s undersized, Priest showcases impressive footwork, balance and body control in coverage and is one prospect who might be overlooked because of his smaller frame. But I can definitely see him becoming a better pro than a lot of the size/speed corners who got combine invites.

CB Prince Miller, Georgia (5-8, 196)
See Rafael Priest.

CB Walter McFadden, Auburn (5-10, 176)
A savvy SEC cover man who possesses a nose for the ball and consistently seems to put himself in position to make plays in the pass game. He lacks ideal size but has the balance, footwork and instincts needed to play in the NFL.

Follow me on Twitter: WesBunting

Comments

Add a Comment