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Why getting snubbed from Combine doesn't mean NFL dream has to end
On Thursday, the NFL released a complete list of participants for this year's NFL Scouting Combine, which will be held from Feb. 23 to Feb. 29. A total of 332 prospects made the cut and will showcase their talents for scouts later this month in Indianapolis.
Among those 332 are some of the top collegiate players from a year ago, including Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Joey Bosa and Laremy Tunsil. But what about the hundreds of prospects that didn't receive an invite?
A few names that stick out in that regard are Navy's Keenan Reynolds, Alabama quarterback Jake Coker and TCU running back Aaron Green. While those three are joined by hundreds of other prospects who won't be in Indianapolis, their hopes of playing in the NFL are far from shattered.
Participating in the Combine is undoubtedly a key part of the draft process and typically helps a prospect's stock more than it hurts it, but it's not the only factor. The Senior Bowl, which took place a few weeks ago, also plays a big role.
Pro Days, although they aren't weighed as heavily as Combine workouts, are another way for players to show off their skills and prove why they're worth a team's draft pick.
And evidence shows that getting the invite doesn't guarantee anything as far as the NFL Draft goes. According to draft analyst Dane Brugler of CBS, 108 Combine participants went undrafted last year.
By the same token, 41 prospects who didn't attend the Combine in 2015 were drafted.
Just last year, Georgia center David Andrews was a Combine "snub." He wound up going undrafted and signed as a free agent with the New England Patriots. This past season, he started 11 games, snapping the ball to Tom Brady.
That's just one of the many success stories. Does Wes Welker's name ring a bell? Or what about Antonio Gates? Neither player was invited to the Combine, yet they've gone on to make a combined 13 Pro Bowls.
Welker, an undersized wide receiver out of Texas Tech, went undrafted in 2004. It took him a while to find a role in the NFL, but upon doing so, he took off. When he decides to hang up his cleats, he'll go down as one of the best slot receivers to play the game.
Gates missed out for a very different reason. After playing basketball for his entire collegiate career at Kent State, he transitioned to the NFL after hosting a workout for scouts. Still, he wasn't drafted in 2003, but there are 31 teams that wish they would have taken a chance on the three-time All-Pro.
Six years later, another guy out of Kent State threw his name into the ring for the 2009 draft despite being a non-invitee. Julian Edelman, a quarterback at the time, was scooped up by the Patriots with the 232nd overall pick and moved to wide receiver. Since then, he's helped bring a Lombardi Trophy to New England.
In addition to Welker, Gates and Edelman, there are numerous other players that have had similar success. Jeremiah Ratliff, Victor Cruz, James Harrison and Osi Umenyiora combined to make 12 Pro Bowls and win five Super Bowls despite none of them stepping foot at the Combine.
So to Reynolds, Coker and the rest of the NFL hopefuls who got snubbed: the dream isn't over yet. There is still plenty of time to impress scouts.
