NFL Combine snubs: Championship standouts and postseason MVPs left out originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The NFL Combine invite list feels like a stamp of approval, but it is not the whole story.
There is always another list. The names that did not make it. The ones agents screenshot and ones players remember. This year, that list starts in Bloomington.
Indiana’s national championship roster sent plenty of players to across the state to Indianapolis. But four Hoosiers were left waiting: running back Kaelon Black, edge rusher Mikail Kamara, defensive lineman Stephen Daley and offensive lineman Kahlil Benson.
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Black rushed for 1,000 yards in a rotational role and earned a Senior Bowl invite. Still no Indy call.
Kamara posted a 10 sack season and had four tackles in the national championship game. He may not look like the prototype. But, like his coach Curt Cignetti, he wins. That was not enough.
Daley brought toughness defensively until a fluke celebration injury shut him down. Benson handled his work along the offensive line. Championship tape matters until it does not.
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Indiana was not alone.
Boston College receiver Lewis Bond competed at the Senior Bowl. Cincinnati’s Cyrus Allen caught 13 touchdowns. John Carroll’s Tyren Montgomery made the small school case. Arizona State tight end Chamon Metayer produced consistently in a Power Four offense. All are staying home.
Oklahoma running back Jaydn Ott was once one of the most talked about transfers in the country. Injuries slowed the former Cal Bear, and so did his draft momentum. Wyoming lineman Caden Barnett and Penn State tackle Nolan Rucci saw postseason exposure without an Indianapolis follow up.
Then there is the quarterback room.
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Missouri State’s Jacob Clark won American Bowl MVP. Northwestern’s Preston Stone earned Hula Bowl MVP honors. Louisville’s Miller Moss, Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones and Iowa’s Mark Gronowski all showed up in January. Tulane’s Jake Retzlaff guided one of the most efficient Group of Five offenses in the country. None are going to Indy.
Quarterback spots are limited. Teams bet on projection. One strong week rarely changes that.
Defensively, Illinois lineman James Thompson Jr., New Mexico edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby and Texas Tech safety Cole Wisniewski all flashed enough to land on draft boards. Still no invite.
That said, the work does not stop. Pro days and private workouts are coming. And every year, at least one name from this shadow list hears his name called in April.
Indianapolis won’t be the final stop for scouts.
