The Nebraska football team has a total of four invitees to the 2020 NFL Combine . It turns out, all four are former Blackshirts.
Defensive linemen Darrion Daniels, Carlos Davis, and Khalil Davis and defensive back Lamar Jackson all got the call from the NFL, as the league issued its official list of combine participants from around the college football world. In total, 337 received invitations for the event, which takes place from February 23 to March 2.
Nebraska is hoping that one of the four players attending the combine will restart a streak that had been going on for decades. The Cornhuskers had at least one player taken in the draft for years, but that streak ended in 2019.
Having players invited to the event doesn’t guarantee any of the group will be chosen. However, it does hint at a better chance of a selection. The Omaha World-Herald pointed out just one Cornhusker got an invite a year ago — wide receiver Stanley Morgan. While he didn’t end up getting drafted, he did sign as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals and first joined their practice squad, and later their active roster.
Two years ago, five Nebraska football players got the call to the NFL Combine, though only one was selected. In the seventh round of that year’s draft, quarterback Tanner Lee was taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This time around, both Daniels and Jackson are said to have some positive draft prospects. Daniels was impressing scouts during practices for, and in the Senior Bowl a few weeks back.
Jackson is said to have the best shot of the bunch of getting chosen early in the draft. A recent NFL.com mock draft has the Husker defensive back getting picked in the third round by the Atlanta Falcons.
Nebraska’s four invitees have them officially tied for sixth with Minnesota and Wisconsin in the Big Ten for the number of players with offers to attend the combine. Ohio State and Michigan are tied at the top of the conference with 11 players invited each. Michigan State, despite an overall disappointing 2019, has seven invitees.
Penn State and Iowa are tied with five. Maryland (three) and Purdue (two) are the only other teams in the Big Ten with multiple 2020 NFL Combine invites. Indiana has one player, offensive lineman Simon Stepaniak going. Northwestern, Illinois, and Rutgers were all shut out of the event.
After the combine, the Cornhuskers and their fans will have to wait until the NFL Draft starts on Thursday, April 23, to see if any players are taken.