No Gophers invited to NFL Combine

[Go Gophers Rah]

Here is an article about those players (and teams) omitted from participation in the NFL combine: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=rivals-275506&prov=rivals&type=lgns

I'm not terribly surprised that WVdS didn't get an invite to the combine. I was surprised to read, however, that:

"Every “Big Six” member school had at least one invitee except Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas and Minnesota."

I've never heard the term "Big Six" but I'm presuming it means BCS conferences. That means that some of the following teams have players attending: Washington (0-12), Washington State (2-11), Indiana (3-9) and Syracuse (3-9) - while we don't have any.

For those who didn't really buy into the "Mason left the cupboard empty" arguement (to some degree I was one of them), this should illustrate that we had one of the four weakest senior classes in major college football this year. My guess is that in three and four years out several of Brewsters big recruits will be showing the scouts their stock at the combine.

 

[dpodoll68]

Honestly, I'm beyond shocked that neither VDS nor Jack Simmons were invited.

 

[50PoundHead]

I'm a bit surprised VandeSteeg didn't get invited. He's been below the radar on most of the draft sites, but I think the guy is going to be playing on Sundays next year.

And so true on the Mason observation.

 

[gopher7]

A bigger reason is that we had only 11 scholarship seniors this year. Keep in mind that a couple players from the class of 2004 that are doing okay are Dom Barber and Gary Russell. Had they redshirted and stayed 4 years, they would've been seniors as well.

But overall, yeah, the 2004 class was not good. Here is a list of guys who didn't even make it to their senior year:

Brody Grandas
Nhemi Theodore
Jason Giannini
Hussain Shakir
Johnny Sampy
Sam Scroggins
David Wess
Andre Sloan El
Leland Jones
Everette Pedescleaux
Tommy Leavitt
John Carlson

 

[50PoundHead]

Thanks for pointing that out gopher7. I believe Sloan El and Jones were actually two of the more highly-recruited guys in that class. With you on Barber and Russell, but with any kind of junior season, Russell would have gone pro.

The question on Mason, and I believe the one on which Maturi based his decision, is whether or not recruiting was going to get any better. It seemed to be on a downward trend and it's clear Maturi thought things weren't going to get better. Whether or not he was right remains to be seen, but I do think a change was in order. We'll just have to wait to see if Brewster is the right guy. Love what I've seen in recruiting thus far.

 

[PlayHosea]

I'm a bit surprised VandeSteeg didn't get invited. He's been below the radar on most of the draft sites, but I think the guy is going to be playing on Sundays next year.

And so true on the Mason observation.

I don't know if he'll get drafted or not, but it's so hard for teams to find a passrusher that he'll make an NFL roster.

 

[calminnfan]

Honestly, I'm beyond shocked that neither VDS nor Jack Simmons were invited.

Kind or surprising, but it does give their agents a little more work to do in order to get teams to notice them.

If they are drafted, it will be late 5th round or later. At that time, from what I understand, it is better to not get drafted and go UDFA then to get drafted.

 

[KD6-3.7]

i have heard big six refer to part of the big twelve--as this wikipage states the members are all part of the big 12 north, so maybe minnesota was a typo as the other three teams are in the big 12 north.

i'm assuming that maclin and harrell got invited, so it wouldn't seem to be that minnesota was mistaken for missouri.

EDIT: i know it says big eight, but the big six was:

"The larger state schools of Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma remained together as the MVIAA, which became known informally to fans and the media as the Big Six Conference"
as it states above in the article.

 

[lawrence21]

You did not honestly expect Willie to be invited to the combine did you? Outside of Minnesota or maybe some Big Ten Fans no one in the country has heard of him, he had a decent little career but in no way did he ever have a shot at the NFL. He does not have the skills in any way shape or form.

 

[EG#9]

I was surprised Willie VanDeSteeg wasn't invited to the combine and was going to post about it last week. Willie had 2 very good years in the Big Ten which is usually enough to get an invite to the combine. Willie is going to have to run and lift well at the Gophers Pro Day to be drafted, but he does have a shot to be drafted if he accomplishes that. It will also be interesting to see if the 3-4 teams want him to do linebacker position drills at the Pro Day and how he performs in those will obviously be crucial.

Everette Pedescleaux has been mentioned as a sleeper NFL prospect on a number of draft sites and made quite a few plays for UNI during his career.

 

[wiscbearsfan17]

Question,

Is the John Carlson mentioned above the same one who played at Notre Dame or a different John Carlson? Just wondering.

 

[gopherguy05]

Question,

Is the John Carlson mentioned above the same one who played at Notre Dame or a different John Carlson? Just wondering.

Different. That one is allready in the NFL with Seattle. This was was a high school qb turned linebacker turned fullback who dropped out of the U completely....

 

[Costa Rican Gopher]

SHOCKED that VanDeSteeg wasn't invited, surprised Simmons wasn't. Both have pro talent.

 

[WAGopher]

Does Brewster have any influence with the people that select who gets invited to the combine? I remember last year Tubby lobbied for a couple Gophers to go to the NBA camp and was wondering if Brewster could do the same for his players.