The NFL Combine is right around the corner and only 323 players are invited to participate this year but the following are a handful of players that were omitted from the list for one reason or another. They are literally NFL Combine Snubs but regardless of their participation in Indianapolis, these are players that will find a way into the league and a group of guys that certainly deserve the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of the nation.

1. LB Junior Sylvestre, Toledo – Sylvestre brings the speed of a defensive back to the linebacker position and even though he is undersized, he plays much bigger than his triangle numbers would indicate. This feels likely blatant MACtion hate in full effect and regardless of this snub, Sylvestre is the type of player that will eventually find a home as as a weakside linebacker in an even front somewhere in the NFL because of his terrific blend of athleticism and football intelligence. More than anything, it is heartbreaking not to see him workout considering how well he would have tested.

2. WR Deontay Greenberry, Houston – The junior wide receiver had a down season statistically but still caught 72 passes for 841 yards and eight touchdowns. He is more than likely suffering from moving outside, where last year he played as a slot receiver and had 82 receptions for 1,202 yards with 11 touchdowns in the Cougars offense. Greenberry is still a draftable option and played extremely well in Houston’s bowl game against Pittsburgh, where he scored two touchdowns and caught a crucial two point conversion in the team’s one point victory.

3. OG Shaq Mason, Georgia Tech – Shocker that Mason wasn’t invited, not only after what kind of season Georgia Tech had last year but also considering how quickly he gets out of his stance and into the second level of a defense. The Yellow Jacket lineman was a big part of Paul Johnson’s triple option attack and a lot of talent evaluators like him even more at center with his squat frame, excellent balance and foot quickness. Mason deserves to get drafted somewhere on the third day but he is what he is and there just might not be a need for another look at this point.

4. WR Austin Hill, Arizona – Hill is a stud level talent that was on his way to a stellar career at Arizona but an ACL injury before his junior season set him back and he has yet to to regain the stellar form he was in as a super sophomore. Hill was able to rehab and also had a solid showing at the East-West Shrine Game but his medical alarm bells are probably shying teams away. Hill has the potential to be an X receiver on the outside with his ideal size, after the catch ability and consistent hands. He will at least be two full years removed from the injury to start his rookie season.

5. S Nick Perry, Alabama – Perry was a leader for the Tide this year and posted his best season with 80 tackles (51 solo) and although he only intercepted two passes, the redshirt senior made those picks on the big stage. One was vs Mississippi State against Dak Prescott that resulted in Perry garnering SEC Defender of the week honors and the other coming late against Auburn, he snagged an errant Nick Marshall pass and returned it for yardage. Perry missed last season with a shoulder injury but outside of that, he doesn’t have any red flags.

6. RB Malcolm Agnew, Southern Illinois – The former Oregon State recruit has the suddenness and explosion NFL teams want from the runningback position and he looked like the best runningback at the NFLPA Collegiate Game this offseason. Agnew has the receiving skills needed to make a difference as a satellite player and he has NFL bloodlines (Ray Agnew) but his lack of ideal height [5’8⅞“] must have deterred evaluators from wanting a closer look. He is a player that needed to test well to prove some of the doubters wrong but that will apparently have to occur at his pro day.

7. DE Brock Hekking, Nevada – The most devastating mullet in all of college football doesn’t even get any airplay on the NFL Network next week? Hekking is not a plus athlete and more than likely wouldn’t have tested that well but he finds ways to get into the backfield, has a variety of rush moves and plays with a high motor. He has some upside in the right system, likely a blitz package specialist, but he clearly regressed as a senior and apparently crushed his chances of working out in front of scouts in Indianapolis.

8. WR Kasen Williams, Washington – A lisfranc bone fracture suffered as a junior derailed Kasen Williams’ collegiate career, as he has been sapped of his explosion and strength in his lower half. His health is a huge question mark and that is probably the reason why teams aren’t as interested to get his medical evals in Indianapolis, but the fact that he did not stand out at the Shrine Game certainly doesn’t help either. It is a shame because Williams is an impressive athlete who was a two-time state champion in the triple jump, as well as the high jump and could test extremely well.

9. QB Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion – The Monarchs’ passer has enjoyed a storied collegiate career, as he won the Walter Payton Award as a sophomore and was a huge reason Old Dominion is now a Conference USA football team instead of the FCS program that he entered. Heiniche is a mobile passer with the ability to process information quickly and create things out of broken plays. He once threw for 730 yards in a game and is more than worthy of a look, at least as a combine arm for workouts if not as an invitee.

10. OT Mickey Baucus, Arizona – Baucus has started four consecutive years [50+ games] at tackle for a high powered offense and has the prototypical left tackle build at 6’7½” with 32⅞” arms and an 81½“wingspan. He has blocked for an NCAA leading rusher in Ka’deem Carey but also showed up at the Shrine Game and acquitted himself well at the All-Star event this off-season. While Baucus has late round potential only, he will find a spot in the league and will prove his name not being on the invitee list to be a glaring omission in time.

Honorable Mentions…

• LB James Vaughters, Stanford
• S Robenson Therezie, Auburn
• LB Jeff Luc, Cincinnati
• CB Cody Riggs, Notre Dame
• LB Zach Vigil, Nevada
• LB AJ Tarpley, Stanford
• DE Deion Barnes, Penn State
• RB Terrell Watson, Azusa Pacific
• S Erick Dargan, Oregon
• QB/WR Devin Gardner, Michigan