Finding Broncos: 11 Offensive Prospects Snubbed from NFL Combine
There are 321 NFL Draft prospects invited to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, and while most of the draft picks will have been invited, each year, there are around 30 who were snubbed from the combine. The process for combine invites is an interesting one, and teams use the process strategically, which is how some snubs happen.
So, the process is a representative for each team to vote for prospects through an online portal. The first vote is in December, and they vote again in January after underclassmen declare. They go until they get about 320 prospects (321 this year and 319 in 2023). Some teams won't vote for a player even if they are high on them if they know other teams are lower on them. This helps lead to snubs.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, 35 total prospects were drafted without a combine invite and 10 of them were on the offense. The earliest was Chandler Zavala as the 114th overall pick, and six were all drafted in the seventh round. So, who are some prospects that can hear their name called despite not being invited to the combine? Let's take a look at 11 of them.
Taulia Tagovailoa | QB | Maryland
Carson Steele | RB | UCLA
Jabari Small | RB | Tennessee
Deshaun Fenwick | RB | Oregon State
Blake Watson | RB | Memphis
Casey Washington | WR | Illinois
Joshua Cephus | WR | UTSA
Doug Nester | OL | West Virginia
Darrian Dalcourt | OL | Alabama
Willis Patrick | OL | TCU
Sincere Haynesworth | OL | Tulane
With the Broncos' limited draft picks, can they afford to take a shot on someone they didn't get to see at the combine? A clear value is placed on the combine, and 224 out of the 259 players drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft were at the combine. Of course, a big reason for that is all of the top prospects going, but some snubs can have a significant impact as a rookie. Maybe the Broncos can find one.
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