FCS at NFL Combine: Really Small School Prospects Think Big

The NFL Scouting Mix offers an vital alternative for a small group of former FCS faculty soccer standouts to show heads alongside the usually better-known gamers from the FBS.

In some ways, although, the 32 NFL groups and 300-plus personnel who will probably be readily available have already got a way of what to anticipate with gamers from premier FCS packages, reminiscent of offensive linemen Garret Greenfield and Mason McCormick and operating again Isaiah Davis arriving off profitable back-to-back nationwide championships at South Dakota State, and middle Jalen Sundell giving North Dakota State a consultant on the Mix for a seventh consecutive season.

The NFL Mix, to be held from Feb. 26 to March 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, could carry much more significance for prospects from the smaller colleges of the small faculty stage, reminiscent of outdoors linebacker Jalyx Hunt from Houston Christian through Cornell, and large offensive lineman Anim Dankwah from Howard. They have been two of the 15-member FCS contingent amongst 321 gamers invited for this yr’s showcase, the place prospects will undergo measurements and medical examinations, psychological testing, crew interviews, and on-field exercises.

Dylan Laube. Garret Greenfield, Isaiah Davis and South Dakota State. Jalen Coker. And extra.

FCS gamers with rising NFL inventory following the main all-star video games.https://t.co/fONzcDzlVc

— FCS Soccer (@FCS_STATS) February 5, 2024

Hunt has emerged from below the radar, one in every of simply 4 FCS gamers to earn an invite to the current Reese’s Senior Bowl, which is taken into account the premier faculty all-star recreation. The 6-foot-3½ former security at Cornell bulked up over two seasons at HCU, rising right into a 250-pound edge rusher with a excessive soccer IQ and tantalizing instruments. He tied for the Southland Convention excessive in tackles for loss as a junior and was second in sacks this previous season.

HCU’s program accomplished simply its tenth FCS season this previous yr, nevertheless it’s begun to supply NFL expertise, together with New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe within the 2022 NFL draft.

“I do know it’s positively a query from folks – oh, you play FCS ball. So the chip (on the shoulder) is massive, the chip is there,” Hunt instructed The BlueBloods throughout Senior Bowl week.

HCU’s Jalyx Hunt, forcing a fumble, was named the 2023 Southland Convention defensive participant of the yr. (HCU Athletics)

“Some issues I want to enhance on are actually simply getting used to the velocity of the sport,” Hunt added. “On the FCS stage, you don’t at all times cope with the most effective expertise. Coming right here and coping with the most effective of the most effective coming from what I used to be coming from is a large distinction. Simply must get used to the velocity. The physicality is there. The technical potential can be one thing I must work on.”

Physicality figures to be there with Dankwah. At 6-7, 362, he measured in as the most important prospect on the East-West Shrine Recreation. The native of Ghana prepped at a Canada personal highschool, then blossomed at Howard, the place he developed his expertise – using a wing span over 87 inches – because the Bison received consecutive MEAC championships.

Howard hasn’t had an NFL Draft decide since in 2006 with security Antoine Bethea, who grew to become a three-time Professional Bowler.

anin-dankwah-howard-nfl-combine — Howard offensive deal with Anim Dankwah was named to the All-MEAC first crew in each 2022 and ’23 (David Sierra/Howard Athletics)

Dankwah was thought-about to have had a subpar Shrine Bowl week, the place he instructed HBCU Gameday, “The NFL is filled with plenty of gifted folks, however plenty of sensible folks – lots of people who’re college students of the sport. And I imagine the best way that I like to review the sport, and the best way that I’m keen to study, is certainly one thing that’s going to translate over.”