The NFL has released its list of invitees to the official NFL Draft Combine to be held from February 24 – 29 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Three Texas Tech seniors, Le’Raven Clark, DeAndre Washington and Branden Jackson will all have the opportunity to impress NFL scouts at the game’s premier job interview.
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Clark’s inclusion is no surprise. The all-Big 12 offensive tackle and 4-year starter is a virtual guarantee to be drafted this year.
NFL scouts love Clark’s long arms, measured at 36 ¼ – inches long, which allow him to get his hands on pass rushers as soon as possible. Having played in the Texas Tech offense, Clark is a strong pass blocker, a skill that is more valuable than ever in the modern era of the pass-first NFL.
According to one anonymous NFC personnel director, Clark will be a star in the NFL.
"“He’s going to end up being big time in our league. He’s got elite foot quickness, he’s long and he’s smart. He’ll keep getting better once he gets to a pro offense and away from that stuff Texas Tech does and he’ll become one of the top five tackles in our league.” Link"
With a strong performance at the combine and at Texas Tech’s pro day, Clark could move into the first round of the draft. It is hard to imagine that he will last past round two since quality tackles are so important to NFL teams.
The second Texas Tech football player invited to Indianapolis is running back DeAndre Washington. As the first Red Raider to rush for 1,000 yards in the Air Raid era, the shifty back played his way into a combine invitation with a fantastic senior season.
Rushing for 1,492 yards to lead the Big 12 in 2015, Washington proved to be one of the most reliable and complete backs in the nation. His ability to run between the tackles and catch the ball out of the backfield are skills that translate perfectly to the NFL game.
One concern about Washington is his small stature but the role of running backs in the NFL has evolved into a running back by committee league and Washington could be a perfect change of pace back for a team needing a third down back.
Unlike Clark, Washington is not a lock to be drafted so a strong performance in Indianapolis is essential for the first-team all-Big 12 running back. The NFL has devalued running backs in recent years so Washington is looking like a mid to late round pick at the moment.
The third Texas Tech football player invited to the NFL Combine is a bit of surprise. Defensive end Branden Jackson will also be appearing in Indianapolis despite not putting up the type of stats that Washington did or having built a reputation on the level of Clark.
In his career at Texas Tech, Jackson amassed 138 tackles and 11 sacks. Those stats are lower than those of most players invited to the NFL Combine but the NFL scouts must see something in Jackson that could translate to the next level.
One attribute that helps Jackson is his size. At 6-foot-4 and 266-pounds, Jackson has the size that NFL teams look for in defensive ends.
"According to NFLcombine.net, “Participants are determined annually by a Selection Committee. The Directors of both National and BLESTO scouting services, which combined represent twenty-five NFL teams, are joined by members of various NFL player personnel departments to form the committee… ALL eligible players are reviewed and voted on by the committee members. Each athlete receiving the necessary number of votes, by position, is then extended an invitation.” Link"
Thus, Jackson’s invitation indicates that NFL scouts are intrigued by his potential and athletic ability despite the fact that he did not put up eye-popping statistics at Texas Tech. Jackson is another player that is not guaranteed to be drafted in April meaning that his performance at the combine is a huge opportunity.
One standout Texas Tech football player not invited to the combine is inside receiver Jakeem Grant. The program’s all-time leading receiver was left out of the combine despite being one of the most productive players in the nation.
Obviously, Grant’s small stature (5-foot-6) works against him in the eyes of NFL personnel. Also, Grant has struggled with drops throughout his career, which worries NFL scouts.
But Grant is an explosive player that can be a nightmare matchup in the slot and is a lethal kickoff returner making one believe that he has a place in the NFL. Grant will have to prove his ability to play on Sundays when Texas Tech has its pro day when scouts come to Lubbock to see the Texas Tech football players not appearing in Indianapolis.
2016 is the first time Texas Tech has had any players at the NFL combine since tight end Jace Amaro participated in 2014. The NFL network broadcasts the combine live so Texas Tech fans will have the opportunity to watch Clark, Jackson and Washington perform (if you enjoy watching players go through boring football drills).
Keep checking in with Wreck ‘Em Red for the latest news on all Texas Tech football players trying to take the next step to the NFL.