Husker_Power
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Pro day is only chance for some ex-Huskers
LINCOLN — The way Matt Slauson sees it, you don't go to a party when you're not invited, so you'd better find the next best place to be.
Of the 20 seniors who just finished their final season of Nebraska football, only Zach Potter currently has an invitation to the NFL Combine. And only Potter, as of now, is scheduled to play in a postseason all-star game.
The majority with aspirations of pro football will report to NU strength and conditioning coach James Dobson on Monday and start trying to beat the odds in front of them.
Slauson can't wait.
"Of course it would be a boost to get invited to the combine or a boost to play in the Senior Bowl or Shrine Game or Texas vs. The Nation," Slauson said. "But the single most important thing is your game film. That shows what kind of player you are, shows the coaches at the next level what you can do in game-time situations.
"If I don't get invited to those sort of things that's all right, because I know I put together a pretty good year and I'm confident in James to get me ready for the pro day."
More Huskers than usual are expected to stay in Lincoln to work with Dobson, rather than report to training centers advised or recommended by agents. Dobson said Thursday he is expecting a half-dozen to a dozen and that the program will be geared toward preparing them for testing at the combine or NU's pro day in March.
"Stuff sneaks up on you pretty quick," Potter said. "Going from your senior year to the NFL, it's a time where you really don't get a break. You just have to keep going and going."
Most can't afford to take a step back. Depending on what junior nose tackle Ndamukong Suh decides to do, Nebraska might be looking at being shut out through three rounds for only the third time since 1971 (2004, 2008).
Marlon Lucky is considered the Huskers' best prospect among the seniors, ranked as the No. 14 running back by both scout.com and NFL Draft Countdown. NFLDraftDog.com lists Lucky as the No. 17 back, Slauson as the No. 16 guard, Lydon Murtha as the No. 28 offensive tackle and Potter as the No. 33 defensive end.
But Potter received his invitation Monday to the NFL Combine, Feb. 20 to 26 in Indianapolis. The 6-foot-7, 280-pounder from Omaha Creighton Prep first will play in the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Challenge on Jan. 31 in El Paso, Texas.
Potter realizes those are opportunities some of his old teammates won't be getting.
"It's huge. It's awesome," he said. "You can never get too much exposure."
Slauson said his position switch might have hurt his chances of going to the NFL Combine, which usually goes heavy with tackles and light with guards. Both Slauson and Lucky are alternates for the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 17.
If he never leaves Lincoln, Slauson said, it won't affect how hard he prepares.
After his parents traveled to the Gator Bowl in an RV, the 6-5, 320-pounder rode home with them and considered the two-day trip as his days off. Last Sunday — and several days since — he was in the weight room at the campus rec center.
"It was actually suggested to me by Coach Dobson to take a week off and get my body fresh," he said. "But I'm actually so stoked and so pumped, I want to make sure I don't actually lose ground before I start training again."
Receiver Nate Swift said he also will train with Dobson. Among others expected to stay in Lincoln are Murtha, quarterback Joe Ganz and receiver Todd Peterson.
Slauson said Dobson told him his goal in the future is to keep all former Huskers with NFL aspirations training in Lincoln after their senior seasons.
"A lot of us had offers to go work out in places like Arizona and California and New Jersey," Potter said. "We're just comfortable with having Coach Dobson lead us. All those training places are great, but Coach Dobson has worked with us the last year, so he knows us best."
• NU NOTES: Suh got a Tuesday visit from Husker coach Bo Pelini in Portland, Ore. An NU spokesman said Suh isn't expected to announce any decision until at least the start of next week, with Thursday the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft. . . . The returning Huskers have a team meeting scheduled for Sunday night and begin their winter conditioning program Monday. . . . NU has confirmed that tight end Tyson Hetzer is no longer with the program.
LINCOLN — The way Matt Slauson sees it, you don't go to a party when you're not invited, so you'd better find the next best place to be.
Of the 20 seniors who just finished their final season of Nebraska football, only Zach Potter currently has an invitation to the NFL Combine. And only Potter, as of now, is scheduled to play in a postseason all-star game.
The majority with aspirations of pro football will report to NU strength and conditioning coach James Dobson on Monday and start trying to beat the odds in front of them.
Slauson can't wait.
"Of course it would be a boost to get invited to the combine or a boost to play in the Senior Bowl or Shrine Game or Texas vs. The Nation," Slauson said. "But the single most important thing is your game film. That shows what kind of player you are, shows the coaches at the next level what you can do in game-time situations.
"If I don't get invited to those sort of things that's all right, because I know I put together a pretty good year and I'm confident in James to get me ready for the pro day."
More Huskers than usual are expected to stay in Lincoln to work with Dobson, rather than report to training centers advised or recommended by agents. Dobson said Thursday he is expecting a half-dozen to a dozen and that the program will be geared toward preparing them for testing at the combine or NU's pro day in March.
"Stuff sneaks up on you pretty quick," Potter said. "Going from your senior year to the NFL, it's a time where you really don't get a break. You just have to keep going and going."
Most can't afford to take a step back. Depending on what junior nose tackle Ndamukong Suh decides to do, Nebraska might be looking at being shut out through three rounds for only the third time since 1971 (2004, 2008).
Marlon Lucky is considered the Huskers' best prospect among the seniors, ranked as the No. 14 running back by both scout.com and NFL Draft Countdown. NFLDraftDog.com lists Lucky as the No. 17 back, Slauson as the No. 16 guard, Lydon Murtha as the No. 28 offensive tackle and Potter as the No. 33 defensive end.
But Potter received his invitation Monday to the NFL Combine, Feb. 20 to 26 in Indianapolis. The 6-foot-7, 280-pounder from Omaha Creighton Prep first will play in the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Challenge on Jan. 31 in El Paso, Texas.
Potter realizes those are opportunities some of his old teammates won't be getting.
"It's huge. It's awesome," he said. "You can never get too much exposure."
Slauson said his position switch might have hurt his chances of going to the NFL Combine, which usually goes heavy with tackles and light with guards. Both Slauson and Lucky are alternates for the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 17.
If he never leaves Lincoln, Slauson said, it won't affect how hard he prepares.
After his parents traveled to the Gator Bowl in an RV, the 6-5, 320-pounder rode home with them and considered the two-day trip as his days off. Last Sunday — and several days since — he was in the weight room at the campus rec center.
"It was actually suggested to me by Coach Dobson to take a week off and get my body fresh," he said. "But I'm actually so stoked and so pumped, I want to make sure I don't actually lose ground before I start training again."
Receiver Nate Swift said he also will train with Dobson. Among others expected to stay in Lincoln are Murtha, quarterback Joe Ganz and receiver Todd Peterson.
Slauson said Dobson told him his goal in the future is to keep all former Huskers with NFL aspirations training in Lincoln after their senior seasons.
"A lot of us had offers to go work out in places like Arizona and California and New Jersey," Potter said. "We're just comfortable with having Coach Dobson lead us. All those training places are great, but Coach Dobson has worked with us the last year, so he knows us best."
• NU NOTES: Suh got a Tuesday visit from Husker coach Bo Pelini in Portland, Ore. An NU spokesman said Suh isn't expected to announce any decision until at least the start of next week, with Thursday the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft. . . . The returning Huskers have a team meeting scheduled for Sunday night and begin their winter conditioning program Monday. . . . NU has confirmed that tight end Tyson Hetzer is no longer with the program.
