Five Bay Area Players to Watch in the NFL Combine

Tyler Ervin, San Jose State RB

Fifth-Year Senior, 5’10”, 177 lbs.

Versatility is a very valuable asset, and not many players are as versatile as San Jose State’s Ervin. In his four years and one extra game as a Spartan, Ervin played running back, slot receiver, kick returner, cornerback, and was on the special team’s coverage unit. He wore a lot of hats in college, but the next one he wears should come with an NFL team’s logo.

In 2015, Ervin was the All-Mountain West Conference running back, and was named a Second-Team All-American as an All-Purpose player by Athlon Sports. He was a workhorse despite his small frame, carrying the ball 294 times, making 45 catches, returning 25 kicks, and returning seven punts. His 2,637 all-purpose yards (1,601 rushing, 334 receiving, 597 kick return, 105 punt return) were second only to Stanford’s McCaffrey, which is nothing to be ashamed of. McCaffrey, after all, did break the single-season total yardage record.

His 1,601 rushing yards in 2015 were the 11th-most in the nation. He cracked 100 yards seven times, including a school-record 300 yards against the Fresno State Bulldogs. He also set school records for all-purpose yardage in a career with 6,146 total yards, and is second with 2,803 rushing yards.

Ervin took part in the Senior Bowl, picking up a game-high 39 rushing yards on seven carries. He will almost certainly be the 105th player taken from San Jose State when the draft rolls around, but with a strong showing in the Combine, he might not have to wait around that long to hear his name called.

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