NFL Combine: Four from Stanford, Three from Cal Invited

On Wednesday, the NFL released their full list of invites to the 2017 NFL Combine. Among the 330 players invited, four are from Stanford and three from Cal.

From Stanford, running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Michael Rector, defensive end Solomon Thomas, and kicker Conrad Ukropina will take part of the pre-draft workouts at the NFL Combine. Their Bay Area counterparts from Cal, quarterback Davis Webb, wide receiver Chad Hansen, and long snapper Bradley Northnagel, will join them in Indianapolis, Indiana.

McCaffrey is the most recognizable name on the list, and the former Heisman Trophy runner-up is expected to be a first-round pick in May. He piled up 1,603 rushing yards on 253 attempts in 2016, leading the Pac-12 in both categories. His 13 touchdowns ranked him third in the conference. This all came despite missing a game because of injury and being limited in a couple others. He also notably sat out the Sun Bowl in preparation for the draft.

The dynamic McCaffrey leaves Stanford as the third-leading rusher in school history with 3,922. He does so despite playing 37 games in three years, while both men ahead of him had much more time to get their yardage. Darrin Nelson played 44 games in four years, and Stepfan Taylor played 53 games in four seasons.

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Though McCaffrey may be more widely known, he may not be the first Cardinal off the board. Thomas is rated as one of this draft’s best pass rushers, and should be picked fairly early in the first round. Thomas recorded 8.5 sacks (sixth in the Pac-12) and 14 tackles for loss (third) in 2016, and was the star in Stanford’s Sun Bowl win over North Carolina.

Both McCaffrey and Thomas come out of Stanford after their junior seasons.

Rector finished his senior season in 2016 with 32 catches and 367 yards for three touchdowns, finishing third on Stanford’s club in each category. He also rushed five times for 71 yards and another score. In four seasons, Rector recorded 104 grabs for 1,681 yards while scoring five times.

Ukropina is one of four kickers invited to the Combine, along with fellow Pac-12 alum Zane Gonzalez out of Arizona State. The Stanford boot led the Pac-12 with 27 field goal tries, and tied for second with 22 makes. His 81.5 field goal percentage was fourth in the conference. He hit all 34 extra-point attempts in 2016, and made 113 of 114 attempts in his career. His career 82.4 field goal percentage is best at Stanford since 2000, and his 239 points are second.

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From Cal, Webb finished second in the Pac-12 with 382 completions and 620 pass attempts in his first and only season with the Bears. His 4,295 passing yards was second in the conference, and second-most in a single season in Cal history. His 37 touchdowns was third in the Pac-12, and also second-most in Cal history. The 382 completions and 620 pass attempts were by far a school record, beating Jared Goff‘s 341 and 529 from 2015.

Webb competed in the Senior Bowl in January, and was named the game’s MVP for his performance. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 165 yards, and threw the South Team’s only touchdown of the day. Webb led three drives, leading to a touchdown and two field goals. The South only scored a field goal when Webb was out of the game.

Chad Hansen was Webb’s favorite target in 2016, catching 92 balls for 1,249 yards and 11 touchdowns. He led the Pac-12 in both catches and receiving yards despite missing two games because of a badly sprained ankle. He also finished fourth in the conference in touchdowns. He caught 23 passes for 20 more yards, ranking him fourth in the nation in that category.

Hansen went from walk-on to one of the best receivers in the nation in 2016. He went without a scholarship offer from a Division-I school after high school, and would end up putting up one of the most prolific seasons in school history in his only year on scholarship with the Bears.

There are no statistics for a long snapper, but anyone that watched Cal consistently knows that Northnagel is as reliable as they come. He helped junior Matt Anderson become one of the most reliable kickers in the Pac-12 in 2016. Anderson made 22 of his 26 kick attempts last year, and made all 51 extra-point attempts.

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Northnagel is one of two long snappers invited to the Combine, along with Colin Holba from Louisville.