Bulldogs To Watch During The 2018 NFL Scouting Combine

The 2018 NFL scouting combine is upon us at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis with on-field drills beginning Friday. You can watch all the NFL scouting combine coverage on NFL Network.

Running backs, offensive lineman and special teams players will take the field on Friday, followed by quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends on Saturday and defensive lineman and linebackers on Sunday. Defensive backs will be the last group to perform on-field drills, they’re slated to go on Monday.

Often seen as an opportunity for top NFL prospects to showcase their talents, the NFL combine is really a time for under-the-radar prospects to make a name for themselves and raise their draft stocks. Two former Mississippi State Bulldog football players will be trying to do just that.

Former Mississippi State Bulldog offensive tackle Martinas Rankin is a guy who should be a household name to everyone.

He proved to be a top lineman in the SEC during his two years at MSU. With a draft projection of round two or three, Rankin possesses great size and power. His versatility, having the ability to play all five positions on the offensive line, will also be an attractive trait to several NFL teams. The Mendenhall, Miss. native earned Coaches first-team All-SEC honors, the first Bulldog to earn these honors since Gabe Jackson.

Rankin will showcase his skills Friday during the offensive line on-field drills.

Another guy to keep your eyes on is former Bulldog tight end Jordan Thomas.

A lot of people are talking about Thomas because of his freakish size and athleticism. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 280 pounds, Thomas is an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on. Currently projected to either go in late rounds or even undrafted, Thomas has a great opportunity to raise his draft stock this week.

In 2017, Thomas caught 22 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns. He was the third leading receiver for the Bulldogs.

He was also a participant in the East-West Shrine game. Following the week of participation. NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock had some observations of Thomas.

“He has an amazing catch radius and really good hands,” Mayock said. “He’s a really good athlete with quite a wingspan,” he said.

Thomas will be participating in on-field drills on Saturday.