Nebraska at Kansas State: Five NFL Draft Prospects To Watch

Tonight’s match up between undefeated Big 12 North foes Nebraska and Kansas State at Bill Snyder Stadium looks like it’s shaping up to be a great game.

On display will be a few NFL Draft prospects who are considered to be some of the top players at their positions in their respective classes.

Let’s take a look at five big name prospects who you should keep a close eye on tonight.

Running Back: Daniel Thomas, Kansas State

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PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: Runningback Daniel Thomas #8 of the Kansas State Wildcats carries the ball against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on September 19, 2009 in Pasadena, California. UCLA defeated Kansas State 23-9. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty I

Daniel Thomas is in competition with players like Oklahoma’s DeMarco Murray for the top spot among senior running backs this year.

The 6‘2", 225 lb. Thomas has remarkable athleticism for his size and is no doubt the key to Kansas State’s offensive success.

After winning the Big 12 rushing title with over 1,200 yards rushing last season, Thomas looks to be on pace to do the same thing in 2010 as he currently leads all conference rushers with 628 yards on 105 carries.

The senior running back’s draft stock will depend largely on how he performs in offseason tests, but it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that he could flirt with the first round when all is said and done.

Cornerback: Prince Amukamara, Nebraska

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ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 5: Prince Amukamara #21 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers tackles James Kirkendoll #11 of the Texas Longhorns in the first quarter at Cowboys Stadium on December 5, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Prince Amukamara looks to be the best cornerback in this year’s senior class.

The 6‘1", 205 lb. Amukamara has a Darrelle Revis-like ability to shut down an entire side of the field and limit an opposing offense’s capabilities.

Expect Amukamara to battle with LSU’s Patrick Peterson to be the first cornerback taken in next year’s draft.

He has top 10-type potential.

Defensive Tackle: Jared Crick, Nebraska

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LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMBER 04: Jared Crick #94 and Baker Steinkuhler #55 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers take a bead on Bobby Rainey of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during first half action of their game at Memorial Stadium on September 4, 2010 in Lincoln,

Jared Crick has stepped out of the large shadow that was cast by former standout defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to become the true leader along the Cornhuskers defensive line this season.

The 6‘6", 290 lb. Crick, who is just a junior, has the strength and the size to eat up blockers inside.

Crick is a great penetrator who can cause havoc for offenses.

The junior already has 20 tackles and 2.5 sacks in just four games.

Safety: Dejon Gomes, Nebraska

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COLUMBIA, MO - OCTOBER 08: Dejon Gomes #7 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers sprints down the sidelines after intercepting a pass during the game against the Missouri Tigers on October 8, 2009 at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jam

This year’s senior safety class is still a bit of a mystery, but one player who has really stood out is Dejon Gomes.

The 6‘0", 200 lb. Gomes, a former junior college transfer, is the type of game changer at the position that NFL teams are looking for.

Gomes is a sure tackler that plays with a linebacker-like mentality, but scouts still probably want to see if he can handle all the different nuances of pass coverage.

Right now, I’d probably have the Cornhusker safety pegged as a mid-rounder with the chance to really open some eyes if he keeps making big plays.

Wide Receiver: Niles Paul, Nebraska

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SEATTLE - SEPTEMBER 18: Wide receiver Niles Paul #24 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers rushes against Desmond Trufant #6 of the Washington Huskies on September 18, 2010 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

The fact that Nebraska really hasn’t been all that worried about having a passing attack thus far this season with freshman quarterback Taylor Martinez running the show seems to have diminished Niles Paul’s value a bit.

The senior wide receiver has caught just 10 balls this season and has found the end zone only once. Those type of numbers aren’t indicative of Paul’s true talents though.

The 6‘1", 220 lb. Paul is one of the best physical specimens of this year’s receiver class, but if he doesn’t see some more action, it could really hurt his stock.