NFL Combine 2011: 10 Small-School Prospects to Watch in Indianapolis

Sure, we all have an idea of what Cam Newton, A.J. Green, Nick Fairley and Da'Quan Bowers can bring to the 2011 NFL Combine.

But who are the players that have seemingly gone unnoticed that could very well push some potential first-round picks to make way for their own paths to NFL stardom?

There have been many players from small schools over the past decade that have impacted the combine and made scouts really turn their heads in the overall selection process. What players fall on that list in this upcoming combine?

No reason to judge small school players based on who or where they played at in college.

It's a matter of showing up and performing right on the spot—no restarts or do-overs here.

Every inch, every yard, every catch and every play matters. Honestly, there's no hiding from it.

Here are the 10 small-school players that could breakout in a big way at the 2011 combine.

10. Muhammad Wilkerson (DT) Temple

At 6'5'', 305 pounds, Muhammad Wilkerson is definitely someone to watch this upcoming week at Indianapolis. Deciding to leave the Temple Owls before his senior year, he recorded 70 tackles and led the Mid-American Conference with 10 sacks this past season.

Over the past two years with Temple, Wilkerson stood out on defense with 126 tackles and 16 sacks, also becoming a part of the 2010 First Team All-MAC. A projected early second-round pick, the former Owl could find his way into the first round with a good showing at the combine.

9. Jerrel Jernigan (WR) Troy

Receivers always play a key role at the combine each year. Former Troy wideout Jerrel Jernigan will be no different, as he looks to make a statement to be one of the first couple receivers off the draft board this April.

At 5'9'', 190 pounds, Jernigan posted some solid numbers in his senior year with the Trojans, racking in 822 receiving yards on 84 receptions and scoring six touchdowns. His most notable game this season came against Arkansas State when the Alabama native finished the game with 10 catches, 209 yards and a touchdown.

Although he had just one season with over 1,000 yards receiving at Troy, Jernigan still managed to score 18 touchdowns in his Trojan career, something that scouts will have to take into consideration with a hopefully successful combine workout.

8. Stephen Burton (WR) West Texas A&M

The former Buffaloes standout receiver, Stephen Burton is a guy who has definitely flown under the radar in many early mock drafts.

Only a two-year starter at West Texas A&M after transferring from Long Beach Community College, Burton still put up some decent numbers in his senior season with the Buffaloes, pulling in 70 receptions and 1,021 receiving yards with a team-high 11 touchdowns.

At 6'4'', 215 pounds, Burton has the size to become an average to an above average wide receiver in the NFL. He may be a big sleeper at the receiver position, but he is somebody to keep an eye on at the upcoming combine.

7. Brandon Fusco (C) Slippery Rock

Former Slippery Rock center Brandon Fusco has just about won every major award a center or offensive lineman could win at the collegiate level.

At the NFL combine, Fusco will be representing himself as a Division II All-American, First-Team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division (for the third consecutive year), winner of the Division II Rimington Award and not to be out done, winner of the 2010 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award, as well.

Enough accolades for you? Fusco and the many scouts looking at him certainly don't think so. At 6'4'', 302 pounds, he has the true makeup to become one of the best centers in the entire league in the future.

6. Cedric Thornton (DT) Southern Arkansas

After breaking out in a huge way back in 2009, former Southern Arkansas defensive tackle Cedric Thornton still has what it takes to become a sleeper threat at the combine. At 6'4'', 300 pounds, Thornton recorded 52 tackles (13 for losses) and 1.5 sacks this past season.

As a Division II All-American, the former Mulerider hopefully can bring out some of what showed scouts during his junior year, when he put up 80 tackles and 8.5 sacks and transfer it to his upcoming combine workout. One thing is for sure, size is definitely on Thornton's side.

5. Edmund Gates (WR) Abilene Christian

May turn out to be the fastest receiver at the combine this week, as former Abilene Christian star receiver Edmund Gates could be moving up the draft boards when it's all said and done. A Division II All-American, Gates led the Wildcats in almost every offensive category over his four-year collegiate career. 

The 6'0'', 190-pound wideout broke out in a big way this past season, totaling 66 receptions and 1,182 yards receiving yards and pulling in a team leading 13 touchdowns. With a standout workout in Indianapolis, many scouts could leave the combine pegging Gates as a late steal in the 2011 draft.

If there was anyone you would want your team to take late in the draft, it would probably be Gates, as he could very easily follow the path of his former teammate and current Chicago Bears receiver, Johnny Knox.

4. Taiwan Jones (RB) Eastern Washington

With a thin running back class, former Eastern Washington halfback Taiwan Jones will need to impress scouts if he has any chance of climbing up the draft boards to the earlier rounds.

At 6'1'', 200 pounds, Jones had a huge junior year this past season, rushing for 1,742 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns while averaging a ridiculous 7.1 yards per carry. A two-time All-American and Co-Offensive Player of the Year in the Big Sky Conference, Jones has all the necessary tools to thrive in the NFL.

When and where he will be drafted this April is still unknown, but with a good showing at the combine, who knows where he may fall on draft day.

If there was a running back to set your eyes on later in the draft, scouts should definitely be eyeing Jones.

3. Pat Devlin (QB) Delaware

Yes, Cam Newton has stolen the quarterback spotlight of the combine, but it doesn't mean former Delaware QB Pat Devlin won't show scouts what he is capable of this week.

The 6'4'', 227-pound quarterback had a short, but pretty successful career at the University of Delaware, throwing for 3,032 yards and 22 touchdowns with just three interceptions this past season for the Blue Hens. More importantly, Devlin led the entire nation with a 68 percent pass completion rating, completing 261 of 384 this past year.

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Devlin early in the third round on draft day, but he will need a good combine showing to further push him up the draft boards.

Could he be the quarterback steal of the entire 2011 NFL Draft?

We'll have to wait and see.

2. Benjamin Ijalana (OG) Villanova

Probably the one offensive lineman that has soared up the mock draft boards the most this past month, former Villanova standout Ben Ijalana has reason to believe he could legitimately become a first-round pick fairly soon.

Standing at 6'4'', 320 pounds, Ijalana realistically has all the tools team owners should be looking for when trying to find an all-around good offensive lineman. Although he missed the Senior Bowl last month, this doesn't mean he won't be seen as the known playmaker on the offensive line we all know he can be at the combine.

Only time will tell where Ijalana will be playing in the NFL in a few weeks, as the team who takes him will surely not be disappointed.

1. Cecil Shorts III (WR) Mount Union

I don't think there is any other player from a small school that could potentially have much of an impact at the combine than Mount Union wide receiver Cecil Shorts III.

The Division III player and three-time All-American star receiver put up big numbers in his final season with the Purple Raiders, totaling 63 receptions for 1,106 yards and pulling in17 touchdowns in just 11 games. It was Shorts' third consecutive year with 1,000+ receiving yards for Mount Union.

The 6'2'', 210-pound wideout scored a ridiculous 63 touchdowns in his collegiate career, also managing to post a total of 4,705 receiving yards on offense, something many college wide receivers can't say about their careers.

Shorts could also realistically follow the path of his former teammate Pierre Garcon, now one of Peyton Manning's main targets for the Indianapolis Colts.