The next step in the NFL Draft process is set to commence in two weeks as the top prospects and scouts from all 32 teams descend on Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. On Tuesday, the list of 321 participants for this year’s event was released by the league and it contains four Tar Heels.
Linebacker Cedric Gray, quarterback Drake Maye, defensive tackle Myles Murphy and wide receiver Tez Walker will all be in attendance for the event, a group that shouldn’t shock anyone. Unfortunately, none of the three linemen that made the trip to Florida for the Tropical Bowl did enough to get themselves an invite.
Maye will get his first chance to impress scouts in the pre-draft process as he makes a push to try to be the first quarterback off the board and the first No. 1 overall pick in program history. As of right now, experts are split on him being the second or third quarterback taken with LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. It’s unclear as to whether or not Maye and the other top quarterbacks will throw, but this could be his chance to separate himself in an environment that sets up to showcase his skillset well.
For Gray, this will be a chance to build on a strong showing in Mobile at the Senior Bowl. Right now he is seen as a solid Day 2 pick, so this could be where he makes a push himself to get himself into the 2nd Round. Like Maye, he is another player that could shine in this event that is meant to showcase athleticism, something that stuck out with him to scouts in Mobile.
Murphy is another guy who will have a chance to continue his upward trend after his all-star game showing. He now sits as a solid sixth rounder and this could be a chance for him to impress some teams enough where they take him earlier to make sure he is off the board. The athletic tests aren’t where he’s going to shine and not much stock can be put into the defensive line drills, especially for defensive tackles, but the interview portion could be huge for him.
As for Walker, this will be his chance to bounce back from a tough week at the Senior Bowl that has him tumbling down some draft boards. After being seen as a possible late first rounder, he is now falling into the late 2nd Round and even into the 3rd Round in some cases in a packed wide receiver class. He too should shine in the athleticism tests, but the drills will be important for him to prove he has shaken off the drop problems that plagued him in Mobile.