The NFL released its list of combine invitees on Wednesday and Nebraska will have two representatives at the event which kicks off in Indianapolis on Feb. 28.
Tight end Cethan Carter and safety Nathan Gerry were the two Huskers earning invites. NFL.com has the following overview of Carter as a draft prospect:
A highly-recruited multi-purpose offensive player out of Louisiana, Carter eschewed advances from schools like LSU and Miami to go to the Midwest. He got on the field right away, playing in every game and starting six, catching 10 passes for 127 yards. His sophomore season was derailed by a mid-season foot injury, though he started eight games and caught six passes for 98 yards and one score. Cornhusker coaches sat Carter and four other teammates for the 2015 season opener because they violated team rules. He started 11 games that year, though, snatching 24 balls for 329 yards and two scores to garner honorable mention honors from Big Ten media members. Carter also missed significant time in 2016 with an elbow injury but still was voted honorable mention All-Big Ten in 10 games played (19-190, TD).
Gerry, who took part in the Senior Bowl last month in Mobile, Alabama, has a more extensive report compiled by NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlien. The overview mentions Gerry’s Music City Bowl ineligibility and a breakdown of his strengths and weaknesses. Zierlien offered the following “bottom line” on Gerry:
Rocked-up strong safety type who can play near the line of scrimmage and operate in zone coverage. Gerry’s lack of reactive agility will limit him in man coverage and create inconsistencies as a tackler, but he’s very instinctive and will get to more plays than he should. Gerry has the urgent play demeanor needed to become a consistent contributor on special teams and fit into a fourth or fifth safety spot.
Michigan led the Big Ten with 14 players invited to take part in the combine. Two schools, Purdue and Rutgers, had no players selected to take part in the combine. Here are the Big Ten teams by number of invitees:
Michigan 14
Ohio State 8
Wisconsin 6
Illinois 4
Iowa 4
Michigan State 3
Minnesota 3
Indiana 2
Nebraska 2
Northwestern 2
Penn State 2
Brandon is the Managing Editor for Hail Varsity and has covered Nebraska athletics for the magazine and web since 2012, Hail Varsity’s first season on the scene. His sports writing has also been featured by Fox Sports, The Guardian and CBS Sports.
