FAYETTEVILLE -- Punter Toby Baker and offensive lineman Dan Skipper lead the first wave of former Arkansas Razorbacks heading to the annual NFL Scouting Combine over the next four days.
Eight former players from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville have received invitations to the week-long event, which begins today at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Baker and Skipper are scheduled to arrive today for orientation, medical exams and interviews, along with running backs, kickers and other specialists.
Ex-Arkansas receivers Keon Hatcher and Drew Morgan and tight end Jeremy Sprinkle are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday. Defensive linemen Jeremiah Ledbetter and Deatrich Wise, and linebacker Brooks Ellis round out the group of ex-Razorbacks arriving Thursday.
It is believed to be tied for largest contingent of Razorbacks at the combine. Arkansas had eight former players invited in 2004, led by lineman Shawn Andrews, receiver George Wilson, and defensive backs Ahmad Carroll and Lawrence Richardson. In 2008, running backs Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis led a group of eight ex-Hogs, which also included receiver Marcus Monk and defensive lineman Marcus Harrison.
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema indicated several Razorbacks had been on a waiting list, Ledbetter and Morgan among them, before being accepted by NFL officials.
"Since I got that original list in December, we had like three or four guys who were on the waiting list and now for them all to get through. It's been fun for me," Bielema said last week.
"I was sitting here yesterday and I got a text from a [NFL general manager] that they're working wide receivers, and they were calling and asking about several guys.
"It's a good group of guys, with eight guys going in there. I think there are a couple of free agent-type guys that aren't getting invited to the combine that have a niche that might be able to jump in there as well."
The Razorbacks are tied with Florida for fourth-most in the SEC for the number of invited players to the combine. Alabama and LSU have 10 players each scheduled to participate, and Texas A&M has nine.
On-the-field workouts start Friday for the group including Baker and Skipper, and they continue through next Monday, when the defensive backs go through the paces on the field.
Sports on 02/28/2017