NFL announces list of 329 prospects invited to NFL Combine: Here are the local ties
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The Super Bowl is over. That means it's time to think about the NFL's pre-draft process.
That starts in less than two weeks as the NFL unveiled its NFL Combine invitee list on Thursday. The league invited 329 college football stars to show off their skills and interview with interested NFL teams.
Here are the players invited to the NFL Combine with ties to Illinois and Illinois-area colleges.
Local college stars
Pat Bryant, Illinois
The Illini had a one-two punch of Zakhari Franklin and Pat Bryant this season, but Bryant has established himself as an NFL prospect with a breakout season. Bryant had career-highs with 54 receptions, 984 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He could be a fourth or fifth-round selection. or even higher than that, with high marks at the combine.
Beaux Collins, Notre Dame
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Notre Dame understandably sent plenty of its players to the combine after its run to the national championship game. Some players, like Evans, Watts, Kiser and Cross, have plenty on tape as it is. They can take all the time needed at the combine to interview with teams and get a feel where they might fit the best.
However, the likes of Leonard, Collins and Morrison can take advantage of the drills. Leonard faced questions as a passer all season long, he can put some of those questions to rest with a solid week. Collins caught a career-high 41 passes for 490 yards and three scores on a team with a run-first offense; he can improve hs stock with a good week, too. Morrison, who underwent hip surgery after a game against Stanford, can prove he's healthy and fits the bill as a first-round pick.
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Illinois natives
Luther Burden, East St. Louis - Missouri
One of the most dynamic receivers in the draft, Burden starred at Missouri for two seasons as a playmaker that rivaled some of the best in the SEC. His best season was in 2023, when he caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. In his college career, Burden scored 26 total touchdowns. With a stellar combine, he could vault over a receiver or two in some first-round pre-draft rankings. Burden is up there with Emeke Egbuka and Tetairoa McMillan as top receivers in the draft.
Dominic Lovett, Belleville - Georgia
Lovett and Burden will be reunited, as the two both played at East St. Louis High School and played at Missouri for one season together. Lovett transferred from Mizzou to Georgia, where he caught 113 passes for 1,220 yards and 10 touchdowns across two seasons as a Bulldog.
Kaleb Brown, Chicago - Iowa
One of the top running backs in college football, Brown, a St. Rita product, often gets overlooked because of Ashton Jeanty. Still, with a solid combine performance, Brown could solidify himself as a fringe first-round pick. He displayed speed and skills at Iowa to get him into the Day 2 range. One more example of that in front of NFL evaluators could lift him further.
Rylie Mills, Lake Forest - Notre Dame
Mills played football at Lake Forest. which is just east of Halas Hall on Route 60, and could be a day-three pick as it stands. Notre Dame missed Mills in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game next to Howard Cross III, as he had a career-high 7.5 sacks in the 2024 season. He finished his Notre Dame career with 17 sacks and 25 tackles for loss. He might not be able to participate in the combine due to a knee injury, but could interview with teams in need of defensive line help.