NFL Combine: Cincinnati Bearcats

Dec 28, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendon Kay (11) throws a pass prior to the start of the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Belk Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Combine started Thursday and goes through next Tuesday. The combine gives NFL teams an opportunity to test out potential prospects. That means former Cincinnati Bearcats players have the opportunity to impress NFL scouts.

What’s that? No Bearcats were invited?!

That is exactly what has happened with the 2013 Cincinnati Bearcats team, no players were invited to workout at the combine. This comes as a surprise considering how stout the Cincinnati defense was for 12 out of 13 games this season.

Out of the Cincinnati seniors there were only a few that could be seen as potential NFL prospects. Namely Greg Blair Jr., Brendon Kay, and Anthony McClung. While none of the three are house hold names around the country they were arguably three of the most intricate parts of this years Cincinnati team.

Take a look at Brendon Kay, he floated around the top of the NCAA completion percentage this season with wonder boy Johnny Manziel. His quarterback rating was 148.8 in 2013. The only downside to Kay is his interceptions and his lack of awareness from time to time. He measures in at 6’4″ which is undeniably the ideal size for an NFL quarterback.

When you compare Kay to Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater or Johnny Manziel you can see their numbers are all around the same. Bridgewater completed 71% of his passes compared to Maziel’s 70% and Kay’s 67%. Give or take a few percentages they’re around the same. Not to mention Kay was sacked 9 times in the regular season compared to 19 and 23 for the other two. Kay deserved at least an invitation. If Tom Savage from Pitt got an invitation there is no way Kay shouldn’t have gotten one.

Greg Blair Jr. is an interesting player, he measures in at 6’2″ and 252lbs, he had a killer 2012 season with 138 tackles and deflected 8 passes. Blair is an incredible motivational leader, an exemplary player both on and off the field. If he played in another conference he would be a 1st to 2nd round pick.

Other Cincinnati players deserve at least an invitation, Austen Bujnoch comes to mind, he protected Kay for the entire season, allowing only 9 sacks all season. Yet no invite.

It is an injustice for everything Cincinnati has accomplished over the last 5 years to not have a player invited. Cincinnati gets no invites but Cornell does? It makes no sense. In typical Cincinnati fashion we’ll just keep doing our own thing, someday people will recognize what is going on in Clifton.