All eyes were on Lucas Oil Stadium this past week, as some of the top collegiate football players took the field to show off their skills at the NFL Scouting Combine. 
Headlining for the Sooners was the trio of captains- Center Gabe Ikard, Corner, Back Aaron Colvin and Full Back/Tight End Trey Millard. Rounding out the Sooner quartet was record-setting wide receiver Jalen Saunders.  All four of these players left Oklahoma with a win against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and high Combine expectations. 
NFL analysts had high hopes for Ikard, who is a native of Oklahoma City and left the Sooners with many awards on and off the field. He started his Combine journey with 5.13-second 40-yard dash. His vertical jump was 26 inches and in the broad jump he jumped for 103 inches. The center seemed to shine in the 3 cone drill where he ran a 7.30 second run and was also the top performer for the 20 yard shuttle where he ran a 4.37 second shuttle run. Ikard is a smart player and, despite his foot quickness, he consistently finds a way to get his job done and overcome some of the curbs that could have held him back. He performed well for the coaches and scouts who came to watch and hopefully improved his draft stock.             
Aaron Colvin finished his 2013 season with an invite to the Senior Bowl, where he suffered an ACL injury during practice in Mobile, Alabama. He did attend the Combine, though, where he participated in the interview process with potential teams. His features that got him the Combine invite were his body length and athletic ability. His perception of the game has also been noted because he has been known to sort out the combo routes on the receivers that he covers. The fact that he was not able to perform in the combine set him back, but his plays and seasons with the Sooners should have an effect on how he goes in the Draft.             
Another one of the Sooners that many people had high hopes for in the Combine was the fullback, Trey Millard. In the game against Texas Tech, Millard suffered a season-ending ACL tear. His rehab process has shocked many, as an ACL injury is not easy to come back from. During his time at OU he was used as a “multi-purpose” player. He played on the field as an H-Back, full back or tight end. At times he also was a valuable player in the special teams realm. Although Millard was not cleared to complete in the Combine, his speedy recovery process and field IQ has intrigued many pro prospects and shows his versatility as an overall player.             
Jalen Saunders is the one individual with the best shot of improving his draft chances at this year’s Combine. Saunders was definitely one of the most the most explosive wide receivers on this year’s offense. This past season, Saunders was known for returning punts and making big plays to keep the Sooners in the game.  He transferred to OU at the end of his sophomore semester and in his two seasons playing for the Sooners he caught 123 passes, accumulating for 1,558 yards, and scored 11 touchdowns. With all of that, he received his invitation to the Senior Bowl, where he continued to shine.  In the Combine this past week, he ran a 4.44 second 40-yard dash, jumped 34 inches in the vertical jump and then completed 122 inches in the broad jump. Despite his size, Saunders came into the Combine with a hard work effort to back up his performance. His success in the 40-yard dash could enhance his reputation as an all-around playmaker for any NFL team in need of a quick and useful wide receiver.             The Combine was a large step in Ikard, Colvin, Millard and Saunder’s football careers, but they still have many weeks until the NFL Draft in May. 
As the Combine came to a close, these four players made Sooner fans all over the nation proud. Their hard work and commitment to the game shows the excellence of the OU football program. Hopefully these Sooners will get a chance to show off their skills on an NFL team in the future.