Exactly 332 college football players were invited to this year’s NFL scouting combine. 
Of those 300-plus, offensive guard Gabe Jackson and running back LaDarius Perkins represented Mississippi State University at the combine. 
After a stellar junior campaign, Jackson put himself in position to be drafted as one of the top guard prospects in the 2013 draft. However, Jackson elected to forego the NFL for one more season and return to MSU for his senior year — a decision that turned out to be a good one. 
Jackson was projected to go in the middle rounds last year, but after a great senior year he has positioned himself to go in the first or second round this year. He is considered by most to be one of the top three guard prospects in this year’s class, and some even have him as the top guard prospect. 
Jackson did not disappoint at the combine either. He measured in at 6’3” and a massive 336 pounds. He has long arms and big hands to go along with that size that makes him ideal for run blocking in the NFL. 
Perkins, on the other hand, was not so fortunate his senior season. After a good junior year, Perkins was plagued by injuries throughout his senior year that really limited his effectiveness and sent his draft stock plummetting in the wrong direction. 
After coming into the season projected to be picked anywhere from the fifth to seventh round, Perkins entered the combine projected to be undrafted by a lot of draft sites. However, Perkins did a lot to change his stock at the combine after a very impressive work out. 
Perkins ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash which was the fifth-fastest time among the running back prospects. There was some doubt and concerns about Perkins’ speed after he looked slower during the season. However his 40 time confirmed that he was simply bothered by injury. Perkins was also one of the strongest running back prospects at the combine, getting 23 reps on the bench press, which was tied for fourth-most by any running back prospect. 
There are still major concerns about Perkins’s size and durability. He only measured in at 5’7” and 195 pounds. Despite his bulky stature, he still remains one of the smaller backs in the class. 
But his rare combination of speed and strength combined with an impressive showing at the combine has Perkins back in the discussion to be drafted. 
A few non-Bulldogs who also shined at the combine were Jadaveon Clowney, Johnny Manziel, Justin Gilbert, Dri Archer and Aaron Donald. Clowney was the physical specimen we all thought he would be as he came in at 6’5,” 266 pounds and ran a 4.53 40-yard dash. He even ran in the 4.4 range unofficially. Men that size just should not run that fast. He clearly established himself as the best overall talent in this draft. 
Another big name everyone followed was Manziel. He did not show anything spectacular in his workouts but reportedly impressed in the interviews, which was supposedly the biggest concern about him coming into the event. 
Archer was the fastest man at the combine. The Kansas State running back ran a blazing 4.26. 
Gilbert did a lot to get a leg up as the top cornerback prospect in the draft and ran a 4.37 in the 40 yard dash while also being one of the strongest players at his position, getting 20 reps on the bench press. 
He has ideal size for the position at 6’0,” 202 pounds and the combination of strength, size and speed has him currently in the driver’s seat to be the first cornerback taken off the board. 
The 2014 NFL draft begins on May 8 on ESPN. The Houston Texans are on the clock, but who will they take?