The NFL Combine is an honor in itself and a marker of the chance you have to be drafted into the NFL. It's not a confirmation that you will get drafted, but is an enormous opportunity to get in front of Front Office personnel and coaches from the NFL and show them what you can do, both mentally and physically.

There are three Red Raiders who will be participating in the 2018 combine according to NFL.com. Those participants are Nic Shimonek, Dylan Cantrell and Keke Coutee.

None of the three are a surprise here.

Nic Shimonek

Nic Shimonek Kansas v Texas Tech
(Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
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Nic Shimonek did not live up to the expectations in Lubbock this past season, but those expectations (for his skill set) were outrageous to begin with.

Shimonek has one of the most talented arms in the draft class and will now get an opportunity to prove that. He'll also have his intellect tested, which is important for an NFL quarterback. Shimonek's strong Shrine Game performance, coupled with an above average combine, could spell a late-round draft pick for a team looking for an arm for training camp.

Dylan Cantrell

John Weast - Getty Images
John Weast - Getty Images
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Dylan Cantrell has NFL size and athleticism. He can prove that at the combine. His speed and leaping ability will be the biggest selling points if he wants to make the draft board of teams late in the draft. He can also showcase the hands that inspired the hashtag #cantrellcatcheseverything throughout his Texas Tech career.

Keke Coutee

Keke Coutee is the real wild card for the NFL combine. He scored very well on the Pro Football Focus grades and was named to the first team All-Big 12 team.

Coutee will be able to prove his prowess at route running and put his top line speed and quickness on paper in front of a lot of important people during the 2018 combine.

Out of the three, I think the surprise of the combine will be Keke Coutee and he will gain the most from being there, but don't underestimate how much NFL teams will like Nic Shimonek's size and arm strength, which are a premium commodity in the NFL.

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