With the 2025 NFL Combine less than two weeks away, we now have the official list of prospects invited to Indianapolis. The Combine is a crucial time for many top players to display their athleticism and skill sets in front of tons of NFL scouts. While the list of annual invites covers most future NFL producers, there are plenty of examples of players who dominated on Sundays despite not receiving an invite to the Combine. To name a few, Austin Ekeler, Antonio Gates, Tyreek Hill, Adam Thielen, Doug Baldwin, and Julian Edelman all went on to have tremendous NFL careers and were big-time fantasy assets.
So, who are the snubs from this year’s Combine? I have a few names for you below who are worth monitoring throughout the pre-draft process. All of these names are deep enough sleepers that you may be able to grab them off waivers following your rookie drafts unless they see draft capital that really surprises us. Nonetheless, these lesser-known prospects are all ones who have a skill set that could transfer to the NFL level, and they will be worth a taxi squad stash if you have the room.
Jamaal Pritchett (WR – South Alabama)
Being a G5 slot receiver, Jamaal Pritchett was never going to see a ton of buzz this early in the process. However, he’s done enough in college from a production and analytical standpoint to warrant an NFL team taking a chance on him. As a junior, Pritchett officially broke out for the Jaguars, finishing the year with nearly 900 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He built off that success in Year 4, posting a stat line of 119 targets, 91 receptions, 1,126 yards, and nine touchdowns.
From an efficiency standpoint, he couldn’t have done much more. Pritchett saw a target rate of 35.3% while averaging 3.34 yards per route run (YPRR). He has reliable hands, with a drop rate under 5% throughout his career. Pritchett has breakaway speed and plays with a toughness that makes him a YAC threat every time he touches the football. The only things holding Pritchett back are his size (5’8″, 170 lbs.) and the lack of competition he faced.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB – Arizona)
Croskey-Merritt had an unusual college career, playing his first four seasons in the FCS at Alabama State. His breakout didn’t occur until Year 5, after he transferred to New Mexico. Jacory finished that 2023 season with nearly 1,200 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. He transferred to Arizona for his sixth and final season, assuming he had one year of eligibility left, but the NCAA disagreed. Jacory played in just one game for Arizona (against his alma mater, New Mexico) before ultimately being forced to watch from the sidelines.
Croskey-Merritt brought his NFL stock back to life with a dominant performance in the East-West Shrine Bowl, finding the endzone twice on 8.8 yards per attempt (YPA). He put on a show and proved he has the vision, athleticism, and lateral agility to play on Sundays.
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For being a Year 6 guy, Jacory doesn’t have a ton of tread on his tires. He was efficient on the ground for UNM, averaging 6.3 YPA and 3.98 yards after contact per attempt (YCO/A). He’s a tremendous late-round dart throw and taxi stash.
Efton Chism (WR – Eastern Washington)
Chism saw his draft stock skyrocket following the East-West Shrine Bowl after a great week of practice capped off by some highlight plays in the big game.
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Chism had a monster year for Eastern Washington, seeing 120 receptions for over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns. Though he didn’t produce to the level of his predecessor Cooper Kupp, Chism still had himself quite a career for the Eagles. Like Pritchett, Chism isn’t the biggest or most athletic guy in the world, but he’s a high-IQ player who knows how to separate. If you want a deep dive into Chism’s resume, you can check out my article on him here. I think Chism has the ability to help an NFL team move the chains. I would’ve loved to see him compete in Indianapolis, but I’m not discouraged. Someone will be willing to take a chance on this kid.
Taylor Elgersma (QB – Wilfred Laurier)
If you’re looking for a unique NFL prospect story, look no further than Taylor Elgersma, quarterback out of Wilfred Laurier. Elgersma played his college career in Canada and didn’t start playing football until the 10th grade. Being Canadian, Elgersma played hockey as a kid growing up. But being 6’4” with a rocket arm, you kind of have to give football a go at some point.
Canadian football is different from American football, as they play with 12 players on each side of the football. So, saying there will be a learning curve at the NFL level would be an understatement. Despite not receiving an invite to the NFL Combine, Elgersma did get the invite to Mobile, playing at the Reese’s Senior Bowl this year. He had a nice showing, completing 4-7 passes for 57 yards.
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While we don’t know much about Elgersma, we can see from his numbers in Canada that he can throw the football. In his two full seasons as a starter (24 games), Taylor combined for over 7,700 pass yards and 60 passing touchdowns, adding over 400 rush yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. He shows impressive arm strength and is the ideal size for an NFL quarterback. He may be a long-shot prospect, but we’ve seen former D2 quarterback Tyson Bagent earn himself a backup role in the NFL and even make a few appearances as a starter. Elgersma is ranked well above Brady Cook and Seth Henigan on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board, both of whom received Combine invites.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
