Nine Notre Dame players invited to NFL Scouting Combine

Nine former Notre Dame players have been invited to participate in this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.

Wide receivers Chase Claypool and Chris Finke, safeties Jalen Elliott and Alohi Gilman, defensive ends Khalid Kareem and Julian Okwara, running back Tony Jones Jr., tight end Cole Kmet and cornerback Troy Pride Jr. each received one of the 337 invites to the combine. The NFL released the list Friday.

All nine players will have the opportunity to interview with NFL teams, complete medical exams and participate in workouts in Indianapolis later this month. Players will start arriving in Indianapolis on Feb. 23 with on-field workouts in Lucas Oil Stadium running from Feb. 27 to March 1.

Only five teams will be represented by more former players than Notre Dame’s nine: LSU (16), Michigan (11), Ohio State (11), Alabama (10) and Georgia (10).

Two draft eligible players from Notre Dame may have a case for being snubbed from this year’s combine: linebacker Asmar Bilal and defensive end Jamir Jones. The combine invite list included 43 linebackers and 46 defensive linemen.

Bilal finished the 2019 season third on the Irish with 79 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss. Jamir Jones logged 26 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks in just 11 games after Notre Dame opted to not redshirt him when defensive end Daelin Hayes was sidelined for the season with a torn labrum.

Last year, eight former Irish players attended the combine. Six — defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, wide receiver Miles Boykin, cornerback Julian Love, linebacker Drue Tranquill, running back Dexter Williams and tight end Alizé Mack — were eventually drafted. Offensive lineman Alex Bars and linebacker Te’von Coney later signed with teams as undrafted free agents.

The 2020 NFL Draft will be held April 23-25 in Las Vegas.