Feb. 3, 2011
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By Leigh Torbin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF has had three of its 2010 seniors, Bruce Miller, Jamar Newsome and Jah Reid be officially invited to attend the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine. The league's scouting extravaganza is held from Feb. 23 to March 1 in Indianapolis.
The workouts cap four days in Indianapolis where the players are given physical examinations, mental tests and formally interview with the NFL's 32 clubs in addition to their on-field workouts. All of this leads up to the NFL Draft in New York City from April 28-30.
The Knights are expected to have a player selected in the NFL Draft for the sixth consecutive year in 2011 and for the ninth year out of the past 10. Of schools from non-automatically-qualifying BCS conferences, only UCF, BYU and Fresno State have had its players selected with this same frequency. Since joining Conference USA in 2005, the Knights' seven NFL Draft picks are tied with East Carolina for the most in the league.
The three were all instrumental performers for the Conference USA champion Knights in 2010 as UCF won a school-record 11 games, including an AutoZone Liberty Bowl victory over Georgia, and finished the season ranked a program-best No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 21 in the AP Poll.
Miller, who participated in the East-West Shrine Game, will work out on Feb. 28 as a defensive lineman and wear number 34 for drills. With 1.5 crucial fourth quarter sacks of Georgia quarterback Aaron Greene in the Liberty Bowl, Miller capped his UCF career as the NCAA's active leader with 35.5 career sacks. He was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year in both 2009 and 2010, joining former Southern Miss star and Pro Bowl pick Adalius Thomas as the only players to win that award twice in league history.
Newsome, who is currently in San Antonio working out in preparation for the NFLPA (formerly Texas vs. The Nation) Game, will have his workout as a wide receiver on Feb. 27 wearing No. 28. Newsome was second on the Knights with 37 receptions and 616 receiving yards this past fall. Newsome also proved to be a strong special teams performer for the Knights as a senior, running back 10 kickoffs for 306 yards. The St. Petersburg native closed his career just shy of the 1,000-yard plateau, gaining 986 career receiving yards on 65 catches with seven touchdowns.
Reid, who also participated in the East-West Shrine Game, has his workout on Feb. 26 and will don No. 41 for drills. The number is fitting for Reid who started 41 games for UCF in a career which saw him earn first-team All-C-USA accolades in both 2009 and 2010.
To catch the next round of NFL Knights in action for UCF as they defend the Conference USA championship, place your deposit now for 2011 football season tickets. Contact the UCF Athletics ticket office at (407) 823-1000 for more information or place your deposit online on the main ticket page at UCFAthletics.com.