Approximately 300 of the very best college football players were invited to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine which is held in Indianapolis, Ind. from Feb. 17-23. Top team executives, coaching staffs, player personnel departments and medical personnel from all 32 NFL teams are on hand to evaluate the nation’s top college players eligible for the upcoming NFL Draft. This intense, four-day job interview is an exciting time for the athletes and a vital step in achieving their dreams of playing in the NFL.

Among those involved include safety Jermaine Whitehead and defensive tackle Angelo Blackson of Auburn, fullback Mike Burton of Rutgers, wide receiver J.J. Nelson of Alabama-Birmingham,
wide receiver Cam Worthy of East Carolina and punter Kyle Christy of Florida.

“A goal for the 2015 game was to improve the quality of players that we invited, and these six invited players that are going to the Combine validate that we reached that goal,” said Bowl Chairman Tom McQueeney. “While six was a good number, we hope to improve it each year.”

In the 2105 Medal of Honor Bowl game, in which Coach Chan Gailey’s National Team topped Coach Willie Jeffries’ American Team, 26-14, Whitehead recorded six total tackles (four solo) and had a pair of passes broken up while Blackson noted an assist.

Burton ran the ball only one time and gained seven yards while Nelson caught three passes for 34 yards, including a long of 12 yards. Worthy was unable to play due to a fractured foot.

Christy punted seven times for a 42.3 yards average with a long of 52 yards.

Williams earned National squad MVP honors after completing 7 of 15 passes for 115 yards and the team’s only offensive touchdown of the game. The hookup with Byrd gave the Nationals the lead for good at 16-14 with 5:02 remaining in the third quarter.

Will Conant (Air Force) kicked four field goals, and Brison Williams (South Carolina) capped the second-half National uprising with a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown with 8:35 left in the game.

Quinn Backus (Coastal Carolina) won American team MVP honors with six tackles and an 87-yard pick six that gave his squad a 14-6 lead in the opening minute of the second quarter. Synjyn Days (Georgia Tech) scored the other American touchdown on a five-yard run with 8:46 left in the first quarter.

The National team held a 382-211 advantage in total offense. In addition to Williams, Gary Nova (Rutgers) hit on 6 of 14 passes for 85 yards while Kevin Rodgers (Henderson State) completed 5 of 17 for 59 yards.

Jake Waters (Kansas State) completed 9 of 21 passes for 71 yards for the American team, with David Frazier (Miami, Ohio) grabbing a team-high four receptions for 42 yards.

Brandon Wegher (Morningside) was the game’s leading rusher with 90 yards on 14 carries, and Akeem Hunt (Purdue) ran for 30. NC State’s Tony Creecy paced the American ground game with 44 yards, followed by The Citadel’s Jake Stenson with 20.

Issac Blakeney (Duke) led all receivers with five catches for 103 yards. Conant booted field goals of 27, 21, 33 and 36 yards, the latter upping the National lead to 19-14 with 1:28 left in the third quarter.

Shaq Riddick (West Virginia) highlighted the National defense with four tackles including two sacks, one of which resulted in a strip and his own recovery. Tank Jakes (Memphis), Brock Hekking (Nevada) and Jordan Williams (Tennessee) also had sacks for the Nationals.

Will Brown (Missouri S&T) led all tacklers with nine for the American team, and Jermaine Whitehead (Auburn) had a team-high six stops for the Nationals. Cariel Brooks (Adams State) contributed an interception for the Nationals.

Among NFL playoff quarterbacks this season are guys who played college football at Delaware, Eastern Illinois and Miami (Ohio). In other words, an NFL quarterback can come from almost anywhere.

And that’s one reason that 6-7 quarterback Chris Bonner, who played at Division II Colorado State-Pueblo, is considered one of the more intriguing prospects in Saturday’s Medal of Honor Bowl at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

Some pro scouts see Bonner, who weighs 225 pounds, as in the same mold as the Ravens’ Joe Flacco (6-6, 245) of Delaware and the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger (6-5, 241) of Miami (Ohio) – big, sturdy QBs who have thrived in the NFL despite playing at small schools.

“Bonner has got a fantastic arm and can throw the ball all over the field,” said Eric Galko of Optimum Scouting. “He was a little erratic this season, but has a lot of potential. I think he could be one of the top four or five quarterbacks in this class. It’s not a great class, and he’s one of the more talented guys out there.”

Bonner completed 56 percent of his throws for 3,291 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, with just eight interceptions.

Another big, strong-armed quarterback with a lot of upside (and a lot of question marks) is Ryan Williams of Miami. The 6-6, 222-pounder was named the Hurricanes’ starter for the 2014 season before suffering a knee injury in spring practice. He ended up playing in just one game.

“Guys like Chris Bonner and Ryan Williams, there are not many of them at that size out there,” Galko said. “If they can make the throws, you certainly like them better than a guy at 6-1.”

Here are some other players Galko considers intriguing prospects:

Linebacker Tank Jakes of Memphis. Undersized at 5-11 and 227 pounds, Jakes was very productive at Memphis with 119 tackles, including 17 for loss, in two seasons. “I think he’s done enough the last two years to show he’s a guy who can rush the passer and make plays,” Galko said.

Receivers Kenny Cook (6-4, 218) of Gardner-Webb and Cam Worthy (6-3, 200) of East Carolina, who on Thursday withdrew from the game after suffering a fractured foot. “Both are small-school guys who have the size to get vertical and make plays in the red zone,” Galko said. Receiver R.J. Harris of New Hampshire is “arguably this class’ best small-school receiver,” according to Galko.

Guard Torrian Wilson (6-3, 305) of Central Florida. “He has the potential to be the highest-drafted guy there (at the Medal of Honor Bowl), or at least the safest pick,” Galko said.

The offensive linemen are probably the strongest position group at the Medal of Honor Bowl. Among the guards, Shaq Mason of Georgia Tech, Matt Rotheram of Pitt and Junior Salt of Utah all ranked among the top 20 at their position by cbssports.com. Among tackles, Quinterrius Eatmon of South Florida, Brey Cook of Arkansas and Blaine Causell of Mississippi State are in the top 35. And among centers, Louisville’s Jake Smith is No. 6 and Marshall’s Chris Jaspere is No. 14.

Among all the Medal of Honor Bowl players, the top-ranked at his position is Florida punter Kyle Christy, ranked No. 3.

Galko said he wouldn’t be surprised to see 10 to 15 Medal of Honor Bowl players picked in this year’s NFL Draft. Last year, the game had three players drafted.

Note: Virginia running back Kevin Parks also withdrew from the game on Thursday after suffering a calf strain.