In life there is always a cut-off point where the limit is set. For NFL Draft prospects hoping to gain exposure and rubbing elbows with NFL teams, the invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine is the equivalent to children finding the ‘golden ticket’ to Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory.

Having the opportunity to have longtime Pittsburgh Steelers’ scout Mark Gorscak guide you through the 40-yard dash is something a select few college prospects will enjoy while Mike Mayock broadcasts the players potential in the league.

With that said there is still an overwhelming amount of hungry and deserving prospects not spending next week in Indianapolis, Indiana. the home of the combine. Below are five prospects that will likely get drafted or make an NFL roster that were not invited to NFL Scouting Combine.

Christian Ringo, Louisiana-Lafayette, DE

One AFC East scout at the College Gridiron Showcase, who asked to remain anonymous, said he Ringo was one of the top defensive linemen he saw during the cycle of all-star games during the month of January. A short compact prospect, Ringo is 6-foot and 298 pounds. He had played at 275 pounds before the coaching staff asked him to bulk up and he has dominated without losing his explosiveness. He possesses power and along with his violent hands, he is a force to be reckoned with. He was the anchor to the Ragin’ Cajun defense that was No. 1 in the Sun Belt Conference against the run and ranked third-overall in sacks. Ringo ranked seventh in the nation for tackles-for-loss with 20.5 and he had 11.5 sacks.

Nick Perry, Alabama, S

The Crimson Tide defense is losing both safeties, Landon Collins and Nick Perry to the NFL. Collins will be arriving in Indianapolis next week to take part in the NFL Scouting Combine, but Perry will not.

“Obviously going up and out-playing half the guys there isn’t good enough,” said Nick Perry. “I can’t take it personal though. I know what I’m capable of, I know my coaches at the University of Alabama saw something in me and the rest of the world will eventually see it too.”

Perry finished fourth on the Crimson Tide defense with 80 tackles, and he also had 4.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, and six pass break-ups. Perry knows how to find the football and has good coverage skills along with the physicality to lower the boom. Over the last few years Alabama has been a NFL factory for defensive backs, but somehow Perry was left without an invite to the dance.

Taurean Nixon, Tulane, CB

The NFL loves speed as the most hyped event of the NFL Scouting Combine is the 40-yard dash.  Taurean Nixon has world class speed.

“Not being invited to the NFL Combine has motivated me beyond my limits,” said Nixon referring to his snub. “I consider myself as being the hardest working athlete in the whole draft.  After realizing that I was not selected to attend the NFL combine I switched into another gear, not actually knowing I had another gear, until I got the disappointing news.”

His game has more than just speed as he was a versatile cornerback for Tulane. His final season at Tulane, he played the role as a shutdown corner and also found himself playing nickel. Nixon will use his Pro Day to make his mark and is confident that he’ll impress.

“Now, I have set my eye on Tulane’s Pro Day, where I will produce some astonishing numbers which will show the selection committee I should been invited to the big show,” Nixon stated.

Synjyn Days, Georgia Tech, RB

Synjyn Days arrived at Georgia Tech as a quarterback and he played the position for a year and a halfbefore moving to the “B-Back” spot in the triple-option offense the Yellow Jackets run. He replaced Zach Laskey at the “A-back” position when he went down to injury and flourished in the role during his senior season.

Days finished the season ranked second on the team with 926 rushing yards, he tied for first with nine touchdowns, and his 5.9 yards per carry was the highest on the team for any running back with over 50 carries. His final game against the Mississippi State (Orange Bowl), he rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns.

“My body type being 235 (6-foot tall) and being able to run a 4.5 which I think is pretty good,” said Days. “I got some breakaway speed and if somebody gets in my way they are definitely going to get punished.”

He is a high character young man that would have wowed the NFL Scouts during the interview process. Days is a bigger, more athletic version of former Yellow Jackets running back Jonathan Dwyer who was drafted in 2010 by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round.

Jordan Taylor, Rice, WR

Invited to the East-West Shrine Game, Taylor was too much to handle for a lot of the defensive backs. The poor man’s Jordy Nelson, he has both the size and speed to have earned an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Taylor knows how to use it to impose his will on smaller defensive backs. He proved the East-West Shrine practices he has enough speed to get separation along with soft hands. Amongst the many invited to the NFL Scouting Combine it is a bit of a shock not to see his name on the list.