FRESNO, Calif. - A pair of former Bulldogs are set to compete at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine this week at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Quarterback Jake Haener and wide receiver Jalen Moreno-Cropper accepted their invitations and have the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of scouts from across the NFL.
The NFL invited a total of 319 prospects to attend this year's combine. Haener and Moreno-Cropper are just two of seven competing from a Mountain West institution. Boise State (3), Air Force (1) and San Jose State (1) also have players competing this week. A full list of combine prospects can be found here.
The combine runs from Feb. 27-Mar. 6. Haener and Moreno-Cropper will participate in events on Saturday.
Haener is the first Bulldog quarterback to be invited to the NFL Combine since Derek Carr in 2014. Moreno-Cropper is the first Bulldog wideout to receive an invitation since KeeSean Johnson in 2018. Since 2011, Fresno State has had 22 players invited to the combine. Running back Ronnie Rivers represented Fresno State at last year's event. A list of former Bulldogs with invitations to the NFL Combine is at the bottom of the story.
Tentative schedule of events
March 2: DL, LB
March 3: DB, PK/ST
March 4: QB, WR, TE
March 5: OL, RB
Athletes will participate in the following on-field drills:
40-yard dash
Bench press
Vertical jump
Broad jump
Three-cone drill
20-yard shuttle
60-yard shuttle
RESULTS
NFL Scouting Combine results can be found here throughout the week.
HOW TO WATCH
NFL Network, NFL+ and NFL.com will offer multi-platform coverage of the 2023 scouting combine.
NFL Network will have more than 50 hours of live coverage of this year's event, beginning March 2. Here's the day-by-day schedule:
March 2 (3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET): DL, LB
March 3 (3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET): DB, PK/ST
March 4 (1 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET): QB, WR, TE
March 5 (1 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET): OL, RB
NFL+ provides live coverage of on-field positional drills with the Players Only Combine Presented by NOBULL, streaming:
March 2 at 3:30 p.m. ET
March 3 at 4 p.m. ET
March 4 at 2 p.m. ET
March 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET
Jake Haener: The first team All-Mountain West quarterback overcame adversity in 2022, starting all 10 games played, missing four due to injury suffered in Week 3. He finished the season with 2,896 yards passing, completing 252-of-350 pass attempts. He threw 20 touchdowns to just three interceptions on the year. Haener had six 300-yard passing performances in 10 games played this year. He was a two-time Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week selection, and was named the Offensive MVP of the Mountain West Championship Game. Haener participated in the Reese's Senior Bowl, and had a big week in Mobile. He was named the National Team's Practice Quarterback of the Week by his peers and was named the MVP of the Game, helping the National Team to a 27-10 win in the All-Star game earlier this month.
Jalen Moreno-Cropper: The first team All-Mountain West wide receiver started all 14 games for Fresno State in 2022. He led the team with 83 receptions for 1,086 yards, becoming the first Bulldog to have a 1,000-yard receiving performance since 2018. Moreno-Cropper had three 100-yard receiving performances this season. He finished his career with 37-straight games with a reception, a streak that is the second-longest in program history. Moreno-Cropper participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl this season.
Fresno State NFL Scouting Combine Invitation History (Since 2011)
2022
Ronnie Rivers - RB 2016-18
None 2013
Robbie Rouse - RB
Phillip Thomas - S*
2020
Netane Muti - OL*
Mykal Walker - LB* 2015
Tyeler Davison - DL*
Josh Harper - WR
Derron Smith - DB* 2012
Devon Wylie - WR*
2019
Jeff Allison - LB
Mike Bell - S
KeeSean Johnson - WR* 2014
Davante Adams - WR*
Isaiah Burse - WR
Derek Carr - QB*
Marcel Jensen - TE 2011
Chris Carter - DL*
Ryan Colburn - QB
Jamel Hamler - WR
Andrew Jackson - OL* * Drafted in the NFL Draft that season