With the NFL Draft just under two weeks away, ten former WSU football players are vowing for their chance to play at the next level.

Wide receiver Gabe Marks and safety Shalom Luani were the only two Cougars invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and are predicted to have the best chances of actually being drafted in a late-round selection, according to cbssport.com’s NFL Draft Prospect Rankings.

The likes of center Riley Sorenson, defensive tackle Robert Barber, linebacker Paris Taylor and receivers River Cracraft and John Thompson, among others, are not projected to be picked in the draft but could be signed afterwards.

With the national spotlight on them, Marks and Luani performed well at the Combine in Indianapolis. The five-foot-11-inch safety’s speed was on full display as Luani recorded the fastest time among his position in the 60-yard shuttle with a time of 11.22 seconds. His 4.56 40-yard dash tied Marks’ Combine time in the drill, marking him the eighth fastest among the safeties. Luani’s 6.87 second performance in the three-cone drill was sixth best.

“I think [Luani] did nothing but help himself,” Alex Grinch, WSU defensive coordinator/secondary coach, said. “He got [personal records] in some of his testing so that’s all you can do.”

Marks, perhaps the most notable Cougar player in this draft, showed off his athleticism at the Combine. Some of the test results for the six-foot receiver included 11 repetitions of the 225-pound bench press, 29.5 inches in the vertical jump and a time of 4.20 in the 20-yard shuttle. Marks, per multiple NFL Draft experts, projects best as an inside receiver at the next level.

“He’ll be one of those interesting guys to see where he’s slotted,” WSU Outside Receivers Coach Dave Nichol said. “[Marks] played outside [receiver] for us, and teams are looking at him as an inside guy.”

Nichol also noted Marks’ intelligence on and off the field would be an “x-factor” for any team that wants to add him.

“He’s really intelligent, that’s something I know [the NFL] values a lot. He can play multiple positions, I thought he was very coachable.”

Sorenson did not flinch after not being invited to the Combine. This relatively “bad” news was microscopic compared to the personal ventures he has battled over the last year. Sorenson lost both of his parents and was diagnosed with testicular cancer in the span of just a few months. WSU Offensive Line Coach Clay McGuire raved about Sorenson’s perseverance this last year.

“It’s unbelievable, I’m extremely proud of him. We talk about it all the time, the most important trait to [have] is mental [toughness].

As far as Sorenson’s performance at Pro Day, McGuire said his testing was not indicative of what he can provide for an NFL team.

“[He] ran OK, [he] tested OK, but that’s not really his strength. He tests between the ears, hopefully he gets a shot to get [drafted] somewhere and show guys what he’s about.”

Wide receiver Cracraft has taken an interesting route in getting ready for his NFL ambitions. The senior tore his ACL in a game against the University of California, Berkeley, putting an end to his senior season and halting his draft preparations, as well as his participation at the Combine.

Cracraft has been rehabbing his injury down in Irvine, California, and putting in 13-hour days to test his knee and push his boundaries. Cracraft caught passes from the likes of NFL quarterbacks, such as Blake Bortles, Jared Goff, Cody Kessler and Matt Barkley among others, while down in California.

Cracraft arrived in Pullman just before WSU’s Pro Day at about “85 percent.” He was now able to make cuts while running, according to an article in The Seattle Times. Cracraft put up 15 reps in the 225-pound bench press, which would have tied for 12th best at his position at the Combine.

Another notable player at Pro Day was linebacker Taylor. Taylor perhaps helped himself more than any other player, vertically jumping 32 inches and recording a broad jump of nine-foot-nine-inches. Both jumps were the best by any player at WSU’s Pro Day.

Other participants at WSU’s Pro Day included defensive back Treshon Broughton, offensive lineman Eduardo Middleton and defensive lineman Jeremiah Mitchell.

The Cougars have not had three players selected in the same draft since 2005. The first-round of the NFL Draft begins at 5 p.m. PST on April 27 on ESPN. Rounds two and three will begin at 4 p.m. on April 28, and rounds four through seven will take place at 9 a.m. on April 29 on ESPN.