More than 300 pro football prospects congregated at this weekend’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Among that group were several former U.S. National Team alumni and International Bowl participants making a case why teams should call their name at the NFL Draft next month in Nashville.

Here’s a quick glance at the six National Team alums in attendance:

Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State, 2016 U.S. Under-19 National Team

After a relatively quiet redshirt freshman campaign, Dwayne Haskins took the college football world by storm in 2018, finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa. Last season, Haskins threw for 4,843 yards, 50 touchdowns, completed nearly 70 percent of his passes and led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 13-1 record, which included a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl victory.

Haskins had one of the longer tenures playing for the U.S. National Team, starting as a U-14 player and playing all the way until he was on the U-19 team.

“It’s been a great experience with USA Football, I really thank them having me for that long,” Haskins said.

Each year in the program, Haskins said there was another lesson to be learned out of the experience. When recalling his favorite memories, however, Haskins fondly remembers playing on, what he called, “a super team,” in 2016.

“The USA Team taught me how to be a great leader, how to stand in front of our country and stand for something that’s bigger than me, as far as football, and being able to be a part of something that was really fun. … It was just a great experience.”

Dalton Risner, OL, Kansas State, 2014 U.S. Under-19 National Team

For the past few years, Dalton Risner has been considered one of the best college offensive lineman in the country. Voted a 2018 First Team All-American by CBS Sports, Sporting News, Pro Football Focus and ESPN, Risner was a three-year team captain at Kansas State. In college, he earned Big 12 all-conference honors three-straight years, becoming the fourth offensive lineman in Big 12 history to do so.

Prior to becoming a standout at Kansas State, Risner was a member of the U.S. Under-19 National Team in 2014. There, he competed alongside several guys, like Buffalo Bill defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, who he stays in touch with to this day. 

“You’re growing up, finding out who you are around these other guys, it’s pretty special,” Risner said. “… You’re trying to prove yourself and you’re around all this other top talent. After day one, you start hanging out at night, studying the plays together, going to get food. You just create a serious bond. Man, it’s pretty cool.”

Prior to the Combine, Risner reached out to Phillips to ask him for tips.

“Don’t try to be anyone but yourself,” Harrison told him. As Risner prepares for the next level, he fondly remembers what competing for the National Team did for him.

“I think that just being around great talent, watching what certain guys do, watching what helps certain guys, what guys don’t do well,” Risner said, “playing in that bowl game had a huge impact on me, (built) lifelong relationships and, most of all, memories that you’re not going to forget and be proud of.”

Taylor Rapp, S, Washington, 2014 U.S. Under-17 Red National Team

A defensive starter since he was a freshman, Taylor Rapp helped Washington make it to the 2016 College Football Playoff. In three seasons, Rapp accumulated 171 tackles – 104 solo – defended 14 passes and recorded seven interceptions. The First Team All-American, as voted by The Athletic, Player Football Focus, ESPN and USA Today, decided to forego his senior season to enter the Draft.

Formerly a student at Sehome High School in Bellingham, Wash., which has an attendance of just under 1,200 students, Rapp said he didn’t get a chance to compete with some of the best high school players across the country. That was until he played at the International Bowl, however, where he met guys like N’Keal Harry and Dwayne Haskins – a pair of alumni and prospects in this year’s NFL Draft.

“It’s super cool seeing us play as high school players and then having us come out here at the NFL Combine, having a chance to come out here and compete with some of the best athletes in the world,” Rapp said. “It’s been a cool experience, for sure.”

N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State, 2016 U.S. Under-19 National Team

N’Keal Harry made his mark at Arizona State, hauling in 213 receptions and 2,889 receiving yards during his three-year career – both totals good for third in program history. Harry had 22 career receiving touchdowns and was a versatile punt returner. He declared for the NFL Draft after earning Pac-12 all-conference honors and leading the Sun Devils in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns as a junior.

In the 2016 International Bowl, Harry played alongside National Team alum and NFL Draft prospects Mecole Hardman and Dwayne Haskins. Looking back at that week, Harry says, “It really was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.”

Harry says he continues to use the tools he learned as part of the National Team today.

“Just some of the information they were giving us. Not only on the field but off the field,” Harry said. “They had discussions with us about this moment right here, how to carry yourself, how to get here because, you know, we were seniors in high school going on to college. They gave us a lot of advice to help make that transition a lot smoother.”

Vosean Joseph, LB, Florida, 2016 U.S. Under-19 National Team

Declaring for the NFL Draft after his junior season, Vosean Joseph finished his collegiate career with 161 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and eight pass breakups. Joseph helped lead the Gators to a 10-3 record in his junior campaign, which included a 41-15 win over Michigan in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl and a 27-19 win over No. 5-ranked LSU, where he had a career-high 14 tackles and 3.5 tackles-for-loss.

Joseph never played for an all-star team, per say, because he said playing alongside guys at the International Bowl was a different experience than your typical all-star team.

“I felt like we came together as a team rather than like, ‘OK, You’re better than me, I’m better than you.’ We actually played together,” Joseph said. “I’ve never seen an all-star team really dominate like we did that year and I feel like that was just amazing, just coming out there and competing with people like that.”

Mecole Hardman, WR, Georgia, 2016 U.S. Under-19 National Team

In his junior year at Georgia, Mecole Hardman was the second-leading receiver, pulling in 59 receptions, 950 yards and 11 touchdowns in his three-year career. Hardman was a member of the 2018 Georgia Bulldogs team that made the 2018 College Football Playoff and scored both of the Bulldogs touchdowns in the National Championship game against Alabama, including a career-long 80-yard reception.