Red Raiders safety Cole Wisniewski is drawing eyes around the NFL after not getting an invite to the combine earlier this offseason.
Texas Tech has several players swirling around draft boards throughout the league, with big names like David Bailey and Jacob Rodriguez dominating the dialogue.
However, there are other Red Raiders flying under-the-radar that could make a serious splash after their name is called on draft day. One of the most notable of these examples is safety Cole Wisniewski.
The one-year Red Raider spent the rest of his college days at North Dakota State, where he contributed to the defense during the Bison dynasty. He captured three FCS National Championships and more than a few individual accolades.
An injury during his last season in Fargo kept him sidelined before he made the jump to FBS at Texas Tech. Following the year off, Wisniewski returned and showcased the skills that made him so dangerous with the Bison.
In the lone season in Lubbock, Wisniewski finished with 78 total tackles, six pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, one of which was also recovered by him and a sack. These solid numbers netted him an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and a semifinal finish in the Comeback Player of the Year Award race.
Despite his success at both of his previous teams, Wisniewski was not invited to the NFL Draft Combine.
Instead of moving out of the draft process, he used a big performance at Texas Tech's Pro Day in front of representatives from all 32 of the NFL's teams to reinsert his name into the conversation. That move appears to have paid off.
According to NFL reporter Ian Rapaport, a few of these squads liked what they saw out of Wisniewski and used Top 30 visits to get a more in-depth look at him. These include the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.
Two of the most interesting of these teams are the Vikings and Cowboys. As mentioned before, Wisniewski spent time in the upper-midwest during his college time but is also originally a native of Wisconsin. While it isn't as personal as where he grew up, Dallas could potentially keep Wisniewski in the state where he finished his college career.
Not only do these teams pose a connection to Wisniewski, they offer him an environment where he could make an impact. The Cowboys have been woeful on defensive, especially in the secondary, and are looking for fresh faces under first-year coordinator Christian Parker.
On the other hand, Minnesota has been one of the league's best defensive forces under DC Brian Flores. Allowing Wisniewski to take a step back and develop alongside a strong unit could do wonders later in his career.
Whether its one of these teams or another that is completely random, it seems that Wisniewski has a serious shot to make it to the next level, even after getting held out of the combine.