Shreveport Independence Bowl Alumni Shine at NFL Combine

The Shreveport Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl was well represented this year at the 2025 NFL Combine as nine players, who participated in six different Independence Bowl games, made their presence known to NFL scouts and reporters.

The nine players, according to an Independence Bowl release, were:

• Defensive End Tyler Batty (BYU, 2021)
• Cornerback Mac McWilliams (UAB, 2021 – finished his career at UCF)
• Cornerback Trey Amos (Louisiana, 2022 – finished at Ole Miss)
• Defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell (Houston, 2022 – finished at Oregon)
• Wide receiver Matthew Golden (Houston, 2022 – finished at Texas)
• Running back Tahj Brooks (Texas Tech, 2023)
• Offensive lineman Caleb Rogers (Texas Tech, 2023)
• Cornerback Nohl Williams (California, 2023)
• Safety Craig Woodson (Cal, 2023).

One of the most impressive stats from the nine was Matthew Golden's 4.29 second 40-yard dash, ranking him second overall, and first among wide receivers.  But others in the Independence Bowl group impressed as well.

Both Mac McWilliams and Trey Amos ranked in the top ten for cornerbacks in the 40, while Woodson finished 5th among safeties with a 4.45 40 time.

Two Texas Tech alumn impressed as well.  Caleb Rogers ranked fourth in the vertical jump, sixth in the broad jump, second in the three cone drill, and finished first in the 20 yard-shuffle.  His fellow Red Raider, Tahj Brooks led all running backs with a 4.06 second 20-yard shuffle.

In the cornerback group, Cal's Nohl Williams was second with 19 repetitions on the bench press.  And Tyler Batty from BYU logged 27 reps placing him fifth among defensive ends, and 10th overall.

The 2025 NFL Draft will be April 24-26th, when these and other NFL hopefuls will find out whether or not they'll hear, "Welcome to the NFL, rookie."