NATCHEZ — Seven Natchez High football players got an early start on showcasing their talents for scouts when they went to Schuman’s National Underclassmen Combine in Baton Rouge the weekend of Feb. 28.

Sophomores Brian Isaac (defensive back), Kevin Bailey (running back), Raymond Williams (linebacker), Levester Sheppard (wide receiver), Devonte Jackson (wide receiver) and Javon Washington (quarterback) and junior receiver/defensive back Zack Brown performed football speed, agility and performance drills for college scouts and coaches from around the country, as well as rivals.com, Scouts.com and Maxpreps.com at Scotlandville High School in Baton Rouge.

The combine, primarily for freshmen and sophomores, but also including juniors and eighth-graders, sends the results of the drills to every college in the country, from Division I-A to Division III schools.

The best 200 athletes in the program, which has regional combines across the country, get invited to the rivals.com Ultimate 100 Camp in Dallas, Texas in June.

All seven Bulldogs qualified for the Ultimate 100.

“It was cold out there, like 20-something degrees,” Williams said. “I was thinking I was going to run slow. But I was one of the top linebackers. In speed, I was in the top three for the linebackers.”

Isaac was named the event’s Most Valuable Player at the defensive back position and gets an automatic invitation to the Ultimate 100 camp.

Natchez High coach Lance Reed said he had nothing to do with sending the players to Baton Rouge but was happy they went.

“Some of the parents took their guys down there,” he said. “They wanted to get their kids some exposure and let them get some more work in.

“From what I hear they did do well. A couple of them did get a lot of praise, and when they came back they said that some good things were said of them.”

The official results of the events — which include a 40-yard dash, agility shuttle, bench press and broad and vertical jumps — come out in two weeks, which is when the Bulldogs will know for sure if they’ve been invited to the Ultimate 100 camp.

Williams said he received an email from people associated with the combine asking if he’d be interested in participating.

“I already knew what I was capable of doing,” he said. “I was just eager to go out there and show it, to help me get my name out there and get recruited more.”

Reed said he was impressed with the initiative the players took to take on extra work in the offseason, especially his offensive leader, Washington.

“All those guys are very talented,” Reed said. “Javon is a multi-sport player who is really interested in making the decision to focus on a sport, and he has a lot of potential to really develop his talent. All those guys have a lot of potential.”