It doesn't take a three- or four-year career at a major college to receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine, which begins Feb. 22 in Indianapolis.

The list of scheduled participants includes 14 players from Division II or III schools. Three players are familiar names to those who follow Division II conferences with area tie-ins.

Saginaw Valley State wide receiver Jeff Janis and Grand Valley State center Matt Armstrong give the GLIAC two representatives in the combine. Getting players to the combine is nothing new for the GLIAC. Grand Valley State wide receiver Charles Johnson was selected by the Packers in last year's seventh round.

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound Janis is one of the top receivers in GLIAC history and caught 83 passes for 1,572 yards this past season. Janis, who participated in the Senior Bowl last month, caught five passes for 120 yards against Lake Erie College last season.

The 6-foot-3, 296-pound Armstrong earned the Rimington Award as the best center in Division II. Armstrong is also a standout shot putter for Grand Valley's track and field team.

Shepherd defensive end Howard Jones is the first player in Mountain East Conference history invited to the combine. The 6-foot-4, 238-pound Jones helped Shepherd hold nine opponents, including Notre Dame College, under 20 points in 2013.

Eleven Division II players, including five offensive and five defensive linemen, were drafted last year.

Here's a list of small-college players invited to the 2014 combine:

Matt Armstrong, C, Grand Valley State

John Brown, WR, Pittsburg State

Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood

Brandon Dixon, CB, Northwest Missouri State

Joe Don Duncan, TE, Dixie State

Matt Feiler, OT, Bloomsburg

Jeff Janis, WR, Saginaw Valley State

Howard Jones, DE, Shepherd

Reggie Jordan, TE, Missouri Western State

Zach Moore, DE, Concordia

Mike Pennel, DT, Colorado-Pueblo

Dustin Vaughan, QB, West Texas A&M

Larry Webster, DE, Bloomsburg

Ethan Westbrooks, DE, West Texas A&M

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy