When Jackson Woodard reflects on his time playing at UNLV, he can't help but think about the seats inside Allegiant Stadium.

Before he transferred from Arkansas to follow his defensive coordinator Barry Odom, UNLV hadn't been bowl eligible in 23 years. The linebacker's first game as a Rebel was against Bryant University, coming out victorious 44-10 in front of 20,347 fans.

But by the end of the following season, the script had completely flipped.

The UNLV Rebels made two consecutive appearances in the Mountain West Conference Championship game, compiling a 20-8 record in that span and winning their first bowl game since the 2000 season. In Woodard's last game inside his home stadium, the attendance was nearly doubled at 40,122 compared to his debut. And to put icing on the cake, it was a victory in the Battle of Nevada over in-state rival University of Nevada, Reno, 38-14.

"What we were able to do in those two years is really special," Woodard said at the NFL Combine. "And I have a lot in that and I know my teammates think the same. We came in, had no excuses, didn't ask questions, just went to work and the hard work led to wins. We created a culture that's about work, that's about business. It's pretty special."

"Just the difference in attendance, we had a really good fanbase towards the end of my career there," he added, "and that was pretty special seeing that culture shift [in] the city of Las Vegas."

Woodard, named MW Defensive Player of the Year, was invited to the NFL Combine alongside teammate and wide receiver Ricky White. White also transferred to UNLV from a Power-Five program, Michigan State, ahead of the 2023 season. He ultimately become the focal point of the Rebels offense and a key contributor on special teams. To go along with his 11 receiving touchdowns in 2024, he was awarded the MW Special Teams Player of the Year after leading the nation in blocked punts (four).

But even more than the individual accomplishments, he takes great pride in turning around the program in historic fashion.

"My time at UNLV was very special for me," White said. "Over the years, the fans and the community really bought into us winning and becoming a special team. We got the chance to play at Allegiant Stadium. ... You could see the difference of winning and it just made more people come out and watch us and the stands ended up coming and filling up."

Following the duo's showing at the Combine, they have the opportunity to be the first UNLV players selected in the NFL Draft since guard Joe Hawley in 2010. While both striving to make their NFL dreams come to life, it's fitting that they took on the Combine together considering their roles in propelling UNLV football.

And through the journey, they're grateful for one another.

"That's my brother. I'm very happy for him," White said of Woodard. "He competed his butt off yesterday, a great day in the drills that he did. He's a special player, he's definitely going to get picked up. ... He's a dog and they see it on film so they going to get him for sure."

"Ricky is a special human being," Woodard said. "I look at him as one of my best friends even off the field. We came in every day, some of the first in and the last to leave. Ricky's a special human being. He means a lot to the city of Las Vegas and it's special to be able to do it with him and to be here with him is really cool. It's something that we've talked about, dreamed about and now we're here which is really cool."