Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks is the most likely candidate of the seven eligible prospects to be selected in the NFL's supplemental draft on Thursday.
Two NFL team officials said they expect Brooks to be chosen before the fourth-round grade that most other insiders have targeted for the former All-American.
"There now seems to be legitimate interest around the league on him and there may also be a team or two that like his upside, but [they] have not said much about him publicly," one team representative explained.
The teams that appear to have shown the most interest in Brooks include the San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers have an extra fourth-round pick in next year's draft, and that may give them an edge in terms of using an earlier selection than most interested teams. However, one dark horse candidate could be the New York Jets, who have the luxury of using one of their two 2007 second-round choices to select Brooks.
Former North Carolina State wide receiver/return man Richard Washington, who decided just 16 days ago to make himself eligible for the supplemental draft, worked out for three teams last Saturday on a high school field in Florida. His workout numbers were not up to his expectations, as he ran between 4.64 and 4.68 seconds in the 40-yard dash and slipped on some of his agility drills, but he caught the ball very well during a 45-minute route-running session, laying out for one ball that just fell off his fingertips.
"My legs just gave out on me towards the end of [the workout], but I think I only dropped one pass," said Washington, who has not participated in a true training regimen for nearly 19 months and weighs just 169 pounds ? well below his playing weight of 175 to 180. "When I get back into top shape, I will be able to contribute in the NFL. ? I am sure of that."
The former prep standout was actually listed on most recruiting sheets ahead of many of the top draft choices that have come out of N.C. State the past two years. Washington's impressive performances against North Carolina and Miami (featuring a productive afternoon against former Hurricanes star Antrel Rolle) in 2004 have made several area scouts take notice.
"Teams have told us he can play in the NFL ? that he will be worth a look in someone's training camp," said Washington's agent, Joel Turner, who has fielded calls from 11 teams.
Linebacker David Dixon, the ex-Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College standout, decided to perform one last workout with the hopes of erasing the doubts that came from his June 22 pro day in Beaumont, Texas. Dixon recorded three 40 times ranging between 4.50 and 4.56 seconds. He also improved on the three-cone drill, running it three times between 7.28 and 7.38 seconds before finishing up with a 10-foot-6 broad jump.
The workout came after two weeks of improved training by Dixon, who recorded his times on an indoor, hard-wooden floor with sneakers. A steady flow of calls from six to eight interested teams has given the 6-foot, 245-pound Dixon a positive outlook on his football future.
"He was obviously not at peak performance that day [in Beaumont]," said Mike Stojkovic of Texas Acceleration & Sports Training in Houston. "He did well in some areas, but [the latest] workout was probably a better indication of the type of athlete he is. With more reps and maturity, he has a shot to make it."
Texas fullback Ahmard Hall and Iowa State defensive end/linebacker Jason Berryman could hear their names called during the 32-team conference call Thursday morning, but it would likely occur in the sixth or seventh rounds. If not, they are expected to be offered free-agent deals by several teams.
Both Texas defensive tackle Marco Martin (6-3, 335), who has not seen a lot of fanfare since making himself eligible, and Connecticut offensive tackle Craig Berry (6-5, 320), who was expected to compete for the Huskies' starting right tackle job this season, possess good natural size, but they are raw and inexperienced. Berry ? the last of the supplemental draft prospects to earn "special" eligibility ? could receive a free-agent offer from a team like the Green Bay Packers, whose scouting director, John Dorsey, was a standout linebacker at UConn.
Two NFL team officials said they expect Brooks to be chosen before the fourth-round grade that most other insiders have targeted for the former All-American.
"There now seems to be legitimate interest around the league on him and there may also be a team or two that like his upside, but [they] have not said much about him publicly," one team representative explained.
The teams that appear to have shown the most interest in Brooks include the San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers have an extra fourth-round pick in next year's draft, and that may give them an edge in terms of using an earlier selection than most interested teams. However, one dark horse candidate could be the New York Jets, who have the luxury of using one of their two 2007 second-round choices to select Brooks.
Former North Carolina State wide receiver/return man Richard Washington, who decided just 16 days ago to make himself eligible for the supplemental draft, worked out for three teams last Saturday on a high school field in Florida. His workout numbers were not up to his expectations, as he ran between 4.64 and 4.68 seconds in the 40-yard dash and slipped on some of his agility drills, but he caught the ball very well during a 45-minute route-running session, laying out for one ball that just fell off his fingertips.
"My legs just gave out on me towards the end of [the workout], but I think I only dropped one pass," said Washington, who has not participated in a true training regimen for nearly 19 months and weighs just 169 pounds ? well below his playing weight of 175 to 180. "When I get back into top shape, I will be able to contribute in the NFL. ? I am sure of that."
The former prep standout was actually listed on most recruiting sheets ahead of many of the top draft choices that have come out of N.C. State the past two years. Washington's impressive performances against North Carolina and Miami (featuring a productive afternoon against former Hurricanes star Antrel Rolle) in 2004 have made several area scouts take notice.
"Teams have told us he can play in the NFL ? that he will be worth a look in someone's training camp," said Washington's agent, Joel Turner, who has fielded calls from 11 teams.
Linebacker David Dixon, the ex-Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College standout, decided to perform one last workout with the hopes of erasing the doubts that came from his June 22 pro day in Beaumont, Texas. Dixon recorded three 40 times ranging between 4.50 and 4.56 seconds. He also improved on the three-cone drill, running it three times between 7.28 and 7.38 seconds before finishing up with a 10-foot-6 broad jump.
The workout came after two weeks of improved training by Dixon, who recorded his times on an indoor, hard-wooden floor with sneakers. A steady flow of calls from six to eight interested teams has given the 6-foot, 245-pound Dixon a positive outlook on his football future.
"He was obviously not at peak performance that day [in Beaumont]," said Mike Stojkovic of Texas Acceleration & Sports Training in Houston. "He did well in some areas, but [the latest] workout was probably a better indication of the type of athlete he is. With more reps and maturity, he has a shot to make it."
Texas fullback Ahmard Hall and Iowa State defensive end/linebacker Jason Berryman could hear their names called during the 32-team conference call Thursday morning, but it would likely occur in the sixth or seventh rounds. If not, they are expected to be offered free-agent deals by several teams.
Both Texas defensive tackle Marco Martin (6-3, 335), who has not seen a lot of fanfare since making himself eligible, and Connecticut offensive tackle Craig Berry (6-5, 320), who was expected to compete for the Huskies' starting right tackle job this season, possess good natural size, but they are raw and inexperienced. Berry ? the last of the supplemental draft prospects to earn "special" eligibility ? could receive a free-agent offer from a team like the Green Bay Packers, whose scouting director, John Dorsey, was a standout linebacker at UConn.
