Ask any college prospect where he would like to play pro ball and he'll give you the standard reply -- "anywhere in the NFL."
You don't have to surf too far to find a mock draft or draft rumors. But how much attention do players pay to such talk? We asked five of the draft's top prospects -- LaVar Arrington, Courtney Brown, Joe Hamilton, Thomas Jones and Chad Pennington. Their reponses are listed below.
"Do you pay attention to mock drafts and draft rumors?"
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LAVAR ARRINGTON
Linebacker
Penn State
Age: 21
Vitals: 6-3, 233 pounds
"I pay a little bit of attention to it. But you never know what's going to happen in the end, so I'm just waiting to see what happens. ... It's not important to me to go No. 1. I just want to go to the team that wants me. Whoever takes me, that's who I want to play for."
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CHAD PENNINGTON
Quarterback
Marshall
Age: 23
Vitals: 6-4, 220 pounds
"You like to have some sort of an idea who's the most interested in you. But there are so many things going on and you've got to worry so much about getting yourself prepared for the draft, so you can't get caught up in all that. You've got to realize that despite all the rumors, you won't know what's going to happen until draft day. I hear my name on TV and in the mock drafts. People look at the mock drafts and say, 'Oh, you're going to Pittsburgh,' or 'Oh, you're going to San Francisco.' But really nobody knows. Those are just projections."
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THOMAS JONES
Running back
Virginia
Age: 21
Vitals: 5-10, 205 pounds
"I try not to follow it too much. A lot of that stuff is just people's opinions. Some of it might be based on a couple of facts and maybe people are hearing certain things. But, usually, I just try to let it go through one ear and out the other."
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JOE HAMILTON
Quarterback
Georgia Tech
Age: 22
Vitals: 5-10, 189 pounds
"I don't pay attention to it. I've been in the position around Tech to hear a lot of things and my friends hear a lot of things. Yet, this is wrong, and that's wrong. It never happens the way people are saying. Nobody really knows until April 15th and 16th, so I'm not going to get my hopes up too high or let my hopes get down to low. I'm just going to stay on an even keel, and I'll see where things go from there." |
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COURTNEY BROWN
Defensive end
Penn State
Age: 22
Vitals: 6-5, 270 pounds
"I hear about it, but right now I can't really worry about that. I've just got to worry about preparing myself for the league, and then whatever happens on draft day happens. ... I have friends and family who bring it up often, but I can't focus on it. You never know what's going to happen."
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ALSO SEE
Prospect Forum: The combine
Draft prospects hit ESPN.com
Prospect Profile: Courtney Brown
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