By Carlos ManzanilloAssistant Sports Editor
At first glance, it's just another workout at the Aztec AthleticCenter for JR Tolver. Something he has done for the nth time sincearriving on Montezuma Mesa five years ago. But these days, Tolver isno longer working toward spring practice or fall scrimmages.
Tolver's goal is to play on Sundays. And as one of the 217 playersexpected to hear his named called in the NFL draft Saturday, he isexpected to get that chance.
For a guy who used to be a skinny quarterback from Mira Mesa, itwould be a culmination of plenty of hard work.
"Whatever role you decide to take in your life, you always want tobe the best," Tolver said. "And the NFL represents the best. It's theelite of the elite. A lot of guys dream of playing in the NFL, butnot a lot of guys play in the league or even have a shot.
"Me making it is telling me that I am that caliber of athlete thatcan play this game at this level."
The NFL draft is the favorite time of the year for pundits,draftniks and Mel Kiper Jr., but for the players involved, it can bea little nerve-racking. The stopwatches have been put away, themeasuring tape's been rolled up and all the numbers are in.
Theonly thing left to do is wait.
Tolver has confessed that thoughts about the draft have invadedhis dreams.
"I'm not really worried about the third round, the fourth round orthe first round," Tolver said. "I just want to get into a camp andplay football again. Because right now, it's not football; it's testsand drills and things that have nothing to do with football. When itturns into football, that's when I do my best work."
But sometimes, the journey is not that simple - and one ex-Aztechas some good advice for Tolver.
"Just be patient right now," said former Aztec safety and currentBaltimore Raven Will Demps. "Last year, it was tough for me because Idid not know what to expect. But you have to think that you will havean opportunity to play and just make the best of that opportunity byworking hard."
Demps knows all about hard work. He had to sit through last year'sdraft only to endure not getting picked. Demps eventually workedhimself into the Ravens camp and impressed them enough to make thesquad and start 10 games last year.
Despite coming off a season in which Tolver posted ridiculousnumbers (128 catches, covering 1,785 yards and 14 TD's) and setnearly every Aztec receiving record, most scouts still project Tolverto go no higher than the third round - the second day of the draft.
While you can't discount Tolver's on-the-field production, it washis off-season workouts that left doubts in the eyes of some scouts.Tolver didn't enamor the gurus with his 40 time - the measuring stickthat all NFL players are judged by, and a significant stat for thewide receiver position. Tolver was timed in the high 4.6's - not ablazing time by NFL standards - but it was not enough to dampen hisconfidence.
"Everybody has their own way of evaluating who is better thanwhom," Tolver said. "There is a lot of tests wherepeople have done better than me, like the 40 and other things likethat. But my thing is that when we get on the field, I really feellike I'm the best player on the field and that is how I play thegame."
For most of the season, he was. And if it was not him, it wasusually teammate and fellow wideout Kassim Osgood. The transfer fromCal-Poly also posted astronomical numbers (108 catches, 1,552 yardsand eight touchdowns) last season, as the duo combined to set NCAArecords for combined catches and receiving yards in a season.
And while scouts are in love with his size (6 feet 5 inches, 208pounds), they also question his speed.
"The game has changed, it used to be called football, but now itscalled speed ball," said SDSU track and field coach Rahn Sheffield,who has worked with many former football players to improve theirspeed. "Everybody looks for speed, and if you don't have it, youwon't even get to first base."
Because of the NFL's premium on speed, Sheffield has been workingwith Tolver since January, trying to improve on his burst andacceleration.
"Everybody needs speed development and speed workouts are forevery sport," Sheffield said. "If you don't have speed, you willusually have a short stay. The whole key is to develop his power, hisspeed."
Sheffield has also been working with NFL hopefuls cornerback RickySharpe and defensive end Akbar Gbaja-Biamila with their conditioning.Both players have impressed enough in workouts to be consideredlate-round picks on Sunday.
But no one really knows where anybody stands. Until Saturday, thatis.
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