K-Stated

I’ve been reading all of these 2009 “first-glance” NFL mock drafts, and they’re all ridiculous, especially when you hear gentlemen like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and the NFL Network’s Mike Mayock remind viewers during the past weekend that quarterbacks like Kentucky’s Andre Woodson and Hawaii’s Colt Brennan began the 2007 season as likely second-round picks.

No sight anywhere of Josh Freeman.

He has the size. He has the physical tools. He’ll have the support - Ron Prince will be push him to all of the NFL personnel sorts he fraternizes with. He had decent numbers in his sophomore season - when he also had Jordy Nelson at his disposal, which is another story for another time. But is already on the NFL’s radar?

He might be. But Rob Rang, senior analyst at NFLDraftScout.com, isn’t too familiar with the Kansas State quarterback.

“I haven’t seen enough to make an intelligent comment,” Rang said. “I haven’t talked to teams about him. At the same time, he’s a player that has flashed already. I’d have to look at more film before I felt comfortable commenting.”

That’s not a knock on Freeman as much as it’s a reflection of the process. He’s not a household name yet; at the Sweet 16 in Detroit, CBS announcer Gus Johnson was talking to a Kansas radio personality and asked him about Ron Prince and K-State. Johnson said, “They’ve got that big, black kid at quarterback, right? He’s going to be good, right?”

He should be, Gus. If he stays for all four years, he should be.

But he’ll be eligible for the draft after the upcoming season, and there is an art to all of this. Juniors file paperwork to see where they might stand in the draft and then they’ll put out. What it does is place the prospect on the NFL’s radar, which is where you want to be.

Next comes the monster senior season. Hopefully, anyway.

“He’s an up-and-comer,” Rang said of Freeman.