Three Aztecs Are in Doubt Before Draft

Mike Ariey was having the football season of his life in 1986.

Ariey, a San Diego State offensive tackle, was playing for a team on its way to the Holiday Bowl. Each week he was rated as one of the team’s top two offensive linemen, and he expected to earn personal honors.

Then, in the season’s eighth game at Colorado State, his season fell apart. He suffered torn ligaments in his left knee.

There would be no Holiday Bowl or all-Western Athletic Conference honors. The only thing left was a long rehabilitation period--and hopes that he could recover in time to play pro football this season.

Ariey said his knee is 85% recovered from the injury, but it still is vulnerable. At one time, he was considered certain to be selected in Tuesday’s NFL draft. Now the knee makes his draft status questionable.

“The day I hurt my knee, it was like all my dreams were shattered,” Ariey said. “I was having my best year. I was hoping for all-conference honors and the chance to play in a postseason game. Since that day, I have been working out on my own trying to get back into the thick of things.”

Before last season began, Ariey was considered one of the three Aztecs most likely to be drafted. All have had ailments that make them questionable.

Tight end Robert Awalt suffered a separated shoulder in the Holiday Bowl that prevented him from playing in the East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl. Offensive guard Doug Aronson had surgery for a hip ailment in eighth grade that still requires anti-inflammatory medication occasionally.

Of the three, Ariey is most likely to be affected by his injury in the NFL draft.

He suffered his knee injury Nov. 1. Since then, he has spent countless hours in the weight room, attempting to build the knee to full strength.

Don Kaverman, SDSU’s trainer, said Ariey should be 100% fit by the time training camps start in July.

“Mike is essentially pretty much rehabilitated,” Kaverman said. “We don’t have any clue how various clubs will respond to his injury. I would think Mike could get into a training camp and play. We’re not concerned about his knee.”

Ariey, who is 6-feet 5-inches and 260 pounds, knows NFL teams are concerned about his knee. He said scouts from Atlanta, Dallas, Green Bay and New England, fearing that he would reinjure the knee, told him not to run the 40-yard dash when they were looking at players two weeks ago. Ariey said he was going to participate and show the progress he had made until he was advised against it.

New England has shown the most interest in him. Patriot scouts have told Ariey they view him as a long-range prospect.

“The interest in me looks good,” Ariey said. “In my best interest, it might be best not to get drafted. If I go in the later rounds, I might not get with a team I want. It might be better to go as a free agent to a team that needs offensive linemen. A lot of teams are waiting on my knee to see what happens. I’m in a position where I don’t know what’s going on.”

Before last season, Awalt (6-5, 240) knew he was in good standing with NFL teams. Several scouts then said Awalt would be an early-round selection.

Awalt didn’t hurt his chances during the season. He caught 45 passes for 541 yards and 2 touchdowns and earned all-WAC first-team honors.

Then came the Holiday Bowl. Awalt suffered his shoulder injury in the second quarter, and that kept him from further postseason play.

He attended the East-West Shrine Game in Palo Alto, but all he could do was watch.

“I talked to a lot of scouts, coaches and personnel directors there,” Awalt said. “They said (the injury) wouldn’t help my chances, but it wouldn’t hurt them. I would have had a chance to help myself by playing. I was told as long as I could show for the (NFL scouting) combine, I would be all right.”

The scouting combine is a service that tests and rates players and offers the information to NFL teams. Awalt was able to participate in all but the upper-body strength tests at the combine, which was held in late January in Indianapolis.

“Rob’s fine now,” Kaverman said. “He’s not having any symptoms. He has taken a number of physicals for individual teams and scouting combines. He has passed them all with no problems.”

Awalt said scouts have told him that he and Rod Bernstine of Texas A&M; will be the first two tight ends drafted.

“Houston told me it would take me in the first two rounds if it had the opportunity,” Awalt said. “The 49ers have actively looked at me too. A few others have said they’ll choose me if they take a tight end.”

Aronson (6-3, 270) is very concerned about his draft status. Although he was an all-WAC first-team selection the last two seasons, he has not had an abundance of NFL scouts pass his way. Cincinnati has shown the most interest.

Aronson, who started all three years at SDSU, played with an inflexible left hip that was the result of his growing too fast. The ailment required surgery in eighth grade. He was unable to play sports for two years thereafter, but then he was able to resume, and the ailment did not affect his playing status.

Said Kaverman of Aronson’s hip: “It flares up from time to time and he has to take anti-inflammatory medication. It shouldn’t affect his draft status.”