Blue-Chipper Has Options : NFL draft: Alcorn linebacker Thierry is an academic standout, too.

Louise Duckless, mother of linebacker John Thierry, has her own style of assessing the National Football League draft. Call it depth perception; it’s as if she’s viewing a neon light of hope at the end of a 1,200-mile tunnel. “It’s like a dream,” she said. “You struggle your life with the children and everything. It’s like you made it.”

Making it is hearing your son’s name called among the first 10 in the first round Sunday, when draft notices go out at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan. Making it is being proud of your son’s efforts and desire to succeed -- athletically and academically.

Thierry is a 6-foot-4, 250-pound linebacker from Alcorn State, a predominantly black school located in Lorman, Miss. (enrollment 3,100). By last December, he had mastered enough chemistry and biology classes during his career -- “Analytical Chemistry is the toughest one, with the lab work and everything,” Thierry said -- to be accepted into the Ph.D. program in biochemistry at Indiana University in Bloomington. By the end of November, he had recorded 119 tackles, including 81 solos, and nine quarterback sacks. He can tackle, blitz, cover and run. He can sprint the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds.

Thierry is indeed a man on the move. Early this past week he was in Detroit for a workout with the Lions, then it was off to Dallas for a workout with the Cowboys, then a track meet (Thierry runs the 100 meters in 10.6 seconds) this past weekend in New Orleans. He’s a man in demand, and doing his best impersonation of O.J. Simpson running in airports in those old Hertz commercials. Except, Thierry is carrying a cellular phone instead of an attache case. “Hey, a lot of people wanted to get in touch with me,” Thierry said from an airport in Louisiana the other day, “so I figured I’d better get one.”

Thierry will make the 1,200-mile trek from Lorman to Manhattan, waiting to see if the New England Patriots call his name with the No. 4 overall pick Sunday. It is known the Patriots covet Thierry. Coach Bill Parcells loves those big, strong, fast outside linebackers. But there is speculation the Patriots may opt to draft USC defensive end Willie McGinest instead, and the Cleveland Browns would take Thierry with the ninth pick.

Patriots college scouting director Charlie Armey won’t say. “No offense,” he said, “but we don’t do draft stories. I won’t talk to you about the draft and Bill Parcells won’t either.” What does Thierry say? “A lot of people are assuming I’ll be taken by the Patriots. I’m just waiting.”

Thierry and his mother have waited a long time for this impending moment. She was unmarried when she became pregnant with Thierry at age 19 in Opelousas, La. Times were often difficult. But if there is a message in this story for young people, it is that no matter how bad the struggles are as a youth and a family, hard work and hope can make the future better.

Thierry’s mother had to work two or three jobs to survive. Nothing was plentiful -- even food. “Sometimes when I couldn’t buy anything else,” she said, “I fed him oatmeal three times a day.”

But they survived together through resourcefulness and prayer. “We would kneel and pray together when I was a kid,” said Thierry. When he went off to college, his mother gave him a Bible. Psalms are his preference. “I read them daily,” he said. “My favorites are the 23rd, 51st and 91st.”

Thierry also subscribes to the theory of search and destroy. “I enjoy it,” he said. “I enjoy hitting people. You have action on every down at linebacker. It’s about getting the job done.”

The San Francisco 49ers pick 15th, so they have nothing to lose by talking about Thierry, who will be selected by the time they pick. Said their college scouting director Vinny Cerrato: “I think he’s a good athlete. He’s got great closing ability on the quarterback. He’s got great speed. He’s a raw talent, but he’s got all the ability that you see in great players.”

As a player, he is as Lawrence Taylor-like as one can get. At Alcorn, Thierry played outside linebacker, inside linebacker and down lineman. He credits track with helping his versatility on the football field, as Thierry competes in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, discus, javelin, shot put, 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay. Maybe he should have been a decathlete. Thierry says, “I can’t pole vault, though, but I am a lifeguard.”

On the gridiron, he covered running backs out of the backfield and even fleet wide receivers, such as Gary “The Flea” Harrell of Howard University. Which is a very strange sight considering Harrell, who runs a 4.39 40, is 5-6 and 165 pounds. “He’s a freak of nature, I guess,” the Flea said. “He’s fast for his size, he’s a great athlete, has great movement and he’s physical.”

If for some unforeseen reason, Thierry doesn’t make it in the NFL, he can switch to the other segments of his personal triple option. He can attend graduate school at Indiana or work for chemical or pharmaceutical companies, which have offered him jobs. “I want to get my Ph.D. one day,” Thierry said. “And I want to do research or teach.”

But put that on hold for now. He wants to get on the top-hits list first.