UCLA Tailback Abdul-Jabbar Delays Decision on NFL Draft

UCLA tailback Karim Abdul-Jabbar was ready to make himself available for the NFL draft until he got a call Thursday night.

It was from the Bruins’ new coach, Bob Toledo.

Although Abdul-Jabbar, a junior, isn’t ready to commit to another year at UCLA solely on the basis of Toledo’s appeal, he has at least delayed his decision. The deadline for Abdul-Jabbar to declare his intentions is Wednesday.

“This makes it a lot easier to stay,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “Now I’m not worried so much about a change in the offense.

“Before, I didn’t think there was going to be any coach here who could affect my choice. And even if Coach [Bob] Field [the defensive coordinator] had gotten the job, I’m not as close to him as I am to Coach Toledo.”

But Abdul-Jabbar says the decision will probably still be based on where his conversations with various draft experts leave him thinking he will be picked. If the consensus is that he’s a third-rounder or lower, he will be back at UCLA, where he rushed for a school single-season record 1,571 yards in the season just completed.

If Abdul-Jabbar thinks he will be picked in the first round or high in the second round, he will go.

Most NFL scouts are projecting him as a low first- or high second-round pick, depending on the talent pool and Abdul-Jabbar’s performance in the scouting combine.

Among other juniors, All-America free safety Lawyer Milloy announced he is leaving Washington for the NFL.

Times columnist Mike Downey contributed to this story.