School of Hard Knocks

Two of the top receiver prospects in Saturday’s NFL draft come from Los Angeles, but there’s a catch. Two catches, actually.

Danny Farmer leaves UCLA acknowledging that his disappointing senior season, through no fault of his skills, could cost him in this weekend’s NFL draft, bringing additional scrutiny on his decision not to make himself available after a great ’98 season.

R. Jay Soward leaves USC aware that inconsistency and a questionable work ethic have left him with much more to show than his 40-yard time.

And that leaves them where?

Possibly out some money, for starters. But still poised to play prominent roles, with scouts and personnel officials sending out signals that Soward will go somewhere near the end of the first round or start of the second, and Farmer as early as the start of the second. So, what-could-have-been slides don’t figure to be startling.

That’s if Farmer is penalized at all. His lack of speed is a legitimate concern, but a senior season that included only 29 receptions and three touchdowns--a major comedown for someone being touted as an All-American candidate--can be downplayed because of circumstances. Ankle and groin injuries cost him two full games and parts of three others. And the inexperience of three UCLA quarterbacks made it difficult to get him the ball, especially on deep routes.

So teams have been asked to remember his 1998, the 22-yards-a-catch average and first-team All-Pacific 10 honors and the big plays in the clutch while teaming with Cade McNown. The great leaping ability that evaporated amid the injuries of the senior season. The hands and intelligence and team-first attitude that didn’t.

Bruin Coach Bob Toledo said, “I think if you look in the newspapers these days, it’s obvious teams are going to be looking for character people instead of characters.”

Farmer has talked with former teammate Kris Farris, who went from Outland Trophy winner all the way down to the third round a year ago, so he isn’t counting on anything. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst is more like it. What he does seem convinced of is how 1999 might be rattling around the draft war rooms on Saturday morning.

“I’m sure some teams have thought it,” Farmer said. “But no one has come right out and said it.”

Said that his unproductive senior season, no matter the causes, will cost him places in the draft.

“I think it might have,” Farmer said. “I’ve never been injured in my career before that. So I think with my [ankle and groin] injuries, teams might have started to doubt.

“I don’t know if it will end up hurting me. It’s definitely not going to help. But I don’t regret coming back for my senior year. I’m going to graduate in June and I got to spend another year in an environment I really like and around a lot of people I really like.”

At least he could have shown something on the field to help convince teams of his readiness. Soward’s predicament, on the other hand, is different.

“They want to know about my work habits,” Soward said.

Ah, yes. Work habits.

“That’s going to be the side of the cautious,” said USC Coach Paul Hackett, a former assistant coach with four NFL teams and the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs as recently as 1997.

“There’s going to be the actual performance, and there’s going to be the consistency the last couple years. That’s the concern. I don’t think there’s any question of his love for the game. I think the questions will be about his consistency and his ability to sustain his great talents over the long haul.”

Soward has the speed to return punts and kickoffs, which will help his standing. But in the workouts and conversations with teams, he hasn’t exactly been grilled about his stand on the fair catch. Not when the talents are obvious, as are other things.

“I was very clear with him, the first meeting we had, about some of the perceptions out there,” said his agent, Leigh Steinberg. “To his credit, he didn’t flinch. He dealt with it. . . . He was not in denial about what the perception was.”

Said Soward, “I don’t think it’s there anymore. I came into the process and was showing everybody that my character was totally different from the media perception. I come from a good family, I have never been arrested, I’ve never had a DUI. I’m not a bad guy. I just wanted to show everyone that I’m not some thug from California.”

Maybe he has won them over?

“I believe I did,” Soward said.

Time will tell. Sometime Saturday.

NFL Draft

WHEN: Saturday-Sunday

WHERE: New York

TIME: 8 a.m.

TV: ESPN (Saturday),

ESPN2 (Sunday)

RECEIVER RATINGS: Page 10