Ready to Go

A funny thing happened to UCLA’s Freddie Mitchell in his tireless pursuit of fame and fortune as an NFL receiver.

He got tired.

“This is wearing me out,” Mitchell said of the pre-draft waiting game. “It’s taking a toll on my body. I’ve been going from team to team, most of them on the East Coast, taking a lot of trips. . . . It’s hard.”

Mitchell, who is leaving UCLA a year early, is the only player from a Southern California school with a realistic chance of being selected in the first round. He stopped by the Bruins’ spring practice this week, then headed home to Lakeland, Fla., where he will watch the draft. He has visited several teams, the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins among them.

USC’s defense is coming off a disappointing season, but three players from that unit could hear their names called in the draft--defensive tackle Ennis Davis and linebackers Markus Steele and Zeke Moreno. Also, UCLA cornerback Jason Bell might be a late-round pick, although often those players are better off going undrafted then taking their pick of teams shopping the free-agent market.

“Teams have been calling me all week, and they’re all saying I’ll be a late-rounder,” Bell said. “Carl Peterson [president of the Kansas City Chiefs] sent me a letter and said they were interested. He said they would look at me as one of their draft picks, even if they signed me as a free agent.”

A lot of mock drafts project Mitchell being picked in the early to mid-20s where a handful of teams--the New Orleans Saints (23), Denver Broncos (24), Philadelphia Eagles (25) and Miami Dolphins (26)--are hungry for receivers.

The flamboyant Mitchell has never been known for his humility. So it isn’t surprising he thinks he belongs at the front of the class, even if he only has average size at 5 feet 11, 188 pounds.

“I see myself as the best receiver [in the draft] by far,” he said. “Look at game film and the competition I’ve faced. Go by game film and who’s a true football player. But if you’re going by two inches and 20 pounds, that’s ridiculous.”

This week, when a reporter asked for Mitchell’s phone number in hopes of interviewing him in the hours after the draft, the player’s ego again bubbled to the surface.

“Oh, really?” he said sarcastically. “Get in line.”

The line of talented receivers is long. Others who could go in the first round include North Carolina State’s Koren Robinson; Michigan’s David Terrell; Clemson’s Rod Gardner; Oregon State’s Chad Johnson; and Miami’s Santana Moss and Reggie Wayne.

Likewise, this draft class is loaded with linebackers. USC’s Steele probably will go in the second or third round. He is quick and athletic, although he was bothered by ankle problems late last season. Moreno, an inside linebacker, isn’t as fast but he’s a smart player who knows how to get the most out of his abilities. Davis, two years removed from a major knee injury, was once considered a potential high-round pick.

Steele recently visited the St. Louis Rams at their request. He talked to club executives and coaches but didn’t work out for them.

“I’m excited as well as nervous,” he said. “I just want to get selected early so I don’t have to sit there and wait for all three rounds [today].”

A strong performance at the NFL combine gave Mitchell a boost. He ran a fast 40-yard dash, although his exact time is unclear. He said he ran it in 4.43 seconds, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper said 4.44 and the NFL Web site says 4.49.

So what does that mean? Not much, at least to the New York Jets, who have the 19th pick and are looking for a receiver.

“He’s a good receiver. I don’t think he’s a top receiver,” Jet General Manager Terry Bradway said. “He’s a physical guy, and he’s got good timed speed. But he doesn’t always play to that timed speed.”

Mitchell got the job done for UCLA last season, when he had 77 receptions for a school-record 1,494 yards and nine touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to college football’s top receiver, and completed two passes--both for touchdowns.

Bruin Coach Bob Toledo has told Mitchell not to fixate on being drafted in the first round but to try to relax and enjoy the day.

“There are a lot of agents, family and friends telling these guys they’re going to be first-round draft choices,” Toledo said. “There are only, what, 32 of those? So they get disappointed quite often. So I try and take the opposite approach. I try not to pump them up too much, and then if it happens it’s a bonus.”

Apparently, Mitchell has taken that advice to heart.

“In the beginning, I was trying to be a high first-rounder,” he said. “Now, I just want to get to the league and establish myself. . . . I’m just ready. I’m tired. I can’t wait until it’s all over and they say, ‘OK, he’s playing for this team.’ ”

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Staff writer David Wharton contributed to this story.

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Senior Service

Freddie Mitchell missed most of his junior season with a broken leg, but had a stellar senior season:

Receptions: 68

Yards: 1,314

Touchdowns: 8

Passing: 2-2

Passing Yards: 76

Passing TDs: 2