Jarrod Baxter played hundreds of football games growing up, but none of them are as tough as the test he will be facing this weekend - the waiting game.
The former UNM fullback is going to be sitting nervously in his mother's house this weekend, watching the NFL Draft on television to see which team will pick him.
"I'm anxious, just waiting for it to go down," Baxter said. "I wish it would just hurry up so I know where I am going to be living and playing."
The NFL Draft is seven rounds, with the first three on Saturday and the final four rounds on Sunday. Baxter is projected by several publications to be picked in the third through fifth rounds, and he said several NFL scouts have told him and his agent that he will probably go among those three rounds.
"But it's anyone's guess," Baxter said. "No one knows. They tell you they are going to pick you and then you see your name go by the draft board."
He is rated the second or third best fullback in the draft, with University of Miami at Florida's Najeh Davenport rated number one and Ohio State University's Jamar Martin also gaining attention.
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If chosen, Baxter would be the tenth Lobo player during the past six years to be drafted.
"Being drafted is a big deal, no matter what round you get picked," he said. "I don't care where I get picked, as long as I get an opportunity to play."
Although he had a stellar senior season at UNM, teams have several questions about Baxter because he is not the prototypical blocking fullback most NFL teams crave.
The 6-foot, 1-inch, 250 pound Baxter is a running back in a fullback's build, giving him an advantage because he can run.
But it also is a hindrance because he was not asked to block and catch very much at UNM. He carried the ball 203 times for 907 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns while catching only seven passes for 49 yards in the 2001 season.
"Everybody wanted to see me block and see if I could catch the ball," Baxter said. "Also, they asked if I was willing to do those things."
He said he did a decent job in the two all-star games he participated in - the East-West Shrine game and the Senior Bowl, but struggled in the NFL scouting combine in early March.
The combine measures individual skills and is known for helping raise or lower a player's draft stock. He ran a 4.75 in the 40-yard dash, which is the most observed event at the combine. But he said he usually averages a 4.5 in the sprint.
"I did not do spectacular," Baxter said. "I probably didn't help myself that much. There were little things that bothered me that I didn't handle like I should have."
He did, however, redeem himself in the individual workouts he participated in with three teams - Minnesota, San Diego and Jacksonville.
"I did pretty well," he said. "I had good conversations with the coaches and they let me know what they were looking for from me."
Baxter, who graduated in December with a degree in criminology, said about 10 teams have shown serious interest in drafting him. Along with the three teams he worked out for, he said Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, Carolina and Miami are interested.
Although he just wants to be drafted, he added that there were a couple of teams that he thinks he would fit in well with.
"I just figure an offense like Miami and St. Louis maybe fit me much better," he said. "They both use the fullbacks a lot in the running and passing games and they have blocking schemes similar to what I am used to."
Baxter has experience competing for spots on teams. He walked on the UNM football team from Highland High School in 1997 and became a star in four years. Baxter finished his career seventh all-time in career-rushing yards, compiling 2,090 yards.
"It's kind of weird; prior to this year, (the draft) was unexpected," he said. "But I am excited; I just have to wait and see what happens."
